Tacoma Bid Watch: 3 acres for sale, fire simulation training, and building demolition updates

The Tacoma Daily Index often publishes the City of Tacoma’s calls for bids asking contractors to meet the City’s needs on a range of supplies, services, and projects. Here is a short-list of some recent and notable calls for bids issued from Tacoma City Hall.

First, the City is accepting proposals from individuals or organizations interested in purchasing vacant, City-owned land near the intersection of South 35th Street and Pacific Avenue, according to information on the City’s Web site. Bid documents prepared by City staff show the 3.1-acre parcel is valued at $300,000 based on an appraisal completed in May 2013. The property is located across the street from the former Puget Sound Hospital, which is currently the proposed site of the new Pierce County General Services Building (see “Public forum will explore proposed Pierce County General Services Building,” Tacoma Daily Index, Jan. 13, 2015; “City Hall News: Historic building nominations, charter review town hall, and Pierce County campus plan,” Tacoma Daily Index, April 4, 2014; “County to close former Puget Sound Hospital,” Tacoma Daily Index, Sept. 2, 2010; and “County celebrates centennial of former hospital,” Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 5, 2005). The bid deadline expires at 11 a.m. on Tues., March 10, at which time the bids will be recorded and forwarded to a selection advisory committee for evaluation. More information is available online here.

Tacoma Bid Watch: 3 acres for sale, fire simulation training, and building demolition updates

Second, following up on an item reported earlier this month in the Tacoma Daily Index (see “Tacoma Bid Watch: Fire simulation training, ADA street improvements, and gateway signage,” Tacoma Daily Index, Jan. 6, 2015), three contractors have submitted bids to provide a live fire simulation training facility prop to be used by the Tacoma Fire Department, according to information on the City’s Web site. A legal notice published in the Tacoma Daily Index and bid documents prepared by City staff show the three-story structure will be used to provide ongoing live fire training scenarios, as well as search and rescue training, confined space rescue training, and rope rescue training. The prop will be housed at the Tacoma Fire Department training facility, located at 2124 Marshall Ave. The project budget was estimated at $450,000. The bid deadline expired at 11 a.m. on Tues., Jan. 20. According to the City’s Web site, the following contractors submitted bids: Fire Training Structures (Phoenix, Ariz.); Kirila Fire Training Facilities, Inc. (Brookfield, Ohio); and Fireblast Global (Corona, Calif.).

Third, following up on an item reported earlier in the Tacoma Daily Index (see “Tacoma Bid Watch: Gangs, graffiti, and South Tacoma Way / Water Ditch Trail upgrades,” Tacoma Daily Index, Dec. 9, 2014; and “Tacoma Bid Watch: Foss Waterway Esplanade, ammo recycling, and People’s Community Center swimming pool,” Tacoma Daily Index, Jan. 13, 2015), the bid deadline has once again been revised for a project that aims to bring a range of road improvements along a significant stretch of South Tacoma Way. Bid documents prepared by City staff show the project calls for an asphalt overlay, ADA ramps, sidewalk, curbs, gutters, and streetlights on South Tacoma Way, between South 56th Street and South 66th Street, as well as South 43rd Street and South 47th Street. The project also aims to improve two sections of the Water Ditch Trail — first, the traffic signal at South 58th Street will be upgraded to better serve pedestrians; and second, the Water Ditch Trail will be constructed between South Tacoma Way and the new Sounder Station. The budget is estimated between $2.7 million and $3 million. The bid deadline was originally set to expire at 11 a.m. on Tues., Jan. 13. It was later revised to expire at 11 a.m. on Tues., Jan. 20. It is now scheduled to expire at 11 a.m. on Tues., Jan. 27.

Finally, following up on an item very popular among Tacoma Daily Index readers (see “Top Stories 2014: #6 — Dangerous Domains,” Tacoma Daily Index, Dec. 23, 2014), here are a couple updates on local building demolitions. First, a wrecking crew is on-scene this week to demolish a former apartment building at 1313-1/2 Fawcett Ave. in downtown Tacoma. A contract to complete the project was awarded to Wm. Dickson Co. in December (see “Tacoma Bid Watch: Foss Waterway Esplanade, building demolition, and arts funding,” Tacoma Daily Index, Dec. 29, 2014; and “Dangerous Domains: A conversation with Tacoma building inspector Dan McConaughy,” Tacoma Daily Index, Nov. 17, 2014). Similarly, a former single-family, 114-year-old, 1,028-square-foot home located at 1954 S. Wilkeson St. has been razed. A contract to complete the project was awarded to Puyallup-based Woodland Industries in September (see “City selects contractors to demolish 3 abandoned, derelict Tacoma buildings,” Tacoma Daily Index, Nov. 12, 2014).