By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
In a somewhat unusual move, the Zeeland City Council has approved awarding the contract for installation of a boiler plant at the 17 E. Main mixed-use development to the company that constructed the building, without seeking bids.
The council on June 15 approved having Zeeland-based Midwest Construction Group serve as the general contractor for the project, in the amount of $1,140,741, a figure the city says it less than the $1.3 million it had initially set aside for the project.
Factoring in a 10 percent contingency above the contract bid, the city set the project budget at $1,254,815, Assistant City Manager Kevin Plockmeyer said.
The boiler at 17 E. Main is being built to support expansion of the downtown snowmelt system, including connecting to the ongoing Church Street construction project.
“I think they’re the right team to do this project,” Plockmeyer told the council at the June 15 meeting.
At a council meeting earlier this spring, Plockmeyer explained that the city would typically bid out a project of this nature and award the contract to the lowest bidder. But in this case, “the ownership group of Midwest Construction Group overlaps with the ownership group of the building at 17 East Main,” the assistant manager wrote in a memo to the council.
“In addition, there is work that needs to be completed on the exterior of the building in coordination with the boiler plant project, including the construction of a chase that is required as part of the project,” Plockmeyer wrote. “Because of the need to closely coordinate the boiler plant improvements with the building related work, staff continues to believe it is prudent to use Midwest Construction Group as the general contractor for the project.”
Midwest is charging the city a contractor’s fee of 5 percent of the project cost, a figure Plockmeyer called “reasonable” compared to contractor fee proposals for other projects, such as the recent expansion and renovation of the Board of Public Works administrative offices, where the contractors charged an 8 percent fee.
The city has set a goal of getting the boiler plant installed by the end of this year, so that it would allow the city to support snowmelt being installed as part of the Church Street project, Plockmeyer said.
The 17 E. Main development includes 22 apartments as well as El Rancho, a 132-seat Mexican restaurant that’s expected to open soon, and Suite Life Salons, 10 private salon suites designed for independent beauty and personal service professionals.
Zeeland Record
In a somewhat unusual move, the Zeeland City Council has approved awarding the contract for installation of a boiler plant at the 17 E. Main mixed-use development to the company that constructed the building, without seeking bids.
The council on June 15 approved having Zeeland-based Midwest Construction Group serve as the general contractor for the project, in the amount of $1,140,741, a figure the city says it less than the $1.3 million it had initially set aside for the project.
Factoring in a 10 percent contingency above the contract bid, the city set the project budget at $1,254,815, Assistant City Manager Kevin Plockmeyer said.
The boiler at 17 E. Main is being built to support expansion of the downtown snowmelt system, including connecting to the ongoing Church Street construction project.
“I think they’re the right team to do this project,” Plockmeyer told the council at the June 15 meeting.
At a council meeting earlier this spring, Plockmeyer explained that the city would typically bid out a project of this nature and award the contract to the lowest bidder. But in this case, “the ownership group of Midwest Construction Group overlaps with the ownership group of the building at 17 East Main,” the assistant manager wrote in a memo to the council.
“In addition, there is work that needs to be completed on the exterior of the building in coordination with the boiler plant project, including the construction of a chase that is required as part of the project,” Plockmeyer wrote. “Because of the need to closely coordinate the boiler plant improvements with the building related work, staff continues to believe it is prudent to use Midwest Construction Group as the general contractor for the project.”
Midwest is charging the city a contractor’s fee of 5 percent of the project cost, a figure Plockmeyer called “reasonable” compared to contractor fee proposals for other projects, such as the recent expansion and renovation of the Board of Public Works administrative offices, where the contractors charged an 8 percent fee.
The city has set a goal of getting the boiler plant installed by the end of this year, so that it would allow the city to support snowmelt being installed as part of the Church Street project, Plockmeyer said.
The 17 E. Main development includes 22 apartments as well as El Rancho, a 132-seat Mexican restaurant that’s expected to open soon, and Suite Life Salons, 10 private salon suites designed for independent beauty and personal service professionals.
