Bids for Thurston Middle School Renovations to Go Out by March

The final portion of the Thurston Middle School Expansion project, originally expected to be completed last year, should be coming to an end by the start of the 2011-2012 year, school officials said this week.

The project includes repaving the entire roadway from High Street to Nahatan Street near the school. Aesthetic work will be carried out to the landscape of the wooded area at the hill of the school, including taking out old, and planting in new trees, as well as laying new grass down.

Bids for the project will go out by the end of February or early March, according to Heath Petracca, Director of Business and Finance for Westwood Public Schools. after a suitable bidder could not be found.

Eight bids were picked up for the project last year, but only one returned with an offer, which was too high, Petracca said. That bid came in at $369,000 when the project is estimated to cost around $220,000.

“We went out to bit too late last time so we want to get a head start this time around,” said Petracca.

Petracca attributed the fact that, because only a window of about one month was open to complete the work, some potentially-interested contractors may have been scared off.

By getting bids early, Petracca said the schools can approve early and give contractors plenty of time to get the work done as needed.

Work will be done over the course of the summer due to the high amount of foot traffic taking place during the school year, Petracca said.