Seven bidders interested in Watertown City Hall project (Audio)

City of Watertown

March 19, 2024
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–Nothing is official yet, and a final decision will come from the Watertown City Council, but following a bid-opening in the city council chambers Tuesday afternoon, there may be a path forward to relocate City Hall into the former Wells Fargo Bank building.

Seven bids were received to remodel the bank building, and expand it to include space for a city council chambers. Those bids also included two alternates–to enclose the former bank building’s drive thru area into indoor parking space, and to remove the bank’s vault door.

The seven bids for the major remodel and expansion came from Hegg Construction, Sunkota Construction, Lloyd Construction, and Peska Construction, all of Sioux Falls, Gray Construction and Sentry LLC, both of Watertown, and Huff Construction of Aberdeen.

The low bid came from Huff Construction at $4,194,470, which was $52,000 lower than Gray Construction’s bid.

In the summer of 2022, the city bid the very same project. The only bid came from Gray Construction at $5.8 million.

Public Works Director Heath VonEye.….

The search for a new Watertown City Hall has lasted several years, and the numbers that came in Tuesday could get this deal done….

Separately, three bids were received for asbestos abatement that would be required prior to any remodel. The low bidder on that was Prairie Environmental Services of Sioux Falls for $31,850.

The council will consider all of the bids at their April 1st meeting.

The amount of the base bids, plus the two alternates from each company bidding:

Huff Construction: $4,194,470

Gray Construction: $4,246,000

Hegg Construction: $4,303,973

Sunkota Construction: $4,363,064

Lloyd Construction: $4,441,500

Sentry LLC: $4,983,000

Peska Construction: $5,334,000

Asbestos Removal bids:

Prairie Environmental Consulting: $31,850

Horsley Specialties: $68,400