The Blair County Parking Garage on Mulberry Street in Hollidaysburg was closed indefinitely on Sept. 10 at 5 p.m. Commissioners said in an email to employees the closure was necessary for safety due to the garage’s need for repairs from deterioration. A re-open date has not been confirmed. Mirror file photo by Patrick Waksmunski

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County commissioners have awarded contracts totaling $2.15 million for repairs to the Mulberry Street employee parking garage that was closed in September because of safety concerns caused by deteriorating concrete.

Carl Walker Construction Co. of Pittsburgh will handle the general construction work at $1.98 million, the next-to-lowest bid submitted in response to the county’s advertisement.

CH&D Enterprises Inc. of New Stanton submitted the lowest bid of $1.88 million, but commissioners Dave Kessling, Amy Webster and Laura Burke voted Thursday in favor of hiring the Pittsburgh company.

Burke said the bidders for the garage rehabilitation work were asked to supply information about three similar projects they completed.

“CH&D’s projects didn’t have the similar scope and complexity that we asked for,” Burke said.

Three additional companies submitted bids for the general construction contract, each seeking about $1 million more than the bid that Carl Walker Construction submitted.

Pulman Services, with offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, submitted a bid of $2,994,023, about $1,500 less than the $2,995,622 bid that Restocon LLC of Tampa, Fla., submitted. T.G. Basile Inc. of Kenilworth, N.J., submitted the highest bid of $3,068,247.

The county’s employee parking garage, which opened in 1999, has long been a victim of water leaks and concrete deterioration associated with snow and ice treatments.

In 2015, commissioners closed the garage for several weeks so Carl Walker Construction could pursue concrete repairs and seal leaks. At that time, the expenses added up to about $430,000. And at that time, project engineer Brian Wiser told commissioners that it was likely that more rehabilitation work would be needed in the future.

Prior to the county’s closing of the parking garage in September, employees were reporting vehicle damage caused by falling concrete.

Commissioners also voted Thursday to award electrical and plumbing contacts for work associated with the garage repairs.

MH Electric LLC of Duncansville will handle the electric work for $109,000, the lowest of three bids submitted. The other bidders were Westmoreland Electric Services LLC of Tars, at $179,700 and Bettwy Electric of Newry at $204,100.

Commissioners awarded the plumbing contract to Montgomery Brothers Plumbing of Altoona at $53,100. The other bidders were K&K Plumbing of Johnstown at $63,889 and Allied Mechanical & Electrical of Altoona at $67,900.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.