Staff writer
Loyd Builders Inc. of Ottawa won the bid to construct a new Marion County Jail with a bid of $3,055,000.
Marion County Commission awarded the contract Monday after Andy Pitts of Treanor Architects P.A. reviewed all nine bids the county received. Pitts said he has experience with Loyd Builders from another project, and said they have been good to work with.
After construction begins, the company will have 335 calendar days to complete the project, subject to weather delays, Pitts said.
Pitts said he didn’t think the county could afford an alternate bid to add a second-floor extension of the jail area to make possible future expansion easier with the county’s budget for the project. A special election in April approved a sales tax and bond issue to finance the project. The maximum bond issue allowed by the election is $3.51 million, which includes expenses other than construction, such as furnishings and architecture fees.
Commissioners said they would like to include the expansion if the county can afford it. Pitts said that decision didn’t need to be made Monday, but would be needed within a few weeks.
The county may be able to save some money by using stucco with a stone texture on the building’s exterior instead of stone for a wainscoting. Using the stucco around the entire building would save $86,000, Pitts said.
Commissioner Dan Holub asked whether stucco could be used on three sides of the building, with rock on the side facing Fourth Street. Pitts said that is possible and could still save a substantial amount of money.
Pitts asked whether the commission would like to have an official groundbreaking ceremony. Commission Chairman Roger Fleming said he had no interest in having his picture taken scooping a ceremonial shovel full of dirt. Pitts said that open houses after completion are generally more useful and popular with the public anyway.
Other bidders were:
- B.A. Green Construction Inc. of Lawrence — $3,175,000.
- Altmar Inc. of Topeka — $3,243,000.
- The Konrath Group of Kansas City, Mo. — $3,246,000.
- The Law Company Inc. of Wichita — $3,289,000.
- Decker Construction Inc. of Coffeyville — $3,295,000.
- Universal Construction Company Inc. of Lenexa — $3,380,000.
- Straub Construction of Shawnee — $3,439,000.
- Construction Services Bryant Inc. of Wichita — $3,562,125.