Martinsburg company wins county office building bid

August 01, 2008|By MATTHEW UMSTEAD

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A Martinsburg company's $4.2 million bid to replace the roof and HVAC systems of Berkeley County's government office building was the lowest of three proposals.

The $4,290,000 bid from W. Harley Miller Contractors Inc. was less than bids by Brechbill & Helman Construction Co. Inc. of Chambersburg, Pa. ($4,402,700) and Minghini's General Contractors Inc. of Martinsburg ($5,050,000).

A recommendation from DMJM, an architectural design services firm retained by the Berkeley County Commission, is expected within 30 days.

Matthew Hjermstad of DMJM told the commission in May that the work would be difficult and the Dunn Building would become a dirty and noisy construction zone, according to commission meeting minutes.

Hjermstad said the job would take about four months to complete and the third floor would have to be vacated while the work is done.

Part of the former Blue Ridge Outlet Center, the Dunn Building is at the corner of Stephen and Raleigh streets. It is one of three historic, brick woolen mill buildings that the county bought in May 2002 for $3.8 million.

The building houses the county's tax, planning and engineering departments, fire and ambulance boards, and administration, commission and assessor's offices. The first floor is the home of the Blue Ridge Community & Technical College.

"I think we can afford to do this project," Commission President Steven C. Teufel said. Though the county's general fund is tight, Teufel said the county has bond money in a separate account for the work.

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