NAVIGATE Building Solutions
February 24, 2026
Delivered on time and below budget, the University City Police & Courts Renovation Project shows what’s possible with the right team involved at the right time. Through early strategic involvement and hands-on cost management, NAVIGATE helped guide a project that was facing real budget pressure to a strong, successful outcome for the Owner.
Prior to NAVIGATE being hired, bids came in, market conditions and inflation had pushed the estimated construction cost to about $36 million, well above the Owner’s $27 million construction budget. That’s when NAVIGATE was brought on — to step in as the Owner’s Representative and help bring the project back into alignment without cutting corners or delaying progress.
The work started early, while there was still flexibility to make meaningful decisions. NAVIGATE led a focused value engineering effort in close collaboration with the design and construction teams, identifying practical efficiencies and managing escalation risk. Those early decisions were supported by consistent cost and schedule oversight throughout construction, helping ensure savings weren’t lost along the way.
In the end, the project was delivered for $24.8 million — more than $11 million below the inflation-adjusted bid estimate, under the Owner’s construction budget, and completed on schedule. Just as important, these results were achieved without sacrificing functionality or long-term performance.
This project reflects the value of having an Owner’s Representative focused on protecting capital, managing risk, and maintaining financial clarity from start to finish. At NAVIGATE, our role goes beyond oversight — we support informed decision-making and help teams stay aligned on cost, schedule, and outcomes.
