Entrance to the former Verizon campus in Milton. — The former Verizon campus in Milton. File photo courtesy of the City of Milton.

MILTON, Ga. — Milton is seeking contractors to demolish three office buildings on the former Verizon campus in South Deerfield even as the city works toward a final decision on whether to buy the property.

The city’s Oct. 15 invitation to bid covers One, Two and Three Verizon Place, near Morris Road and Deerfield Parkway. The buildings total 433,326 square feet, according to the solicitation. The city could remove one or more buildings from the contract before making an award.

The next steps come quickly. Contractors are invited to tour the buildings at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4. Questions are due Nov. 5, and bids are due by 2 p.m. Nov. 12. A contract award is tentatively contemplated for around Dec. 7, but no contractor has been selected and no demolition start date is confirmed.

The bidding process does not mean the city has completed its proposed $26.25 million cash purchase. As North Atlanta Star previously reported, the city has been examining the campus for public recreation, trails and open space, with a final acquisition decision still to come. The due-diligence period was expected to extend into November.

The demolition solicitation adds a significant unresolved question to the purchase debate: the total public cost of converting the former corporate property to the city’s intended use. The eventual bids may help establish a cost, but an advertised scope is not a final contract price. A demolition award, any purchase approval and a final park or recreation design are distinct decisions.

The city is seeking prices for work on all three buildings. The solicitation allows the scope to change, so residents should not assume all three buildings will necessarily be removed under a final contract.

What comes next: The Nov. 12 bid opening should provide the first direct comparison of contractor prices. The larger question remains whether Milton will close on the property and what the full acquisition and site-conversion costs will be.

Sources: City of Milton procurement portal; Invitation to Bid 27-PW01.