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QUINCY, ILL. -- By Bob Gough, quincyjournal.com. 

After minimal interest from local contractors during two rounds of bidding, the City of Quincy will once again attempt to find someone to take over repairs of the dilapidated Quincy Paper Box building. 

In June, the City Council rejected a resolution to spend more than $73,000 for repairs to the building, prompting the City's administration to suspend its 'Fix or Flatten' program. Fourth Ward Republicn Alderman Mike Farha then asked the council to reconsider the vote.

City Planner Chuck Bevelheimer solicited bids in ads in The Quincy Herald-Whig that ran on July 31 and August 3 with a deadline for bids for August 17. No bids were received.

After the August 17 deadline passed, Bevelheimer told aldermen and Quincy Mayor John Spring he would seek bids a third time, with a due date of August 31.

Bevelheimer said he had spoken with a few contractors. With only one bid received during the first two rounds, he did not want to speculate on what the interest would be this time around.

"One said he was still busy with storm-related repairs and one contractor told me he submitted last time and he didn't get it so he didn't want to waste his time," Bevelheimer said. "One thought it was due the following day and he had it on his desk.

Jeff Stupavsky has been making repairs to the building, which is owned by Don Weinberg, who has been involved in multiple legal tussles with the city regarding the condition of multiple properties. Bevelheimer said those repairs are past the court's original deadline for the work.

"(Stupavsky) is making progress on the windows, but it's getting done nowhere fast enough," Bevehleimer said. The City and Weinberg reached an agreement last July that said the repairs were to have been done by January.

When Stupavsky addressed the City Council on June 28 at the request of Ald. Terri Heinecke (R-7th Ward), he said he never received orders from the City that said he work was not being done in a sufficient manner.