Award of a $685,435 contract for construction and conversion of educational facilities at Santa Fe, New Mexico, into an Indian arts school was announced today by the Department of the Interior.
The contract calls for the construction of a new academic building, an administrative building and a student center building. The present academic building will be remodeled into art studios and classrooms. In addition to the building construction, outside utilities will be improved, paved streets with curbs and gutters will be provided, and a chain link perimeter fence will be installed.
Students now attending the Santa Fe Boarding School will be transferred to other boarding schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The converted school at Santa Fe will be reserved exclusively for special art students of American Indian descent from throughout the United States.
The successful bidder was Pickens-Bond Construction Co., of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Six higher bids, ranging from $693,000 to $737,900 were received.
