The Pulaski County Justice Center expansion project is expected to start in the next couple weeks, while the proposed courthouse renovation remains on hold.
Project liaison Nathan Origer told the county commissioners Tuesday that Tonn & Blank Construction plans to start mobilizing the week of July 19, but the availability of materials is already a concern. “It was not our original plan or hope, but we may have to relocate the Prosecutor’s Office temporarily,” Origer said. “And this is only because some of the delays on material lead times, meaning they’re working on reordering some of the project schedule so that we stay on track.”
But the commissioners still haven’t approved a construction manager contract for the renovation of the historic courthouse, even though they preliminarily selected Tonn & Blank for both projects back in January.
Commissioner Chuck Mellon was confident that the courthouse renovation will happen, even if he wasn’t sure exactly when. “I know the community is ready for this,” he said. “I know. But I think the community also wants to make sure we can pay for it. So at this point, there probably is no timeline as such, but I think once we get started through the first project, we can see how it’s going and we see what revenue’s coming in, then we can come up with a better timetable for you.”
Origer said Baker Tilly expects the bond payments for the justice center project to be about $360,000 a year, which is about $160,000 less than the previous jail lease.
