Grand Traverse County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to hire Cunningham-Limp to serve as project manager overseeing the design and construction of the county’s LaFranier Road campus expansion – an estimated $11-$16 million project that will create a new combined emergency operations and 911/Central Dispatch center and centralized county storage facility.

Under the $285,500 contract, Cunningham-Limp will serve as the owner’s representative and project manager for all aspects of the expansion through construction. 

Project Alpha, as the expansion is called, is part of a recent facilities master plan created for Grand Traverse County and the City of Traverse City that calls for a three-campus approach to consolidate services on LaFranier Road, Boardman Avenue, and Woodmere Avenue. The plan describes numerous new construction and renovation projects recommended over the next decade totaling almost $172 million on the low end and nearly $214 million on the high end. City projects total another $40 million to $51.5 million, approximately.

Though county commissioners have expressed skepticism about the overall scope of the plan – and have yet to fully dive into its hundreds of pages of recommended projects – the board expressed a willingness this spring to tackle LaFranier Road improvements as an initial step. Commissioner Brad Jewett previously said that starting with emergency operations, GT 911, and facilities management/storage was a “no brainer,” noting a new 911 center is “badly needed” and could be funded in part by a $2.50 monthly surcharge for 911 services approved by voters in 2020. When seeking the increase, Central Dispatch publicly identified a move to new offices among the services the surcharge could support.  Jewett said the facilities management building at the Civic Center is also “dated very badly,” while a new emergency operations center would free up much-needed space for the health department.

Project Alpha also includes related infrastructure such as driveways, parking, sidewalks, and backup power generation. Previous staff estimates put the total project cost at between $11 and $16 million, though getting to a more accurate price tag will be one of Cunningham-Limp’s tasks. Staff outlined two funding scenarios, including using a combination of general funds, 911 surcharge funds, and other cash reserves and balances upfront or bonding up to $20 million and paying it back over time through the 911 surcharge and other funds.

The 911 Board of Directors and Grand Traverse County Fire Chiefs/EMS Directors Association both wrote letters of support asking commissioners to move ahead with Project Alpha. At Wednesday’s meeting, County Emergency Management Coordinator Gregg Bird said emergency management and Central Dispatch are “severely hampered” for space, with not enough room to accommodate new employees. Their offices are not hardened – posing security vulnerabilities – and don’t meet modern standards for emergency response, such as the ability to withstand certain weather events or utility outages. “Please don’t continue to delay and kick the can down the road,” Bird said. “This is a need...(we will) hopefully be able to design a building that services this county for the next 30 to 50 years.”

911/Central Dispatch Director Jason Torrey echoed Bird’s comments, noting his center has six employees today and needs eight but has no room. He said it was important to offer “safety and security” as well as a comfortable working environment for employees who are being asked to provide public services “under high stress.” With the voter-supported 911 surcharge, Central Dispatch has “done a really good job of securing funding” for operational and capital needs, Torrey said, adding the new building is “really the last remaining thing we have yet to touch on.”

In response to commission questions, Cunningham-Limp President Sam Ashley said the firm will provide design options that include energy-efficient and sustainable components, as well as recommendations on the size and layout of buildings that could include the potential for other county departments to be accommodated in the expansion. 

Staff previously shared a timeline that showed preliminary design could take place this fall, followed by final design in early 2025. Bonding and construction could then potentially start next year, putting the LaFranier campus expansion on track for a late 2026 completion. Whether the project actually proceeds that rapidly, however, will depend on a range of factors including final cost estimates and commission feedback.

Commission Chair Rob Hentschel, who has been vocal in his dissatisfaction with the final draft of the facilities master plan, reiterated Wednesday that just because the county is moving ahead with Project Alpha does not mean it’s committed to other projects in the plan. “The optics are we’re following the facilities master plan...that’s not the optics I want going out,” he said. Ashley confirmed Cunningham-Limp’s scope of work is focused only on Project Alpha, calling it a “starting off point and the foundation” for future county planning.