TRAVERSE CITY — Grand Traverse County commissioners unanimously approved a $27,795,000 guaranteed maximum price Wednesday for Project Alpha, a long-planned effort to build a new 911 dispatch center and emergency operations center. Shovels are set to go into the ground next month
Bobby Peplinski, chief financial officer at Cunningham-Limp, presented the guaranteed maximum price amendment to the board after months of design work, value engineering and a competitive bidding process that began in late 2024.
“We’re within that original budget that we started with at the beginning,” Peplinski told commissioners.
Peplinski said the project drew 148 bids from subcontractors across the state, 84% of the recommended subcontractors are based in Grand Traverse County, consistent with the county’s local preference policy.
The project originally carried a budget range of $27 million to $30 million when it was first presented at the schematic design phase in April 2025. At that time, a list of additional features — including expanded space for the EOC, geothermal heating, solar panels, underground stormwater management and a communications tower — added roughly $2.2 million in potential costs.
Through value engineering, including switching to a flat roof on the EOC and using block construction instead of precast, the team was able to incorporate those features while bringing the budget range down to $26.3 million to $27.5 million by the design development phase in October 2025.
“It’s a great testament to the process that we went through,” Peplinski said. “The collaborative process of having a CM and the architect on board at the time, as well as the direction coming from your team as well as the commissioners.”
The final guaranteed maximum price includes two buildings — the Central Logistics Building and the EOC — along with 911 dispatch center consoles, technology infrastructure, and site work. Some furniture, fixtures, and equipment are not included in the construction manager’s price. John Chase, Director of Parks and Recreation, told the board that those remaining items are expected to come in under $1 million.
Commissioners also approved a resolution to issue bonds of up to $30 million to fund the project. County official Nate Alger said the resolution triggers a 45-day public referendum period. He noted the county has identified roughly $13.5 million in cash that could be applied toward the project, potentially reducing the total bond amount. That funding decision is expected to come at the board’s first meeting in April.
“The core of this project is we do need a new 911 center that is hardened and safe and reliable,” Commissioner Rob Hentschel said during the vote. “Everything else is coming along with that. So let’s keep moving forward.”
Construction is expected to begin in mid-April. The Central Logistics Building is projected to be completed in roughly one year, while the EOC is expected to take about 14 months, with a target completion of June 2027.