Mesa County Approves $2.2 Million Justice Center HVAC Upgrade

Grand Mesa —“Some of these, because they’re 26 years old, the parts don’t exist anymore.”

Alan Simpkins, director of facilities for Mesa County, didn’t mince words when explaining why the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system at the Justice Center had to go. The equipment was original to the building, installed around 1999 or 2000. It had held on longer than most, thanks to diligent maintenance, but eventually, the clock ran out. Now, Mesa County has approved a $2.2 million contract to replace it, a decision that balances the practical reality of aging infrastructure with the fiscal discipline of long-term planning.

The current system is a relic of the late nineties. For decades, it kept the courts and jails comfortable, but as components aged, finding replacements became a scavenger hunt. By the time officials realized the extent of the decay, the market for spare parts had dried up. You couldn’t just buy a new compressor or fan motor off the shelf; the manufacturers had stopped making them. Repairing the existing system was no longer a viable option. It was cheaper to tear it out and start fresh.

The $2.2 million price tag might sound steep for a simple upgrade, but Simpkins noted that the final contract came in on more favorable terms than initially projected. Last year, equipment cost projections had estimated a significantly higher price. Market fluctuations helped bring the total down, allowing the county to secure the work without breaking the bank. The project is slated to be finished by February of next year, meaning locals will see the results before the next major winter storm hits the valley.

This isn’t just about keeping the building from freezing or overheating. It’s about efficiency. The new units will meet higher standards than the original installations, which should lower overall energy costs for the county. Simpkins explained that Mesa County manages its heating and air conditioning expenses by separating HVAC funding within its overall capital budget. Because equipment life cycles are predictable, the county plans these expenditures up to 20 years in advance. They don’t just react to breakdowns; they anticipate them.

“We have so many buildings that we separated out our heating, air conditioning budget on our capital,” Simpkins said. “Because those are pretty defined life cycle, I can plan that out 20 years and I can try to get all those in place at the right time.”

The county selected a Grand Junction business to perform the upgrade work, aligning with its practice of hiring local companies. Simpkins emphasized that choosing local contractors supports the community and ensures the workers understand the specific quirks of the area. It’s a preference that extends beyond mere patriotism; it’s about reliability. People who know the local climate and the specific demands of the facility are better equipped to handle the job.

The part everyone skips past is the age of the system. Twenty-six years is a long time for mechanical equipment. It’s older than many of the staff who maintain it. Yet, with routine maintenance, it lasted. The decision to replace rather than repair was driven by the simple fact that parts no longer exist. This isn’t a failure of management; it’s the natural lifecycle of infrastructure. The county knew this was coming. They budgeted for it. They planned for it. And now, they’re executing it.

The new system will be installed by a local firm, keeping the money within the community while upgrading a critical piece of public infrastructure. It’s a reminder that even the most essential parts of our towns need periodic attention. The Justice Center will be warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, and more efficient than it has been in decades. And that matters because it’s not just about comfort. It’s about the long-term health of the building and the people inside it.

Stand there long enough and you can feel the difference a new HVAC system makes. It’s not just a hum; it’s a promise that the facility will keep working for the next twenty years.