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Carter County selects Cushing Terrell to lead museum expansion project
Summary
After interviews with three firms, consultants recommended Cushing Terrell for the Carter County Museum expansion; the commission accepted the recommendation and authorized contract development to meet a possible $300,000 grant deadline tied to roof work.
The Carter County Commission voted Dec. 8 to accept consultants’ recommendation to hire Cushing Terrell as the architect for the Carter County Museum renovation and expansion.
Consultants (speaker 6 and others) briefed the commission on their review of three finalist firms—Collaborative Designs, High Plains Architects and Cushing Terrell—and recommended Cushing Terrell based on project staffing, contingency planning, fundraising and on‑the‑ground capacity. Following discussion, Commissioner (speaker 5) moved to endorse the recommendation and the Chair seconded; the motion carried with no public comment.
Why it matters: consultants presented comparative fee estimates and project cost envelopes. Highlights included a Cushing Terrell proposed fee of approximately $775,000 and a most‑likely project fee estimate around $1,382,913 under the county’s preferred scope; their building cost estimate was summarized at roughly $7,981,777, with a total project cost near $10,000,543 including contingencies. Consultants said those contingencies create a practical cushion within the county’s $10 million cap.
Consultants and the commission also discussed a possible $300,000 Montana heritage preservation grant that requires a construction firm under contract by Sept. 30 (to secure funds for roof replacement). The commission asked staff to draft a contract for Cushing Terrell and route it for review; consultants said the firm would help prepare multiple bid packages and assist fundraising, which could accelerate early work on the roof and related stabilization tasks.
Next steps: county staff will contact Cushing Terrell, draft a contract for legal review and work to align early work with the heritage grant timeline; consultants will begin schematic work pending contract execution.
