
STAUNTON – Construction bids for the Staunton Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courthouse are in.
The courthouse will be built over former Chestnut Hills Shopping Center at 2040 West Beverley Street, in Staunton’s West End. Staunton City Council agreed to issue up to $35.5 million in bonds for the project on March 28.
The bids are:
- Howard Shockey and Sons Inc. bid $18,790,000 with $347,000 alternative bid.
- S.B. Ballard Construction bid $20,112,620, with $378,029 alternative bid.
- Nielsen Builders, Inc. bid $19,473,000, with $414,000 alternative bid.
“Our staff has heard of all of these companies,” City Manager Leslie Beauregard told The News Leader after the opening. “I can’t say they’ve worked with them directly, but they’re well known.”
The alternative bill is not a separate contract, but a potential contract addition in case the city decides to demolish the former Big Lots building.
“We wanted to price it separately,” explained Beauregard.
The contract does not need to come back to city council before it's awarded. Instead, Beauregard and her staff will verify the bids and decide who gets the contract.
“Staff is working through the bids right now and we’ll issue an intent to award as soon as possible,” Beauregard explained. The award is expected soon – according to Beauregard the court order that required the new courthouse mandated the city break ground by April 18.