City to break ground on public works building

After being delayed two weeks because of a winter that didn't want to go away, Dickinson city officials will gather Thursday to break ground on a $14.1 million public works building that will collect scattered departments and unite them on the Baler Building property.

It will serve as a maintenance shop for all city vehicles, house all the water controls, and provide office space for Public Works Director Gary Zuroff and the heads of the three divisions he oversees: Aaron Praus, solid waste; Jeff Brezden, water; and Ed Krank, streets.

"The intent of the building is to bring all of the public works divisions into one facility, versus scattered around the city," said Carl Shipley, architect with Hulsing and Associates, and will be handling all of the construction administration on the project.

Zuroff oversaw the bidding process for the building his second day on the job.

"I didn't have a lot of input in the design, but I'm really excited to be part of the construction of the building and to be able to bring all of the public works divisions together," he said.

A stand-alone animal shelter is also being built on the property, Shipley said. The shelter is set for completion this fall so the city can take over the building and close the current pound.

"I'm really excited about that because that is long overdue," Dickinson Mayor Dennis Johnson said. "We've really had a pretty poor facility currently."

The rest of the building is scheduled to be completed next spring, Zuroff said.

"It's all basically utilitarian," Shipley said.

The building is designed to last at least 50 years and the city's projected growth has been accounted for in the design, he said.

"I think with the oil refinery that's under construction now, the city of Dickinson is going to do nothing but grow and become a much bigger city, in my opinion," said Shipley, who recently moved here from Evergreen, Colo. "Once I learned 8about that oil refinery, I started labeling Dickinson as the New York City of the Plains."

Immediately after the groundbreaking ceremony, city officials will hold the first construction meeting pertaining to the project.

"It's going to be a busy day for us," Shipley said.

When the public works building opens, the current shop on Broadway Street will close, Zuroff said.

Joining Hulsing and Associates on the project are Shingobee Builders of Loretto, Minn., as general contractor, Central Mechanical of Mandan as mechanical contractor and Berger Electric of Dickinson as electrical contractor.

"It's much needed," Johnson said. "We've needed an upgrade there for quite some time and then with the oil impact, it's become a much larger project."