Downtown street projects

[KCDevin]

Article from Business Journal:

KC gets rolling again on street project
Another week, another groundbreaking ceremony for City Hall's Capital Improvements Management Office.


The construction management office, operated by private engineering firms, will officially restart a stalled streetscaping project on Independence Avenue at 10 a.m. Thursday, spokeswoman Donna Mandelbaum said March 26.

Work will resume April 12, she said. Halted since July 2003 when the original contractor filed for bankruptcy and quit, the $1.5 million Parks and Recreation Department project has been awarded to Sarai Construction Co. for completion.

"This project was fast-tracked to get a new contractor on the project," Mandelbaum said.

The contract is the second phase of a three-phase project that will bring brick pavers, banners, new trees, planters and sidewalk lighting to Independence Avenue, between Wabash and Highland, she said.

Meanwhile, CIMO is seeking contractors for 10 other projects. They include remodeling jobs at Fire Stations No. 10, 16, 18, 29 and 23. A $1.35 million sewer project along Bannister Road that would disconnect south Kansas City residents from the Lee's Summit sewer system is also up for grabs.

On March 26, the department officially broke ground on a storm sewer project Downtown.

CIMO, which opened Jan. 5, is the brainchild of City Manager Wayne Cauthen and operates under his supervision.

MWH Americas Inc. of Broomfield, Colo., has a contract to run CIMO this year for $4.5 million along with Burns & McDonnell of Kansas City. The contract calls for two additional years' operation of CIMO by the firms, but the city ultimately expects to reclaim its duties after clearing away a backlog of work.

The office's "high-priority" list targets 71 projects valued at $240 million.



© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.