Courthouse renovation nears next phase

WAUPACA – Waupaca County’s $35 million courthouse modernization project is on schedule and moving toward a more energy-efficient future powered by geothermal technology, officials reported during a recent county board meeting.

Built in 1989, the Waupaca County Courthouse is undergoing a two-year renovation that began last July. The project includes updates to aging electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, as well as improvements to security, accessibility, and the building’s interior layout. Construction involves remodeling roughly 142,000 square feet of the existing courthouse and adding about 22,000 square feet of new space.

County and construction representatives delivered a monthly update at the Jan. 20 meeting, outlining building progress, decisions about the heating and cooling systems, and financial contingency status.

Supervisor Peter Bosquez told the board there is misinformation circulating online about the renovation project. Bosquez was referring to a social media post made by Joel Bartel, who is running for the District 20 County Board seat.

Bartel posted a video on the Waupaca County Republican Party Facebook page Dec. 12, criticizing the courthouse renovation and the County Board’s “ridiculous spending.” Bartel claimed the project expenses included more than $140,000 for building permits.

The actual cost of building permits for the project was closer to $200,000, Bosquez told the board.

Bartel also criticized the $6 million the county is spending to add a geothermal system, which uses heat pumps to transfer heat between the ground and the building, providing both heating and cooling.

Bosquez said both the courthouse’s existing heating and cooling systems are near failure. If the county had chosen conventional replacement systems, the cost would have been about $4.5 million. Though the geothermal system is initially more costly, it qualifies the project for about $3 million in rebates, he said.

While the basic science of geothermal is similar to residential systems, Bosquez said the courthouse installation is a much larger, deeper system drilled into solid granite, where temperatures are more stable, boosting efficiency.

Luke Oberdorfer, Project Manager with Miron Construction, said the geothermal system is expected to use less energy, lowering electric costs and saving money over time.

Drilling for geothermal wells in the blocked-off side of the parking lot was expected to wrap up last month. Once that system is put in place, the other side of the parking lot will be opened up.

Oberdorfer said there is active work on all three of the courthouse’s primary floors and the basement. Construction is on schedule, with major interior and infrastructure work completed or well underway.

Interior framing is complete on all three floors, with painting underway on the third floor and drywall finishing continuing on the second, as of late last month. Major mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment has been installed in the lower level, generators and a transformer are in place, and concrete floors for the new addition were completed in December.

The project’s construction contingency, which are funds reserved for unexpected conditions and changes, started at about $1.5 million. As of the latest report in January, the remaining balance was about $1.3 million.
Oberdorfer explained that contingency funds were used for unforeseen underground conditions and hidden issues discovered once walls and ceilings were opened, as well as for other surprises typical of major renovation projects in older buildings. The contingency covers both added costs and recovered savings.

For the first phase of construction, work is concentrated on the east side of the courthouse, which is closed to the public. Offices and public access have been moved to the west side, and some county services have temporarily relocated to off-site locations to accommodate construction. Signs on each floor mark which corridors and areas remain open, how to reach restrooms, and what paths to use for entry and exit.

Before phase two of the project begins in May, the county offices still operating in the courthouse will shift into areas completed on the east side during phase one. All construction work is expected to be finished in 2027.