Bucks County Approves $20M For New Government Services Center
Bucks County has approved $20M in contracts for the construction of a new, all-in-one government services center building in the Levittown section of Falls Township.
The project is set to begin construction within weeks on New Town Road now that major bids are approved, according to Levittown Now.
The project will include demolishing a smaller annex building to clear space for a 39K SF, accessible facility. Both Republican and Democratic commissioners unanimously voted to approve contracts last week at their public meeting after years of planning and prior approvals got the ball rolling.
“A lot of time and effort went [into] getting to this point of getting these contractors and the bids out,” Bucks County Chief Operating Officer Margie McKevitt said, according to Levittown Now.
The Philadelphia office of Rycon Construction will be responsible for the majority of the project, with a contract of nearly $12.7M for general construction work. Other contracts include $4.1M to QPI Electrical Company, a $1.8M general services contract, an $875K plumbing contract with Integrity Mechanical and $343K to Oliver Fire Protection & Security.
Once built, the center will consolidate operations for 13 Bucks County departments, including adult probation and parole, the board of elections, children and youth social service, consumer protection and the district attorney’s office. The facility will also house domestic relations, the health department, juvenile probation, the sheriff’s office, veterans’ affairs, and the workforce and economic development departments.
Erdy McHenry Architecture President David McHenry touted the building's design last year, including its reference to the William Levitt style and the use of visible steel, a nod to the U.S. Steel plant in the area.
“This is a great opportunity to bring civic architecture to the residents of Lower Bucks County and provide much-needed services in a central location,” Principal Scott Erdy said in an email to Bisnow. “The building features a central skylit atrium where all services will be visible, including a grand staircase that can act as a place for civic engagement.”
A few buildings on the site will remain intact, including the Bucks County District Attorney’s warehouse. The county will sell a former bank building currently utilized by the Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole department’s field office.
The project also includes plans for a solar farm next to the facility.
The county-owned site formerly housed a site for ammunition and rocket engine production.
