Dena Levitz, The Examiner
2008-01-16 08:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

D.C.’s school facilities office signed a new $19.5 million contract for Alexandria-based SIGAL Construction Corporation to modernize Hardy Middle School, which had experienced the worst delays and cost overruns in the school system, according to officials.

SIGAL will finish all renovations to the Georgetown campus by the end of July so that the school can open in its improved state in the fall under the contract.

The previous general contractor, Arrow Construction Co./W.M. Schlosser Joint Venture, and construction manager the Temple Group were fired in October after $12 million in budget overruns and falling six months behind schedule.

Facilities czar Allen Lew, in firing those agencies, signaled that other school contractors would face similar scrutiny. But no other groups working on school facilities have gotten the ax. And Lew’s office is working on a payout deal with the fired contractor.

SIGAL, which previously was tapped to renovate Wilson High School’s pool, was selected over four other companies.

“We feel very confident that the new contractor will dedicate the necessary resources and complete this to high standards,” said Tony Robinson, spokesman for the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization.

Under the contract, SIGAL’s construction fee will be $456,525. If the project is delivered on time and on budget, the fee will be raised to just over $1 million paid over the life of the project.

Robinson said the strategy reflects a philosophy by Lew to pay the contractor based on how well the goal is achieved.

At this point four workers from the agency are in the midst of construction work. Christine Mohr, a spokeswoman for SIGAL, said the modernization includes an addition to the gymnasium as well as new athletic fields and classrooms.

Originally, Hardy was set to be fixed by December 2007. Mohr said her group is committed to opening the school in the fall.

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com