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Burke County recommends design firm for Health & Human Services renovation after months of planning
Summary
County staff recommended Holland & Ham for design services for an adaptive-reuse renovation of the Health & Human Services building on Parker Road, outlining a phased two-year plan, a single-prime contracting approach, and expectations that about half of DSS-allocable costs will be recovered through state reimbursement mechanisms.
Burke County officials on Monday outlined plans to renovate the county’s Health & Human Services (HHS) building on Parker Road, recommending Holland & Ham as the preferred design firm after an RFQ process that produced five submissions.
County Manager Brian told the Board the project grew out of a capital-improvement plan begun in 2023 and a 2020 architectural study. Staff presented adaptive reuse of the current Parker Road facility as the preferred option rather than new construction, citing structural soundness, existing mechanical systems that can be salvaged and the difficulty of finding an alternate buildable site nearby. The county estimates a two-year project timeline with planning and design taking six to eight months and substantial completion targeted by Dec. 31, 2027.
The manager said the county expects roughly 50% of the costs allocable to the Department of Social Services (DSS) may be recaptured over time through indirect cost reimbursement tied to state programs; that reimbursement is not a lump-sum payment but realized through depreciation and indirect cost allocations over 15–20 years, staff said.
Staff described the procurement approach as single-prime low-bid contracting with a design-bid-build structure for construction administration. The RFQ evaluation narrowed five firms to two finalists; Holland & Ham outscored the Asheville-based finalist largely because the recommended firm demonstrated in-house construction administration experience and familiarity with clinical and social-services space—areas the review team prioritized because DSS occupies a majority of the building’s space.
Manager Brian said the county will ask the Board at its regular meeting to authorize negotiations and contract award to Holland & Ham pending county attorney review and reasonable economic negotiations. No fee information has been disclosed at this RFQ stage, consistent with procurement rules that preclude fee discussions during qualifications-based selection.
Board members asked about tenant relocation and security during renovations; staff said a phased approach will move groups of employees to temporary space at the Foothills Higher Education Center during staged construction. Staff also noted lessons from Hurricane Lane operations, when some staff were temporarily relocated there.
The county asked the Board to maintain a 10–12% contingency on the project to cover unknowns exposed during renovation work.
If the Board approves the contract award at the regular meeting, staff said they will return with a contract for legal review and a more detailed project schedule and cost estimate.
