A contract could be awarded Friday to redevelop the Levee Street Depot into a transportation museum and office spaces following the opening of three bids by Vicksburg’s mayor and aldermen on Monday.

The lowest of the three offers — a $1.45 million quote from Kenneth R. Thompson Jr. Builder Inc. of Greenwood — came in below Waycaster & Associates Architects’ $1.6 million estimate. Other bidders were Flagstar Construction Company of Brandon, at $1,593,500, and Fordice Construction Company of Vicksburg, $1.84 million.

“All of the bids are in the estimated and budgeted amounts,” Johnny Waycaster told the board, adding he would review the bids and have his recommendation ready by the meeting Friday.

The redevelopment of the 103-year-old depot is being paid for via  $1.9 million in federal stimulus funds, which require no local match. When completed, a privately operated transportation museum is to occupy the ground floor and offices for the Vicksburg Main Street Program and the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau will be created on the second floor. The third floor will be used for storage space.

While the bids received Monday likely will leave funds left over, Lamar Roberts, museum developer, said it’s too early to begin planning any additional work on the depot.

“We’re just going to have to wait and see on that,” said Roberts, who also owns and operates the Battlefield Museum on North Frontage Road. “I’m just glad the quotes came in below the estimate and we can proceed.”

The museum has been in the works for several years, one component in a revitalization of City Front that includes, so far, Riverfront Murals, an art park and splash fountain and a Junior Auxiliary river-themed playground. A Corps of Engineers interpretive center is under construction and will include tours of the MV Mississippi IV work boat, which is in place for static display.

Roberts said he was worried the bids would come in above the available funding and would further stall the project.

“The package was originally worked up four years ago, and that’s what we based our cost estimates on,” he said. “That’s the reason we dropped the third floor renovation from the plan. So, this is great news.” 

A June target date has been set for the renovation to begin. Public Works Director Bubba Rainer said a recent land shift at Washington Street about two blocks from the depot should not affect the project. Once it’s under way, Roberts said the Main Street and VCVB spaces should be complete in about nine months. The museum will be ready for the public three to six months later, said Roberts, who has estimated the attraction will draw about 50,000 visitors annually.

“We’re ready to roll, and we’re just waiting to get the OK,” he said.

In addition to the stimulus money, the depot will benefit from a $53,900 grant awarded by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History for exterior renovations.

Main Street and the VCVB are to enter into a 20-year lease with the city — which purchased the depot in 2002 for approximately $295,000 — and pay about $500 a month for rent and utilities. The VCVB is also to give the city $150,000 as part of the deal.

Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com