Contractors can now submit bids for the Early Childhood Center remodel project for the Fort Dodge Community School District.

The project is to remodel the former Arey School building, located at 104 S. 17th St. The building is currently the Central Administration Offices for the district. Once the central offices move to the new Central Office facility on North 25th Street this fall, the former building is set to be remodeled into the district’s new Early Childhood Center.

The Early Childhood Center, currently expected to be complete before the 2021-2022 school year, will house all preschool classes, pre-kindergartens, transitional kindergartens and kindergartens for the district.

The project will include demolition, masonry, structural steel, architectural wood casework, insulation systems, tiling, plumbing and more.

Contractors will have until 4 p.m. Sept. 10 to submit bids for the project. A public hearing for the Early Childhood Center project will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 14.

The school board also opened the bidding process for the asbestos removal from the 104 S. 17th St. building. Contractors will have until 2 p.m. Aug. 24 to submit bids for the asbestos removal project.

“The majority of it is going to be removing the old flooring,” said Ryan Utley, district director of buildings and grounds. “The asbestos removal takes three weeks.”

The removal is expected to complete on Sept. 25, so that construction on the remodel project can begin on Oct. 1.