By Matt de Simone
Construction of the new Botetourt County Courthouse as about to continue.
The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution awarding a general contract to Jamerson-Lewis Construction to begin work on the construction of a new Botetourt County Circuit Courthouse in Fincastle. The county accepted Jamerson-Lewis’s bid price of $35,787,580 to complete the project over approximately the next two years (870 days), according to the county.
County Capital Projects Manager Rich Evans updated the board on the matter giving a recent timeline of events during the contract negotiations. In the most recent round of bidding, Botetourt initially prequalified four contractors for “Package B.” When the bids were received, the county received bids from Jamerson-Lewis and Avis Construction ($37,969,692 over 1,150 days) in accordance with the county’s procedures for competitive sealed bidding for construction. The county saw a more “efficient” plan from Jamerson-Lewis, according to Evans in an interview last week.
The project initially began construction in 2022. Originally, the county sought bids to complete two separate packages (“A” and “B”) which covered preliminary site work, setting up a temporary courtroom, judge’s chambers, and the circuit court clerk’s offices. Evans that there are several items from “Package A” that have now been incorporated into “Package B.”
Next step is for the county to give Jamerson-Lewis a notice to proceed (NTP) on the requested date of January 20, 2025. This notice is a formal notification issued by a contractor, signaling the official start of a construction or project phase.
As part of the project, the relocation of the old Breckinridge Law Office and Hotel (LOH) is still scheduled as planned. Evans shared that there is still some foundation work before the building is lifted onto a new location a few hundred feet from where it currently stands.
“There is some masonry work that has to be redone at the law office and hotel before it can be moved,” Evans said. “The foundation it will be moved to has to be built first.”
A small “road” will be constructed from the old location of the office and hotel to its new location upon completion of the foundation. The “L-shaped” building will be relocated in two pieces.
“I have full confidence in Jamerson-Lewis and getting it done right,” Evans added.
A project/construction schedule is still forthcoming. Visit www.botetourtva.gov/707/Circuit-Courthouse-in-Fincastle to learn more about the circuit courthouse construction project.
