Saratoga County public safety facility almost ready for bidders

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photo Provided

An artist's rendering of the proposed new Saratoga County Public Safety Building.

SARATOGA COUNTY — The county will begin seeking bids for construction of its new $30 million public safety building on June 29.

David Pacheco, director of Regional Office for H2M Architects and Engineers, which is overseeing the project on behalf of the county, said bids will be due by July 31.

He said the firm would notify the Building and Grounds Committee of the winning bid at the committee’s Aug. 14 meeting.

A resolution to accept the winning bid is expected to be voted on by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors at its Aug. 21 meeting.

“We’re expecting competitive bids, due to the high level of interest in this project,” Pacheco said to the Building and Grounds Committee on Tuesday. “The project is getting a lot of attention.”

The nearly 63,000-square-foot facility will be built on county property at the corner of County Farm Road and Fairground Avenue in Ballston Spa. It will house the sheriff’s office, probation department, public health services, emergency services, 911 dispatch and communications operations. It will also have more than 13,500 square feet of shared training and conference space.

Plans for the building were first discussed more than 10 years ago, though they were put on hold during the economic downturn.

Pacheco said the firm was delayed in going out to bid as the state Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) would not approve the project until it could be determined whether a cemetery was located on the property.

According to the Saratoga County Historical Society, the Saratoga County Alms House was previously situated near the property. It served paupers for nearly 90 years before being demolished in 1960.

The Saratoga County Jail and sheriff’s office, as well as the Saratoga County Highway Department, are located on the site now.

“It was a remote, but possible impact that had to be explored,” Pacheco said of the cemetery inquiry. “We received every indication that it wasn’t in the area.”

He said the firm issued a report on the archaeological findings to SHPO on Tuesday, and the state has 30 days to comment on it.

“I don’t anticipate any further delays,” Pacheco said. “Everything indicates that the site is clean.”