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Study shows similar total costs across sites despite different trade-offs
Summary
Fairgram’s high-level estimates put Abley, Donnie and Dolan total development costs within roughly half a million of each other, but the drivers differ: Abley has higher upfront infrastructure work, Donnie higher land cost, Dolan higher earthwork.
Fairgram’s feasibility presentation showed that although the three candidate sites for a joint public works facility carry different risks and benefits, their estimated total costs landed in a fairly narrow band once contingencies were included. Jesse Duff said Abley Road’s roadway and utility extensions drive high initial infrastructure costs, Donnie’s purchase price increases its total, while Dolan’s topography raises site-improvement costs.
"We estimate that at around $1,700,000" for Abley Road roadway improvements, Duff said, and he listed Abley’s site-improvement total near $8.8 million. He reported Donnie’s site-improvement estimate at roughly $10.3 million with a purchase-price assumption of $40,000 per acre that raised a combined total to about $14.2 million. Dolan, by contrast, had lower roadway costs but the highest earthwork estimate (site improvements around $11.7 million) and an assumed $20,000-per-acre land price that put its total near $13.9 million.
The consultant emphasized these are engineer's opinions of probable cost with appended contingencies and not final construction bids. He also noted the report assumed city annexation and municipal water and sewer rather than private wells or septic systems; gas and electric were omitted pending utility negotiations. Committee members said the numbers surprised them by their proximity and asked staff to continue targeted follow-up before committing funds.
