The City of Elsmere will enter into a design contract with SHP Architecture and Design for a new public works building.
On Tuesday, Elsmere City Council unanimously approved the design and proposed budget of $6.4 million for the project, intended to house all public works offices and vehicles under one roof at 717 Bedinger St. next to Woodside Park.
“So, you have the current site and the combination of a couple of out buildings, if you will,” said SHP Director of Development Steve Kenat. “They’re constantly playing jumble tag with various pieces of equipment.”
Public Works employees and vehicles currently reside at both 513 Ash St. and 496 Ash St. Not all vehicles are housed under one single roof, leaving uncovered vehicles outside to weather more quickly. Equipment can get scrambled behind trucks and other vehicles, Kenat said, taking time out of the day to move things in and out to reach the intended items.
“We really want to make sure that this space was going to be well-organized, not only for the vehicles, but also for the staff,” Kenat said. “It needs to be a space that is constant care and feeding, providing support for the citizens of Elsmere.”
The new building is proposed to be around 20,000 square feet; 18,000 square feet will be dedicated to housing vehicles and another 6,000 square feet for office space. The design also includes designated bathrooms, showers and locker rooms for staff, alongside a small break room and a multi-purpose meeting room.
Internally, all vehicles will be able to be housed under one roof with an easy flow of traffic so as not to disturb the nearby park and residents. The building will also have a designated vehicle maintenance bay and vehicle washing station.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Elsmere Public Works Director Steve Zerhusen.
City council members were also presented with statute KRS 65.025(1)(e), or Best Value Selection statute from Ben Hyden, attorney and partner for Bricker Graydon Wyatt. According to Kentucky legislation, the statute means “a procurement in which the decision is based on the primary objective of meeting the specific business requirements and best interests of the local government.”
Standards for cost, quality and service are explicitly stated. Oftentimes, a construction manager is named on the project to help oversee and evaluate progress as needed.
“It’s definitely a needed thing for the city based on how much you’ve grown and the equipment that you have,” said Councilmember Andrew Myatt. “Having everything under one roof in a correct place and grab and go is going to save you guys time and time is money in this.”
