Davenport disappointed his company cut from library construction manager bid

At the end of the Belleville Planning Commission meeting on Feb. 9, Steve Davenport of Davenport Brothers Construction voiced his disappointment in the Belleville Area District Library Board’s decision on library construction.
He said out of seven who had applied for the general contractor position, two were not selected to come in for interviews and Davenport was one of the two not selected.
“It was surprising to us to be thrown out of the arena so soon,” Davenport said, adding he hopes they are looking at local contractors for the site work.
“I made sure the library board knew about local contractors,” said Planning Commissioner John Juriga who also serves on the library’s three-person building committee which had been meeting that week to select a construction manager to recommend to the full board.
Juriga said the committee met with five different contractors from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 8.
“There are plenty of jobs,” he said, noting all of the contractors were well aware of Davenport and the good work it does.
Davenport said the architect is getting $900,000 for his work and the construction manager will get from $500,000 to $600,000, making a total of $1.5 million to “outsiders.”
“All seven were qualified,” Davenport said of those on initial library list. “We’re as equal as they are. I was disappointed.”
He said now the local contractors will have to bid on site work and, “fight among ourselves to get a small portion of the work.”
Juriga said it’s in the contract that local contractors will be from Belleville, Van Buren Township, and Romulus.
“Outsiders get $900,000 and bid against no one,” Davenport said of architect Dan Whisler’s firm.
Juriga said actually, the architect will get around $800,000, 7.7% of the project.
“These people know of your good work in this area – and Blue Ribbon,” Juriga said. “You’ll make some decent money on these bids.”
Juriga said actually it was inappropriate to discuss this at the commission meeting and they should come to the next library board meeting to tell board members how they feel.
Steve Davenport was accompanied by his brother Harlan, who did not offer comments.