Buyout property demolition

Five bids for procurement for demolition and asbestos abatement for nine 2016 flood buyout properties were received. Cindy Knox from INRCOG recommended the low bidder, Barnett Excavating from Plainfield at $73,548, a price over $6000 below the nearest bidder and substantially below all of the others.
     The project was awarded to Barnett Excavating. From the purchase date, Barnett will have 90 days to convert the properties to green space. Knox mentioned that she believed all of the asbestos mitigators are booked through June, and recommended making offers to homeowners in mid-June. Once they agree to offers, the city must close within two weeks. The closing date would be early July.
     “It’s been a long time coming, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for everybody,” said Knox.
     Greg Barnett asked if it would be possible to start demolition earlier than June—perhaps in May—on properties that don’t have asbestos, or if he could find an available asbestos abatement contractor. Knox said she would check with the attorneys to see if paperwork could be rushed through.
 
Read more in the April 19 edition of the STAR.