Flathead County has chosen CTA Architects Engineers of Kalispell to design a $6 million building that will house the Agency on Aging and other county services.

The two-story facility will be built along First Avenue West south of the Earl Bennett Building. It will provide space not only for the Agency on Aging but also Health Department services such as the dental clinic, plus space for the Maintenance Department. It will be built as a “bookend” building to the Earl Bennett Building, with the potential for construction of a third floor as space is needed.

A sky bridge similar to one used by Glacier Bank in downtown Kalispell is being considered to connect the two companion buildings.

Construction is targeted to begin in March 2015 with completion by fall next year.

Design proposals were received from CTA, Montana Creative Architecture and Design of Whitefish and Solus Architecture of Somers. CTA scored the highest in an architectural qualification review conducted by a committee of county department heads. The county now will finalize the contract agreement and negotiate a price for CTA’s services.

CTA did the architectural and design work for the extensive renovation of the main county courthouse in 2011.

The capital improvement plan, a planning document for physical improvements to county facilities, earmarks $3 million for the south campus building in the 2015 budget with the remaining $3 million budgeted for 2016.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at [email protected].