Deschutes County courthouse expansion nears interior turnover; contingencies intact

County project staff updated the Board on the courthouse expansion and associated renovation work on Nov. 24, saying exterior framing and a weather barrier are in place and the public lobby’s cross-laminated timber roof has been installed. "Phase 1 of the existing renovation has been ongoing and is nearing completion," the project lead said, and crews are targeting a turnover of the Saving Grace/state courts space around Dec. 5.

The team described progress across the garage, MEP rough-in, drywall and painting in several zones, and said the roofing and exterior wall finishing are the next major efforts. Project staff said the building is substantially past structural milestones and they are focusing on exterior finishes, glazing and interior commissioning over the next 4–6 weeks. "We're in pretty darn good shape, at this stage," a presenter said, noting weather-readiness and heat maintenance are priorities heading into winter.

On budget, presenters reported a project budget of $48,400,006 and billed costs to date of $30,591,093 (about 63% complete by dollars), with approximately $17.8 million remaining. They said both the general contractor and county contingency buckets remain and that permit-related infrastructure work along Bond Street may generate some additional costs not yet reflected in the reported numbers. The team said they expect those permit-related increases to be covered by contingency and promised a fuller update at the December or January briefing.

Commissioners questioned temporary sidewalk/road staging and how long barriers will remain; the project team said those protections would likely stay into spring to allow safe lifting and staging but can be adjusted if snow or other needs require change. The board received the update and had no formal action other than continued oversight through monthly updates.