Supervisors Fume Over Increased Cost For Human Services Building

Kenosha, WI (WLIP)–The Kenosha County Board has approved the bonding necessary to eventually purchase the new Human Services Building on 52nd Street.

While the measure passed on a unanimous vote, County Board Supervisors spent more than an hour trying to get to the bottom of why the estimated cost of the purchase has doubled since its initial approval in 2019.

The main reason it seems is that the overall scope of the project has changed.

The plan is for the county to lease the new building for five years before purchasing it in 2031.

The initial estimate for purchase was 17 million dollars-a number that has ballooned to 33 million dollars.

The project’s architect is Mark Molinaro who says that the first number was based on renovating the current building.

Some supervisors expressed concerns that costs could increase beyond contingencies the county has in place.

Molinaro does not believe that will be the case.

The project will renovate the current buildings at the site and build a nearly 80,000 square foot expansion.

A nearly 10 million dollar grant from the state of Wisconsin is helping to pay for the construction.