The Johnson County administration and health and human services buildings are scheduled to undergo major upgrades to create a safer and more efficient environment. 

Updates include fire suppression upgrades, additional emergency exits, single-user restrooms, and improvements to the elevators and HVAC system. An employee lactation room will also be added. 

The project is being funded by a combination of general funds and the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as ARPA, funds. Taxes will not be raised to fund the remodels, according to a page on the county’s website about the remodel.

The county will move departments during construction in the administration building to a temporary workspace in the Johnson County Health and Human Services building’s third floor. 

No services will be shut down to the public during this process, and departments will move during the weekends to guarantee the continuation of services. 

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JJ Johnson, media production and technology specialist for Johnson County, said the updates will ensure that the county is in a position to provide diverse services to the increasingly diverse population. 

“The county is growing, and this will certainly help us increase capacity to meet the needs of the community,” Melissa Robert, Johnson County special project manager, said. 

The goals of the project are to increase safety and wellness for county employees and visitors. The project will also promote physical and mental health, make the campus more accessible, and empower employees to be resilient in times of crisis and serve the public in more efficient and creative ways. 

Robert said the administration building will begin moving services in a few weeks. Once the administration building is clear, construction will begin in early November. 

Vice Chairperson Rod Sullivan said the administration building has served the county well but is in need of updates. 

“I think this is going to be good for employees, good for the public,” Sullivan said. “I expect it to help us be a little more efficient.”

Discussions for the project started in 2019. OPN Architects conducted a space needs analysis which yielded results that encouraged the supervisors to approve the update. 

The project has received several major budget changes. OPN architects originally estimated the project to cost $15.2 million in 2020. In May 2022, the firm upped the cost to $28.8 million because of the scope of the project and economic factors. 

On July 27, the supervisors awarded and authorized a contract with McComas-Lacina Construction for $7.3 million. 

Construction on the administration building is set to be finished in July 2024. After that, the third floor of the health and human services building will receive a remodel projected to end in December 2024.