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City OKs bid for Finnup Center work
Published 6/17/2009 in Local News
By STEPHANIE FARLEY
While the details still need to be worked out, such as a timeline for work, the city of Garden City is moving forward with an addition to the Finnup Center for Conservation Education.
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Contributed by Lee Richardson Zoo — The city of Garden City and staff at Lee Richardson Zoo are moving forward with expanding the Finnup Center for Conservation Education. City Commissioners approved a total bid of $885,500 for the project, which includes expanding the center and constructing the South American Pampas barn and revamping the Siamang service building.
On Tuesday, Garden City commissioners approved low bidder Lee Construction Inc., Garden City, to do the work of expanding the Finnup Center, 312 E. Finnup Drive, just outside Lee Richardson Zoo's exit gate at Fifth Street. As part of the agreement, Lee also will construct the South American Pampas barn and Siamang service building, two projects the city's also been working on and that city staff felt might receive a better price if packaged with the center's expansion.
According to the city, bids received on June 10 included $885,500 by Lee Construction for the three projects, lower than the $919,916 bid from Building Solutions, Dodge City. A total of three bids were received, including a standalone bid of $86,500 for the Siamang service building from Cook Construction, Holcomb.
Prices came in cheaper from Lee for all three projects by bidding them as a package — $618,000 for the Finnup Center as part of the package, compared to $623,000 by itself; $204,000 for the South American Pampas barn, compared to $207,000 as a standalone bid; and $63,500 for the Siamang service building, compared to $65,000.
The commission also approved allowing the city to borrow up to $20,000 from the Community Trust Fund to temporarily cover the difference between available project funds and the low bid.
The center expansion had been estimated at around $650,000 and is funded through both public and private funding — about half and half, said Zoo Director Kathy Sexson, with more than $300,000 in private funding. Sexson and zoo staff still are fundraising for the project.
After adding the money already spent for architect fees, the zoo and city were short about $56,000. Sexson said she and city staff made up some of the difference through prioritizing and either delaying some projects or cutting from the zoo's budget where possible.
Sexson said staff also is looking at Lee Construction's bid and plans to work with the contractor on ways to lower the cost — including this year's bid, the South American Pampas barn has been bid three times. The June 10 bid was higher than the one two years ago, even though staff had simplified the project since then. Sexson said the city's looking into why the most recent bid is higher.
After cutting other areas of the budget and delaying other projects, Sexson said, the zoo is about $26,000 short. The Community Trust Fund money will account for $20,000, with the zoo planning to raise more than $6,000 to cover the remainder of the project, as well as provide a cushion for any additional cost.
The $20,000 loan allows the city and zoo to move forward with the projects.
Lee Construction estimated 230 days for construction for the three projects.
The current Finnup Center needs more space, Sexson said of the reason for the expansion — more meeting space, as well as more and better space for the animals and space to support programs, such as distance learning.
The year before staff moved into Finnup, in 1996, the zoo reached about 13,000 students and adults through programming. The number has close to tripled, at about 30,000 people.
Zoo officials have said that the zoo has increased its animal collection to meet the demand for education, but in order to maintain the level of care for the animals, the center needs more space.
The expansion also includes rooms or spaces with different temperature settings for the animals depending on their needs. There also will be another conference room and small lounge for the docents or volunteers, garage, storage space and distance learning space.
The Pampas barn, which will house, among others, the anteater, alpacas and eventually the maned wolf, also will provide the animals with more space and better conditions for the animals and keepers; the Siamang service building will provide additional holding space and natural lighting, which currently is lacking, and allow the zoo to hold a family group to breed Siamangs, small, acrobatic primates that are endangered.
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