District construction update: bids set for abatement and demolition, primary gates and drainage monitored

Rodney Roberts provided a construction update to the Fairborn City School Board on Jan. 9, reporting that abatement and demolition contract documents are posted for bidders and that the district expects a pre-bid meeting on Jan. 17 and bids due Jan. 31.

Roberts said the base bid estimate for the demolition work is significantly lower than the district’s original budget number and that several alternates—such as removal of asphalt parking lots and excavation of deeper concrete footings—are offered for bidders to price individually. “As you can see, that is a significantly lower number than what was originally budgeted,” Roberts said. He added that taking the alternates is optional and that even including alternates the total could still come in substantially under the earlier estimate.

Roberts reported work completed over the winter break, including conversion of interior locks to thumb-turn hardware, chemical storage ventilation upgrades and new seats installed in the performing-arts center. He said gates at the primary have been installed but some corrective items remain and painting must wait for improved weather.

The board discussed an overflow retention pond at the primary. Roberts said crews had left filtration “dandy bags” in place; because those bags slow drainage, staff will monitor performance once the bags are removed before considering additional measures such as fencing. “We’re gonna monitor it at our next range,” Roberts said. “If that tends to be the issue, we’ll have to take some measures to fence that in. But if it holds water or just a little bit of water for a little bit and dissipates, then we should be good.”

Roberts said the district hopes to return to the board in February with a recommended bid award for the demolition contract, subject to the responses received by the Jan. 31 bid deadline.