30 bids opened for school project
CONNELLSVILLE TWP. – Connellsville Area School District administrators and its architectural firm and construction manager got their first look Wednesday at what it might cost to renovate the senior high school. Nearly 30 bids were submitted for various aspects of the multimillion project from contractors across the state.
Jeff Straub, senior project manager for Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates, said he was pleased with the number of bids, but was unable to comment about the listed amounts.
“There are a lot of numbers that we’re going to have to look at,” he said following the nearly 90-minute opening of the cost proposals. “It could take a week or it could take a month.”
Five Pittsburgh area companies are seeking the general contracting work for the renovation project.
The base bid prices ranged from $35.2 million to $36.5 million.
Companies were also required to offer bids for specific parts of the work.
For instance, certain board members have publicly discussed removing a proposed administrative wing from the project and reducing the size of a new swimming pool from the original eight lane Olympic-size to six lanes to minimize overall costs.
Also, the contractors were requested to list separate costs should the district decide to expand the overall project.
The general contractors offered upwards of $975,000 to remove the administrative wing from their budgets and deductions ranging from $155,000 to $200,000 to downsize the pool.
Bids were also received to renovate the high school tennis court, soccer field, field house, and baseball/softball field, along with offerings tied to various roofing scenarios and the complete renovation of the school’s elevator.
Seven contractors offered bids for the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning contract with base bids ranging from $7.7 million to $10.2 million.
Alternate bids were also received for deleting or adding to the project.
Three companies offered cost proposals for completing plumbing work with bids ranging from $4.2 million to $6.1 million while five firms are vying for the electrical contract.
The electrical bids ranged from a low of $6.2 million to $7.3 million.
Four Pittsburgh area companies offered bids starting at $258,000 to $735,000 to remove any asbestos found during the construction project and three firms submitted cost proposals ranging from $877,200 to $915,250 for the construction of the food service department.
Should the district move forward with the construction of the 8-lane pool, it will cost upwards of $1.9 million, according to the figures received from three companies offering cost proposals. The lowest bid was $1.7 million.
The firms also included figures to reduce the size to six lanes. The deductions ranged from $100,000 to $175,000.
Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates have estimated the total project cost at $61.3 million, which includes construction, financing costs, legal fees, bond insurance, site survey, test boring, supervision and construction management of the project.
The total cost also sets aside more than $1 million in a contingency account should unforeseen problems or needs arise during the construction.
The district has secured a $30 million bond issue to pay for a portion of the project and is anticipating more than $12 million in reimbursement from the state Department of Education to help fund the project.
Boenning & Scattergood of Pittsburgh – the district’s financial advisor, has recommended a second $30 million general obligation bond issue be obtained to cover the remaining cost of the project.
The board has yet to take any official action to acquire additional funding or to advise the public how the loans will be repaid. It is estimated the district will need $500,000 each year over the next four years to meet the district debt payment.
The board meets Monday to set an agenda for the regular meeting scheduled for July 14.