A preliminary review of the second round of bids for structural roof repairs on Marietta's National Guard Armory building indicated the lowest bid came from E Lee Construction, Inc., of Delphos, Ohio, according to information presented during city council's lands, buildings and parks committee meeting Wednesday.
The company's base bid came in at $493,960 for labor and materials only, compared to $678,000 submitted by General Restoration of Columbus, and $669,490 from Lepi Enterprises of Zanesville.
City engineer Joe Tucker said E Lee Construction was still the apparent low bidder when alternate work of masonry tuckpointing, drill hall roof deck replacement and lead paint abatement for the armory roof balustrade and cornices was added into the cost.
The total bid with those costs included came to $522,790.
"All three of the base bids were awardable," Tucker said, noting those bids were within the required 10 percent of the $644,000 original engineer's estimate.
But the biggest difference in the bids came with the alternates added in-especially the two lead paint abatement alternates, which E Lee Construction bid at $1,500 each.
Fact Box
At a glance
Marietta City Council's finance committee will meet at 4 p.m. Nov. 29 in the second floor conference room at 304 Putnam St.
- All council and committee meetings, except executive sessions, are open to the public.
- All Marietta city offices will be closed Friday as part of the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend.
- More city information is available at http://www.mariettaoh.net/
"I have some question about those lead abatement bids, and will be reviewing all of the bids further and contacting the contractors before making a final recommendation," Tucker said.
In other business Wednesday, Tracy Stotts, project manager with Pickering Associates, Inc. in Parkersburg, reviewed preliminary design plans for renovation of the city hall building at 301 Putnam St.
The city has contracted with Pickering Associates to determine the availability and potential use of space left in the building after Marietta Municipal Court moved into new facilities on Third Street earlier this year.
Preliminary drawings shown to the committee members showed police department offices currently located in the basement being moved to the second floor of the building, while police dispatch and records offices would remain on the first floor.
The basement area would still house the police garage and the former basement office area potentially turned into a gymnasium area or assembly room. Lockers and restrooms would also be located there.
The design plans would locate the city treasurer's offices, IT office, council clerk office, and mayor's offices on the first floor, along with the police dispatch and records offices.
The proposed second floor plans would include the main police department offices and city auditor's offices.
Stotts said an elevator currently located in the building would remain as a freight elevator, but it is not handicapped accessible so a secondary elevator would have to be installed for general public use.
"New Americans with Disabilities Act requirements adopted in 2010 became effective this year that mandates all public buildings have to meet ADA accessibility standards," Stotts said.
She noted the plans presented to the committee Wednesday were still a work in progress, and did not include potential space for council chambers, HVAC plans, nor cost estimates.
"We're about 80 percent there, and anticipate the design will be completed by the end of January if we continue to move ahead at this time," Stotts said.
Councilman Harley Noland, D-at large, who chairs the lands, buildings and parks committee, said the design plans made sense.
"This would clear out 308 Putnam which has maintenance problems and it makes 301 Putnam accessible for people with disabilities," he said.
The building at 308 Putnam currently houses the city auditor, treasurer, council clerk, IT department, and a utilities maintenance office. City officials have considered selling the building after moving those offices to 301 Putnam St. or into other city facilities.
Noland asked the committee members to review the plans presented and said he would schedule another meeting later this month to take comments or concerns.
