School Opens Bids For New Building

Official Says Hold-up Is To Get OK From Washington Water Authority For Water Line

FARMINGTON — Work to build a new fine arts center and competitive basketball arena for Farmington High School is scheduled to begin on or before Nov. 1, with a completion date of Jan. 1, 2015.

The school district opened 11 bids Thursday on the building package and the bids ranged from a low of $10,415,751 from East-Harding Inc., of Little Rock, to a high of $11,420,000 from Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. of Rogers.

Mark Haguewood with Hight Jackson architectural and engineering firm, on Friday, said he would recommend East-Harding’s bid at a special board meeting Oct. 22.

“We’re right on guys,” Haguewood told school officials at the bid opening. “It would say that’s it.”

He added, “In my opinion, these are good bids. They are very close. Most of these are really good contractors. I would have taken most of them without any problem.”

Nine of the bids came in under $ 11 million. East- Harding’s bid was lowest by only $ 43,249. The second lowest bid was $ 10,459,000 submitted by C. R. Crawford Construction Co., of Fayetteville, and Cone Group Construction Co., of Little Rock, turned in the third lowest bid at $10,497,777.

Haguewood said Hight Jackson had not worked with East- Harding before but said he’s heard good things about the company.

“They’ve been around for quite a while in Little Rock. They’ve done some good projects,” Haguewood said.

Superintendent Bryan Law said he had hoped the bids would come in a little lower.

Haguewood pointed out the school district requested that the facility be built in 14 months. Also, Haguewood said he can tell work is picking up for construction compa- nies because the bids were higher.

All in all, Haguewood said Farmington will get a nice facility for about $ 12 million, which includes the site preparation, drainage and two pending bids for audio- visual equipment, theatrical lighting and stage rigging for the fine arts center.

Hight Jackson had estimated the total project would cost $10-12 million.

“It’s closer to $12 million. I wish it was closer to 10,” Haguewood said.

“It is what it is,” Law said after the bids were opened. “We wanted it done on time and will have to pay a little bit more for it. I’ll be less than honest if if I didn’t say that when the dirt bids came in, we were all fired up.”

The dirt bids came in under the engineer’s estimate by almost $ 500,000. Dean Crowder Construction Co., of Bentonville, received the contract for site preparation and drainage for a low bid of $ 565,556. Bevan Brawner with Hight Jackson said this work is almost finished and is on schedule.

The one hold- up is to receive approval from Washington Water Authority for a water line to a fire hydrant, Brawner said.

Haguewood said his firm estimates the theatrical lighting and stage rigging will cost $730,000 and the audio-visual equipment for the fine arts center will cost $417,000.

These will be bid as two separate packages.