Panama City awards $8.3 million in contracts to repair infrastruce in Venetian Villa area

Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald
·2 min read

PANAMA CITY − Local officials hope a massive construction project will cure an area plagued by recurring water and sewer line breaks.

Panama City commissioners on Tuesday approved engineering and construction firms to oversee the Area F-2 project, which aims to renovate outdated and faulty infrastructure in the Venetian Villa area. Dewberry Engineering was given a task order of more than $323,000 for the project's designs, and Gulf Coast Utility Contractors was awarded a contract of more than $7.967 million for its construction. Both will be paid for by State Revolving Funds.

Panama City Commissioners approved engineering and construction firms for a massive project to repair faulty infrastructure in the Venetian Villa area.
Panama City Commissioners approved engineering and construction firms for a massive project to repair faulty infrastructure in the Venetian Villa area.

"This is one of our worst areas in the city for ... underground utility breaks," Commissioner Brian Grainger said. "I'm very, very happy that the city has chosen to move forward on this one because a lot of the SRF funds (are) being used elsewhere, where they're needed, but I did feel that this was an area of great need."

According to the meeting agenda, Panama City received construction bids from four companies. They were Royal American Construction Co., Marshall Brothers Construction & Engineering, Mainline Construction and Gulf Coast Utility Contractors, which submitted the lowest bid.

The city's contract with Gulf Coast Utility Contractors also includes a 5% contingency, allowing for up to about $8.366 million to be spent on the project's construction.

Grainger said every house included in the F-2 project will receive new waterlines and sewage lines. New roads and sidewalks also will being installed throughout the area.

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Grainger said the city hopes for construction to break ground in about three or four months and take about a year to complete. A construction kickoff meeting is scheduled for Aug. 17. Its location was undetermined as of Wednesday afternoon, but Grainger said that information will be posted on the city's website when it becomes available.

"I'm excited (for) these citizens to have their water, sewer and road replaced, and also have sidewalks put in," he said. "For the city to be able to go in and do as much as we're doing is in my opinion great. I'd like to do more, but it's a money issue."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City to repair faulty infrastructure in Venetian Villa area