Contractors give final bids for FMU Performing Arts Center

Members of the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center governing board are considering the bids given by five potential contractors for the construction of the FMU Performing Arts Center.

The entirety of the project, with soft costs and alternate projects included, totals $33,514,766.

The lowest bid was a base bid of $27,776,200 by M.B. Kahn of Coastal Division.

The other bids came from Choate of Charlotte, N.C., with a base bid of $28,798,000 and a total bid of $34,763,466; Dargan of Myrtle Beach with a base bid of $29,500,000 and a total bid of $35,898,535; Contract of Irmo with a base bid of $29,264,000 and a total bid of $35,303,939; and Archer Western of Charlotte, N.C., with a base bid of $36,249,888 and a total bid of $36,249,888.

Soft costs include inspection and architectural fees along with minor equipment and furniture costs. Alternate projects are additions to the original project, such as the outdoor amphitheater and courtyard.

The cost of the alternate projects are funded separately from the cost of the Performing Arts Center, FMU President Dr. Fred Carter said during the governing board’s meeting Thursday night.

“The amphitheater and the courtyard are funded outside the $30 million base budget,” he said.

FMU received a $325,000 gift from BB&T Bank for the construction of the amphitheater last month. Funding has been established for the courtyard, or sculpture garden, as well, Carter said.

With alternate project and soft costs subtracted from the total budget, the project is negotiable, Carter said. The governing board anticipates finishing negotiations within the next two to three weeks.

“We’re all pleased with the level of bids that came in for this project (and) at the level that we anticipated they would,” he said. “Our goal is to get the total project down to around $30 million.

“Now does that mean if we can’t get it all the way down to $30 million that we won’t build the project? No, it doesn’t.”

Carter said he hoped to negotiate $1 million to $1.5 million off the total bid.

Board member Michael Blakeley said a contractor should be selected by Monday.

The governing board said construction on the Performing Arts Center will begin between Nov. 15 and 25; the final project would be complete by September 2010.

Also during Thursday’s meeting, representatives from Holzmann Moss Architecture presented new computer-generated images of the Performing Arts Center, including one of the outside, one of the inside of the lobby and one of the inside of the proscenium theater.

“With such a beautiful space, I find it very exciting to start thinking about programs and ways to encourage people around the Pee Dee to visit the space,” FMU Performing Arts Center Director Laura Sims said.

The performing arts center will contain space for theatrical and musical performances, as well as instructional classroom and office space, according to the press release. FMU’s fine arts program will use the center for performances, programs and art exhibits. National traveling music, dance and theater productions will be booked to perform at the center, too.