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Library's Expansion | Newspaper Articles
Companies compete for library-building contract
Hillary Chabot, Sentinel & Enterprise, June 10, 2005
LEOMINSTER -- Three companies submitted bids to be in charge
of building a new library on West Street -- and the lowest
bid came in at $9.077 million, said Purchasing Agent Greg
Chapdelaine.The entire cost of the project is $10.8 million.
Still, Chapdelaine said, there's not much breathing room.
"(The three general contractor bids) came in lower than we
expected, but it's still going to be very tight,"
Chapdelaine said.
Chapdelaine told city councilors Thursday that many
unforeseen circumstances can affect the cost and schedule of
the project.
"There are many unknowns," Chapdelaine said. "Hopefully
things go well and we don't see too many."
Mayor Dean Mazzarella said the high price tag just means the
city will have to raise more money for the project.
"Well, it's a little higher than I thought because the
increase in cost in the materials," Mazzarella said. "I
guess we'll just have to raise more money."
The Fontaine Brothers of West Springfield came in with the
lowest bid of $9,077,000, Chapdelaine said.
"They were the ones who built the Sky View School,"
Chapdelaine said.
Mazzarella said the company also built Fitchburg High
School.
"We had a very good relationship with them," Mazzarella
said.
W.T. Rich came in next at $9.599 million, and a company
named Brait Builders offered to do the job for $9.892
million.
"We need to look them over and make sure they comply with
the requirements," Chapdelaine said. "The architect needs to
look at it and then the Library Building Committee needs to
vote on it."
City councilors voted unanimously in the summer 2003 to
approve the library expansion, which will give the library
35,000 square feet of new space.
Contractors demolished two nearby buildings to make room for
the project in November.
Officials originally hoped to begin work on the library in
November of 2003, but the job was delayed while an
independent contractor reviewed the construction plans.
"I'm sure we'll move very quickly on this," Chapdelaine
said.
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