Redevelopment efforts at the former Spencer’s textile mill property in downtown Mount Airy have taken another key — half-million-dollar-plus — step that will include work to support the new Balladeer Marriott hotel there.
The Mount Airy Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last Thursday night to award a contract for Phase III of a multi-pronged plan to replace and/or extend all public infrastructure on and around the old industrial site.
It was bought by the city government in 2014 to transform for new uses.
Jimmy R. Lynch and Sons of Pilot Mountain submitted the low bid for the latest project, of $536,041. The commissioners approved a total allocation of $575,000 to cover any unforeseen expenses.
Only two companies submitted proposals for the job, the other being Simcon General Contractors of Mount Airy, which bid $558,597 — more than $20,000 above that of Jimmy R. Lynch and Sons.
The project initially was advertised for bids on April 20, which produced only one offer, from Simcon, according to city Public Works Director Mitch Williams.
Due to not receiving a minimum of three bids as required by law for construction or repair contracts, the one obtained was not opened and the project was re-advertised in May — with only two received which were opened last Wednesday.
“If you receive less than three bids for the first ad, you have to re-advertise for a minimum of one week,” Williams explained Monday.
“You can then open (them) no matter how many you receive,” the public works director added. “So we re-advertised and received the two bids from JR Lynch and Simcon.”
Lynch was recommended for the contract due to its past satisfactory performance on municipal projects.
The purpose of the Phase III segment is to rehabilitate existing public water, sewer and storm drain lines behind and adjacent to the Balladeer hotel to occupy the Sparger Building on Willow Street which is part of the Spencer’s complex.
Work began there in early March by Christman Construction, the general contractor for the hotel effort, including soft demolition to precede major construction on the lodging establishment scheduled to welcome its first guests in 2026.
Phase III also includes rough grading for future parking areas behind the hotel.
The parking areas will be be completed with final grading, curbing, asphalt and other steps at a later date, according to Williams.
Funding for the Phase III is coming from money previously allocated for Spencer’s-related work by both Mount Airy and Surry County, based on discussion at Thursday night’s meeting.
In early 2021, county officials agreed to supply $1.5 million toward infrastructure needs on the site at $250,000 annually over a six-year period — roughly half of a total estimated at around $3 million.
Phase I of the multi-faceted effort replaced infrastructure in a portion of Willow Street in and around Spencer’s Mill Apartments, while Phase II completed infrastructure work on Willow.
Most Popular
Comments / 0