MU hopes for a lower construction bid

The university is accepting bids on the new student center project until Feb. 5.

By The Maneater Staff

Published Jan. 27, 2009

As construction companies get ready to put in bids for phase two of the new MU student center, Student Life Director Mark Lucas said he hopes the slowed economy will be a good thing for MU.

The bids for phase one came in at $7 million more than the original $63 million budget, but with the economic troubles, construction companies might be more concerned with keeping workers employed and bid lower to get the job, Lucas said.

The bid opening for phase two will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 5. The lowest bidder will be chosen that day and may begin construction a week after they've been awarded the job.

"What's significant about that is that in order for us to know how much we can build for phase two, we need the bids in," Lucas said.

Even if the bids come in too high, there is no chance of an increase in student fees to pay for the student center construction, Lucas said.

Students and Auxiliary spokeswoman Michelle Froese said the original overbid caused construction delays and the project to be broken into two phases.

The bookstore and Truman's Takeout opened this semester, and the second floor of the building is due to open March 1. On Feb. 5 the second floor keys will be turned over for Marathon Office Interiors to furnish the space. Marathon is expected to take three to four weeks to finish.

The building has a few problems the university aims to fix. For example, there aren't any easily accessible bathrooms. There are bathrooms on the northwest side of phase one, but access is blocked until the doorway to upstairs is finished. There will also be public restrooms upstairs.

"We're directing them to adjacent buildings or allowing them to use the bookstore employee bathrooms," Froese said.

The unfinished building also left student organizations in downstairs Brady Commons waiting until late February to move into their new space.

The new bookstore is slightly smaller than the old bookstore, but Froese explained the semester rush gave the bookstore a good opportunity to watch traffic flow and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

Truman's Takeout is hidden in the back of the bookstore and doing two-thirds of its usual business, Campus Dining Services manager Alan Petersen said.

"We're pleasantly surprised because it's so remote," CDS Director Julaine Kiehn said. Few changes are going to be made to Truman's Takeout before it disappears in 2011, but CDS is continuing to test products and new recipes. Sunshine Sushi will be the only commercial vendor transferred from Brady Commons to the new student center. All of the other food vendors will be unique to the student center.

As phase one closes and phase two begins, a fence will be put around Brady Commons and students will no longer be able to walk through the building. This is due to happen in three weeks.

Also awaiting phase two is the discussion of naming the building. Lucas said he doesn't think the Board of Curators will discuss the name until 2010.