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"Youngstown Awards, Amends Arena Project Contracts"
"By George NelsonYOUNGSTOWN -- The city's Board of Control this morning approved two new contracts and amended several existing agreements for work related to the Youngstown Convocation Center project. The city accepted the $1.29 million bid submitted by Lencyk Masonry, Youngstown, for masonry work at the convocation center. Cleveland Architectural Hardware, Cleveland, was awarded a contract in the amount of $115,599 to provide doors, frames and other hardware for the center. Bids for the work were among several opened in December, though several packages had to be rebid when the proposals came in over estimates.Project officials are reviewing bids opened on Monday, including several areas of work rebid following the December bid opening. Though all but four of the 25 bid packages opened came in at or under engineering estimates, several of the estimates had been revised upward from when the packages were bid initially -- substantially in some cases. The estimate for the roofing package, initially estimated at $595,293 when the bids were opened in December, was announced as $1.4 million at Monday's bid opening. The miscellaneous metals package, estimated at $449,616 in December, was estimated at $1.15 million this time. A site concrete package estimate of $927,000 was estimated at $1.55 million when rebid. The plumbing package, initially estimated at $1.14 million, was revised upward to $1.75 million.The estimate for the general trades/drywall/acoustical ceiling package was reduced from $2.19 million in December to $1.9 million when bids were announced this week. Carmen Conglose, deputy director of public works, referred questions regarding the bids to Mayor George McKelvey, who declined to discuss the bids. "Our comment is no comment for your paper," McKelvey told a Business Journal reporter. "The documents speak for themselves."Michael Perry, project manager for the convocation center, was pleased with the competitive nature of the bids submitted. He said they revised the estimates after taking another look at the plans that architects and engineers had produced, noting that many times the estimates don't take into account fluctuations in the cost of providing materials. "The roofing insulation market is just fluctuating up and down," he offered. Jeff Kossow, executive director of the convocation center, observed that many area contractors don't routinely deal with projects like this, and may get concerned over the "heavily coordinated schedules" required to construct facilities like these and not bid as aggressively. "Because of the environment of these jobs, it's very unique for local contractors to be working like this," he said. However, he added, "it's in our best interest that we have people who can service the things we install in our own back yard." He also agreed with Perry on the role materials' costs might be playing in the bids. "It's appropriate to say fuel costs have had an impact on everything," he remarked. "Steel prices have gone up again."Perry said he expected to have recommendations on some of the bid packages for city officials next week.The city also approved change orders for four contractors working on construction of the $41 million arena. The city increased its contract with Marucci & Gaffney, Youngstown, by $5,639 to cover the cost of installing perimeter foundation drains at the retaining wall to the north of the project site, The change came as the result of supplemental design data, Conglose said. A.P. O'Horo Co., Liberty, will receive an additional $4,358 to install structural steel elements to be used for tying down circus tents inside the facility. What Conglose characterized as "minor rearrangements" of underground electrical utilities will mean another $1,906 for Bruce & Merilees Electric Co., New Castle, Pa. A requirement by SBC Communications discovered after the bids were opened will require an extension of a utility trench for telecommunication tie-ins to be provided by Marucci & Gaffney, costing an additional $12,168, he said. The city also approved an amendment to its professional services agreement with project manager Hunt Construction Group. The amendment revises language related to its insurance agreement with Gallagher-Pipino Inc., Boardman, for the project, officials explained."