Beaufort County is looking for contractors to take on the job of renovating the County owned, now vacant, Disabilities and Special Needs Building located in Port Royal and transforming it into the new County Coroner’s office and morgue. This will be the first time the Beaufort County Coroner has ever had its own building and morgue which will enable Coroner Ed Allen to offer additional family services and perform required administrative functions in a central location.

[caption id="attachment_9687" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/1.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-9687" alt="The building today." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/1-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a> The building today.[/caption]

“Working out of a trailer is not helpful to grieving family members and is not conducive to properly maintaining records”, said Allen.

The project will involve demolition and renovation of the 6300 square foot building. A little more than 4,200 square feet will house the administration offices and space for Victim and Juvenile Services. The rest of the more than 2,000 square feet will house the morgue. Landscaping of the grounds will also be a component of this renovation. The project is expected to break ground the end of

[caption id="attachment_9688" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-9688" alt="A rendering of the new Coroner's Office building and grounds." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a> A rendering of the new Coroner's Office building and grounds.[/caption]

April and construction should take eight months to complete.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting for contractors interested in the project is scheduled for Wednesday February 6, 2013 at 102 Industrial Village Road, Building #2 in Beaufort at 10 a.m. Local, small, and minority businesses are strongly encouraged to attend. At that meeting, contractors will be given details on what the project entails and a tour of the site.

To request a bid package contact the Beaufort County Engineering Department at 843-255-2700 or email cskinner@bcgov.net.

The estimated cost of the project is $850,000. Those monies will come from bond sales.