The slow construction pace in Northwest Arkansas yielded low bids for a Springdale demolition project

Five companies bid on tearing down buildings around the City Administration Building and Luther George Grove Street Park, with all bids well under the estimated cost. Don Hancock, city community development coordinator, said the bidding companies need the work.

"They are hungry," Hancock said. "That's what all of them told me. A lot of them are construction companies and all the construction has dried up. They'd rather break even and have work."

Hancock estimated it would cost $197,000 to remove 13 buildings around the administration building and four near the park. One bid from M&M Construction of Elkins was less than half of the estimate at $87,490. Next highest was Lipsmeyer Construction of Bigelow at $113,500. Red Line Construction of Lowell, PMI of Springdale and Ground Zero of Siloam Springs also bid.

The city acquired the structures near the administration building when it purchased the Allen Canning Property in 2006 for $1.675 million. Mayor Jerre Van Hoose decided to demolish the unusable dilapidated buildings.

Price Avenue and Commercial Street around the administration building were closed so the city could fence the area for greater security. A building for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement task force is planned for the area directly behind the police station, on the north end of the administration building.

Two of the buildings near the park are being used temporarily by the city Signalization Division until a new building for the division is complete. An unused house and a building donated to the city are also scheduled to be demolished to expand the park that will include a skate park.

The buildings to be demolished have been checked for asbestos and other hazardous materials. Some of the buildings were part of a food canning factory and some were part of a lumber yard.

Some buildings to remain share walls with structures to come down and will need windows, doors and paint to become secure, said Wyman Morgan, city director of administration and finance.

One building would be converted to house the Police Department's Bomb Squad truck.

The city estimated the cost for the work could reach $300,000. The estimate could be reduced with the low bid, Morgan said.