The Lincoln Board of Education approved more than $5 million in bids covering a range of projects, from a new gym at Schoo Middle School to roadwork surrounding Standing Bear High School.
The board waived its typical two-reading format Tuesday to approve four bids — and give contractors and suppliers a jump-start on the process, LPS Director of Operations Scott Wieskamp said.
Board members don't meet again until Jan. 10.
The largest bid approved was a $1.7 million contract with Cheever Construction Co. of Lincoln for work on a new gym at Schoo.
The project was identified as a need as part of the district's $290 million bond project approved by voters in 2020. Schoo shares its two existing gyms with the YMCA and has become increasingly crowded.
Two other middle schools — Lux and Scott — also got new gyms as part of the bond issue.Â
Five other construction companies, all from Lincoln, submitted bids for the Schoo gym project, which is expected to be ready in 2024.
On the other side of town, Lincoln-based Constructors Inc. will head up a $1.3 million road project at 77th Street and Saltillo Road southeast of Standing Bear, which opens next fall.
That project — part of a roughly 50/50 cost-share agreement with the city — includes a roundabout entrance to the school district's shared athletic facilities at 77th and Saltillo, as well as other infrastructure, including sidewalks and water mains.
A stretch of 70th Street between Rokeby and Saltillo roads has been closed for months as the city continues work on a roundabout entrance to the school at 70th and Carger Lane.
Work on the other roundabout won't begin until 70th Street is open and the state begins work at 84th Street and Saltillo Road tied to the South Beltway interchange.
Meanwhile, the board also approved more than $1 million split between two bids for supplies tied to an HVAC overhaul in Lincoln High School's south building, including mechanical equipment and windows.
That project — which will connect the south building to Lincoln High's geothermal grid and will be funded by federal COVID-19 dollars — hasn't been bid out yet, but officials wanted to get a head-start amid supply chain hurdles, Wieskamp said.
The board also gave the green light to a $1.2 million roofing project at Holmes Elementary School — just to the east of Bryan East Campus — that was on second reading.
White Castle Roofing & Construction of Lincoln will be in charge of the work to replace Holmes' aging roof and install new roof drains and plumbing tied to them.
The district bid out that project about a year ago, but officials weren't satisfied with the submissions, which were closer to $1.7 million, Wieskamp said.
So LPS made some changes to the design to save money and sent it back out.
The market has also stabilized somewhat since then, Wieskamp said, although inflation continues to have an impact on construction projects.
"Prices are higher than they were, obviously, a year or two ago. Supply chain challenges are still out there," he said. "For the most part, it's a new norm."
The flurry of bid approvals Tuesday is partly strategic. The board doesn't meet for another month and LPS likes to approve bids in the winter months to give companies advance notice.
"We always think that's a good thing, because contractors are hungry and are looking for things to do next spring and summer," Wieskamp said.
With the opening of Standing Bear High School still months away, construction crews are working to enclose the building before winter. The campus is viewed looking northeast from 70th Street and Saltillo Road.