Lake County commissioners approve $1 million for Juvie Center renovation

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Updated: March 17, 2012 10:19AM

CROWN POINT — Lake County officials on Wednesday agreed to pay more than $1 million for architectural services, planning and project supervision of upcoming renovations at the Juvenile Justice Center.

The Lake County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the agreement with DLZ Indiana, LLC, not to exceed $1,010,000.

According to County Attorney John Dull, actual construction on the project is expected to cost $7.4 million to be paid through a bond issue, to be sold in late March.

The renovations will affect four pods that date back to 1977, and will include a new roof. The renovations will not affect portions of the center built in 2000, Dull said.

The Juvenile Justice Center is one of three major projects scheduled to take place in the coming year, including renovations at the jail and the third phase of work on the Lake County Government Center. Cost estimates on those projects are $3.2 million and $12 million, respectively. The county has planned for 15 months of construction to begin after April 1, Dull said.

In other news, the commissioners approved a bid for roof repairs on the administrative and court sections of the Lake County Government Center. The projects went to Hammond-based Korellis Roofing, Inc., which submitted the lowest bid of $358,839.

The commissioners opened the bids and approved the winner in less than an hour, citing the need to meet Wednesday’s deadline for to commit federal money to the project.

According to grant administrator Mark Purevich, the money — $243,000 — is what remains of a $3 million Energy Efficiency Conservative Block Grant administered through the U.S. Department of Energy. That grant was used to pay for projects at the Calumet, North and Hanover township trustees’ offices.

According to Dull, the repairs are needed to fix leaks near the county clerk’s office.