Commissioners approve engineering contracts for new youth center

Bartholomew County Commissioners have signed $1.3 million in contracts for engineering firms to design and manage the construction of a new Bartholomew County Youth and Family Community Connections Center in a project to replace the aging youth services center.

Commissioners President Tony London explained that the county has determined that the existing center on Illinois Avenue is no longer functional and that it makes no sense to put more money into that facility. The County Council has approved spending up to $16 million dollars to build the new center.

Taylor Brothers Construction will manage the project at a cost of more than $431 thousand dollars, while Steve Risting with atelierRISTING will be designing the project and creating construction documents at a cost of $905 thousand dollars. That will include $200 thousand for the schematic design phase, $161 thousand for the design and development phase, almost $272 thousand for construction documents, almost $158 thousand for the construction phase and $39 thousand for procurement, plus nearly $80 thousand for reimbursable expenses.

London and Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said that engineering work constructions projects normally run about 10 to 15 percent of the project cost and said the Taylor Brothers and Risting contracts represent a substantial cost savings.

The new facility will sit next to the recently built court services building on First Street, which was also designed by Risting. Commissioners said that Risting’s previous work on the court services building was the most seamless project in recent memory.

Commissioners approved both contracts at their meeting Monday.

File photo of current center, courtesy of Bartholomew County