Parma Heights council clears planning and bidding for library demolition project

Council members authorized engineering and bidding steps on Monday to prepare the Parma Heights Library site for demolition and contractual procurement.

At the Feb. 23 meeting, Council passed Resolution 2026-8 to retain Bowen + Associates, Inc. to prepare plans, specifications and cost estimates for the Parma Heights Library demolition project. Council then passed Ordinance 2026-9 to authorize an expenditure for the demolition, direct the Director of Public Service to advertise for competitive bids, and allow the administration to enter a written contract with the lowest and best bidder.

Clerk Allen read the measures into the record and Councilwoman DeSouza moved to suspend the rules and advance both items; the motions were seconded and each measure passed on roll-call vote. No public comment on the demolition was recorded during the meeting.

The package directs the municipal engineer to develop the technical documents and sets the procurement steps that the administration must follow to solicit bids. The ordinance instructs the Director of Public Service to advertise competitively and to contract with the lowest and best bidder once bids are evaluated.

The council did not record a contractor name or a project cost in the meeting minutes; specific demolition schedule, estimated cost, and contractor selection will be determined during the bidding and evaluation process and were not specified at the meeting.

Next steps: Bowen + Associates will prepare the plans and cost estimates, the city will advertise for bids as directed, and council action will be required again to approve a contract award once bidding closes.