The Flathead County commissioners are looking at a multimillion-dollar proposal to provide more office space and courtrooms for the county government as departments struggle with a lack of space.

At a work session last Tuesday, architecture firm Cushing Terrell presented to the county commissioners its cost assessments and design concepts for a proposal that involves four separate projects and relocations.

The most significant part of the plan involves the potential purchase of the CenturyLink building at 290 N. Main St., just north of the intersection of Idaho and Main.

Together, the four projects are estimated to cost about $6.1 million, not including the cost of the CenturyLink building. Commissioner Phil Mitchell said that purchase will bring the total to a little under $7 million.

Mitchell said he worked on his own in-house study on space needs for approximately six months, and determined purchasing the CenturyLink building would be the most cost-effective solution to the county’s space needs.

The commissioners will vote on finalizing the purchase of the building and moving forward with the proposal on or before July 10, according to County Administrator Mike Pence.

The plan would move multiple Flathead County offices strained for space to the new building, including the Departments of Motor Vehicles, Treasurer, Accounting, Elections, Superintendent of Schools and Family Court Services. The building comes with 67 parking spaces.

The building renovation will cost approximately $3.8 million, and includes improving or replacing most of the building’s exterior, construction of a new interior configuration and upgrades to electrical and plumbing systems.

Cost estimates do not include furniture, fixture or equipment costs or any associated costs of moving departments to the new building.

With Motor Vehicles and the Treasurer’s office relocating to the Century Link building, the proposal would free up space in the Courthouse West building for the Flathead County Justice Court, with the District Court set to obtain another courtroom in the Justice Center building.

Two new courtrooms, additional office space and new temporary holding cells would be constructed in the Courthouse West building. The existing electric and plumbing systems would be used with some modification to fit the new layout, while the current waiting area and public bathrooms are in “good condition” and would meet the needs of the Justice Court.

The relocation of the Justice Court would set the stage for a new courtroom for the District Court on the east side of the Flathead County Justice Center, where two current Justice Court courtrooms would be reconfigured to make one larger courtroom for the District Court.

Renovating Courthouse West is estimated to cost about $1.5 million, while renovating the Justice Center for a new courtroom will cost about $800,000.

The Information Technology Department would also move out of the basement of the Justice Center – which is prone to flooding – to the main Courthouse and the former site of the Elections Department. This will cost an estimated $70,000.

In its report, Cushing Terrell wrote the proposed plan “would be the most cost-effective method to create much needed space for current and future needs for all departments included in this potential department relocation.”

The report stated that “commercial land cost, site development and new construction cost has escalated” to a point where it is more cost-effective to renovate existing buildings rather than build new ones.

“We have completed many projects that included similar discussions, planning, design and eventual construction to put the current effort in perspective,” Pence said.

Some of these recent projects include adding a third floor to the Earl Bennett Building, the renovation and remodel of Courthouse West, construction of the new South Campus Building and a 40-bed addition to the jail in the Justice Center.

Reporter Colin Gaiser may be reached at 758-4439 or cgaiser@dailyinterlake.com