Brownwood News – The Board of Directors of Brownwood Municipal Development District awarded a bid Tuesday for the demolition of the old ice house and Timmins warehouse buildings located on Baker and Lee Streets, just southwest of the Coliseum.

Of two bids received, the BMDD accepted the low bid of $261,469 from Martin Earthworks of Brownwood.  The other bid was $370,000 from Teinert Construction.  The BMDD plans to pay for the project from reserve funds.

The Brownwood City Council will consider ratification of the BMDD decision in their meeting next week on July 28.

“Once they (Council) approve that, he’ll be able to move forward with the demo of the old ice house building which is in pretty rough shape.  If for nothing else, for safety, it needs to come down,” said Ray Tipton, Executive Director of the BMDD.  The proposed demolition also includes all the metal warehouse buildings in the block adjacent to the Timmins building.    “That will clean that area up but it will also spur on some other development and if Council and BMDD board moves forward with an events center project, as we’ve talked about for a long time, this will be kind of the first step,” Tipton said.

Brownwood News Photo:  A view inside the old ice house,
taken through an opening on the west side of the building.  Holes
in the ceiling are visible in the distance.