Construction bids for the amphitheater and black box theater were opened Dec. 15 and likely will be awarded by the Redevelopment Agency at its Jan. 5 meeting.

The City Council recently awarded a contract of $5,750 to Whitestone Associates to conduct survey and prepare report of “asbestos containing materials” at 324-326 Hamilton St., one of several homes that are planned to be acquired and razed for the project. The Redevelopment Agency last summer authorized acquisition of the 2 1/2-story home for $240,000, and the City Council OKed another $160,000 for asbestos surveys and other engineering-related work.

Construction bids had to be re-bid after a judge ruled there was some ambiguity in the original bids this past fall. The Redevelopment Agency originally awarded a nearly $5-million bid in October. The City Council last spring approved borrowing a $8.5 million for the Hamilton Street arts projects.