West View is reevaluating plans for the borough’s new municipal complex after receiving a single bid that was more than double what officials expected.
At the same time, the borough is buying a third property for the development and seeing demolition costs increase.
The borough plans to build the new complex in the area of Perry Highway and Center Avenue.
It would include a remodeling of the West View Firemen’s Banquet Hall to house administrative and police offices and the construction of a new fire department garage.
Although 10 contractors attended a pre-bid meeting, Massaro was the only one to submit a bid — $12.6 million, more than double the $6 million for which officials were prepared, according to Borough Manager Bruce Fromlak.
Council voted to reject the bid at its June 10 meeting.
“We can’t do that,” Fromlak said. “It’s too much money.”
Fromlak said one reason for the high cost was that the bid was structured so the contractor would not be able to bill the borough for any unexpected cost increases. When the borough seeks bids again, change orders will be allowed, he said.
Council approved hiring Jon Thomas, of Thomas & Williamson Program Management, for $15,000 to help the borough with seeking a second round of bids, which Fromlak hopes will go out in mid-August.
“The borough, architect and project consultants are reviewing options to reduce costs, revise portions of the design and rebid the overall project in a more competitive manner,” Fromlak said. “That includes evaluating grading, retaining walls, site layout and construction sequencing while still preserving the long-term goals of the municipal/fire/police complex project.”
The borough borrowed $5 million over 30 years to use toward paying for the construction of the municipal complex.
West View’s total cost to acquire three properties adjacent to the banquet hall and tear down those buildings comes to about $1.7 million. The borough has $1.3 million in grant funding to use toward that cost, with the rest coming from its general fund, Fromlak said.
While the fire department gave its banquet hall to the borough, the borough bought the former Scholl’s Bicycle Center at 649 Center Ave. and Grotto Bar & Grille at 403 Perry Highway for a total of $740,000 — $535,000 for Scholl’s and $205,000 for Grotto.
In May, council approved buying the last building in that area, a six-unit apartment building at 400 Perry Highway between the Grotto building and the banquet hall, for up to $585,000.
That would put the total cost of buying the three properties at up to $1,325,000.
Fromlak said 400 Perry Highway was at first not seen as needed.
But during engineering, redesign and site planning talks, council considered the long-term advantages of acquiring it, which included more site flexibility, access, staging, parking and overall future control of the corridor in that area.
Acquiring 400 Perry may also reduce the size and scope of retaining walls needed for the site, which had been projected to cost $400,000 to $600,000, he said. It would also create more parking benefiting businesses.
The borough had previously hired Deller Professional Services to demolish the bicycle shop and bar. In May, council approved a contract amendment that increased that cost by $22,585 to about $272,000.
The cost increased after asbestos was found in the bike shop’s floor tile, Fromlak said. Abestos removal had not been anticipated.
Despite the increase, he said, Deller was still the lowest bidder.
At its June meeting, council approved paying Deller, again the lowest bidder, $62,450 to demolish the apartment building. That would put the total demolition cost for all three buildings at just under $335,000.
”While the borough does not officially own that property yet, the closing is expected soon,” Fromlak said. “The tenants have all been notified, and the current plan is to begin demolition of the first two structures once settlement occurs and access is granted, with the remaining apartment building to follow after it is fully vacated.”