Washington, DC-- The Architect of the Capitol has awarded a contract to Manhattan Holdings, Inc. in the amount of $144,276,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) Sequence 2 General Contractor Package, which includes the build-out of the interior spaces, installation of electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems, coordination with existing Capitol building systems where the CVC connects within the U.S. Capitol building, and completion of the above ground East Front Plaza, related site work and additional security related elements. The contract was awarded April 18, 2003, via a competitive “best value” source selection process open to qualified construction firms.
"The timely award of the Sequence 2 contract is a tribute to the efforts or our dedicated staff and the active oversight and participation of Congressional leadership through the Capitol Preservation Commission," said Alan M. Hantman, FAIA, Architect of the Capitol. "In addition, the General Services Administration, provided invaluable assistance in evaluating offerors during the procurement process."
The Sequence 2 work will overlap for approximately one year the Sequence 1 work, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2004. The Sequence 1 contract was awarded last June to the Centex Construction Company and includes construction of foundation walls, excavation, installation of load-bearing elements, portions of site utility work, completion of the roof slab, and construction of a new service tunnel.
"The Capitol Visitor Center has been, by far, our most challenging project," said Hantman. "During Sequence 1, we've encountered many unforeseen site conditions, we've quickly adapted to increased security requirements after 9/11, and we have endured one of the wettest winters on record to keep this project moving forward and be in a position to begin Sequence 2 activities on schedule."
The Manhattan Holdings' D.C. Metro office will begin mobilizing personnel and operations at the CVC project site over the next several weeks. Although the youngest division within Manhattan, opening in 1983, the D.C. Metro operation has become one of the largest contractors in the Beltway area.
The D.C. Metro operation has completed work for clients such as Lincoln Property Company, MCI/WorldCom, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CATO Institute, Cassidy and Pinkard, and Virginia Properties. The D.C. Metro operation is responsible for building two of the largest projects in Manhattan's 105-year history - the $200,000,000 Northern Virginia Operations and Network Information Center for MCI/WorldCom in Ashburn, Virginia, and the $136,000,000 Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Phases I and II, in Forest Glen, Maryland.
Manhattan Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has operating offices in Dallas and Houston, Texas; Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Washington, D.C., and Mexico City, Mexico.
For general information on the Capitol Visitor Center project, visit the Architect of the Capitol web site at www.aoc.gov and click on the "Capitol Visitor Center" link. Weekly construction summaries are posted every Tuesday and describe current and upcoming CVC construction activities and associated impacts. Approximately 25 construction photos have been posted on the web site and can be used to accompany articles related to the Sequence 2 contract award announcement.
