Village OKs MS Depot Bid, Project Sent to Historical Society

MIDDLEBURGH - Middleburgh village board members moved a step closer to finishing up work on the historic M&S train Depot last week as they approved a bid for the project. It will now be up to the Middleburgh Historical Society to approve the work.

The board approved a bid from Schoenecker Construction for $69,848, the same amount that was bid in May. The other bid was from Steve Meyers Construction for $77,780.

The work will be done next spring, giving the Historical Society time to decide whether to approve the bid and work.

The bid is for building a storage area and bathroom for the depot at the corner of Wells and Maple avenues.

Trustee Bob Tinker, who has been in the Depot committee for several years, noted that the first bid for the work was too high, and the second was incomplete.

Trustee Tinker said he was not happy with the bids, noting that the original estimate was $55,000 to $60,000. If the final cost is above $70,000, the village would have to pay the difference. The budget is $73,000. He noted that the village has invested about $100,000 in the project.

The work could be pared down to a smaller storage area, Trustee Tinker added. "We need a bathroom," he stressed.

Board members debated whether to table the bids, but agreed to approve the bid and leave it up to the Historical Society.

In May, board members rejected the lone bid for upgrades for the historic M&S Depot.

The village, in conjunction with the Middleburgh Historical Society, is looking to build a bathroom, storage closet area, and other improvements at the M&S Depot, located at the corner of Wells and Maple avenues.

In May, the village got a bid from Schoenecker Construction for $69,848 to do the work at the Depot, but officials at that meeting said the bid was incomplete. Items such as heating, electricity, plumbing, air conditioning were added, the bid would be too high.

The cost of the work will be paid for through funds provided for by local benefactor Nick Juried, who also paid for past upgrades.

Trustee Tinker, who has overseen the rebirth of the depot since work started about a dozen years ago, said the upcoming changes at the Depot should include period lighting around the property and a new bathroom and storage area which will be a separate building on the Grove Street end of the building adjoining the present deck. Additional work should include the two new parking areas and assorted concrete work for sidewalks, etc. 

The Middleburgh Historical Society is responsible for financing these projects.

Village board members in April did approve a bid from Schoenecker Construction for replace three sidewalks in the village for $60,900. The village received three bids for that work.