Estimated budget for Ivy Tech Frankfort is almost $2 million over previous budget

FRANKFORT, Ind (WLFI) - With classes set to begin in August, and registration happening at the end of February, could a newly projected $4.1 million price tag to bring Ivy Tech to Frankfort put a glitch in the plan? Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes said it will not.

"That is what this project could indeed cost," McBarnes said. "Will elected officials in the city and county let this project cost that much? No we will not, because we can't afford it."

The project was originally estimated to cost $2.5 million. McBarnes said the latest estimate is a preliminary cost by Gill Construction, the business that will oversee the project.

Different jobs within the project will be handed out in a competitive bidding process.

"We have to understand in today's economic climate people are hungry for jobs," McBarnes said. "When we put this project out for bids we feel very confident those numbers will not be that great."

McBarnes believes a bidding process on March 12 will bring the plan to budget. After that he will make a shopping list of things that aren't necessary.

"[A shopping list of] things that can be taken away from the project and things that can be added to the project to give us a nice campus at the end of the day, and ultimately bring that number down to that $2.5 million number," McBarnes said.

The campus will go into the Frankfort Times building. McBarnes said having an already existing facility cuts costs. The project is designed to add a conference hall, and do some renovation to give the building a college feel.

"Students can come down and sit in a green space, surf Wi-Fi, have a great cup of coffee, and then go to class," McBarnes said.

The project is being paid by private donations and city money. So far more than $1 million has been donated.