A permanent administration building is one step closer to fruition for the Port of Newport following the monthly Port Commission meeting. With more than nine years in a temporary structure, Port officials have been working with local architects Dustin Capri and Dietmar Goebel to create plans and documents for a new office building. A request for quotes yielded three submissions, all within budget, with Baldwin General Contracting, Inc. successfully submitting the winning proposal at $2.03 million.
General Manager Paula Miranda said the Port can afford the project thanks to its stable financial footing and a low-interest loan from Business Oregon. In addition to the construction cost, Port officials also approved a 10 percent contingency and an additional $120,000 for equipment and furnishing needs for the building. “The small, temporary portable office is not a good situation and we’re past due for a permanent solution,” said Commissioner Jeff Lackey in support of the project. “Port staff have worked through the process with the architects to minimize cost, be thorough in the bid process, and set the Port up with a successful work space.”
Miranda assured commissioners that both staff and architects had taken a thoughtful approach to planning a structure that will meet the Port’s needs. “This is not an overly expensive building,” she remarked. “We originally looked at a cost of $2.4 million but we stripped this down as much as we possibly could.” Commissioners voted unanimously to enter into a contract with Baldwin pending final negotiations.
