ABOVE: A rendering of the Bravo Zulu House, which will be located in northern Martin County.

FAIRMONT– Plans for Bravo Zulu House, an all-military sober home, have changed since the ground breaking at the site in northern Martin County in late May. However, Servant Leader Tim Murray believes that the new plans are even better.

“Right after the ground breaking, someone in Martin County decided to build an ark and I think we got 22 inches of rain between May 20 and July 1,” Murray said.

He said that some work had already started on the house that was to be remodeled. The garage and its floor, along with the cement steps on the house had already been removed, leaving the foundation exposed and vulnerable and with all the rain a walk-in basement was created.

“It allowed us an opportunity to stop and think if there was a better, smarter way. Several people asked if we had considered a shouse or barndominum,” Murray said.

While he wasn’t familiar with either term, after doing some research Murray realized it would be cheaper, more efficient and without a basement to prevent future flooding problems.

“We spent basically the last 90 days doing a pivot. We now have this gorgeous 13 bedroom, 5,000 square foot barndominium that will be breaking ground September 12,” Murray said.

The existing house will still be remodeled, but an addition will no longer be added. The new plan is for the house to be turned into a five bedroom, two bathroom guest house for wives and children to stay in when they come to visit.

The cost to do the project will not change. Since the start of fundraising, the goal has been $1.2 million with $900,000 needed for the building and $150,000 for therapy dogs and $150,000 to start a hydroponic farm.

“The cost to gut, remodel and put on the addition would create unique challenges because we’d be trying to marry an 1899 structure with a 2024 structure… when you have brand new, all of the electrical and plumbing lines will be a straight line… the additional costs will be removed,” Murray said.

Plus, he said the pole barn will be two-thirds of the cost of building a stick-build home.

“For the same amount of money, we’re going to be able to have a bigger house, more square footage and we’ll also benefit from everything being new and no basement so we won’t have to worry about future flooding,” Murray said.

Since deciding on the new plan, Murray said they had to come up with new blue prints, a new schedule and also contact the subcontractors to discuss the schedule.

“Currently we’re targeting a first quarter of 2025 opening,” Murray said.

He said the shift in timeline didn’t work for some contractors, but it worked out better for others.

“We have more subcontractors donating 100 percent (of labor) than we did before. If you take the total amount of cash needed and factor in the in-kind donations and lower cost of building a pole barn, for roughly the same amount of time and money, we get a bigger house and everything is brand new,” Murray said.

The new plan also needs to be communicated to the public and other supporters of the Bravo Zulu House. A community update is planned for 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Winnebago City Hall.

“I think sometimes when plans go sideways like this people get a little nervous,” Murray admitted.

However, $800,000 has been raised– half in cash donations and half in in-kind donations– and there are a number of large pledges that have been made as well.

Murray is optimistic that more money will be raised in some of their upcoming fundraising events, which include a benefit dinner to be held Oct. 7 in Minneapolis.

All in all, Murray is pleased with the change of plans.

“It’s a more abundant solution,” he said.