Members of the Citizens Armory Preservation Society in Marietta officially approved the transfer of $10,000 into the city's armory trust fund Sunday. The money will be used to help pay for the second phase of the Armory Square renovation project that includes re-roofing of the nearly 100-year-old armory building.
"In our 20-year history of trying to get this project done we've always said the roof needs to be replaced, so this is a momentous occasion for us," said Mike McCarthy, president of CAPS.
Jane Tumas-Serna, vice president of the non-profit Armory Square, Inc., formerly Friends of the Armory, noted the CAPS donation would be added to an $81,000 contribution from her group, and another $5,000 from the local Edward Parrish Chapter Colonial Dames 17th Century for a total $96,000 toward the armory effort.
"An armory trust fund line item has been established in the city budget where this money will be placed," she said. "That line item funding must go to capital improvements for the building."
Tumas-Serna said if the money is not used for those improvements, it must be returned to the contributing agencies.
The monies come from a variety of fundraising efforts by CAPS and Armory Square, Inc., in addition to the $5,000 grant from the Colonial Dames group.
Fact Box
Armory
donations
Tax-deductible contributions are being accepted to support Marietta's Armory Square project. Donations can be made to Armory Square, Inc., through the Marietta Community Foundation, 100 Putnam St., Marietta, 45750. Phone 373-3286.
The funding will be added to grant monies that have been obtained for the project.
An apparent low bid of $493,960 was submitted Friday for the second phase roofing project from Earl Lee Construction, a restoration company out of Lima, Ohio. The next lowest bid was $678,000 from General Restoration of Columbus, according to Tumas-Serna.
She noted the first round of bids submitted for the second phase came in too high last month and the project had to be re-bid.
The original engineer's estimate for bids submitted in October was $568,000, but the apparent low bid for the project came in at $772,000. City engineer Joe Tucker said the bids probably came in high due to the mention of lead paint and asbestos abatement as part of the roofing contract specifications, although little abatement would be necessary.
The engineer's estimate was reworked to $640,000 for the second round of bids that were opened on Friday.
Work on the second phase was expected to begin this month in order to get the building under roof before inclement weather sets in.
The first phase of the Armory Square project included replacement of all doors and windows. That phase was completed last month. Replacement of the front steps of the facility is also nearly completed.
The third phase of the project, which would include all remaining interior work, has been estimated to cost roughly $2 million, and could get under way next year.
Efforts to renovate the National Guard Armory building-Ohio's second-oldest-have been in the works for more than 20 years. A business plan calls for the facility to be developed into a transportation hub, tourist information center and community gathering place.
