ELY – A public bid opening last Thursday for the first phase of a multi-year building and facility renovation project for the Ely school district gave construction managers and district officials an idea of the real-world cost expectations, estimated to cost about $20 million.
Project construction manager Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. hosted the bid opening in the Washington School auditorium. Just a couple of contractors, a representative from Architectural Resources, Inc., two ISD 696 staff members, a school board member, and a member of the local media witnessed the arduous task of opening and tabulating the sealed bids on more than 30 work scopes.
The bids will be awarded at a special ISD 696 school board meeting on Tuesday, April 6. A bid package for the second phase of the project will be let later this spring, according to Superintendent Erik Erie. Both construction phases will occur at the same time.
Work is scheduled to begin next month with the demolition of the former steam plant and Industrial Arts building. Construction of a new structure to link the Memorial and Washington buildings will be part of the first phase of the project. Major improvements and renovations to the existing buildings will encompass the second phase of the project, with completion slated for the first day of school in for the 2022-23 school year.
The new structure between the two buildings will serve as the centerpiece on campus, featuring the main and secured entrance to the school. It will also house district and school offices, an open concept commons/cafeteria area, new kitchen, new gymnasium, multi-grade media center, and music and industrial technology classrooms.
The bids received for the first phase of the project are under review this week by the construction manager and school district officials. Kraus-Anderson will make their recommendations for awarding each of the bids for the 30-plus areas of work on the first phase.
“We are currently doing the analysis and our due diligence in preparation of the school board meeting,” said Kraus Anderson Vice President/Manager, Business Development John Campohasso.
The lowest bid may not always be awarded the job, as multiple factors are considered. Some bids received may include cost proposals of multiple phases of the project.
Below are several examples of the Phase 1 base bids received, with the apparent low bidder listed first.
 • Construction Testing and Inspection – Northeast Technical Services Inc., $57,000; Braun Intertec Corp., $65,570; EPC Engineering and testing, $118,010; American Engineering & Testing, Inc., $407,948.
 • Construction Field Engineering – JPJ Engineering, Inc., $8,800; Benchmark Engineering, Inc., $28,000.
 • Demolition – Kellington Construction, Inc., $155,000; Maertens-Brenny Construction, Co., $234,000.
 • Concrete – TNT Construction Group, $662,500; Home Menders, Inc., $751,300; Lenci Enterprises, $788,000; Hawk Construction Inc., $949,900; Maertens Brenny, $1,159,000.
 • Structural Precast – Wells Concrete Products Co., $940,380; Taracon Precast, $1,125,940.
 • Masonry – Harbor City Masonry, Inc., $529,640; Maertens Brenny, $768,000.
 • Steel Supply – Construction Systems, Inc., $714,000; JRK Steel, Inc., $735,200; Bens Structural Fabrication, Inc., $763,600; Thornberg Steel, $792,000.
 • Steel Erection – Red Cedar Steel Erectors, Inc., $247,400; Northern Industrial Erectors, $275,000; Radotich, Inc., $390,800; The Jamar Company, $459,350.
 • Rough Carpentry – Lenci Enterprises, $279,000; Kellington Construction, Inc., $312,300; Maertens Brenny, $461,000.
 • Finished Carpentry – Lenci Enterprises, $219,000; Northwest Cabinets, Inc. $232,133; TMI Systems, Corp., $255,455.
 • Metal Panel – Range Cornice & Roofing Co., $148,384; AW Kuettel & Sons, Inc., $152,000; The Jamar Co., $152,500.
 • Roofing – Range Cornice & Roofing Co., $635,805; AW Kuettel & Sons, Inc., $651,000.
 • Doors Frames and Hardware (material only) – Northern Door & Hardware, $207,886; Sell Hardware, $222,640.
 • Exterior Glass and Glazing – St. Germain’s Glass Inc., $149,967; Mesabi Glass & Door Co., $159,545; Anderson Glass Co., $163,000; United Glass Co., $188,095; Superior Glass Co., $234,261.
 • Drywall – Mulcahy Lickolaus LLC, $579,900; Pinnacle Wall Systems, $617,563.
 • Ceiling and Acoustical Treatment – Twin City Acoustics Inc., $248,000.
 • Flooring – Contract Tile & Carpet, LLC, $159,745; Northland Flooring & Design, LLC, $176,000; Grazzini Brothers & Co., $192,650.
 • Wood floor – H2I Group, $89,650; Prostar Services Inc. $100,000.
 • Terrazzo floor – Advance Terrazzo & Tile Co., $249,000; Grazzini Brothers, $306,455; WTG Terrazzo & Tile Co., $360,820.
 • Wall Covering and Painting – Fransen Decorating, Inc. $90,870; Steinbrecher Painting Co., $91,500; Swanson & Youngdale, Inc., $113,709.
 • Signage – Building Materials Supply Co., $53,849; Kellington Construction Inc., $91,700.
 • Gymnasium Equipment – H&B Specialized Products, $49,900; H2I Group, $68,500; Sportscon, $77,061.
 • Combined Mechanical – Shannon’s Inc., $1,644,000; JK Mechanical Contractors Inc., $1,884,400; RJ Mechanical, $1,905,500; Peterson Sheet Metal Inc., $2,039,000.
 • Fire Suppression – Absolute Fire Protection, Inc., $93,200; Summit Fire Protection, $119,300; Viking Automatic Sprinkler, $143,000.
 • Combined Electrical – Parsons Electric, $961,500; Nelson Collie Electric Inc., $1,158,700; Hunt Electric Corp., $1,161,231.
 • Site Clearing, Earthwork and Utilities – Rachel Contracting, $1,236,208; Veit & Company Inc., $1,292,000; TNT Construction Group, $1,369,000; Ulland Brothers, Inc., $1,377,360.
 • Building Demolition – Veit & Company, Inc., $290,000; Rachel Contracting, LLC, $435,890; Carl Bolander & Sons LLC, $884,000.
 • Asphalt Paving – Mesabi Bituminous, $248,500.
 • Concrete Paving – TNT Construction, $419,497; Hawk Construction, $505,900; North Country Concrete Inc., $675,000.