Soundz of Summer Concert Series Returns Tuesday
The city of Zeeland’s outdoor concert series, Soundz of Summer, returns for its 17th season starting next week.
Every Tuesday night throughout July, the concert series will present live music from the Lawrence Street Park outdoor amphitheater. All of the concerts are free, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.
Performances run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Picnic dinners are available for purchase before the concert, starting at 5:30 p.m. under the park pavilion. Dinners are $5, cash only, and have been prepared by Creative Dining Services.
The series begins next Tuesday with the music of DB Horns, an energetic blend of jazz, gospel and popular brass favorites spanning multiple generations. The dinner menu consists of pork barbecue sandwiches, served with chips and bottled water.
The remaining concert schedule is as follows:
• July 14 – Old Days
Music: A premier Michigan-based tribute band delivering authentic performances of Chicago’s greatest hits.
Menu: Tacos served with fresh corn salad and bottled water.
• July 21 – Toppermost
Music: Recreating the timeless, infectious energy and spirit of The Beatles.
Menu: Classic Hot Dogs served with potato chips and bottled water.
• July 28 – Petty Thieves
Music: A powerful rock tribute honoring the legendary songbook of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
Menu: Juicy Hamburgers served with potato chips and bottled water.
The Soundz of Summer series is made possible through a partnership between the city of Zeeland, Royal Park Place and Royal Atrium Inn, and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
Every Tuesday night throughout July, the concert series will present live music from the Lawrence Street Park outdoor amphitheater. All of the concerts are free, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.
Performances run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Picnic dinners are available for purchase before the concert, starting at 5:30 p.m. under the park pavilion. Dinners are $5, cash only, and have been prepared by Creative Dining Services.
The series begins next Tuesday with the music of DB Horns, an energetic blend of jazz, gospel and popular brass favorites spanning multiple generations. The dinner menu consists of pork barbecue sandwiches, served with chips and bottled water.
The remaining concert schedule is as follows:
• July 14 – Old Days
Music: A premier Michigan-based tribute band delivering authentic performances of Chicago’s greatest hits.
Menu: Tacos served with fresh corn salad and bottled water.
• July 21 – Toppermost
Music: Recreating the timeless, infectious energy and spirit of The Beatles.
Menu: Classic Hot Dogs served with potato chips and bottled water.
• July 28 – Petty Thieves
Music: A powerful rock tribute honoring the legendary songbook of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
Menu: Juicy Hamburgers served with potato chips and bottled water.
The Soundz of Summer series is made possible through a partnership between the city of Zeeland, Royal Park Place and Royal Atrium Inn, and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
Library Chiller Replacement Design Work OK’d
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Design work is expected to get underway next week on replacing the chiller that serves the Howard Miller Library and Community Center.
The City Council recently approved a contract with Grand Rapids-based TowerPinkster to develop plans for replacing the chiller and prepare the appropriate bidding documents, at a cost of $49,500.
“The existing chiller is at the end of its useful life and, unlike some of the city’s other chiller equipment, cannot be rebuilt due to its age and the inability to obtain necessary replacement parts,” Assistant City Manager Kevin Plockmeyer wrote in a memo to the council.
The city has budgeted $200,000 for the chiller replacement, including the design costs, Plockmeyer said.
TowerPinkster will put together a design for replacement of one air-cooled chiller, one base-mounted chilled water pump and one inline chilled water pump, with those units connecting to existing piping, and existing electrical systems being reused “where appropriate.” The company included in its bid an alternate where the replacement units could be sized to accommodate a potential future building project, Plockmeyer wrote in his memo.
“This approach will help ensure that the city does not invest in a replacement system that may be undersized if future improvements are pursued,” he wrote.
The scope of the project also includes architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering services, code review, construction administration, and coordination for integration into the city’s building management system, Plockmeyer wrote.
The council approved the design work on a 4-0 vote June 15.
