At today’s special Peoria County Board Meeting, the Board received and approved the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the new Health and Human Services Campus by a 15-3 vote, set to be constructed at the former Peoria City/County Health Department location at 2116 N Sheridan Road, Peoria. In addition to the Health Department, the new building will house the Regional Office of Education, the Coroner’s Office, and the Sustainability and Resource Conservation Department.
“I am extremely pleased with the Board’s decision to move forward with this incredibly vital project for our community,” said James C. Dillon, Chairperson of the Peoria County Board. “Between American Rescue Plan Act funds, our Health Department’s reserve funds, and additional grants and allocations, we will be able to undertake this massive project without raising property taxes.”
This afternoon, the board voted to approve a Guaranteed Maximum Price of $18.7 million from River City Construction, which will act as the construction manager. River City Construction will hold the contracts with contractors and suppliers on the project. In the event a project is delivered at a cost greater than the GMP, then the construction manager records a loss on the project. If the project is delivered under the GMP, then the owner (the County) only pays for the final cost.
“Multiple rounds of value-engineering went into this project,” said Board Member Terry Ruhland, who is serving as the County Board representative on the project. “Every part of the building design was scrutinized to ensure we got the most bang for our buck, while still creating a more functional and modern workplace for our employees and the public we serve.”
The complete cost of the Health and Human Services Campus is anticipated to be $22.3 million. This afternoon the board also approved additional funding of $7.8 million for the project, to supplement the $15 million in funds that were already allocated during the 2023 annual budget process. These additional funds include $4.7 million from the Peoria City/County Health Department reserves, $2.6 million from ARPA funds, and $500,000 from the General Fund’s Capital Project Fund.
The Health Department has been saving funds for several years in anticipation of needing either a new building or substantial repairs to their current facilities on Sheridan Road. In 2021, project discussions increased as a new funding stream became available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Of the $34.8 million ARPA funds Peoria County received, approximately $19.6 million is anticipated to go toward this project.
In September of 2021, the Peoria County Board hired Farnsworth Group and River City Construction as consultants to help evaluate service levels, service delivery, space needs, and renovation versus replacement for multiple County departments. Since that time, they have been regularly meeting with Board Members and staff to work through the decision-making process, culminating with the receiving of bids. Construction is slated to begin next month.