By snoadmin
Renovation for the Outpost on the lower campus is preparing for a second round of bidding requests to find a contractor and start construction.
It will take about six to eight weeks to gather the new bids from contractors. The original bids for the Outpost made earlier this year were more than the original budget of $3.6 million. The drawings, as well as the bids, were reviewed to find a way to balance the differences in estimates.
There is a new set of construction drawings made by architecture firm Rossetti-Jorgensen, which will be used in the request for bids. The original drawings were reviewed to identify potential savings.
Although the drawings were re-designed to trim some of the costs, they didn’t make much of an impact, said Clint Campbell, contract administrator and facilities manager of the 49er Shops, Inc. They hope to “get better numbers” with the start of the bidding, Campbell said.
“We certainly hope to keep costs close to the original estimate, but we won’t know until bids are opened,” said Don Penrod, general manager and CEO of the 49er Shops, Inc.
The budget has been a big factor in the project’s delay, and despite that, “the project is moving forward,” Penrod said.
The new Outpost facility is still scheduled to open by fall 2008. August 2008 will be the date given to bidders as instruction for completion.
Until the new Outpost is completed, there have been alternative places to eat on northeast campus. One is the Outpost Café, which is managed by The Grand Catering, and the other is Harry’s Student Catering, a catering truck.
The Outpost Café is a tent-like facility located to the west of the Social Sciences and Public Administration Building. There are tables and chairs to accommodate students.
The café offers sandwiches, salads and other items such as fruit bowls, chips and granola bars. Different daily specials are offered during the week, with most of the items under $6. The café is open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Harry’s Student Catering is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is parked between the Human Services & Design Building and the Design Center Building. The truck offers a larger variety of food, including hot and cold sandwiches, salads, food bowls, tacos, nachos, burritos, wraps and breakfast items.
