LEXINGTON - They already knew a million dollars doesn’t go as far as it once did and Lexington government leaders found out that fact again, approving bids for constructing a new highway department garage.
It is going to cost $3,344,268, according to town supervisor Robert Riccardella, who revealed the numbers last week.
The price tag is more than a million bucks higher than estimates from 2024 that were used when seeking outside money to help with the project.
Lexington has received a $1.31 million State Department of Environmental Conservation grant but the marketplace has changed significantly in the two years since the application was submitted.
Back then, the bottom line in play was in the $2.25 million range. The town, however, is undaunted in getting the job accomplished.
“The bids were much higher than we thought but we’re going to get through it,” Riccardella said in a followup interview on WRIP radio.
“A lot of it has to do with what’s going on in the world today. There is a lot of uncertainty. And this will be built with steel, lumber and copper,” he said.
“Right now there are tariffs on all three of those which raised the prices a lot but we’ll be aggressively applying for more grants,” Riccardella said.
“We’re able to bond this project over fifteen years. The interest we have to pay is pretty good right now. It could be better in a year-and-a-half when we’ll be closing this out,” he added.
Government leaders, meanwhile, have authorized the issuance of a bond anticipation note not to exceed $2.5 million.
The accepted low bids were awarded as follows:
—Contract #1, General Construction ($2,462,688), Tweedie Construction Services Inc., based in Walton, New York;
—Contract #2, Electrical Construction ($499,170), CDE Electric, headquartered in the the town of Cairo.
Bid documents show the apparent low bidder for Contract 2 requested to withdraw their bid, having acknowledged to have made an omission for some materials and labor in value of the bid, bid papers state.
—Contract #3, HVAC Construction ($254,415) and Contract #4, Plumbing Construction ($127,995), both to Avolio Brothers LLC of Norwich.
Taking a bigger picture perspective, Riccardella said, “the good news is that Lamont Engineering, the firm overlooking this deal for us, has worked before with all these companies.
“There will be a tremendous amount of cost savings with our electric and heating bills which have been through the roof,” he said.
“We’ve been heating old buildings that aren’t well insulated or sealed. This facility will have radiant heat in the floors, and solar panels on the roof. There’s a lot going on here,” Riccardella said.
Town officials expect to reap as much as $600,000 from the sale of two pieces of property that will no longer be used for highway purposes.
One is located along Route 42 in the flood plain and frequently impacted by high waters. The groundwork has been set for selling that land to the Department of Environmental Protection.
A second is on Route 23A, adjacent to Mosquito Point Bridge, now serving as the main office which will be sold on the open market.
Lexington’s new home base will be a single story 58-by-152-foot wood-framed structure constructed southwest of the existing salt shed.
The building will have six 16-foot-wide by 14-foot-tall truck bays, as well as administrative/office areas, storage, a break room, and unisex restroom with shower, design documents state.
Engineers say the site will include a below-ground rainwater holding tank, noting similar tanks, “have been really successful in other facilities,” reducing strain on wells for washing trucks, interior cleaning, etc.
The need for upgrades in the highway department dates back two decades and more to the period when the late Kenneth Becker was supervisor, diligently searching for external funding support.
“We have good, steady professionals working on this project,” Riccardella said. “We’re hoping this goes off with no hiccups, bringing this home so it doesn’t really hurt taxpayers.”
