Woodhull School Modular Project
Hits Snag
An effort to install three modular classrooms at Woodhull Intermediate School has hit a snag after bids came in above the amount budgeted for the project.
The district opened capital bids for the project on August 23. Bids for plumbing work were received from six contractors with the lowest responsible one coming in at $26,975. Bids for electrical work were received from 11 companies with the lowest one amounting to $108,968.
No general contractors submitted bids to provide and install the three modular units, according to David H. Grackin, the Huntington School District's assistant superintendent for finance and management services. Mr. Grackin asked Burton Behrendt and Smith, the district's architectural and engineering firm, to re-bid that portion of the capital project. On September 7, the district opened the one bid submitted. It came in at $424,403.
"The total amount of all bids totals $560,346, plus architect fees," Mr. Grackin said. "We have $255,000 budgeted for this project. The monthly lease price was bid at $9,882 or $118,584 annually. We have $100,000 budgeted for this year. The budgeted amount will cover this cost for this year."
Mr. Grackin said that based upon the one bid, if the district decides to purchase the units at the end of the lease period, the cost would be $149,558. The bill to return the three units would be $56,124. That amount covers demolition, removal and restoration of the site.
"Obviously we are very disappointed at the prices we received," Mr. Grackin said. "We are in the process of evaluating our alternatives, including possibly rebidding."
The Huntington School Board has not formally addressed the bids. Trustees have 45 days from August 23 to award the plumbing and electrical bids and 45 days from September 7 to award the general contractor bid.
Based upon the bids received, the three-year cost of the project would be approximately $1.025 million, including architectural fees and associated costs such as land surveys, legal advertisements, printing costs and expenses involved with returning the three modular units.
What comes next? Stay tuned.