Albany-Dougherty Payroll Development Authority OKs industrial park contract

ALBANY — The Albany-Dougherty Payroll Development Authority voted Wednesday to award the bid for Phase I development of the Albany-Dougherty Industrial Park to HTS Construction of Albany.

The firm’s $2,269,842.69 bid was the lowest of six received. The high bid came in at $3,985,895.99.

Funding for the project will come from a $450,000 Housing and Urban Development economic development grant and from Dougherty County SPLOST V and VI funds.

“The grant was garnered by the (Albany-Dougherty) Economic Development Commission for the Payroll Development Authority, and it was assigned (by HUD) to the city of Albany’s Department of Community and Economic Development,” EDC President Justin Strickland told the PDA board. “We will be working closely with the city on the draw-down of grant funds for the project.

“We must expend the federal funds before we start to utilize SPLOST dollars.”

Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas, who serves on the PDA board, asked Strickland about oversight of the project.

“Oversight will be provided by EDC staff, the county engineer and grant funding will follow city of Albany processes,” Strickland said.

The Albany Goodwyn Mills Cawood engineering/architectural firm presented its design for Phase I of the industrial park development at the PDA’s June 7 meeting, and bids on the project were opened and tabulated by the city of Albany’s Procurement Division of its Central Services department two days later.

Prior to its vote to approve HTS’s bid, the PDA board went into executive session to discuss a real estate issue.