Southeast wants local bids on arts school project

Southeast Missouri State University will encourage local contractors to bid for the construction work on the River Campus project, school officials told the River Campus Board of Managers on Friday.

BSI, the company managing the construction project for the university, tentatively plans to meet with local contractors on Jan. 7 to inform them about the construction work, school officials said.

"I think it is a great idea," said Dennis Vollink, a member of the board of managers.

Vollink urged Southeast facilities management officials to make every effort to contact local contractors and inform them of the meeting. He suggested that the three board members who are representatives of the city of Cape Girardeau should be included in the meeting.

The board of managers has six members, three representing the city and three representing the university.

Board members said they want local contractors to have every opportunity to compete for the construction contracts to build the visual and performing arts school on the grounds of a former Catholic seminary in Cape Girardeau overlooking the Mississippi River.

"We want everybody to have a shot," said board member Jerry Ford.

Al Stoverink, facilities management director at Southeast, said the meeting with local contractors could be delayed a little to allow more time to notify local construction firms.

The use of a construction management firm allows the work to be split up among various contractors, Stoverink said.

The university has used such a system in several other construction projects, although none as large as the River Campus development, which is expected to total more than $40 million. The result, he said, has been that 80 to 90 percent of the construction contracts went to local or regional firms.

Lisa Howe, project manager for the university, said work on the project will be split among about 20 contracts.

Howe said more exact cost estimates for the construction work are expected from BSI by mid-January.

Construction is expected to begin early next year on Terrace Park on the grounds of the former seminary. The $325,000 project involves building an open-roof pavilion and a walking trail with interpretative sign boards. Howe said the park project work could be completed by June.

Some site work could get underway in March, Howe said. Major construction work could begin in June.

The entire River Campus project, including renovation of the historic brick seminary building and construction of a performance hall, art and regional history museum and a welcome center, should be completed by August 2007, school officials said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123