GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY — Grand Traverse County is preparing to move forward with Project Alpha, a construction project with an estimated budget between $27 million and $28.6 million.
Deputy County Administrator Chris Forsyth submitted a recommendation for the Board of Commissioners to approve a construction management agreement to begin the next phase of the development.
The approval of the agreement with Cunningham Limp is the next step required to keep the project on its current schedule. According to county documents, Project Alpha is anticipated to break ground in mid-April.
The Central Operations Building will consolidate various county facilities currently scattered throughout Grand Traverse County. The Commission on Aging will have offices in the building, along with centralized storage and other departments operating from outdated facilities.
Limp will serve as the construction manager for the project. The proposed agreement is based on AIA Document 133-2019, a standard form used for contracts between owners and construction managers. Grand Traverse County civil counsel has already approved the document as to its form and legality.
The project’s budget range was established during the design development phase. While the current estimate sits between $27 million and $28.6 million, the final guaranteed maximum price will be determined as the project progresses toward the construction stage.
Project Manager Jerry Tomczak provided an update on the progress of Project Alpha, including a timeline of upcoming milestones. These documents indicate that the project is on track to begin site work this spring.
The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to review the guaranteed maximum price during a meeting in March. At that time, the board will also consider the approval of the remaining contract documents and exhibits required to move forward with the construction.