Grand Traverse County commissioners Wednesday gave the go-ahead to Project Alpha, the planned expansion of the county's LaFranier Road campus.

The board accepted a guaranteed maximum price of $27.795 million for the project and authorized construction to proceed. Commissioners also approved a resolution allowing the county to bond up to $30 million (providing an additional buffer for contingencies and bonding costs) and publicly declaring the county’s intent to issue bonds. That move kicks off a required 45-day period in which voters can file referendum petitions calling for an election before the bonds can be issued.

Commissioners during that period are expected to finalize their funding approach, including determining how much cash they wish to invest upfront versus how much of the project cost they want to bond. Up to $13.5 million has been identified in potential available funds the county could use toward the project.

Project Alpha includes two new buildings: a combined Emergency Operations and Communications Center (EOCC) and a Centralized Operations Building (COB) that will house facilities management and the Commission on Aging’s outdoor services. Amenities at the site will include geothermal wells, solar energy systems for both buildings,  a potable water well, underground stormwater retention, a snowmelt system, and a planned rain garden to be developed in collaboration with The Greenspire School.

The guaranteed maximum price "reflects the most qualified, lowest bids for all required contracted work, with 84 percent awarded to local Grand Traverse County subcontractors," according to a county release. "It underscores the commitment of the board of commissioners to meet community
needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility and advancing environmental stewardship."

The COB will be located at 2604 LaFranier and the EOCC at 2608 LaFranier, behind the county’s current Health Services Building. Construction is expected to start mid-April, with estimated completion dates of April 2027 for the COB and June 2027 for the EOCC.