Iowa contractor submits zero-dollar bid for park building demolition.
Against a background of low bids, undercutting and desperate demolition contractors clamouring for work, the downward pressure on bid prices has reached it inevitable conclusion with an Iowa contractor submitting a zero-dollar bid to take down a park building.
The 1960’s-era park building was the one-time home of the Green Square meals program. D.W. Zinser of Walford won the demolition job—but won’t charge the city of Cedar Rapids a penny for the work.
Zinser is doing the estimated $25,000 job for free as a way of saying thanks to the community. Dave Zinser, president of the company, said “with everybody’s budgets tight, especially the city, with what they’re trying to accomplish I feel like it’s a small token of giving back to the community.”
Zinser won a number of contracts in recent years to clear away flood-damaged property. That includes a multi-million dollar contract to tear down the old Farmsteads Foods buildings. He made the offer to tear down the Greene Square Park building for free two years ago. But city officials put the work on hold because of all the flood-related issues. Zinser said he reminded the city about the offer recently and they finally scheduled the project.
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