Plans to renovate the Chardon Square gazebo have been a slow go, and the recent bid opening will stretch out the process a bit longer.

One company, JP Interiors, bid on the project, for which the base construction estimate was about $80,300. That didnt include in-kind work or alternate bid items. The JP proposal was $277,200.

The (request for proposal), the way it was written up, was for a lump-sum bid, City Manager Randy Sharpe told City Council at the July 9 meeting. So we really cant compare where the line items were, where the costs were.

City Engineer Doug Courtney is recommending that the bid documents be reviewed and updated to include a detailed proposal form before rebidding the project.

In addition, a meeting is planned with bid holders to explain the project and hopefully get better numbers, Sharpe said.

But as of now, the bid was obviously over the threshold and also did not include the bid bond, which would render it not acceptable anyway, he added. So thats the path we will take to get this done as soon as possible and take advantage of really nothing major happening on the square.

It has been nearly two years since Councils Service Committee began discussing upgrades for the gazebo. It was constructed in the early 1980s as a re-creation of the previous bandstand on the spot and now some of the outer wood faade is weathered and in need of replacement. In addition, some of the structural supports should be shored up, officials say.

We were working with the LDA Architects to finalize drawings and specifications, Public Service Director Paul Hornyak said, explaining the delay. The job will go out to bid in the next few weeks (and we) hope to start work in August, if all goes well and prices come in within 10 percent of the estimate.

In 2018, the city contracted with Oravec Design Build LLC for a visual inspection and condition summary. Some of the observations were:

The structure has experienced moisture damage below the roof and down the columns

The wood and steel structural construction is somewhat unorthodox and not standard practice in todays methods.

There is some lateral instability, which is resulting in the slight east-west movement of the structure.

The gazebos steel posts are experiencing mild surficial deterioration at their bases.

Structure integrity has always been my main concern and we need to get ahead of the structural portion before it becomes an issue, Hornyak said.

The current gazebo was dedicated in 1982 with a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Aircraft Wing band. Police estimated 5,000 people crowded the square for the show. The bandstand project was sponsored by the Chardon Square Association.

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Chardon Square gazebo renovation project still a work in progress after lone bid comes in high - News-Herald.com