Building beside a federal dam starts with a title search, not a floor plan. Alcova Dam is a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation structure on the North Platte River, finished May 8, 1938, 265 feet high and 763 feet long, and part of the Kendrick Project. Any parcel near the water raises one first question: who owns the ground and who has a say in what goes on it? We ask that before we draw a line.
Alcova sits about 30 miles southwest of downtown Casper at 5,371 feet. The 2020 census counted 34 residents, and the community is part of the Casper metropolitan area and contains Wyoming's center of population. With a permanent population that small, the buildings here serve people who come for the water: lodging, food service, recreation outfitters, storage and the utility and support structures that keep the reservoir running.
We build for owners who want a business that works in a short season and survives a long winter. Our project teams plan around the drive, the elevation and the wind, and we tell owners where the schedule and budget will be tight before the contract is signed.
Start with land. Near a Bureau of Reclamation reservoir, some ground is federal, some is leased and some is private, and the rules differ for each. Before design begins, we ask the owner for a survey and a title or lease summary, and we help the design team identify which agencies need to review. A building on private land near the shoreline can still need coordination about access, drainage or setbacks.
Building code authority is the next question. The International Code Council notes that Wyoming has no single statewide building code and that cities and counties adopt and enforce locally. A parcel near Alcova may fall under the county rather than the city, and the edition and amendments may differ from those listed on Casper's building page. We obtain the adopted code and the local design criteria for snow, wind and frost depth in writing, because those values vary by jurisdiction. Casper's own criteria list a 3 foot frost line, but at 5,371 feet we expect the engineer to confirm what applies on this parcel.
Lodging is the main commercial type. Small hospitality and hotel buildings, cabins and lodge-style rooms work for fishing, boating and camping visitors. Food service comes next, with restaurants and cafés that must handle seasonal peaks. Third are the support buildings: boat and equipment storage, outfitter shops, maintenance sheds and small retail.
Public and utility structures round out the list. The dam's powerplant has two 18 MW Francis turbines, 36 MW installed, generating about 92,408,000 kWh a year, and facilities around a plant like that need maintenance buildings, storage and access improvements. The reservoir holds 184,405 acre-feet in total, with 30,606 acre-feet usable for irrigation, so irrigation and water-management structures are part of the landscape. We build the private, commercial side of that picture and coordinate with owners who handle the public side.
Five items shape the number. Travel and mobilization come first, because the site is about 30 miles from town. Utilities come second: water, wastewater and power may need extension or on-site solutions, and those can outweigh the building cost on a small lot. Third is foundation work, where frost and soil conditions control depth. Fourth is seasonal timing, since a lodge that cannot open for summer loses a season. Fifth is finish quality, which in a visitor-facing building affects reviews and occupancy.
We recommend that owners price a base building and a list of options, so a lean first phase can open and later phases can follow. A lodge or restaurant that earns revenue in year one funds expansion in year two. For help with the front end, our preconstruction estimating work gives owners a number before they commit design money.
We work backward from opening day. If the target is Memorial Day, the building needs to be enclosed by fall, finished indoors during winter, and commissioned in spring. We lay out that sequence in writing and test it against the weather, the supply chain and the permit calendar. When any piece slips, we tell the owner at once and explain the options.
On site, we limit disturbance to the shoreline and neighbors. Erosion control, dust management and fuel handling are managed from the first day, and concrete washout and waste are handled as if the water were next door, since it is. The same planning habits shape our work on Casper Mountain, where slope and access play a similar role, and at Hell's Half Acre to the west.
At 5,371 feet, spring is late and fall comes early. We plan foundations for summer and early fall, framing and enclosure before deep snow, and interior finishes in winter. Roads to the area can be slow in bad weather, and a concrete truck that cannot arrive on pour day wastes the crew's time. We confirm batch plant capacity and delivery windows before we schedule any pour.
Long-lead items such as windows, doors and mechanical equipment are ordered early, since a missing item can idle a crew a long way from town. Hospitality owners should read how we handle hotel and lodging construction and the hospitality groups we serve, which show how we sequence openings around the season.
Send us the parcel, the use and the date you want to open. We will start with ownership and permits, then give you a budget and a schedule you can plan around. Owners with food service in mind can start with restaurant construction.
It depends on who owns the parcel and what the agreements say. Federal, leased and private ground each have different rules. We ask for a survey and a title or lease summary at the start and help the design team identify which agencies must review.
That depends on the local authority for the parcel. Wyoming has no single statewide building code, and cities and counties adopt their own. We confirm the adopted edition and the local snow, wind and frost values before design is finished.
Travel, mobilization and utility extensions are the main additions. The site is about 30 miles from downtown Casper, so crews, concrete and materials all travel. We show those items separately so owners can see the cost of the location.
Work backward from opening day and start early. Foundations go in during the previous summer or fall, enclosure before snow, and interiors during winter. Order long-lead items before design is complete when possible.