Bids Higher Than Expected
R
udolph Netsch Construction Company of Chester submitted the lowest bid at $3,845,000, while La Rosa Building Group of Meriden bid $4,356,000, Sarazin General Contractors of Windham bid at $4,451,240, and the highest bidder was ACMAT Corporation of New Britain at $4,750,000.
Walter Hirsch, chairman of the committee overseeing the project, said all bidders agreed to have their bids last 60 days and the committee is reviewing all bid packages to ensure they meet requirements.
“We are assuming the low bidder meets the requirements. I haven’t heard anything saying he hasn’t,” Hirsch said.
Members at the July 25 committee meeting discussed different options to reduce the cost but they have not made any final
decisions.
“We could negotiate a change to reduce the cost or cancel all the bids and rewrite the bid package and have them go out to bid again,” Hirsch said, adding the committee is consulting legal counsel for advice.
It would be more expensive for the committee to rewrite the bid package and bid again, Hirsch said.
“I’m optimistic we can work something out,” Hirsch said, adding it did not surprise him bids were so attributing a slow economy.
Hirsch said their architect will look at a number of possibilities including scaling back one of the proposed additions, cutting back on the proposed $1 million mechanical system, having landscaping done separately by volunteers, and possibly not purchasing a $300,000 generator providing backup power to the building during a power outage.
Hirsch said the town hall has a generator and the committee is looking into hooking the theatre into that generator.
The committee had hoped the winning bid would be $3.6 million, Hirsch said.
The town received a $500,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program, STEAP, grant and a $310,000 small cities grant for American with Disabilities Act, ADA, upgrades since the building, a former town hall, is not ADA compliant.
Hirsch said the town plans to spend $810,000 for the addition and has committed $400,000 to spend on architectural fees and an extensive cleaning including removal of hazardous materials which has been completed.
“The town will provide $1 million borrowed from other funds,” Hirsch said, adding that town appropriations were approved by the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, and at a town meeting.
“The fundraising program officially just started but we already have $30,000 from what people have given us,” Hirsch said.
The program aims to raise about $1 million.
The program was launched with a party held by a family residing in Fenwick on the weekend of July 22-23 but Hirsch said more events are being planned for August including a celebrity auction.
The center will not open in time for Hepburn’s 100th birthday, which is May 12, 2007, but Hirsch said it was not a big surprise.
“We figured it would take one year of construction and we’ve been saying that it would not be finished until September 2007 which is still a possibility,” Hirsch said.
Three theatre groups had expressed interest in using the theatre including River Rep of Ivoryton, Bay State of Rhode Island, and Salt Marsh Opera of Stonington, Hirsch said.
Hirsch said the theatre’s addition will be on the town green side with a ground floor entrance along with an elevator and staircase to the theatre level.
The lower level will have new restrooms, possibly an area for snacks and coffee, and Hirsch predicts there will be a room for display cases with memorabilia of Katherine Hepburn.
Part of the theatre expansion will feature a balcony allowing concerts to perform in an area overlooking the green with benches, plantings, flowers, and trees.
“It will be a great area the town could have concerts,” Hirsch said.
Hirsch confirmed in the end, the building will be owned by the town and “it will be a beautiful, impressive building.”
The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center will be housed in a 1911 building which originally housed an arts center run by a local music and drama club.
