With budgeting going on for a few of the major projects in the region – including the $350 million Eye Institute at UPMC Mercy and the $220 million AHN Wexford hospital – the public bidding market is heating up as well. The Pittsburgh Builders Exchange is reporting that Reynolds Construction Management has set a March 21 bid date for the new $75 million Altoona High School project. The PBX also reports that the $27 million Westmoreland County Community College Founder’s Hall project will bid March 29. Bid schedules for the $80 million Peters High and $50 million Franklin Regional elementary schools haven’t been announced but will be hotly pursued when they are released.

In the private sector, CMU selected PJ Dick for its $20 million Posner Hall GSIA project. CMU’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute $13 million tenant buildout at the Mill 19 in Hazelwood Green was awarded to Jendoco Construction. UPMC Health Plan selected TEDCO for the $2 million renovation of the 6th floor at its USS Tower headquarters. TEDCO was also awarded the $1 million Children’s Adolescent Medicine renovation by UPMC. Sentinel Construction is managing the construction of a new 59,000 square foot medical office and outpatient surgery center for Heritage Valley Health in Center Township, next to the Beaver Valley Mall. The project is part of the Bluffs at Glade Path being developed by Castlebrook Development. Rycon Construction was selected to build out the $9 million Chartwell Lab for UPMC at the former Industrial Scientific headquarters in North Fayette.