The Harpswell Select Board has chosen a contractor to demolish an aging military structure at George J. Mitchell Field, known as the administration building, with work expected to commence in December.
The board voted 3-0 at its meeting on Oct. 2 to sign a contract with Lakeside Concrete Cutting, of Cumberland Foreside, for $144,100. Town staff recommended Lakeside.
Harpswell recently issued a request for proposals regarding the demolition work, which voters approved in June. Three contractors submitted bids, with the one from Lakeside being the lowest. The other bids were $173,950 from Summit General Contracting, and a much higher bid of $1.42 million from Ford Enterprises.
“The winning bid was $144,000 and change — well within the $230,000 that the town authorized us to (spend),” said Don Miskill, chair of the Mitchell Field Committee and steward of the town-owned waterfront park.
Miskill said the work is expected to start by Dec. 1 and be completed by Dec. 31. He noted that waterfront parking at Mitchell Field will be off-limits while the building is being taken down.
A local group had developed a competing proposal that would have involved raising private funds to renovate the building, and leasing it from the town for use as a nonprofit recreation center and event space. However, the Select Board opted not to place its proposal on the ballot. Two members cited potential conflicts with a planned boat launch near the site, among other concerns.
Miskill said demolishing the building down to its concrete slab will allow more open space, picnic tables, and a separate, circular traffic pattern for visitors not using the boat launch. “This gives us the things we want,” he told the Select Board.
Town officials noted that removing the concrete slab would be far more costly, adding that they’re unsure of how deep it extends underground.
