After two more short delays, the new Badger Prairie Health Care Center is ready to be built.
The $22 million nursing home for the mentally infirm on East Verona Avenue went out for bids this spring, and while the numbers that came back had those involved in the process practically jumping for joy, procedural matters caused the bid approvals to be delayed until last week.
But the County Board gave it the green light last Thursday, and a groundbreaking has been tentatively set for early next week.
Madison-based Roberts Construction Associates was the low bidder, at $17.9 million, and the board chose three alternates - a snow melt system for the loading dock, storage area in the basement and stretching a water line to the nearby park shelter - to bring the total just over $18 million.
That number does not include architectural fees, furnishings or contingencies - changes that are determined to be necessary after construction begins - so the total should be closer to $22 million.
The county requires 10 percent be built into the budget for contingencies, though it's unlikely that much will be needed. The Verona City Center added about 2 percent in contingencies, and its architects told city leaders that about 4 percent was typical.
It does, however, include the geothermal heating and cooling system that was added into the budget for the project last fall, as well as some solar water heating.
The procedural delays shouldn't affect the construction schedule much, which at last estimate had the new facility up and running in early 2010. After the move is complete, most of the old facility is scheduled for demolition and will eventually house parking. The one remaining piece will be the single-story, white administration building, which will become a new Dane County Sheriff's Office building.
