Gray town councilors have given the town manager and town building administrator the authority to select an architect for the Pennell Institute renovations from two firms identified by an advisory committee.

Town Manager Deborah Cabana and Town Building Administrator Doug Webster will negotiate with Brecher/Sealander Architecture of Ellsworth and Lewis & Malm Architecture of Bucksport. The firms are vying for the $2.4 million project that will convert the Pennell building into a town hall with meeting space.

Councilors want to choose an architect soon so that the firm can sit in on interviews for a construction manager scheduled for May 6. They also want to make sure the project can make the best use of the coming construction season, councilors said.

After interviewing five firms, the Town Office Building Committee ranked Brecher/Sealander as the top choice.

The firms were similar, said committee member Louise Knapp. It came down to how committee members reacted to the firms in the face-to-face interviews, and to whether the firms seemed prepared to start the project right away. Experience with the use of a construction manager at-risk was also a factor, as the town has decided to go in that direction, Knapp said.

Over the course of the interviews, Lewis & Malm and Brecher/Sealander emerged as favorites, said committee member Don Hutchings. Lewis & Malm, particularly, impressed the group with their understanding of how to work with an old building.

“They seemed to have a good feel for the project, but so did Brecher,” said Hutchings, adding that he is confident either firm would be able to handle the project.

Also weighing heavily in the decision was that Lewis & Malm’s bid was $35,000 higher, said Webster and Councilor Matt Sturgis, who attended the committee meetings. The firm was initially ranked first by the committee, but lost ground when the bids were unveiled.

However, the firms did not include in their bids, which ranged from $121,000-$175,000, the exact same costs. Some included reimbursements for travel and other costs, while others did not, making the bids difficult to compare, Webster said.

“It’s not apples to apples,” he said.

The committee was impressed enough with Lewis & Malm to bring them back to the table. Having two firms in final negotiations will also give the town leverage, councilors agreed.

The town has now contacted the two final firms to ask that they submit bids including specific items so they are comparable, Webster said.

Also interviewed were Douglas Richmond Architects, Platz Associates, and Port City Architecture.