THE NEWS DESK
The News Desk is a collection of news, notes and breaking items affecting the Fredericksburg community.
Interest increases in Culpeper High School renovations
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON
The number of construction companies expressing interest in the Culpeper High School renovation contract has doubled the second time around.
Construction projects manager Hunter Spencer told the School Board Monday night that as many as 10 companies may submit bids for the project that will modernize the 43-year-old high school.
Only five companies submitted bids in October, and all were rejected. The lowest came in just under $20 million, which was about $3 million more than the School Board had budgeted.
After officials cut some niceties and made some downgrades—but not compromising the technical quality of the project—the bids went out again.
“This time we seem to have pretty good interest,” Spencer said yesterday, adding that a pre-bid conference is scheduled for this afternoon at 3 at the high school.
Bids must be in by Dec. 4, with the School Board hoping to award a contract at its Dec. 11 meeting and have construction start immediately after the Christmas break.
Two halls at the high school (and the rooms along them) were gutted last summer in anticipation of the renovation work beginning in October. The original timetable had construction being completed by the opening of the 2014–15 school year.
Last November Culpeper voters approved a $21 million referendum to have the work done on the aging school. Of that amount, $1 million was needed to set the bond sale while another $2.5 million was used to cover architects’ fees and furniture costs.
The main part of Culpeper High has not been upgraded since the school opened in the fall of 1969.
Donnie Johnston:
