City of Kent to spend $300K for expansion of maintenance shops

New modular building to go up on property

An example of a modular building.

An example of a modular building.

The city of Kent will spend $300,328 on a new modular building to help with overcrowding at the maintenance shops along Russell Road.

“It’s going to provide needed space,” said Alex Ackley, city superintendent of parks facilities, at the City Council’s Parks and Human Services Committee meeting in October. “We’ve all heard the conversations through the studies that we’ve had at the city about space, and shops is one of the areas that is hurting.”

The new building will add 1,440 square feet of office space to house about 12 employees in the sewer and storm division. Funds will come from the Public Works storm division budget. The maintenance shop houses about 180 public works and parks employees and provides storage for city vehicles and other items.

Oregon-based Modern Building Systems, Inc., will prepare the site and install the modular building on city park property next to the maintenance shops, which sit just north of Hogan Park at Russell Road. Modern Building Systems submitted the only bid to the city. The City Council approved the contract on Tuesday.

“I wish I could say we had a lot of bids,” Ackley said. “I do feel really fortunate we did get somebody to bid this. This type of work is very popular in the schools so we found out there was no chance to get it done in the spring (2018). I feel very fortunate we are in a position to get it done this winter.”

When the city put the project out to bid in May, it received no responses.

“We felt it was timing that they were busy doing school projects,” Ackley said. “We put the bid back out in September and received the one bid.”

A modular building will last about 20 years or even longer if maintained well, Ackley said. As part of its bid, Modern Building Systems described how modular units are factory built and allow construction to occur during any season.

Over the last couple of years, the city spent about $57,000 on consultants to study expansion of the Russell Road facility and a small East Hill shop due to the need for more space for employees.

The city had planned to build a new maintenance shop many years ago at property the city owns on the East Hill near Southeast 248th Street before city leaders dropped the plans because of the high costs and other needs in Kent.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

File Photo
KC Sheriff’s Office sues over Burien encampment ban

Office of Law Enforcement Oversight director calls Burien’s ordinance “unconstitutional.”

t
City of Kent nears groundbreaking on $38 million operations center

To be built on East Hill for Public Works and portions of Parks and Police departments

Courtesy photo
KC Sheriff’s Office receives funding for mental health response

Two King County Sheriff’s Office projects will receive federal funding, including a… Continue reading

t
Kent Des Moines Station for light rail nearing completion | Photos

Work also continues on Star Lake Station and parking garages for scheduled 2026 route opening

Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. FILE PHOTO
Man faces hate crime, assault charges after Kent bus incident

Latino man allegedly used n-word and other racist slurs toward Black woman

Washington State Trooper Chris Gadd is transported inside prior to a memorial service in his honor Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Simply the best of us’: Memorial honors state trooper Chris Gadd in Everett

Hundreds of law enforcement officers pack arena for a public memorial for Kentlake High graduate

t
Covington’s Stephanie Lawson to run for 47th Legislative District House seat

Republican to challenge incumbent Debra Entenman, D-Kent

t
President Biden’s budget includes $500M for Hanson Dam fish passage

Green River facility would open connection to 100 miles of salmon spawning habitat upriver

Inside the SCORE jail. File photo
Inmate at SCORE Jail dies from unidentified injury

Makena Buckland, 21, died March 4.

Design rendering of the Interim Base electric bus charging station in Tukwila. (Courtesy of King County Metro)
King County Metro breaks ground in Tukwila on electric bus charging hub

The Interim Base will charge dozens of buses serving South King County.

t
Kent native Hawkins enjoying U.S. Navy career in San Diego

Kent-Meridian High School graduate has served nine years

t
Kent Police arrest Maple Valley man for reported assault, hate crime

Man allegedly called an African American woman racist names on Metro bus before punching, stabbing her