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Jail Project Updates

Flathead County posts written updates on the New Public Safety Facility here as the project moves forward — construction progress, budget, and schedule. Updates are published when there is something to report rather than on a fixed schedule, and the most recent appears first.

For project background, planning documents, and the full timeline, see the New Public Safety Facility page.

Latest update

City of Kalispell Public Works approves project engineering, site prep completed, aggregate pier installation continues

Safety Facility Construction Progress Update — September 4, 2026

Permitting Progress

  • Engineering Approval Granted: The project received conditional engineering approval from the City’s Public Works Department.
  • Final Permit Approvals: The comprehensive construction plan set is advancing through the final interdepartmental sign-off process with the City, with full permit issuance expected in the coming days once final administrative reviews are complete.

Site Work & Construction

  • Site Preparation Completed: Initial grading, topsoil stripping, and early site preparation phases are now complete. Utility installation along Snowline Lane is scheduled to begin in late September.
  • Ground Improvements: Installation of the foundational Engineered Aggregate Piers (EAPs) remains underway. Additional equipment and expanded 7-day operational schedules have been implemented to accelerate production and maintain progress alongside project managers.
  • Quality Assurance & Geotechnical Testing: Alpine Geotechnical continues regular on-site Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) to verify that all installed aggregate piers meet strict structural load and performance criteria. Testing is actively used to calibrate pier spacing across varying soil conditions on the parcel, ensuring robust foundation performance while avoiding unnecessary expenditures.

Site Cleanup & Property Preparation

  • Structure Removal: Coordination is underway to have a third party salvage and haul off an existing outbuilding, reducing overall demolition and landfill disposal costs for the project.
  • Materials Recycling: Metal reclamation crews remain scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks to complete the collection and recycling of remaining surplus scrap materials from the site.

Project Financial Oversight

  • Budget Tracking: Financing administration and project account reconciliations remain on track, with expenditures progressing in accordance with approved budgets.

Site preparations: fencing, temp water and power, cleanup existing structures on site

Public Safety Facility Construction Progress Update: July 17, 2026

Site Work & Construction

Site preparation is officially underway! Initial site layout, perimeter work, and grading have begun.

  • Site Preparation: Contractors are clearing the perimeter, installing required silt fencing, stripping topsoil, and prepping temporary water and power connections for construction trailers.
  • Upcoming Milestones: Site preparation will continue through early August, with ground improvement work (aggregate piers) scheduled to begin in mid-to-late August. Utility work along Snowline Lane is expected to begin mid-August, pending final permit approvals.

Permitting Progress

  • Ground Improvement Permit: The City has approved the engineered plans for the aggregate pier ground improvements, clearing the path for this stage of work to begin.
  • Full Project Permit: With the Highway 93 access design finalized, updated plans and comments have been resubmitted to the City for final full-project permit approval.

Property Preparation & Cleanup

  • Site Restoration: Cleanup efforts are actively underway to clear existing structures and surrounding land designated for retention. Surplus materials and debris have been cleared from the site, with larger scrap metal and equipment removal scheduled over the coming weeks..

Project Financial Oversight

  • Budget Tracking: Project expenditures continue to be actively managed and audited on a regular monthly schedule to ensure full transparency, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with allocated facility funds.

Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) established, submittals for the aggregate piers, mowing & site prep

Public Safety Facility Construction Progress Update: June 19, 2026

Contracting & Budget

  • Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Established: The construction contract has been officially executed for $89,895,036. This baseline comes in under the initial project construction estimate of $93.5M, ensuring responsible fiscal management from the outset.

Permitting Progress

  • Building Plan Review: The first round of city review comments for the building plans have been actively addressed by the project design consultants. Architectural, Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEP), and Structural submittals have been completed and returned for additional review.
  • Site Testing: Specialized soil infiltration testing at designated stormwater locations has been completed and submitted to support the ongoing civil design review.

Ground Improvements

  • Aggregate Pier Engineering: Submittals for the aggregate pier improvements have been filed with the City of Kalispell.
  • Scope of Work: The work will involve installing approximately 2,000 engineered aggregate piers to a depth of 40 feet. Installation is anticipated to progress at approximately 30 piers per day, spanning roughly 70 working days once initiated.

