St. Joseph County approves immediate temporary repairs after engineers find failed waterproofing in County City Building tunnel

St. Joseph County commissioners voted Nov. 4 to proceed with immediate temporary measures to limit further water intrusion at the County City Building plaza and the pedestrian connector tunnel after engineers said the waterproofing had failed.

Engineers from DLZ and WJE presented results from October excavation and underside sounding work. Ross Smith, a structural engineer with WJE, said, “The good news is, for the most part, the structure of the concrete tunnel is in in very good shape,” and added that the “waterproofing has served its purpose a long time ago.” He said the team found localized spalling and delaminations where water and de-icing salts had penetrated through cracks and breached the waterproofing.

The consultants broke corrective work into two stages. Stage 1 is temporary winter protections and targeted surface repairs the team said could be completed before deep winter weather, including removing and replacing failed sealants in plaza joints, applying a breathable sealer to the plaza surface, and installing a more robust temporary protective enclosure with framing and gutters that directs runoff to a sump and into the storm system. DLZ noted those measures are not permanent fixes but would limit further damage over winter.

For the spring, DLZ described two alternatives. Stage 2A would repair only the exposed areas, add drains to reduce ponding, replace damaged concrete patches and localized waterproofing, and return the plaza to service; the consultants provided an opinion-of-cost range of roughly $2.0 million to $2.5 million for that option. Stage 2B would be a full reconstruction: excavating the plaza and adjacent areas up to the face of the other courthouse, installing new waterproofing and insulation, and making more-extensive repairs; DLZ said that option would be costlier and take longer.

The consultants recommended proceeding with Stage 1 now and then finalizing designs and cost estimates for a Stage 2 option in the spring. Steven Kromkowski, vice president at DLZ, said some restoration products require sustained temperatures above about 50°F for installation, which limits what can be done immediately and informed the two-stage approach.

Commissioners discussed longer-term building disposition during the presentation. Commissioner Morton said a local group is exploring purchase of the County City Building, and commissioners noted that the building supplies heating and cooling to multiple courthouses; they said further investigation into that disposition and mechanical dependencies is ongoing and that decisions about a sale have not been finalized.

After the presentation, a motion to proceed with Stage 1 temporary corrective measures was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Recorded aye votes included Commissioner Morton, Commissioner Hazen and Commissioner Maxmeier. County staff will obtain quotes for Stage 1 work and return with design documents and estimates if the board pursues a Stage 2 option in spring.

Engineers emphasized that while localized concrete repairs are needed, they do not see an immediate structural safety threat to tunnel users. Smith said the recommended approach focuses on stopping water and salt ingress, patching spalled concrete, repairing or replacing waterproofing, and improving surface drainage to prevent recurrence.

Next steps noted by DLZ included preparing final design documents, soliciting contractor quotes or bids per state statute where required, and coordinating a schedule and budget for the spring work. The board also discussed whether to declare an emergency to bypass formal bidding procedures; DLZ said that declaration can accelerate procurement but that documentation and quotes are still required for the work.