Despite a brief weather delay, construction of the new Department of Social Services building remains on schedule and within budget, Lexington City Manager Tom Carroll told local leaders at the Oct. 30 interjurisdictional meeting.
The $10 million project, jointly funded by Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County, broke ground in May after the three governing bodies approved the plan earlier this year. Lexington is serving as the project’s fiscal agent and holds the construction contract.
Carroll said the building’s substantial completion date was originally set for June 10, 2026, but rain in May pushed the target back two weeks to June 24, 2026. “Other than that short delay, the project is generally on schedule,” he said, noting that representatives from all three localities meet twice a month with the design and construction team.
The project also remains on budget, Carroll said. Of the $781,000 contingency fund included in the $10 million budget, about $426,000 has been spent — mostly to address soil and rock problems discovered during site work — leaving roughly $355,000 remaining. With most of the site preparation finished, future change orders are expected to be smaller and mostly optional.
A bond account holding project funds has earned more than $200,000 in interest, which could help offset potential overruns or be applied toward maintenance or debt service once the building is complete.
The new facility will feature a roof-mounted solar array expected to generate up to half of the building’s annual power needs, with an estimated 17- to 18-year return on investment. Carroll said the panels will be monitored daily and periodically cleaned to maintain efficiency.
