Rock County Board to consider new design for Rock Haven
If you go
What: Regular Rock County Board meeting
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, June 10.
Where: Board room at the Rock County Courthouse, 51 S. Main St., Janesville.
On the agenda: The board could approve a contract for initial architectural designs for a new county-run nursing home.
Photo 
Craig G. Knutson
JANESVILLE — The Rock County Board next week could vote to spend $224,000 on a schematic design for a new Rock Haven Nursing Home.
The county’s general services and health services committees on Thursday met jointly and unanimously approved a resolution seeking a schematic design contract with Eppstein Uhen Architects of Milwaukee.
The resolution follows an $80,000 study Eppstein Uhen did in 2009 about the future of the county-run nursing facility.
Rock Haven Director Sherry Gunderson has said the county needs to decide whether to build a new facility or renovate the existing one at 3418 N. County F, Janesville. The board also could decide to get out of the nursing home business, officials have said.
The decision to rebuild or renovate was forced by a new federal law that requires nursing homes to install fire safety sprinkler systems 2013. The nursing home also would need other upgrades such as handicapped accessibility improvements and air conditioning in some rooms, Gunderson has said.
“Pretty much the consensus was it makes more sense to build something new than pay the high cost for renovation,” Rock County Administrator Craig Knutson said. “Even after renovation, you’d still have an old building that’s not as staff-efficient as you would hope or as nice for the residents.”
If the board approves the resolution, the architects could present the schematic design this fall, Knutson said. The drawings would include a basic floor plan, an exterior view and the anticipated cost of construction, he said.
The county is interested in a facility that would serve 96 to 128 patients, Knutson said. Rock Haven now serves 130 people.
If the board is comfortable with Eppstein Uhen’s initial design, it could vote to pay the architects for a more detailed one that could be put out for bid, Knutson said.
The county budgeted $690,000 this year for nursing home design and design development, he said.
As Knutson and his staff work on the county’s 2011 budget, they will consider the fact that the county could enter into a construction contract next year. It’s too soon to know for certain, but the county could borrow the money to pay for construction, Knutson said.
Officials have not yet talked about where a new nursing home would be located. The county owns several hundred acres near the county complex on Janesville’s north side near highways 14 and 51.
The county in 1964 built Rock Haven with 248 beds. Today, the facility is home to the frail elderly as well as those with traumatic brain injuries and those with chronic mental illnesses.
The home had its first major downsizing to 180 beds in 2000 and another to 130 beds in 2007.
Jun 5, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.
Suggest removal
Was the design effort put out for bid? If not, why not? The reported design cost seems to be pricier than it should be. Given the current economic environment, I would think that qualified architects would be ready to sharpen their pencils and compete for this.
Jun 5, 2010 at 8:32 a.m.
Suggest removal
"The county budgeted $690,000 this year for nursing home design and design development," he said.
That is $5390 per patient, sure looks high to me. What is wrong with reviewing and buying a design already in place. The board is just reinventing the wheel again!
Jun 4, 2010 at 7:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
Spend spend spend...who's going to pay for this? There are already too many rotting buildings in Janesville. The county needs Rock Haven, not everyone can afford the nursing homes in the area.
IF the county board decides to build a new one where are they planning on building it? Hopefully on the county farm seeing as the county already owns the land....then what would the present building be used for? Oh, I know it could be used for housing the homeless and/or converted into low income housing which is desperately needed...oh but no one on the board would ever think of that.
Jun 4, 2010 at 6:49 p.m.
Suggest removal
No wonder our economy and government spending is so messed up when it spends this kind of money just for studies and design. Ridiculous. I'm not sure which is worse, the spending or the charging of such obscene amounts of money for these services.
But, something definitely needs to be done. It's criminal to have neither air conditioning or sprinkler systems throughout a facility like this in this day and age.
Jun 4, 2010 at 5:36 p.m.
Suggest removal
My question would be this: Why build a new 128 bed facility when you already have a 248 bed facility and all that is needed is modern up to code upgrades? What if the state makes future changes in nursing home care and it affects counties. Wouldn't it be prudent to have an exsisting larger facility to handle more elderly with illnesses possibly at a future time? Remember, The population is getting older and it may be needed in the future. It also makes sense in this tough econonic time to upgrade rather than rebuild a smaller facility. JMO.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.