Animal Shelter Project Timeline

UPDATE: FEB. 25, 2020

The Board of County Supervisors rejected a proposition by County staff to consider “Option E,” which would have converted a Manassas Park veterinary clinic into a shelter. While cost savings were listed as a reason for consideration, estimates relied on many unknowns that could result in it costing as much as (if not more) than the more-desirable “Option C,” to which the Board reaffirmed its commitment that during a special meeting on February 25.

The Board also requested that the County Executive come back to their next meeting on March 10 with details of how Option C can be constructed as originally designed and identify the source of the additional funding needed. Supervisor Boddye requested that the potential for public/private partnership be included in the report.

UPDATE: FEB. 18, 2020

Deputy County Executive Rebecca Horner gave a presentation to the Board of County Supervisors regarding the Animal Shelter Project.

With news of a possible new “Option E” up for consideration, Supervisor Boddye called for a special meeting to ensure that the public would have a chance to weigh in. The meeting was added to the Board’s schedule on February 25, 7:30 pm.

UPDATE:  JAN. 29, 2020

Plans for the new animal shelter are moving forward, albeit a bit delayed. Delays in the design phase and high construction bids pushed back the start and completion dates by about six months.

The lowest bid for construction of the new animal shelter exceeded the department’s construction budget of $10.5 million by $2.7 million. The county received bids for the project in November 2019.

Since late November 2019, the department has been working with Taft Construction, the lowest bidder, to find ways to reduce costs without compromising square footage or overall operations.

Proposed cost saving measures will include:

• decreasing site development

• modifying the roof

• making changes in mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems

• paving less of the gravel parking lot

• substituting interior furnishings

• leaving out a new barn

• making changes to interior kennel surfaces.

The shelter will still be built according to the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters. It will feature 106 cat kennels.  It will also house 16 adoption double sided kennels, 7 flex double sided kennels, 16 holding double sided kennels for strays and surrenders, 8 quarantine double sided kennels, 8 double sided isolation kennels and 4 vet suite single sided kennels for dogs.

Once cost savings are finalized, the department will bring the estimates to the board for permission to award a contract and begin construction. The job should be completed, and the doors open, within 18 months after the board gives the go-ahead. The project could be completed by the fall of 2021, if the board awards a contract within the next few weeks. The original completion date was set for February 2021.

UPDATE: NOV. 20, 2019

Please note: The bids for the new shelter were extended to Monday, November 25, 2019.  Bids will be received at the Procurement office until 3:00 pm sharp and will be opened publicly, beginning at 3:01 in the Ridgewood Complex, Woodbridge VA.

The Animal Shelter project Invitation for Bids, #IFB7113105 was issued by Procurement Services on October 23, 2019.  A non-mandatory Prebid conference will be held for interested bidders and subcontractors on October 30, 2019 at 1 p.m. in Development Services Building, 5 County Complex Court, Woodbridge, VA.

Bids are due on November 13, 2019 and contract award is scheduled for November 26, 2019.  The Notice to Proceed will be issued immediately after contract award with work beginning in December 2019.  Substantial completion is still on schedule to be completed in February 2021.  Final completion, including demolition of the existing building, is September 2021.

For more information regarding IFB7113105, please visit the Finance-Procurement Intranet page under solicitations.

UPDATE:  JULY 19, 2019

We updated the plans to provide additional details about the reuse and relocation of existing outbuildings on the Animal Shelter property.  The updated plans required new additional permits, drawings and foundation designs and details for the outbuildings. The new plans were resubmitted for review on July 19, 2019. In addition, the updates resulted in the need for a field survey and documentation. The additional design fees were $26,031.00 for a revised total design cost of $1,642,705. 

We have adjusted our schedule with a goal to complete permitting in August 2019 and complete the bidding process in October 2019.  We do expect construction to begin in October/November 2019.  Our goal is to hold to the current schedule for substantial completion in June 2021, with the knowledge that many factors may slow the process.

UPDATE:  APRIL 2, 2019

The design for the new Prince William County Animal Shelter is complete and construction is expected to begin in August, with a completion date set for February 2021.

According to a recent presentation given to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors regarding capital projects in the county, the shelter will be a 27,200-square-foot, $15.1-million building that will replace the current shelter and all of the out buildings on the property at 14807 Bristow Road.

The new shelter will include a welcome area, a dedicated space for families to interact with the animals they are considering adopting, space for a veterinarian’s office, dedicated space for animal isolation, quarantine and recovery, as well as feed and equipment storage areas, exam and grooming areas, and office space. The facility will have 56 dog kennels and 104 cat kennels, and have space to address surge capacity related to animal cruelty and hoarding cases. It also will fully meet all state and local requirements.  The design will be in full compliance with Association of Shelter Veterinarians facility standards.

The current shelter, built in 1975 and expanded in 1990, receives 85,000 visitors and 4,100 animals per year. The main shelter is 6,646 square feet with two modular buildings and 12 outbuildings included in the complex; and there are currently 16 double-sided and 14 single-sided dog kennels and eight double-sided and 77 single-sided cat kennels.

Demolition of the old shelter and out buildings will begin in March 2021.

Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors, Corey Stewart, said building the shelter is appropriate. “It’s a big investment, but it’ll last this community a long time, so it’s the right thing to do.”