Bids accepted Thursday for Main Street project
McMinnville officials held a pre-bid conference last week, marking a milestone in the downtown revitalization project that has been in the works for nearly five years.
Potential contractors and representatives from area utility companies met with representatives from the engineering firm EG&G Inc. of Akron, Ohio, which is coordinating the project. Main Street McMinnville members, city officials and others were also in attendance to gain more insight into what the project may entail.
Questions ranged from technical and practical coordination of utilities, to coordination of street improvements. The estimated $5 million project, funded mainly by the city and grants, is expected to result in improvements to utilities, streets, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and curb appeal.
One area of concern is access to businesses while construction is under way. Mayor Royce Davenport said officials will announce a meeting with downtown merchants after a contractor is hired. Main Street McMinnville director Chris Wilson added they planned to personally visit downtown businesses this week to update those affected.
Bids open Thursday and city officials are expected to take several days reviewing those bids before naming a contractor.
As it stands, and Wilson emphasized plans may change, work on what is known as phase one of a total downtown makeover – generally on Main Street from between Chancery and Market streets – will be split into its own phases.
The first phase within phase one construction will affect Chancery Street between Colville and Morford and then Main Street to a part of Court Square.
The second phase will affect Main Street from near Court Square to Spring Street. The final phase is from Spring to Market streets near the bridge.
EG&G officials noted they will have a local field office during construction and said the desired final completion date is June 17, 2005. The company has been involved in about 15 similar projects, according to project manager Paul Roszak.
There are many changes to downtown planned as part the project. These changes are exhibited in a general wall display at city hall.