By Rusty Nixon Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — The price is coming down even if the old Marshall County Jail isn’t.
Progress on the demolition project of the old building had been in a holding pattern as the Marshall County Commissioners debated the high cost of turning the area into additional parking in the original bids. The decision was to redesign the project and rebid it to see if more acceptable dollar numbers could be found.

The good news for the county is that the price is coming down, as bids were opened during the Commissioners meeting Monday morning.
Originally, the project including large amounts of repaving as well as grading the area to a uniform level. The project was redesigned to demolish the old building and fill the site left by the demolition while keeping the retaining wall and leaving the rest of the area relatively the same.
The current design of the project would add approximately 15 additional parking spaces to the area.
Mark Van Allen, of RQAW, consultants on the project, opened four bids. Beer and Slabaugh of Nappanee had a base bid of $169,875; Lenker Services of Plymouth bid $119,917; Thomas Excavating of Plymouth bid $162,499.
H&M Demolition of Holland, Mich. put in an apparent bid of $49,000 for the job; however, there were several questions on the bid as they did not use the bid form or provide a “Form 96” as asked.
The bids were taken under advisement and Van Allen will give the commissioners a recommendation in two weeks.
Once the demolition begins, it may be two to four months before it is complete.