A regional emergency response center is planned at The Expo, on a parcel of land between The Expo and the Family Fun Center.

Work is expected to begin this summer on the construction of a roughly $60 million Multi-Use Pandemic Response Center at the Jackson County Expo, which will also serve as a Central Point community center.

The facility, to be built on bare land between The Expo pond and the Rogue Valley Family Fun Center, will be operated by county officials in times of emergency and will provide overflow space for Expo operations.

The city of Central Point will utilize approximately a third of the facility for use as a long-awaited community center.

The project is currently estimated between $55 million and $60 million. Jackson County Facilities Director Ryan DeSautel said county officials expect to complete project design and determine a final cost estimate by spring.

Jackson County commissioners picked Adroit Construction as the construction manager and general contractor for the project. A contract approved by commissioners is for $25,000 to cover the pre-construction fee until a guaranteed maximum price for the project can be established, DeSautel said.

Groundwork would begin on-site after the 2024 Jackson County Fair, which is scheduled to run from July 16-21.

DeSautel said construction materials, particularly steel, would be purchased ahead of the start of construction to prevent delays.

“If we get the numbers and it’s within budget, to keep the project on schedule, procurement of long lead time items could start as early as this spring, along with early groundwork right after the fair,” DeSautel said.

All told, the project footprint will come in just under 120,000 square feet.

Design for the project came from ORW Architecture, which was granted a $3.8 million contract last February. The city of Central Point, which plans to share use — and construction costs — of the facility, pitched in $1.1 million, roughly 30% of the design process.

The facility will serve as a primary hub for managing regional emergencies. It includes a large commercial kitchen and shower facilities, and it could be utilized for everything from aid distribution to vaccination clinics to temporary shelter.

County officials said the need for a centralized response center was made evident during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the Almeda and South Obenchain fires that occurred the same year.

The Jackson County Expo served as a pandemic supply depot in early 2020 and became “ground zero” for evacuees and displaced Rogue Valley residents following the Labor Day 2020 fires.

When not in use for emergencies, the facility will provide overflow space for Expo activities as well as a location for sporting events or other large events.

The main floor has eight full-size basketball courts, two of which will be dedicated to the city of Central Point for after-school programs, community learning workshops, and activities.

Officials anticipate funding from the county’s American Rescue Plan federal allocation, which comes with deadline requirements for spending the funding before the end of 2026. County Administrator Danny Jordan said officials anticipate construction completion to occur closer to the middle of 2026.

Similar projects managed by Adroit Construction include a similarly sized Oregon Shakespeare Festival scene shop and paint room, Phoenix High School and Medford Police Department headquarters and adjacent parking garage.

DeSautel said county officials were encouraged about the collaboration between the city of Central Point, Jackson County and The Expo, and excited about “the chance to deliver such a versatile and much needed building to the community.”

For project details, go here.