City To Re-Study Police Station Design After Bids Come In High

University Place will take another look at the design of its after the initial round of proposed contractor bids for the project came in higher than what the city budgeted.

On Monday, City Manager Steve Sugg told the University Place City Council that the city received seven bids from builders for the future police station earlier this month.

They ranged from $1.4 million to $1.04 million in cost.

The city budgeted $875,000.

The gap has prompted the city to re-examine the design, which calls for a 5,000-square-foot police station in the Civic Building along Drexler Drive. More than likely, the process will result in a smaller scope of work, he said.

Sugg said higher-than-expected bids are a result of the economy, and the fact that contractors are asking more money for their work.

"This is a fairly significant difference," he said. "and it just indicates that things are tightening up a little bit."

Officials said they can still have the space ready in time for the police department to .