Three out of four bids for the construction of a long-awaited new civic center in Atherton have come in below the estimated project cost of $48 million, according to a Feb. 27 town email.
The town received a bid of $44.2 million from SJ Amoroso's, a $44.4 million bid from Stronghold Engineering and a $44.9 million bid from BHM Construction, according to the town. (A fourth bid by Sausal Corp. came in at $55.4 million.) Staff plans to recommend the City Council award SJ Amoroso, a Redwood Shores-based company, a contract for the project at a March 6 meeting, Marty Hanneman, the town's project manager, said in an email.
“We were quite excited when we opened the bids,” Mayor Bill Widmer said. Widmer added that it was reassuring that three out of the four bids came in around the same price because that meant that the bid wasn’t a “low-ball” offer.
SJ Amoroso built the Trousdale residential care facility in Burlingame, renovated Palo Alto’s main library, and constructed a clubhouse at the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club, according to a list of projects on the company's website.
The civic center project, which would rebuild the town's police, administration, library and planning division buildings, ran into a roadblock last June when initial bids for the project came in 40 percent higher than the project estimate of $40.5 million.
In December, the City Council voted to go out for new bids on the project. To cut costs, the council removed hoped-for improvements in the corporation yard, simplifying site access and logistics; deleted all required tree removals; and demolished the library and public works buildings prior to going out to bid, Hanneman said. The council also decided not to include a new council chambers as part of the project unless the town can come up with additional funding for it. (SJ Amoroso estimates it would cost about $2.9 million.)
Overall, the council cut project costs by $4.3 million.
The town has not yet set a date to break ground on the project, deputy city manager and city clerk Theresa DellaSanta wrote in an email. In December, the town estimated the new civic center would open at the end of March 2021.
The March 6 study session at which the council will consider awarding the contract will start at 4 p.m. in the council chambers at 94 Ashfield Road in Atherton.
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Comments
Atherton: other
on Mar 2, 2019 at 11:59 am
on Mar 2, 2019 at 11:59 am
This is a bait and switch. Wait and see.
Atherton: other
on Mar 2, 2019 at 2:23 pm
on Mar 2, 2019 at 2:23 pm
I'm very pleased to know that Atherton can now proceed with construction with this very qualified vendor. Very excited to see work begin and to walk through the completed buildings once they are complete.
Registered user
Menlo Park: other
on Mar 2, 2019 at 4:04 pm
Registered user
on Mar 2, 2019 at 4:04 pm
Let the Change Orders flow. That 4.3 million that was "cut" will end up back in the final cost. There will be shortcomings in the plans and Amoroso will take full advantage of those.
Atherton: other
on Mar 2, 2019 at 9:31 pm
on Mar 2, 2019 at 9:31 pm
Menlo Voter, are you staying there are known defects in the plan, or that's just the nature of large projects (there will always be grey areas, and a contractor who gets in with a low bid will find a way to make up the money? Makes sense…and I wonder what the plan is, since I don't think the Town has the money to go any higher.
Registered user
Menlo Park: other
on Mar 3, 2019 at 9:24 am
Registered user
on Mar 3, 2019 at 9:24 am
question:
there are ALWAYS defects and missing details in a set of complex construction documents. There will be conflicts between the architectural plans and structural plans. There will be unforseen conditions and a host of other things the construction documents are missing. And yes, the contractor that gets in with the low bid will find ways to make up what they left on the table.
The town will either have to find the money or start cutting other parts of the project. I will guarantee the cost is going to go higher. And if it runs true to most other public works projects it will end with claims and a law suit. Generally, these contracts are written such that if there is a disagreement as to whether or not something is an "extra" or change order, the contractor has to keep working and complete the contested work. They then file a claim for payment. Then the lawyers get involved at the end of the job.
I doubt the town has taken any of this into account when it figured what it could afford. No one should go into any kind of a construction project thinking it will come in on time or budget. Despite claims that they do, they don't. They claim they come in on time is because every change order includes added time to do the extra work. The project finishes later than promised, but with the added time from change orders, voila, they are on time.
Been there, done this.
Registered user
Atherton: West of Alameda
on Mar 4, 2019 at 1:30 pm
Registered user
on Mar 4, 2019 at 1:30 pm
Congratulations to the Town staff and to the Council for sharpening their pencils and figuring out a way to get this project started. There is a long road ahead before we have a new civic center, but at least we are moving forward now. Like P. Anders, I am looking forward to seeing construction get started . . . and looking forward even more to seeing construction end!
I do hope that the Town finds additional funding to renovate the Council Chambers. That work is needed, and it makes sense to do it while the rest of the construction is going on rather than immediately starting a new project after this project ends.
Atherton: Lloyden Park
on Mar 4, 2019 at 4:23 pm
on Mar 4, 2019 at 4:23 pm
Menlo Voter, you are so smart and experienced, even prescient. Let's hope the Atherton Town Council reads this blog and sees your comments. I do so doubt that anyone on the staff or the council understands these concepts like you do.
At the same time, I really appreciate the positive comments from other readers. I think the Town Council was wise to cut out costs and now have an affordable solution. Nice job Town Council!