News Track: Johnson County Administration Building renovation near completion

IOWA CITY — In August 2019, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors contracted with OPN Architects to conduct a space needs study on the county’s Administration Building and the Health and Human Services Building, both on S. Dubuque Street in Iowa City.

Johnson County residents visit the Administration Building for services such as registering a vehicle or getting a marriage license.

Conversations around renovating the Administration Building had been swirling since 2017, however there hadn’t been any renovations made. Following the completion of the space needs study, OPN began designing updates for the county government campus.

The original estimated cost for the project in January 2020 was about $15 million. However, just two years later, in May 2022, after a redesign that added to its scope, the estimated cost rose more than 85 percent to $27.9 million. The county could not afford that without having to raise taxes or using reserve funds.

However, county officials insisted the project was necessary both for county employees and for residents who use the government services provided on the campus. The renovations were meant to prepare staff in the event of another pandemic or epidemic and to increase safety of county workers and the public. Some of the planned renovations included an updated HVAC system, sprinkler system and security upgrades.

In December 2022, the county asked OPN to scale back the project to reduce costs.

With a final cost still up in the air, county supervisors indicated a move forward with splitting the project in phases. The county was insistent on operating on an “aggressive” timeline toward completion in late 2024 so as to not disrupt the auditor’s office work any more than necessary during the election season.

OPN estimated the first phase would cost about $6.5 million, which the county had already budgeted for, and would solve many of the problems public-facing offices were experiencing.

What’s happened since

OPN Architects presented the supervisors with an amended plan costing about $11 million, with the potential to reduce it to $9 million with additional project cuts, in March 2023. Later, in May 2023, OPN presented the board with an updated plan with an estimated cost of $10.2 million.

But after the county put the project out to bid, it reached an agreement with McComas-Lacina Construction to do the entire project for $7.3 million.

The project is being paid for with a combination of American Rescue Plan Act dollars and the county’s general fund. Taxes were not raised to cover costs of the project.

The project includes HVAC system upgrades, fire safety measures, elevator upgrades and additional emergency upgrades. Single-user restrooms are also being added.

The project began in August 2023 and is being completed in three phases:

Phase 0 (August to October 2023): Preparation of the third floor of the Health and Human Services Building. The third floor has been used there as a “swing space” to house departments during the Administration Building construction.

Phase 1 (November 2023 to July 2024): As construction on the Administration Building took place, county services temporarily were relocated to the Health and Human Services Building.

Phase 2 (August 2024 to January 2025): Remodeling work on the third floor of the Health and Human Services Building will be completed. This work will include an updated Board of Supervisors boardroom.

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During Phase 1, the Administration Building closed and departments were relocated to the Health and Human Services Building. Throughout this month, county services will begin gradually moving back to the renovated Administration Building.

The Treasurer’s Office will be open in its current location — on the third floor of the Health and Human Services Building — until noon Aug. 23. The office will move Aug. 26 to its new location on the first floor of the Administration Building.

The Finance Department also will open Aug. 26 on the first floor of the Administration Building.

Other services will continue to move back to the Administration Building on a staggered schedule. Specific dates for those have yet to be announced.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com