West Allis breaks ground for $50M public works facility

West Allis officials and Pewaukee-based VJS Construction Services on Wednesday broke ground on a $50 million public works building which will replace the current facility built in 1941.

The project is a more-than 300,000-square-foot, two-story public works facility meant for public works staff, vehicle and equipment storage at 1906 S. 53rd St., officials said. City officials estimate the project will be complete in December 2025 and will have a lifespan of 70 years. It will also house the Engineering and Information Technology Departments, officials added.

The incoming public works facility will have the first two-story parking garage for any public works in the state of Wisconsin, said Melinda Dejewski, the West Allis city engineer.

The project is on a 15-month timeline and crews will move dirt within two weeks, said Jake Jorgenson, a partner at VJS Construction Services. In addition to being the general contractor of the project, it will provide precast work to the main and accessory buildings on the site. Crews will also demolish an existing waste transfer building to make room for construction.

VJS Construction Services won the $50 million bid to build the new public works building. There is a separate contract for earthworks and the city must purchase furniture and equipment for the new building, so West Allis estimates the overall cost to be between $65 million to $80 million.

In addition to VJS, the city contracted Pleasant Prairie-based Kueny Architects and engineering consultant firm Ramboll.

The site was a former Wisconsin Motors campus, making it a brownfield site, Dejewski explained at the groundbreaking. The project will use a soil remediation grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The current facility needs $5.8 million in maintenance work over the next 10 years and city officials started project planning in 2018 after evaluating its buildings. The new facility will hold 135 full-time employees and 25 seasonal employees. The original public works, 6300 W. McGeoch Ave., will remain the residential recycling and yard waste drop-off facility.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on providing the best services to our residents and our businesses and those are growing harder to provide in our current facility,” said West Allis Mayor Dan Devine. “Growing requirements placed on this department and its employees have outpaced what the current public works structure can support,” he added.

VJS breaks ground on Waukesha Parade Memorial and provides free work

VJS Construction Services on Wednesday broke ground on the Waukesha Parade Memorial at Grede Park in Waukesha. The memorial commemorates those who died in the tragedy in 2021.

VJS will oversee construction of the memorial and offer some services at no cost, officials said. Community donations and partnership with the city helped make construction possible, officials added. Thrive Architects designed the memorial at Grede Park.

“It is a privilege to offer our heartfelt support through provision of in-kind services for the parade memorial,” said Craig Jorgensen, president and CEO of VJS. “I would like to thank our trade partners who will donate their time and resources toward this project. It reflects how our collective efforts recognize the impact of the past while building a brighter future,” he added.