Pender County gets quarterly updates on law enforcement center and health services facility; both projects on early schedules

Contractors and county project staff gave the Board of Commissioners quarterly status updates Feb. 3 on two county capital projects: the new Pender County Law Enforcement Center and the Health & Human Services facility.

Daria Ramirez, project manager in the county manager—s office, introduced Moseley Architects and Daniels & Daniels Construction for the law enforcement center presentation. Steve Nally of Moseley said site mobilization and the building pad are complete and that crews have finished foundation work in most portions of the footprint. He said underground mechanical, electrical and plumbing work is under way and that the team will place slab‑on‑grade sections sequentially by area. "They're generally preparing to put the floor of the slab on grade, throughout the facility, one section at a time," Nally said.

Contractor Jeremiah Davis said the first structural steel deliveries are due by the end of the month and that long‑lead items are arriving as expected. The team reported a contractual substantial‑completion target in mid‑September with final completion about 30 days later. The current contract value reported to the board is about $54,000,000, with roughly $5,000,000 billed to date (presenters stated the project is approximately 15% complete by schedule and about 10% complete by billings).

Ramirez and the contractor noted five cost proposals were under review, including one to draw against an allowance for unsuitable soils. "Some potential additional unsuitable soils on site" were identified, Nally said, and staff said they are evaluating associated costs.

The county then heard an update on the new Health & Human Services building from Austin Sasse and the HHS project team. Sasse told the board the 10.5‑acre site has been cleared and graded and that the contractor has imported roughly 40,000 cubic yards of fill — about 2,700 dump‑truck loads. He said the team had installed more than 430 aggregate piers averaging about 30 feet deep to cope with local soil conditions, completed concrete foundations in January, and began structural steel erection Jan. 20. "We're about 35% complete on steel erection," Sasse said, adding the goal is to finish setting steel in the next month or two.

Sasse reported the HHS contract value at about $46,600,000 and noted progress billings near 16% to date. He identified a handful of possible change items that staff anticipates bringing back to the board — including a second‑floor fit‑out, relocation of dental equipment, several furniture adjustments, removal of pine trees adjacent to Jasmine Way, and a recommended traffic signal at Walker Street and Highway 117 that emerged from the project traffic study.

Both contractor teams told the board they expect to track weather days as the site work continues and emphasized the importance of timely deliveries of long‑lead items (steel, air handlers and major electrical gear were noted). No formal actions were taken on either project during the meeting; staff said cost proposals and contract allowance draws would return for board review if needed.