Downtown fire suppression bids lower than predicted

All five downtown businesses who applied to be a part of Cambridge’s new fire suppression program will be able to participate in it thanks to lower than expected bids to do the work.

Back in January, the Cambridge City Council approved the creation of this unique program, which incentives downtown businesses to upgrade their sprinkler systems by the city covering the costs of connecting those businesses to the main line in exchange for the business improving its sprinkler system within the next few years.

Upon the deadline for applications, five businesses — Mercantile Hotel, Cambridge Bar & Grill, Thistle & Ivory, Happy Productions, and Cambridge State Bank, were given preliminary approval by the council for the program, pending sealed bids coming in below an average of $56,000 each.

According to Deputy City Administrator Alex Smith, two businesses returned bids for the stubbing projects, with all but one of the bids coming in lower than $56,000. Therefore, she recommended to the council that all five businesses be formally approved for the project, with all five stubbing jobs being awarded to DW.

ODDS AND ENDS

In other recent action, the council:

•Approved the creation of Tax Increment Financing Districts for both Cambridge Family Apartments and Strong Oak Apartments. Both these complexes are proposed to be built along Old South Main Street, just north of Cambridge Christian School;

•Approved the preliminary and final plats for River Heights 4th addition, which will clean up the property lines and create one single-family lot on land located at 936 6th Ave NW, which is west of the high school; and

•Approved hiring Tina Davison as Northbound Liquor’s new manager. Davison, who has worked at the store for eight years and has been the assistant manager since September 2021, will replace Bobbi Mix, who is retiring on Sept. 23. At the same time, the council approved posting a job opening for an assistant manager immediately.