With plunging real estate markets and a major slowdown in construction activity, local contractors who have been working over the past year to finish the new $10.6 million Leelanau County Government Center in Suttons Bay have been grateful for the business.

"We’ve employed probably 25 guys working on the Government Center in Leelanau over the past year or year and a half," said John Hruska, manager of the Traverse City branch of Grand Rapids-based Ritsema Associates.

Two years ago, the company was the low bidder on a $768,500 contract to install metal studs, drywall and ceilings in the new county building.

"Overall, the job really helped our company’s bottom line," Hruska said. "And I imagine that at least half of the 25 guys we employed might have been out of work if we hadn’t gotten the job," Hruska added.

The last of the county government’s offices moved from Leland into the new facility last week, and almost all of the building work has been completed. Ritsema Associates, for example, has completed all of its "punch list" jobs and is now in the "warranty phase" of its contract, according to Hruska.

DeVere Construction, headquartered in Alpena, was the general contractor on the project and provided services to both design and build the new facility for a fixed "maximum" price of $10.6 million. Devere itself has already been paid more than 99 percent of the more than $1 million it was slated to receive for its services.

The advantage of having a fixed price from DeVere became evident several weeks ago when it was discovered that cooling pipes laid beneath a concrete floor in the lower level of the facility had been cracked.

County administrator David Gill, who has served as the "owner’s representative" for the construction project, said the major glitch required workers to remove carpet that had already been installed in the lower level, dig up the concrete, repair the pipes, pour more concrete and replace the carpet – all at no additional expense to taxpayers because of the "guaranteed" price for the facility.

Other local companies who benefitted from the Government Center project included Kal Excavating of Omena, which won a $799,875 contract for sitework.

Kerkstra Spancrete Great Lakes won an $11,960 contract for precast concrete, and Actron Steel won a $647,678 contract for structural steel. Most of the companies have already been paid 99 to 100 percent of the contract amount.

Gill explained that a number of contractors are still completing "punch list" items – generally minor jobs that need to be finalized before the county signs off on the entire project.

One of the major "punch list" items remaining involves D&W Mechanical of Traverse City, which won a nearly $1.3 million contract for plumbing and mechanical work in the new facility. D&W also won a $189,474 contract to install a fire suppression system.

Gill explained that D&W was still working to install some "draft induction fans" that are part of the building’s cooling system, and is still engaged in "balancing" heat pumps that are at the heart of the system.

Hallmark Construction of Traverse City also benefitted from a $718,538 contract for carpentry, about 92 percent of which has been paid so far. Gill noted that Hallmark must still complete and replace some millwork in the Government Center. A counter in the County Clerk’s office was not installed according to the clerk’s requirements, for example.

"Other than that, we’ve got a few ceiling tiles to replace because they’d been removed to install some wiring, and there are some furniture items that need adjustment," Gill said.

Other major subcontractors on the Government Center project included:

• Standfest Masonry, for $719,497 worth of masonry work.

• Arrow Roofing, for $162,944 worth of roofing work.

• Premier Caulking & Waterproofing, $11,200 for sealants and installation.

• Traverse City Glass, $304,799 for aluminum storefronts, glass and glazing.

• Northshore Home Furnishings, $249,955 for flooring.

• LD Painting, L.L.C. for $118,378 in painting

• Otis Elevator, $169,989 for elevators.

• TNT Electrical Systems, $582,000 for electrical work

• Midstate Security, $378,472 for a security system.

An additional $1.1 million was designated for "landscaping, sign, furniture, millwork and a telelphone system." A building permit fee cost the county some $60,000.