Redwood County Courthouse about one-third through construction process, still on track financially

The upcoming $10 million Redwood County Justice Center is about one-third through its construction schedule, and financially still on track.

Several Redwood County Commissioners went on a tour of the new courthouse and offices Tuesday morning. They were told that most of the “big ticket” construction items are in place, and work on the courthouse is at the point where crews can begin to concentrate mostly on exterior detailing and interior projects such as plumbing, walls, and flooring.

Jim Theurer, project supervisor for The Contegrity Group, told the county board it was lucky that literally got off the ground before the current bout of inflation hit this year. He estimated that if the county were to request bids and order supplies now, the $10 million Redwood County Justice Center could have ended up costing closer to $12 million. Redwood County’s Justice Center is still tracking pretty close to cost estimates, with a healthy amount still in the contingency budget.

By comparison, Theurer mentioned how, because of inflation, supply chain, and labor issues, the cost of restoring a historic courthouse in Winona County recently rose from its $20 million estimate to $27 million. Theurer stated that on another project his company is working on, between the time the request for bids was sent out and the project was approved by that county’s board, the cost of some materials had risen by 10 percent.

Currently the street between the current courthouse and the Law Enforcement Center is closed while the tunnel connecting the two buildings is being excavated. Once the pre-formed tunnel segments under the street are in place and waterproofed, the street will be patched up.

Once the new Redwood County Justice Center is finished, the old courthouse will be demolished, and its site used for a parking lot. The new Justice Center is expected to be finished in mid-2022.