PINEDALE (WNE) — Construction on the new critical access hospital and Sublette Center in Pinedale is slated to begin in May, said Karl Lueschow of Lueschow Project Management, at the March 29 Sublette County Hospital District (SCHD) Board of Trustees’ meeting.

Lueschow, the SCHD’s owner’s representative, provided an update on the timetable with Jeremy Hobbs, vice president of Layton Construction, the SCHD’s general contractor and construction manager. 

Originally planned to begin in April, construction was pushed out a month as the SCHD finalized its financing for the $75.1-million project, Lueschow said.  

While an April starting date was preferable, commencing building in May was more realistic and “aligned” better with ongoing winter weather and a heavy blanket of snow covering the ground in Sublette County, he added. 

A few small, line-item bids remained to be ironed out in the final construction budget, roughly $135,000 out of the $75.1-million overall project cost, SCHD board chairwoman Tonia Hoffman told trustees. These included subcontracts for components like generators and doors. 

Otherwise, the construction budget is “in good shape,” Hobbs said. 

He estimated Layton would wrap up the few outstanding bids by the first week in April. 

The final construction budget contained “no surprises” as the SCHD made its final drive toward startup construction in May, Lueschow said.