Contractor chosen to demolish decrepit Crystal Steambath building

According to the contract, the work is to be completed by Dec. 31.

By Terri Harber • November 30, 2016 10:00 pm
(Terri Harber|The Daily World) The Crystal Steam Bath building at 107 S. F St., in downtown Aberdeen has been slated for demolition. The City Council chose a contractor to do the work during their meeting on Wednesday night. The lowest bidder was KD&S Environmental LLC in Montesano.
(Terri Harber|The Daily World) The Crystal Steam Bath building at 107 S. F St., in downtown Aberdeen has been slated for demolition. The City Council chose a contractor to do the work during their meeting on Wednesday night. The lowest bidder was KD&S Environmental LLC in Montesano.

Aberdeen City Council members on Wednesday chose the lowest bidder to demolish the Crystal Steam Bath building at 107 S. F St.

KD&S Environmental LLC in Montesano asked the city for a payment of $90,815 to conduct the demolition work. Three other companies submitted higher bids to demolish the structure: Northwest Rock Inc., in Aberdeen, wanted $90,874; Gordy Bagwell in Olympia requested $97,224; and, Quigg Brothers in Aberdeen sought $266,143.

According to the contract between the city and KD&S, the work is to be completed by Dec. 31.

Grays Harbor County Commissioners this week deferred a vote on whether to provide $55,000 for the project connected to the property on which the building sits — the Gateway Center. Aberdeen was awarded a $550,000 state grant for the project earlier this year and the county offered to provide a 10 percent match to help advance the effort.

County Commissioner Vickie Raines moved to approve the allocation and an accompanying agreement with the city of Aberdeen about the project that would serve as an enterprise and visitors center within a 20,000-square-foot building. Neither of the two other commissioners seconded the motion, however. Commissioner Wes Cormier has express concerns about the project, but Commissioner Frank Gordon, who had publicly supported the project up until that point, won’t be on the board next year and suggested the newly composed board take up the matter again in 2017.

Aberdeen Mayor Erik Larson said the events that transpired during the commissioners meeting on Monday were a surprise. But, “in January, I feel the situation will have changed,” he explained to the council members.

The Crystal Steam Bath site is across the alley from the Tesla Supercharger station. Both locations will provide parking for the center, which would be constructed on the other side of F Street, where now-empty buildings stand that used to house Selmer’s Furniture and The Pourhouse, said Rick Sangder, the city’s public works director.

Those other buildings, near the Wishkah River Bridge, face the 500 block of East Wishkah Street.

The City Council approved purchase of the Crystal Steam Bath property in December of 2015 along with a small lot at the corner of Fuller Way and East Wishkah Street.