Wisconsin approves $262 million in public projects

A state commission and the governor approved $262 million public projects across Wisconsin, including a tech ed center and upgrades to an existing youth correctional facility.

Gov. Tony Evers and the State Building Commission on Wednesday voted on a list of projects at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis. The biggest price tag awarded was the Cofrin Technology and Education Center at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay for a total construction cost of more than $101.7 million, according to the agenda.

The project calls for demolition of the David A. Cofrin Library and to replace it with a 131,011-square-foot technology and education center, the agenda showed. It will be the new home of the library, administrative offices and student support services. Sustainable elements like a green roof and solar panels are included, officials said.

“The projects approved today are critically important for folks across our state, including upgrades to the Milwaukee Mile Speedway to ensure we are ready for the Milwaukee Mile in 2025, the construction of a new technology and education center at UW-Green Bay, and the land purchase for the new Wisconsin Veterans Museum,” Gov. Tony Evers said in a news release.

Among the projects approved were $2.5 million for new locks at Lincoln Hills School, one of two juvenile correctional facilities in Irma, Wis. The state had a deadline in 2021 to build a new youth correctional facility in Milwaukee and move young inmates out of the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools. However, project bidding didn’t start until this year.

The youth facilities in Irma have been long plagued with violence and investigations. In June, a counselor was left brain-dead after an attack by a 16-year-old inmate at Lincoln Hills School, The Associated Press reported. Prosecutors charged the inmate in adult court with second-degree reckless homicide, felony murder-battery and two counts of battery by a prisoner, AP reported.

The state has goals to convert the Lincoln Hills facility into an adult prison, Evers said. The state also allowed up to $41.7 million in bonding for a new facility in Milwaukee, which has yet to be completed.

Milwaukee-based C.G. Schmidt won the low bid of $49.29 million to build the Type 1 youth facility in Milwaukee. The company beat bids from Riley Construction ($51.4 million), C.D. Smith ($50 million), Greenfire Management Services ($51.9 million), Miron Construction ($49.5 million) and J.H. Findorff & Son. ($50.4 million.) The bids closed in late May.

Along with the new tech ed center and improvements to Lincoln Hills, the commission also approved a list of projects for various state agencies. The commission approved a $9 million land purchase at 22 W. Mifflin St. and 30 W. Mifflin St. with plans to eventually demolish an existing building and construct a new Wisconsin Veterans Museum. It also approved a combined $13 million for maintenance for medical treatment centers in Dane and Juneau Counties.

The building commission is chaired by Evers and is made up of State Senators Brad Pfaff, Joan Ballweg, André Jacque; State Representatives Jill Billings, Rob Swearingen and Robert Wittke; and citizen member Barb Worcester.

Editor’s Note: The Daily Reporter updated this story on Aug. 16, 2024, to include that C.G. Schmidt was awarded the construction contract for the Type 1 youth facility in Milwaukee.