Bids due on extension office remodeling work next week

Bids are due on the remodeling of the Washington County extension office on April 10 at the county planning and zoning office.

 The county hired Design West Architects to prepare the plans for transforming the interior of the former El Tamalito restaurant on West Idaho Street in Weiser into the new home for the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension Office. 

 The architects prepared a base bid estimate for the basic remodeling job and a list of alternatives in the event the funds are available. 

 The estimated cost of the work is between $180,000 on the low end to $240,000 on the high end, if all of the interior and exterior alternatives are included. The county will get a better idea of the actual costs when the  bids are opened. 

 There is no firm date yet when the work on the interior of the building will be completed. County planning officials said they hope the remodeling will be done by this fall and extension office staff will be moved in.  

 “It’s going to depend on when the contractor can start. Everybody is really busy,” county planning and zoning official Chad Brock said.

 The interior of the building will be renovated to create space for four offices and a classroom. The plan will also include putting in a couple of windows in the windowless building, new doors and a new roof over part of the building.

 In the bid specs prepared by Design West Architects, new windows and doors are estimated to cost $28,000. Paint and sealers on the interior and exterior of the building are estimated at $10,000, with another $17,676 estimated for floor finishes.  

 The electric work is estimated at $10,800 in the base bid. The fire supression system for the building will cost an estimated $8,000 and furnishings are estimated at $12,800.

 The county has saved about $150,000 in the building and grounds budget to cover most of the cost of the remodeling project. The work may be done in two phases, depending on the amount of the bids, and extend into the next fiscal year for budget reasons.

 County commissioners in February agreed to send a letter requesting funding from the University of Idaho to help cover the cost of the remodel of the extension office. 

 The county bought the 5,800 square foot building last fall for $124,000 after it was appraised and inspected. The county received a report that indicated there were no structural issues with the 53-year-old building. The county paid $1,700 for an engineer to do the inspection.

 Various items in the former Mexican restaurant were previously sold by auction. There was at least one buyer interested in the commercial kitchen equipment and counters with storage that were for sale. 

 The county had been searching for space for the University of Idaho extension office and 4-H program since May of 2018, when the office moved out of the county annex building across the street from the courthouse. County officials looked at a few locations in Weiser before they decided on the former restaurant building. 

 At one point commissioners discussed buying land and putting up a new building, but that proved to be an expensive proposition. Commissioners put $300,000 in the fiscal year 2019 budget to either buy an existing building or buy land and build something new.

 Until the building is remodeled, the extension office is leasing space in downtown Weiser for the 4-H and extension programs. The building is located at 21 West Idaho St. The location provides access to the Vendome parking lot out the back door. If more space is needed for classes or 4-H functions, the Vendome is available.

 In an arrangement that dates back more than 100 years with the land grant university, counties around the state provide the facilties and the support staff, along with an annual office operating budget, while the extension educator is a University of Idaho employee.