Wisconsin picks bid winner for massive state office project

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A group with Midwest ties has been chosen to redevelop a massive site planned as the new home for Wisconsin's Department of Transportation.

The project would replace the existing 400,000-square-foot Hill Farms state office building in Madison with another that's 600,000 square feet. It would be Wisconsin's largest state-owned office building and could cost the state as much as $196 million.

Department of Administration spokesman Cullen Werwie told the Wisconsin State Journal (http://bit.ly/1Ct5b0x ) that negotiations will focus on the overall cost and project details.

"Given the complexity of the project, we anticipate taking a few months on these negotiations, at which point we'd move forward with the additional approvals needed to execute the final contract," Werwie said.

The group consists of C.D. Smith, headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Minneapolis-based HGA; Detroit-based SmithGroup JJR; and Gilbane, which has an office in Milwaukee.

In a letter sent Monday to chosen the team, the state said it could still choose another team if negotiations sour. Four finalists were in the running, including one group led by former Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Terrence Wall.

As part of the project, the development team would purchase the remainder of the 21-acre Hill Farms site and be able to use it for future development. The team would also buy and could redevelop a much smaller Madison office building and its 4.35-acre site that would be vacated as a result of the project.

The existing Hill Farms office was opened in the 1950s.

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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj