Members of the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously May 13 to allow the new Buckingham library and community center projects to go out to bid.

Joshua Bower with Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, said the design for the projects are complete, and he asked that the company be allowed to send the projects out for bid. Bower said the aim would be to receive bids in early June, move forward with contracts in the June-July timeframe, and wrap up with construction in February 2020.

The new library and community center are set to be located at the former Dillwyn Primary School building at the intersection of routes 15 and 20, and the total cost for both the library and community center is close to $5 million.

The library and community center would be bid as one project.

Bower said the goal would be to begin demolition of library, move out through rest of the building and begin new construction. Construction of the library would occur first, followed shortly with the construction of the community center.

Bower said the market has been fluctuating for supplies as recently as six months ago. He cited changes in cost related to tariffs and other factors that affect prices for metals and concretes, with some material costs rising as much as 40 percent. Bower said it would be difficult to predict how fluctuations could affect the price of the projects. He said three general contractors have approached Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates about the projects, and it could be likely that three bidders would express interest in bidding on the projects.

Total project costs for the library also include costs associated with roofing, columns, modification to interior walls, improvements to the building’s exterior envelope and renovations to the patio and sidewalk.

Potential add alternates, or items that could be added or improved should the bid meets the specified budget for the project could include three floating partitions to allow for more classroom space, upgrading from vinyl to ceramic flooring tiles in the library, adding a decorative tree to the children’s area in the library, and installing slate countertops for the service desk in place of laminated countertops.

For the community center, total costs also include a metal roof, gabling for ventilation, renovation of interior spaces and of the food service equipment, estimated to be approximately $2.9 million.

During the presentation, Bower showed floor plans for both facilities and a 3D walkthrough of the library. For the exterior, the plan is to install smaller windows in order to control lighting and strengthen the facility’s energy efficiency.

District Three Supervisor Don Matthews made the motion to put the library and community center projects to bid.