Builder chosen for prison gymnasium

Friday, Nov. 21, 2003 | 9:08 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Public Works Board has selected a Las Vegas-based design-build team for the construction of a gymnasium and industrial building at the High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs.

Clark & Sullivan Constructors of Las Vegas submitted the low bid of $9.75 million for the projects. The contractor will work with architects Arrington Walkins of Phoenix and Swisher & Hall of Las Vegas on the job.

Dan O'Brien, manager of the board, said Clark & Sullivan submitted the only bid of three finalists that was within the budget. The other two bidders were Martin Harris Construction of Las Vegas at $12.4 million and Sletten Construction of Nevada, also of Las Vegas at $14.3 million.

The project calls for a 14,620-square-foot gym and a 60,0000-square-foot industrial building. The gym was planned in the initial design of the prison, but its construction was delayed because of a lack of money.

The board also chose Ganthner Melby for design of the readiness center for the Nevada National Guard in Henderson. O'Brien said federal funds for construction are not available yet. He said the project would have to be approved by the 2005 Legislature.

The Emergency Operations Center, on the other hand, does have funding in place already. The board also selected Ganthner Melby of Reno as the architects for the $6.8 million building which will be constructed in Carson City. Of the total $4 million is coming from the federal government.

O'Brien told the board that the building will include an office for Homeland Security Coordinator Jerry Bussell. The initial plan did not include an office for Bussell.

The building will also have offices for the Nevada Division of Forestry, the state Division of Emergency Management and the Nevada Highway Patrol's dispatch operations.

The emergency management agency is now housed in old quarters south of Carson City. When the new building is completed in 30 months, the emergency management division will move.

The state will be able to sell the old property, worth $6 million.