
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 2, 1993                   TAG: 9310020144
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

10 CONTRACTORS TO BID ON CONFERENCE CENTER

Ten general contractors, most of them from Virginia, have met the requirements to bid on the proposed $13 million Conference Center at Hotel Roanoke.

They attended a mandatory conference on the project and are therefore able to bid.

The deadline for bids was extended from Friday until Oct. 12 to give the contractors more time to develop local participation programs and to clarify architectural plans.

Most of the contractors are from Virginia, including three from the Roanoke Valley.

They include: Branch and Associates, Roanoke; Thor Inc., Roanoke; J.M. Turner & Co., Roanoke (F.N. Thompson, Charlotte, N.C., is affiliated with Turner); English Construction, Altavista; Nielsen Construction, Harrisonburg; R.E. Lee & Son, Charlottesville.

Also, Kenbridge Construction Co., Kenbridge; Shirley Construction Corp., Portsmouth; Burwil Construction Co., Bristol, Tenn.; and Pizzagalli Construction, Burlington, Vt.

Brian Wishneff, acting director of the Hotel Roanoke Conference Center Commission, said the deadline was extended at the request of the contractors. "[They] understand the critical role the city and commission have put on involving local and minority businesses, and they needed more time to contact and negotiate with potential subcontractors," Wishneff said.

Alvin Nash, contract coordinator for the project, said the bid package provided to each general contractor included a recently developed list of local, minority and women-owned businesses.

Nash said the contractors have sought help in developing their local participation plans and in contacting local, minority and women subcontractors.

The conference center, which will be owned by the city, is being bid according to state procurement requirements. Under these terms, the contract is awarded to a general contractor who is then responsible for hiring the necessary subcontractors.

Wishneff said the 11-day extension would not have an impact on the construction schedule or the planned opening of the hotel and conference center in March 1995.

by CNB