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NMC just about to announce RFP for gym project
Frankie Eliptico
The Northern Marianas College is getting ready to announce a request for proposal for the reconstruction of its gymnasium, which was left in shambles in 2015 by Typhoon Soudelor.
Interim NMC president Frankie Eliptico gave this update as he did a presentation on several ongoing and completed projects at NMC’s As Terlaje campus during the Rotary Club of Saipan meeting yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.
According to Eliptico, the architectural and engineering design phase of the gymnasium is scheduled to be completed as early as October 2018. NMC contracted Taneguchi, Ruth, Makio Architects, or TRMA, to work on the design.
Once the design phase is completed, Elipitco said, NMC would move on to the bidding process to entertain proposals for the reconstruction of the gym, which he noted in an interview yesterday would be “expanded.”
“[The gym] is not going to be built into exactly what it was. We are including a number of added features to the gym: It’s going to have a stage, a couple classrooms, offices, and other things,” Eliptico said, adding that the gym once rebuilt, would be open to public use and could accommodate about 1,100 individuals.
Eliptico said NMC received funding of about $4 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after Soudelor, and noted that the original gym, prior to its destruction, was built using a Community Development Block Grant.
“We’re excited that the new gym will be open in about a year and a half” said Eliptico, adding that the new facility can be used by other government agencies to host other events.
