County board approves corrections building bid

Steele County commissioners last week moved forward a new home for the Community Corrections Department, awarding a $2,942,000 construction bid.

Seven contractors submitted a bid to construct the 8,900-square-foot building on East Mill Street. Project alternates included demolition of a garage on the property, an exterior brick veneer, and a concrete block and brick screening wall for the exterior mechanical equipment in the northwest corner of the site.

Consultants with Wold Architects and Engineers reviewed the bids and recommended the low base bid submitted by Mankato-based APX Construction Group. According to the company’s website, previous APX projects include the Waseca airport and buildings for Blue Earth and Le Sueur counties, as well as community nonprofit, industrial, medical, and office buildings.

Wold recommended removing the garage demo alternate, as it would be more cost-effective to complete that using county staff, and the screening wall, because the base bid included a metal framed screening system.

The brick veneer, a request from the City of Owatonna, will cost $58,000. County officials first proposed a metal-sided building, then proposed a stucco veneer. Neither sat well with the city’s planning commission and neighboring businesses; both wanted a look that fit better with the downtown aesthetic.

The new Community Corrections building brings the department closer to the county attorney’s office and the courthouse; both are near the intersection of Mill Street and South Cedar Avenue.

Work is expected to begin this spring, with completion in 2025.