Frame building for Westwood clubhouse expected to be ready before winter

Westwood Golf Course earlier this month was approved for a 60-foot-by-100-foot post frame building that would serve as the new clubhouse, and then two weeks later council members authorized a more than $378,000 bid for a contractor to put in footings and then get the structure ready for the next phase of the project.

According to city documents, Urbandale-based contractor Ball Team, LCC will not only construct footings but also apply spray foam insulation in exterior walls and build or install aluminum storefront systems, exterior openings, rigid insulation, roof insulation and standing seam roof panels with gutter and downspouts.

Four bids were received by the city. Although the bids from Ball Team and the West Des Moines-based Accurate Commercial, LLC were identical, staff recommended Ball Team due to minor discrepancies in the other’s proposal. This portion of the project will be paid for using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Morton Buildings, Inc., of West Des Moines, was awarded the contract for the post frame “shell” of the new clubhouse. The company provided the low quote of $190,338, which was also paid for using ARPA funds. Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler said Ball Team and Morton Buildings work well together.

“It should be something that we’re hoping will go smoothly,” Muckler said. “This is the building, so this is going to get you everything from the building itself to gutters, downspouts, doors, windows, a floor, HVAC, restrooms. And that’s it. So then we have a phase two that will do interior renovations over the winter.”

City of Newton is anticipating the post frame building will be ready by Dec. 6, which will give staff the winter to further design and then furnish the space.

“Some of what we’re doing with this space is we’re making it flexible enough to serve people so that when we have a tournament that’s at capacity we’re going to be able to seat a lunch inside if it’s raining,” Muckler said. “…Anywhere from that to maybe it’s during the winter and we bring in some simulators.”

Other phases of the project include the construction of a patio and other outside amenities, including seating areas. Muckler said in many ways the project never ends. For instance, the golf course will eventually need a new building for golf carts and improvements to the parking lots.

“These will all be future phases,” Muckler said.

Westwood Golf Course has been seeing consistent success even with its old clubhouse, which has since been demolished. Despite Muckler anticipating fewer golfers due to the construction, rounds played were up again this past year. The golf fund — which received criticism for its deficit — has been in the black.

Newton City Council even used the golf fund revenues to purchase 13 new golf carts for $56,700 and then a new greens mower for $43,951.75. Muckler said it is good the city can utilize the golf fund as a sort of enterprise fund for the course, meaning that the money generated from the course goes toward the course.

In the future, Muckler said part of the future phases to the clubhouse project could be paid for with golf fund revenues.

“Is it going to pay for everything? No. But I think it could be paying for some of the things that we’re talking about,” Muckler said. “As of June 30, our golf fund had $262,861 as our balance. We also have a separate fund for the clubhouse where we’ve had some donations come in. Those will be spent on phase two.”