HOT SPRINGS -- Officials in Hot Springs have issued a request for proposals to clean up rubble left behind after a fire caused a building to be razed at the city's historic Majestic Hotel.
"It's been a bit of a process, but this is the second step, with the purchase of the hotel property being the first step," Assistant City Manager Lance Spicer said Friday.
"Now we've got a pretty good [request for proposals] out on the street and we feel like that is going to be a good thing as we move forward. The way we've structured it, it is a lump sum proposal, so we'll know pretty quickly the pricing that we'll be looking at," he said.
The "yellow brick" building, the oldest portion of the Majestic Hotel complex, burned Feb. 27, 2014, and was razed over the next two days in the interest of public safety.
The rubble from the building remained piled along Park Avenue for nearly 18 months as the city attempted, without success, to have the property owner remove the debris.
The city purchased the 5.1-acre hotel site Aug. 27 for a contract sale price of $1,615,000, with $672,782.90 of that as a cash payment and the remainder considered a contribution to the city by the owner.
Sealed proposals for the debris cleanup are due by 2 p.m. Jan. 4, and all bids will be opened publicly. A contract approval date is set for Jan. 19.
The project includes the demolition of approximately 70,954 square feet of remaining "yellow brick" building space, the abatement and disposal of hazardous materials, salvaging of fixtures and building materials when feasible, removal and disposal of all construction debris, provision of required erosion and sediment control measures, and implementation of security for the buildings and grounds during the contract work.
The city's goal in designing the project was to ensure that the maximum practicable amount of materials be recycled or repurposed rather than being sent to a landfill, according to a news release.
The successful bidder also will be held responsible for removing and disposing of all items identified as hazardous materials -- including asbestos, mercury or lead -- in a manner complying with all federal, state and local hazardous materials laws and guidelines.
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, long consulted by the city regarding the property's environmental impact, will continue its involvement throughout the project, according to the release.
Metro on 11/22/2015