BELLEFONTE — The Centre County Board of Commissioners approved several change orders for the ongoing Centre Crest renovation project as part of the ongoing effort to repurpose the building from an assisted living facility to office space.

The move, made Tuesday, is part of a major overhaul of the former county-owned Centre Crest Nursing Home in Bellefonte that will see the 86-year-old building converted into a complex for the county’s human services departments and leasable commercial space. The project is a joint endeavor of Centre County Government and Bellefonte Borough.

In January, the board voted unanimously to award more than $26.4 million in bids to four contractors. Contracts were awarded in the amounts of $13,097,410 to G.M. McCrossin Inc. for general trade services; $6,449,000 to Ainsworth-Enginuity for HVAC; $2,437,000 to Ainsworth-Enginuity for plumbing; and $4,451,500 to Hallstrom-Clark Electric for electrical.

MG Architects and Massaro Construction Management Services were previously hired by the county, which also authorized a $1.4 million contract for roof replacement at the facility.

The former assisted living facility was vacated shortly after March 2021 when residents were moved to Centre Care, the new $45 million non-profit, skilled-nursing facility in College Township.

The change orders include plans for a kitchen and transitioning a planned gallery space to a gym for employees, among other smaller alterations, at a total cost of $1.05 million.

In regard to the kitchen installation, County Administrator John Franek, Jr. said, “This was not part of the overall scope of the project because the determination of how we were going to use that space was not finalized until after the project was awarded.”

The cost of the kitchen is a staggering $971,948.77, but Commissioner Mark Higgins was quick to dispel concerns about the price tag.

“The majority of the kitchen costs are heating, ventilation, air conditioning and electrical items that would have needed to be done anyway. We’re just customizing them for the tenant who’s going to eventually be moving in,” said Higgins, adding the new tenants of the space will be purchasing any additional equipment they may need.

Regarding the gym, Franek said, “This is a conversion of what was going to be a gallery space, and it will now be converted into an exercise area, gym space for employees as part of our wellness initiatives we’re implementing for employees.”

The cost for the gym totals $35,894.20.

Changes also include small matters like retention of a mop sink, installation of new supply lines, relocation of an IT server room and wall modifications.

“Once you start demoing the interior walls, that’s when you know what you’re actually dealing with,” said Franek. “There were no major surprises, but there were some minor things that needed to be accommodated for.”

The cost of these minor design alterations and wall modification is $44,520.32, bringing the total project cost to around the estimated $29.2 million authorized by the board in April 2022.