Jul 21, 2017 3 min read

It will cost the Washington County Conservation District more than $1.6 million to renovate the former juvenile detention home at 50 Old Hickory Ridge Road so it can be used by the conservation-related agencies.

According to information discussed Wednesday at the commissioners’ agenda-setting session, the general contractor is Fleeher Contracting LLC of Cecil, which bid $1,362,813.

A $149,910 contract for heating, ventilation and air conditioning was awarded to D&G Mechanical of West Middlesex, Mercer County, while the electrical contractor is Merit Electrical Group Inc. of Oakmont, Allegheny County, which submitted a bid of $162,800.

The costs will be borne by the conservation district, but the county, which owns the premises, advertised for the bids. It will have to again seek bids for plumbing because none were submitted for that aspect of the work.

The county, according to Toni Snyder, bid contract manager, chose the lowest bidder in all categories. The commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to award the contracts as presented.

The building in Arden, Chartiers Township, across from the fairgrounds, was most recently leased by Tyler Technologies Inc. as its employees’ base of operations during the recent Washington County property reassessment. It will nearly double in size to accommodate federal and county agencies related to agriculture and soil conservation.

Washington County Conservation District, U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service bureau and U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, a sister agency that predates the county conservation district, will be moving next year from 2800 N. Main St., where the current landlord, Eaton Crouse-Hinds, is permitting the agencies to remain on a month-to-month lease until the renovated building is ready for occupancy.

The Old Hickory Ridge Road building will be expanded to 9,000 square feet from 5,300, with second stories added to wings at each end of the brick building. It currently has 13 parking spaces, which will increase to 50. Excess soil from the excavation will be used to level areas of the hillside parking field at Washington County fairgrounds.

The conservation district, which eventually expects to save county taxpayers millions of dollars in rent to a private-sector landlord, will sublet to the USDA.

The renovation will correspond with a 70-year-old declaration by the Washington County commissioners creating the conservation district, which aims to preserve soil, water and related natural resources by avoiding practices that contribute to erosion and the wasting of soil. It demonstrates proper farm practices, surveys potential land disturbances and issues government-required permits.

The conservation district has had several locations over the years, moving in 2012 from the Courthouse Square office building.