Project Alpha – the planned expansion of Grand Traverse County’s LaFranier Road campus – finally has an official price tag. County commissioners will vote today (Wednesday) to accept a guaranteed maximum price of just under $27.8 million and authorize documents to proceed with construction. Commissioners will also approve a resolution to bond the project, which starts a 45-day referendum period.

The guaranteed maximum price of $27,795,000 was developed by project manager Cunningham-Limp after receiving over 140 bids from contactors, most of whom were local, according to Deputy County Administrator Chris Forsyth. That price tag is in line with initial estimates of $27-$28.6 million. The county’s Building Authority has recommended acceptance of the price, as did a land development consultant who reviewed it at the administration’s request.

Plans call for building a 13,500-square-foot combined emergency communications/operations center and a 38,000-square-foot central operations building. The latter will provide storage and operational space for multiple county departments, including facilities management. Commissioners previously voted to add solar panels to both buildings and install an on-site well for irrigation and backup potable water if public water goes down.

Commissioners discussed funding options for the project at their study session last week. The county has roughly $13.5 million it could put toward the construction costs. That includes about $5.5 million in fund balance, $3 million in debt service commissioners included in their 2026 budget, $2 million from the tax revolving loan fund, and $1.25 million from the budget stabilization fund (which could be replenished with proceeds from the PACE North building sale). Another $500,000 could come from each of the 911 and Commission on Aging fund balances – for $1 million total – as both departments are part of the expansion. The county could also use $700,000 in marijuana revenues.

Putting that amount toward the construction costs would significantly reduce the amount the county has to bond for Project Alpha. Doing so would save an estimated $11.37 million in interest, according to projections. But commissioners could still decide to put a smaller amount of cash toward the project and choose, for example, not to stress the 911 or Commission on Aging funds or divert marijuana revenues toward the project.

They’re expected to make that decision in the coming month. Commissioners are also expected today to vote on a bonding resolution. That will allow the county to bond up to $30 million (providing an additional buffer for contingencies and bonding costs) and publicly declare 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 will use that period to finalize their funding approach, County Administrator Nate Alger tells The Ticker. “They have some time to make the decision about how much cash to apply and when,” he says. While the resolution allows the county to bond up to $30 million, it’s not obligated to issue that amount. The county could also bond any lower amount and combine that with the cash contribution to cover project costs.

The county has also reached a tentative agreement with DTE about a pair of gas lines running through the LaFranier property that had the potential to impact the project design, Alger says. Contractors will be required to use wooden cribbing during construction in areas where the lines are located to ensure they’re protected from heavy machinery impacts. The project can otherwise proceed as designed, include new asphalt parking areas, according to Alger.

Depending on when frost restrictions are lifted, the county could break ground on Project Alpha sometime in April, Alger says. The schedule from Cunningham-Limp states that substantial completion would occur within 455 days of breaking ground, putting the expansion on track for a summer 2027 completion.