/usr/web/www.marshallindependent.com/wp-content/themes/coreV2/single.php
×

Clarkfield school demolition options under review

CLARKFIELD — The city of Clarkfield will soon make a choice between two demolition options for the former K-12 Clarkfield school.

The choice will shape the future of a large land area close to both the downtown business district and U.S. Highway 59. It includes land that currently contains the building itself, as well as the athletic field area to the north.

One option, referred to in bid specifications as the base bid, produced a low bid total of $499,100 from Frattalone Companies Inc. of St. Paul. A total of seven bids were received, which ranged up to a highest bid of $835,605.

The base bid stipulates that the newer of two gyms, located on the west end of the campus, be kept for post-demolition usage after any needed retrofitting.

Contractors also had the option of providing an alternate bid based on a total demolition. The low total cost under that alternative was $474,860 from Landwehr Construction of St. Cloud.

Landwehr was one of two bidders that offered a lower price for being able to demolish the entire structure. Three others, including Frattalone, submitted higher bid totals under the alternate proposal. The remaining two bidders kept the same price for both options.

Bids were opened on May 9, and were then reviewed Tuesday by the Yellow Medicine County Board. Sam Lauer of Contegrity Group Inc., a construction management company based in Little Falls, told commissioners that he considers both sets of bids favorable.

“The bids are as good as I imagined,” Lauer said. “They’re not likely to come in lower by waiting for another bid process in 2020.”

Yellow Medicine County has offered to pay half the cost of a demolition process, with the rest to be covered by the city.

The building served the Clarkfield School District until the early 1990s consolidation with Granite Falls and Echo to form Yellow Medicine East. It was a YME campus with a Clarkfield area elementary program and district-wide junior high classes until 2006.

Yellow Medicine County Commissioner Gary Johnson, whose district includes Clarkfield, said the city council and community residents should endorse one of the two options before there’s further discussion at the county level.

Under the bids totals, the city could save about $12,000 plus any costs of retrofitting the newer gym if a total demolition is approved. Those costs will be weighed against the potential benefits of keeping the gym as a location for events, community activities and possibly other purposes.

“The city has looked at both options, and now has some numbers to consider,” Johnson said. “There’s also a need for more information about how much asbestos removal will be needed. Once we have that, we’ll be more able to finalize the plans.”

Under state guidelines, bids are valid for 45 days before they need to be accepted.

Yellow Medicine County Administrator Angie Steinbach informed the board that more information about asbestos abatement needs should be available for the May 28 board meeting, which would still allow enough time to take action.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today