The final bids are approved as work continues on the Bloomington Convention Center expansion project.
The Capital Improvement Board held a special session this week which also included an update on a city utility project.
WATCH: NAPA building razed to make way for convention center expansion
City of Bloomington Utilities wants to upgrade and relocate the sewer line that will run under the convention center expansion. The cost came in at more than $166,000.
It’s not part of the budget, which is why CIB President John Whikehart asked for cost relief. Tackling the project now, he said, saves the CIB and CBU future disruption after the expansion.
Total costs to CBU, including connection fees, are $240,000. But Whikehart says the CBU would only reimburse the $5,000 for the pipe upgrade because splitting any other expense could set a precedent for future development.
“A new precedent for ‘sharing the expense of an infrastructure improvement’ now may save the ratepayers full and potentially higher expense later (and) may be worthy of further consideration as good public policy,” Whikehart said.
Read more: Construction set to start on Convention Center expansion
Project contractor Weddle Bros. completed the bidding for landscaping, concrete, masonry, and fire protection, coming in under about $80,000.
That takes total contract bids for the project to almost $51 million — still within the $52 million budget. That also leaves about $2.4 million for unknown costs.
Any funds left could be used for improvements at the existing building, including masonry repairs, kitchen equipment, window replacement, new audio-visual equipment, and HVAC infrastructure.
Weddle reported 86 percent of contractors are union workers and 64 percent are local contractors with most of the rest from Indianapolis.
