No bids for Paramount Theater project; staff flags safety work needed

The board opened bids for safety work at the Paramount Theater’s crawl/attic/catwalk area and was told no bids were received by the 3:30 p.m. deadline. Staff described the project scope as installing handrails, lifelines for worker fall protection when servicing chandeliers, and replacing a wooden staircase with steel — items the staff said are specialized and commonly handled by theater‑rigging engineers.

Staff recommended putting the project back out to bid and said, if rebidding fails, the city could perform smaller pieces of the work in‑house though that approach would take much longer. The chair suggested reaching out to other theaters to identify contractors experienced in rigging and theater safety. No formal award or contract was made at the meeting.