Bidding is down to 5 to build agency's new headquarters

The Colorado Department of Corrections has narrowed the search for a builder for its new headquarters to five bidders, two from Colorado Springs. The three other bids that made the cut are the city of Cañon City and firms in Golden and Pueblo.

The two companies from Colorado Springs are Mortenson Construction and Griffis/Blessing Inc. The other private companies are Golden-based AARDEX LLC and Pueblo-based HW Houston Construction Co. Inc. Cañon City is the home of most of the state prisons.

The department, which oversees the state prison system, has said it has outgrown its southeast Colorado Springs offices and solicited bids for a new headquarters. It has not said it was seeking to leave the city, but said its decision could be based on perks offered by bidders, including moving expenses, a break on rent, a cash allowance for improvements and free furniture.

Mike Kazmierski, president of the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp., said the city is open to providing incentives to help a local bidder keep the headquarters in Colorado Springs.

The Corrections Department sent out a request for bids in May, saying it had outgrown its 65,000-square-foot office building and was looking for nearly double the office space for its 240 administrative employees.

The department is expected to choose the new home for the agency July 9.

A state agency making demands on local governments didn't sit well with some, including Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, who said the department's request for perks was a form of extortion.