Sletten Construction awarded contract for renovation project Plaza Diane was fenced off Monday morning as construction began to transform the downtown location into a community arts center.“Construction is starting this week and we're right on schedule,” said Anya Feichtl, CTA's lead architect on the project. Feichtl said the project should be completed by Aug. 1.

Sletten Construction of Wyoming was awarded the bid for Plaza Diane — Community Center for the Arts. The company had the lowest bid at $594,300, which was $120,700 less than the $715,000 budgeted for construction.

Feichtl said low bids are the current trend in construction.

“Right now with the slower economy, everyone is bidding very competitively,” Feichtl said. “We're seeing that everywhere.”

CTA, a Billings-based architecture and engineering firm, designed the project, which includes both interior and exterior remodeling of the 1,345 square foot retro-style filling station.

The Plaza Diane steering committee, in partnership with the city of Powell, obtained a Community Facilities Grant of more than $900,000 from the Wyoming Business Council last fall. The grant covers the majority of construction and renovation costs. Because the project was less than the anticipated budget, the excess grant money will go back to the state to fund future Community Facilities Grant projects.

The interior of the former gas station will be renovated to accommodate art shows, classes, meetings and other local events. A new kitchen area will allow for food preparation. An additional restroom — with outside access — and a storage space will be added on to the east end of the building.

The exterior remodeling focuses on making the area more comfortable and usable during summer months. The project includes a canopy over the stage, wooden pergolas and fabric “sails” to provide shade, a water-spray pad for children and low-maintenance, drought-tolerant gardens.

The majority of construction and renovation will be completed by Big Horn Basin subcontractors, according to Shawn Warner, president of Sletten Construction.

“Other than specialty subcontractors that were directly specified, we are proud to have a great team pulled together that largely consists of companies from Powell and Cody,” Warner wrote in a statement to CTA.