$1.1M Middletown River Center project may start as soon as September

Construction could begin as soon as September for the $1.1 million Bicentennial Commons River Center in downtown Middletown.

The River Center will provide amenities such as drinking water, restrooms, programming space and reservable meeting space along the Great Miami River Trail in Middletown, next to the Bicentennial Commons and AK Pavilion, both of which are now managed by MetroParks. It will be one of the newest facilities along the Great Miami River.

The MetroParks Board of Park Commissioners has awarded the design-build contract as well as approved the pre-construction services contract to Turnbull-Wahlert Construction Inc., according to Kelly Barkley, MetroParks senior manager of community relations.

Barkley said the next steps include Turnbull-Wahlert working with MetroParks staff and the architect, McGill Smith Punshon, to explore value engineering opportunities to achieve the essential functions of the facility at the lowest cost consistent with required performance, quality, and reliability of the River Center. Once complete, a guaranteed maximum price amendment proposal will be prepared and presented to the Board of Park Commissioners for approval.

The projected completion of the River Center is in May 2018, according to Barkley.

About the Author