COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners agreed this week to adopt a three-phase approach to the Justice Building expansion.

The 60,000-square-foot expansion will add three courtrooms and facilities for the Sheriff’s Office, district court employees, prosecutors and other county staff. Initial designs were created to meet the needs of the county and account for some future growth.

The county is expected to pay the difference between the $24 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated to the project and the final cost, currently estimated at around $34.8 million.

Commissioner Leslie Duncan indicated this week that the money could come from multiple sources, including district court funds and the county’s fund balance. But she said she’s reluctant to take too much from the county’s reserves.

“We’ve got enough money,” Duncan said Monday. “We do. But I don’t want to cut into our two-and-a-half months’ reserve if we can help it.”

Bouten Construction staff gave commissioners a more detailed cost breakdown this week.

The first phase of construction will involve foundation excavation, relocation of utilities and other site preparations. With a price tag of $5.5 million, the work is expected to begin in early September and continue through the fall.

The work package will go out to bid July 14, which project estimator Tyler Jones said could be an attractive time period that encourages competitive bids.

“In the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene area, there’s not a lot of projects (of this size) slated to go within the next six months,” Jones said. “From a standpoint of backlog with local trade partners, these guys are looking to fill that slot.”

The second phase, with an estimated cost of $18.7 million, will involve concrete foundations, walls and structural steel. That work package will go out to bid Sept. 22.

The final construction phase, which includes the interior and exterior finishes needed for the county to occupy the building, is expected to cost $10.5 million. Multiple work packages will go out to bid in late December and the work is expected to begin in January 2024.

Jones said cost estimates could shrink as the building’s interior designs are finalized in the coming months.

“We could easily trim a million dollars out of this budget just by changing the type of metal panel or materials,” he said. “That’s something we’re exploring, as well.”