News & Record reports negotiations between the City of Greensboro and Durham-based contractor Skanska-Rentenbach have broken down, meaning phase 1 work on the proposed Tanger Center for the Performing Arts will be delayed yet again:
…(N)egotiations broke down between the city and the company earlier this month over professional fees.
Hiring a new contractor means that work on the arts center project won’t start until July 15, according to an email Greensboro Coliseum Director Matt Brown sent City Council members Friday.
“This certainly raises a lot of questions about this entire process,” Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter said Friday.
“This concerns me greatly.”
Despite the delay, Brown, who is overseeing the project, said the Tanger’s opening date remains June 2019.
He said the city will advertise for bids for phase 1 of the work Monday and accept bids June 20. The city will hire a contractor June 30, he said, and start work July 15.
If you don’t wish to count my college summer working construction as aexpertise, that’s fine. Still, in my humble opinion, that seems like a pretty tight deadline for accepting bids, hiring a contractor and getting the work under way, especially considering the fact that it has to go through the City Council. And there had better be proper MWBE compliance, or expect District 1 council member Sharon Hightower to filibuster. And—last but not least—it sure has been raining a lot lately…..Matt Brown & Co. best hope for a hot dry summer….
