Field costs may limit Newell 'renewal'

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August 10, 2012

Field costs may limit Newell 'renewal'

By Richard Gaines Staff Writer The Gloucester Daily Times Fri Aug 10, 2012, 12:00 AM EDT

The Newell Stadium Building Committee Thursday crunched numbers for nearly two hours before recessing until Tuesday, without deciding how much it can afford beyond a new FieldTurf football field at the old stadium.

The project budget is said to be $3.5 million, but how much remains is a moving target based on expenses already incurred in design and engineering by CDM-Smith and projected expenses for construction management of the work, likely to be carried out by Heimlich Landscaping and Construction of Woburn.

Now completing work on a new field complex in Malden and well-regarded by the committee, Heimlich was the clear low bidder among four companies seeking the job when proposals were opened on Tuesday.

But Heimlich’s bid for the project budgets $2,812,575 for the FieldTurf artificial surface, which is considered the gold standard and on the surface of Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

Whether the committee can commit to “Alternate 1” in the bid document, the lights, for which Heimlich budgeted $231,000 was the pivotal problem on which the committee did not complete discussion Thursday.

The general consensus of the meeting was that the project also needed to include the red running track, “Alternate 2,” for which Heimlich budgeted $38,000.

“Alternate 3,” track lights, was budgeted to cost $28,500. “Alternate 4,” the bleacher upgrade, was budgeted at $13,500,” while “Alternate 5,” the jumping pit was budgeted for $20,000, and “Alternate 6,” the visitors’ bleachers, was budgeted to cost $98,000.

As is typical with municipal contracts of this type, certain informal charges by CDM-Smith were also carefully analyzed. The construction manager projects a budget of $100,000 for oversight of the construction.

The committee also discussed proceeding with a more extensive project but without a contingency, an amount set aside for unbudgeted costs.

A contingency setaside is prudent in matters as uncertain as rebuilding on the landfill known as Newell Stadium, which has experienced some tidal influences, said Michael Carrigan, a private home builder, and the chairman of the committee.

The working budget plan includes $145,980 for contingencies.

The committee, which includes representatives of both the private, nonprofit Gloucester Fishermen’s Athletic Association and the city, which has issued a $1.5 million bond for the project, is scheduled to resume deliberations on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the City Hall Annex on Pond Road.

Another moving target is the amount of grants and private donations.

The GFAA has a $500,000 grant for naming rights from New Balance Shoe Co., another $500,000 through a state Parkland Acquisition and Renovation for Communities (PARC) grant, and another roughly $500,000 in private donations to go with the city’s investment.

But Dick Wilson, a founding member of the GFAA, said he was certain donors would give again if needed to complete a first-class project

While he said he was disappointed at the decision to move cautiously, Wilson also said he believed the committee was prudent to do so.

The committee could make its formal offer of the contract to Heimlich after resolving the issues of what the proposal will entail, and that could come as quickly as Tuesday.

Under terms of the bid document, the work must begin by September 2012 and be finished by June 2013.

Richard Gaines can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3464, or at rgaines@gloucestertimes.com