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Board advised to award demolition bid for condemned gym at 228 Orange Street; lien and legal options to be included in packet
Summary
Staff recommended awarding phase 2 demolition of the condemned Hot Springs High School gymnasium at 228 Orange Street to Melton Excavating for $130,000; asbestos/lead abatement was completed earlier and staff said a lien will be placed and legal options on foreclosure will be provided in the packet.
City Chief Building Official Mike Scott recommended awarding a bid to Melton Excavating Inc. for phase 2 demolition of the condemned Hot Springs High School gymnasium at 228 Orange Street, with the recommended low, responsible bid of $130,000.
Background: the board condemned the structure on Sept. 6, 2022. The planning department solicited demolition bids on multiple occasions. Earlier procurement splits addressed hazardous-material removal; phase 1 (asbestos and lead paint abatement) was awarded to Environmental Protection Associates and was completed in August 2024. In subsequent bid solicitations, Melton Excavating submitted bids that were initially rejected due to cost or scope; at the most recent solicitation the city received two bids and Melton submitted $130,000 while Cleve Batten Construction bid $1,222,660.
Staff recommendation and legal/financial follow-up: Mike Scott recommended proceeding with phase 2 and awarding the demolition contract to Melton as the lowest responsible bidder. He told the board that contractors and project history are in the packet. When Director Garcia asked about property taxes and lien options, Scott and the city attorney said demolition would result in a lien being placed on the property and that the city attorney would provide packet material on foreclosure and other post-lien options at the business meeting.
Why it matters: staff said the owners have failed to make required improvements since the condemnation, increasing public-safety risk and blight in the neighborhood. Board members requested tax status and legal-option documentation be included with the formal item.
Next steps: staff will include the tax status and legal options in the board packet for the formal meeting; demolition award recommendation will be on the business meeting agenda for formal action.
