Downtown Raymondville project moving ahead with brick paving

RAYMONDVILLE — After three years of planning, the bids are on the table for a project aimed at sprucing up the downtown area.

Ten contractors are vying for a $375,000 project to lay brick pavers along each side of Hidalgo Avenue from Fifth to Sixth streets.

Today, city commissioners are expected to consider a recommendation from the city-contracted firm of Naismith Engineering, City Manager Eleazar Garcia said yesterday.

“We’re awaiting the engineer’s review of the prospective bidders,” Garcia said. “It’s based on experience in projects, if they’ve had problems or not.”

Bids range from $162,306 from Gonzalez Enterprises to $289,000 from Holmont LLC.

Mayor Gilbert Gonzales said he is looking for a “quality” job.

“It has a lot to do with quality,” Gonzales said. “We’ve got to make sure their trustworthy and insured and we’re looking at what they can do and their quality of work.”

For about three years, the city has planned the project aimed at sprucing up the downtown area, Garcia said.

Garcia said the city selected the brick pavers after reviewing other downtown sidewalk projects.

Gonzales said the terra cotta brick pavers will help emanate the ambiance of old-fashioned walkways.

The city will use a $325,000 grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture and $75,000 from the city’s Economic Development Corporation to fund the project.

As part of the project, crews will tear out the old concrete sidewalks laid about 80 years ago, Garcia said.

For decades, cracks have scarred the foot-thick sidewalks, marring merchants’ efforts to revitalize their storefronts.

Gonzales said crews will lay the brick pavers on a foundation rising about a foot high.

The city expects to launch the six-month project within 60 to 90 days, Garcia said.