CVTC building project cost rises, not expected to hamper other referendum work

Andrew Dowd, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read

Jun. 16—EAU CLAIRE — The price of renovating and expanding a Chippewa Valley Technical College building rose $1.1 million over initial estimates as the project got slightly larger and general construction costs rose.

Initially planned for $9.5 million when proposed to voters as part of a larger April 2020 referendum, the upgrade to the Emergency Service Education Center now has a price of $10.6 million, according to the college.

The industrywide increase in the price of construction materials played a role in the increase, but CVTC President Bruce Barker said there were other factors as well.

The new apparatus bay to store the college's firetrucks grew larger during the design phase so physical fitness testing mandated for firefighters could be held indoors.

"We weren't able to do that with our old facility," Barker said.

Replacing the current building's 20-year-old roof, boiler and parking lot were also added to the project, which will roughly double the facility's size.

The higher price for the Emergency Service Education Center upgrade is not expected to impinge upon other projects contained in the $48.8 million referendum.

"I don't think it will," Barker said.

Though it won't fully offset the expanding center's higher cost, another referendum-funded project's price came in less than expected.

Initially estimated to cost $29.8 million, the new Transportation Education Center was bid at $29.6 million even as the square footage for that building increased somewhat during its planning.

And if it is needed, CVTC may tap its annual budget to pay for smaller parts of referendum-funded projects.

"We'll still be able to use the referendum dollars and supplement that with additional capital dollars, if we need to," Barker said.

Both the Emergency Service Education Center renovation and expansion and new Transportation Education Center are under construction at CVTC's West Campus, each slated to open in mid-2022.

The first referendum-funded project — a 10,000-square-foot addition to the Manufacturing Education Center at CVTC's Gateway Campus — started construction in fall and is nearing completion.

The referendum is also paying for land for a future expansion to CVTC's River Falls campus, remodeling projects at its Menomonie and River Falls campuses, new technology and creating more labs.

In the April 2020 election, 62% of voters in CVTC's 11-county district supported the referendum.