With only one construction contract left to be bid, city officials think the new indoor aquatic center in west Lawrence will come in about $1 million under budget.
Lawrence city commissioners accepted low bids on eight construction contracts Tuesday night that included the general building construction, concrete work, structural steel, heating and plumbing, and electrical work at the center.
Six more contracts are expected to be approved next week, leaving the masonry work as the only construction contract for which the city has not yet received any bids.
The center will feature a 50-meter competitive pool, a separate "family" pool and several other items.
The project is being financed using revenues from the city's share of a 1-cent countywide sales tax approved by voters in 1994.
Based on the low bids received so far, plus costs the city has incurred to date, officials now estimate the total project cost at $8,273,723, which is $924,309 below the previous estimate.
Those costs include just more than $6.5 million in construction costs, which is $679,000 below the original estimates, plus about $1.2 million in non-construction costs, which is $245,000 below the estimates.
The non-construction costs include architectural and engineering fees; the cost of pool equipment and amenities like diving boards and water slides; testing and inspections of soil and materials; and other administrative costs.
Parks and Recreation Director Fred DeVictor said earlier this week he was not sure why the city has not yet received bids for the masonry work, but he said it could be because of a busy construction season this year and the lack of available crews.
The indoor aquatic center is being built on property adjacent to Free State High School near Sixth Street and Monterey Way.
DeVictor said the city still hopes to finish construction and have the pool open by spring 2001.
-- Peter Hancock's phone message number is 832-7144. His e-mail address is phancock@ljworld.com.
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