Site Preparation & Property Cleanup

  • Mowing & Site Prep: Vegetation management and initial clearing have been carried out to prepare the parcel for upcoming heavy site equipment and preparation stages.
  • Environmental Remediation: Professional environmental testing on outdated structures designated for removal has been completed. Regulated materials, including asbestos and vermiculite, have been identified and will be safely abated by specialized crews prior to demolition.

Project Financial Oversight

  • Capital Tracking: Bond funds are securely held in a dedicated investment account, with weekly transfers executed to match processed project expenses. Monthly tracking and oversight processes remain active to support full transparency and alignment with allocated project funds.

Subcontractor project bids, final pricing review, environmental assessment

Public Safety Facility Construction Progress Update: May 29, 2026

Project Bidding & Budget

  • Positive Bidding Results: Subcontractor project bids were officially received this week, with overall pricing coming in under initial cost estimates.
  • Final Pricing Review: The construction management team is currently reviewing and vetting all submittals to ensure full accuracy before finalizing the overall project price amendment.

Permitting Progress

  • City Permit Review: The full project building permit application remains under active review with the City.

Engineering & Quality Assurance

  • Special Inspections & Testing: Following a formal qualifications process, Alpine Geotechnical has been selected to perform all required special inspections and materials testing throughout construction. This includes direct oversight during the ground improvement phase.

Site Mobilization & Milestones

  • Site Setup: Temporary construction facilities have been delivered to the site, and utility connections are currently being established.
  • Groundbreaking Ceremony: The official public groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June 10th.
  • Upcoming Schedule: Professional surveying will take place through June, followed by site preparation and grading in July. Ground improvement work remains on track to begin in August.

Site Cleanup & Preparation

  • Environmental Assessment: Professional hazardous materials testing on the parcel's existing structures has been conducted. Initial inspections noted an isolated area of vermiculite, with comprehensive test results expected shortly to guide safe removal and site preparation procedures.

Project Financial Oversight

  • Capital Allocation: All bond proceeds and associated funds have been successfully transferred into dedicated accounts to support ongoing project expenditures and maintain financial oversight.

Permitting Progress, Site Preparation, and Ground Subcontract Award

The project advanced through key municipal and architectural reviews while securing specialized ground improvement subcontracts and receiving dedicated bond proceeds. Site preparation and environmental testing are actively underway as the bidding deadline extends to accommodate substantial trade contractor interest.

Public Safety Facility Construction Progress Update: May 14, 2026


Permitting & Design Review
•    City Building Permit Application: Full construction plans were submitted to the City on April 8th, initiating a standard 12-to-16-week municipal review process.
•    Architectural Review Board Presentation: Project designs were presented to the City Architectural Review Board on April 28th. The board provided positive feedback regarding the planned exterior aesthetics, with no design modifications requested.
Ground Improvements & Engineering
•    Specialized Subcontract Awarded: Ground improvement work was competitively bid through an early package, resulting in five bids. MT Helical Pier was awarded the contract as the lowest qualified bidder.
•    Engineering Plans: Contractor-engineered designs for the stone columns are currently being finalized and will be submitted to the City for a brief, estimated two-week review period.
Project Bidding & Construction Timeline
•    Bid Window Extended: Due to strong contractor interest and nearly 300 technical inquiries (clarifications and substitution requests), the bidding deadline was extended to May 27th.
•    Quality Assurance: Extending the response window ensures the design team can thoroughly address all submittals, allowing trade partners to submit precise and comprehensive bids.
Site Cleanup & Preparation
•    Property Restoration: Metal recycling contractors are scheduled to clear large pieces of scrap metal, unused equipment, and empty containers from the site over the coming weeks.
•    Environmental Inspections: Kirby Environmental is scheduled to conduct mandatory pre-demolition testing for asbestos and hazardous materials on existing structures. An isolated pile of vermiculite identified during initial walkthroughs will be safely disposed of in accordance with environmental standards.
•    Structure Prep: Quotes are being finalized for interior cleanup and clearing of buildings designated to remain on site.
•    Agricultural Lease Update: The agricultural land lease for weed control and hay harvest on the site has been updated to accommodate upcoming initial construction activities on the southern 30 acres.
Project Financial Oversight
•    Capital Funding Delivered: Bond proceeds were officially received on April 30th and will be deposited into dedicated investment accounts on June 1st. Funds will be drawn on a planned monthly cadence as project invoices are processed.
 

Page Last Updated: Aug 27, 2026