The city council Monday awarded Columbia-based Manekin Construction LLC as the general contractor for the new city hall project near Bowie Town Center.

By a 6-1 margin, council voted based on months of research and vetting by city manager David Deutsch, city project manager Arcadis and project architect Grimm and Parker.

Councilwoman Geraldine Valentino-Smith cast the lone nay vote.

Manekin was among five construction firms that were pre-qualified by the city to submit bids for the city hall project that is slated to begin this summer. Manekin posted the lowest bid of just under $16 million while Morgan Keller Inc. of...