Request for proposals issued for Majestic rubble

A Request for Proposals to clean up the Majestic Hotel “yellow brick” building rubble has been issued by city officials, Assistant City Manager Lance Spicer said Friday.

“It’s been a bit of a process, but this is the second step, with the purchase of the hotel property being the first step,” he said.

“Now we’ve got a pretty good RFP out on the street and we feel like that is going to be a good thing as we move forward. The way we’ve structured it, it is a lump sum proposal, so we’ll know pretty quickly the pricing that we’ll be looking at,” he said.

The “yellow brick” building, the oldest portion of the Majestic Hotel complex, burned on Feb. 27, 2014, and was razed over the next two days in the interest of public safety.

The rubble remained piled along

Park Avenue for nearly 18 months as the city attempted, without success, to have the property owner remove the debris.

The city subsequently acquired the 5.1-acre hotel site through a real estate purchase agreement on Aug. 27, 2015, for a contract sale price of $1,615,000, with $672,782,90 of that as a cash payment and the remainder considered a contribution to the city by the owner.

The RFP outlines a tentative procurement schedule that includes a mandatory pre-bid and on-site meeting to be held at 9 a.m. Dec. 9 at the City Hall Annex, 111 Opera St. Requests for clarification of any portion of the RFP are due by 2 p.m. Dec. 14, with questions and answers posted by 5 p.m. Dec. 18, according to a city news release.

Sealed proposals are due by 2 p.m. Jan. 4, and all bids will be opened publicly. Complete screening and ranking of proposers and proposals will be completed by Jan. 11. A contract approval date is set for Jan. 19.

The project’s scope of work includes demolition of approximately 70,954 square feet of remaining “yellow brick” building space, abatement and disposal of hazardous materials, salvaging of fixtures and building materials when feasible, removal and disposal of all construction debris, provision of required erosion and sediment control measures, and implementation of security for the buildings and grounds during the contract work.

The release states that the city’s goal in designing the project was to ensure that the maximum practicable amount of materials be recycled or repurposed rather than being sent to a landfill. Recycling construction and demolition debris is one of the project’s key aspects.

“C and D recycling is among the most visible commitments we can make to sustainable buildings, visible to every site worker” and passers-by, Spicer said in the release.

The successful bidder will be held responsible for removing and disposing of all items identified as hazardous materials, including asbestos, mercury, lead and other materials. Removal and disposal is required to be handled in a manner complying with all federal, state and local hazardous materials laws and guidelines. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, long consulted by the city regarding the property’s environmental impact, will continue its involvement throughout the project, according to the release.

“The issuance of this RFP is a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the Majestic Hotel property, and we are thrilled that the process is now underway,” Spicer said.

“The RFP brings us one step closer to the realization of future potential opportunities for this property. This will be an exciting project for the city, and we look forward to seeing progress in the months to come. While a project of this size takes time, our goal is to implement cleanup in a safe, expedient and cost-effective manner, while mindful of the importance of this taxpayer-owned property,” he said.

Spicer said Friday that the RFP has been sent to a list of contractors who have contacted the city over the year requesting to be notified of various projects undertaken by the city.

“Also, throughout the year, I’ve been contacted by various contractors, and we keep up with that information so when an RFP goes out, it’s sent to that big list of people so they are aware of it,” he said.