43
Board expected to OK stadium bids
The stadium renovation is expected to be complete before the start of football season.
STRUTHERS — The low bids in the second round of bidding for construction of Phases 2 and 3 of Struthers Wildcat Stadium renovation are expected to be approved by the board of education in a special 4:45 p.m. Monday meeting.
Phases 2 and 3 include demolishing the wood, metal and concrete stands and replacing them with aluminum bleachers, which will have handicap seating.
Phase 1, completed in 2007, included demolishing the concrete east stands and replacing then with aluminum bleachers.
Phase 4, projected to be done in 2010-11, includes construction of a multipurpose athletic training center in the vacant lot next to the high school on Euclid Avenue. The center would include softball and baseball practice areas, batting cages, restroom and athlete changing areas, and an alumni hall of fame in the lobby.
In February, the board rejected all first-round bids for the combined Phases 2 and 3 project, totaling $1,051,852, because they exceeded the engineer’s estimate of $850,000 by 23.75 percent, or $201,852. State law requires that bids on public projects be no more than 10 percent over the engineer’s estimate, said schools Treasurer Michael Evanson.
Subsequently the board made several changes to the project and raised the engineer’s estimate to $900,000. In the second round of bidding, the combined base bids of all the vendors is $852, 260, Evanson said.
Bidders, with the lowest listed first, are:
UGeneral construction, demolition and arched entrance: Kreidler Construction of Poland, $465,900 and $23,500, respectively. Other construction, demolition and entrance bids are: Hively Construction of Canfield, $467,700 and $28,000; Stitle Construction of Salem, $486,240 and $21,400; and Rudzik Excavating of Struthers, $539,747 and $21,400.
UBleachers: Sturdysteel of Texas, $147,000. Other bidders are: Gymnasium Equipment of Struthers, $154,347; and E&D Specialty Stands, North Collins, N.Y., $187,830.
UMechanical construction (heating, ventilating and air conditioning and plumbing; and lighting in entrance: Antenucci of Warren, $198,000 and $1,840.Other bidders are: Komar Plumbing of Boardman, $207,800 and $3,996; Western Reserve Mechanical, $208,500 and $4,720; Charniga Plumbing and Heating of Poland, $218,120 and $1,000; The Conti Corp. of Lowellville, $291,000, no bid on entrance lighting.
Design changes made to lower the project cost include switching from electric to gas heat for restrooms, concession stands and locker rooms, which are adjacent to the new station, changing from wall-mounted to floor-mounted toilets, and downsizing the bleachers from 16 to 15 rows, Evanson said.
Because of having to rebid the project, the completion date was changed from July 9 to Aug. 11, which will still be in time for the start of the football season, Evanson said.
The stadium project was spearheaded by the Save Our Stadium Committee, headed by Bill Polis. The committee developed a plan presented to the board of education, and also helped raise $145,000 in private donations.
When the west stands are complete, the stadium will have about 3,000 regular seats plus 14 to 18 spaces for wheelchairs. The project is being financed primarily with money generated from open-enrollment pupils, Evanson said.
alcorn@vindy.com