BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE — The Board of Education awarded construction contracts for the township’s new middle school last week.
During its May 10 meeting, the board approved companies to build the new middle school and to build additions and make alterations to the current middle and elementary schools.
Superintendent William Setaro said the bids all came in under projection.
“Congratulations,” Setaro told the board. “The project begins.”
The general work on the new middle school was awarded to Seacoast Builders, Freehold, with a base bid of $15.9 million. With additional items, such as concrete sidewalks, radiant heating panels, stage rigging and the district office suites, the total came to $16.8 million.
The structural steel work on the building will be done by Cherry Steel Corp. of Langhorne, Pa., whose base bid was $2.4 million. When work on the district offices and in the existing middle school is included, the total should come to $2.5 million.
The mechanical work will be done by Preferred Mechanical, also of Langhorne. The company had a base bid of $4 million, with work on the district office suites, radiant heating panels, air conditioning in the gym and work on the existing middle school, bringing the total to $4.6 million.
Electrical work was awarded to Lighton Industries, of Lakewood, with a base bid of $3.3 million. Work on the district offices, radiant heating panels, lightning protection, air conditioning in the gym, theatrical lighting, auditorium audio and work on the existing middle school will raise that amount to $3.7 million.
Plumbing will be done by M&R Mechanical, of Highlands, with a base bid of $2.2 million. Work on the district office suites and the existing middle school is expected to cost about $32,900 more.
Casework will be done by the Nickerson Corp., of Bay Shore, N.Y., for a base bid of $564,347. With additional costs for the district office suites as well as shelving and windows, the total comes to $647,847.
Kitchen equipment was awarded to Todd Devin of Yardley, Pa., in the amount of $327,700.
Business Administrator Brian Boyle said the kitchen work had been budgeted at $500,000, so the low bidder saved the district $172,300.
Board member Laura Dreifus commented that costs for the district offices seemed high, and board member Paula Kinsey asked if it was really necessary to have a suite for the district offices.
Setaro called the current district offices facility, located in an old house between the elementary and middle school, inadequate.
Board member Thomas Foley said replacement of the district offices were an original part of the public-approved referendum.
In December, voters passed a $34.5 million referendum for renovations to the current middle and elementary schools and the construction of a new middle school on Baird Road.