Bids for DeKalb School District 428’s transition program renovation project approved

DeKALB – The DeKalb School District 428 Board this week awarded an $899,000 base bid and a $66,500 alternate bid to Gehrke Construction for the renovation of its transition program on Charter Street.

The transition program is dedicated to serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities ages 18 to 22. The program has been based out of DeKalb High School but is expected to have a new location come January.

The board’s decision comes on the heels of the district going out to bid for renovations in February.

Advertisements to bid were sent to seven companies. Of those, five companies provided a range of pricing, school board documents show. Four contractors took time to attend the bid opening this past week at the DeKalb Education Center.

The district determined that the lowest bidder was DeKalb-based Gehrke Construction, school board documents show.

Tammy Carson, the district’s director of facility and safety operations, said the district has a $1.5 million budget for renovating the transition program’s new home at 530 Charter St.

“With the bids that were collected, there were several alternates that were put forth because we wanted to make sure we were able to stay within our budget but provide some flexibility in this project, and some of those items could be managed by our in-house staff,” Carson said.

Of the alternate bids presented for consideration, the board decided to reject all except for one, which is the building of an additional handicapped-accessible ramp in front of the building. Carson said the district already budgeted the ramp for the back of the building.

Carson said that with the bid results before the board, the district is looking at a renovation project valued at $1,103,640, which includes a $50,000 in contingency and an estimated $12,000 cushion from $1.5 million.

Carson urged the board to approve the bids as presented.

“We plan to be moved in starting in December and occupy the building with our students as of January,” Carson said.