Board approves $11.71 million contract for Clayton municipal maintenance facility; secures permanent easement from Bi-State

The Board of Aldermen on Aug. 26 approved a general-contractor contract and related easement for the Clayton Municipal Maintenance Facility project at 8300 Shaw Park Drive.

City staff reported six bids were opened for the project and that The Lawrence Group LLC, doing business as Integrate Construction Partners, submitted the lowest responsive, responsible base bid of $11,700,000 plus add alternate 7 for $10,000, for a contract total of $11,710,000. Staff recommended and the board approved authority to execute that contract and to permit construction change orders up to a $200,000 contingency for unforeseen site or existing-facility conditions. The firm submitted a schedule with a total construction duration of 392 days.

City Manager and Navigate Building Solutions (owner's representative Joe Schweitzer) and Public Works Director Matt Malek answered questions about sequence and operational impacts. Staff said Public Works and Parks operations have relocated parts of their operations during preconstruction; temporary accommodations include Oak Knoll Park and office space at 10 South Brentwood (police building) and school-district storage assistance. Staff estimated construction would likely begin on-site in October, subject to contract finalization and procurement lead times.

Easement The board also approved a permanent, non-exclusive 15-foot easement from Bi-State Development Agency along the west edge of the project site to permit construction access and long-term access to retaining-wall and hillside areas. Staff said the easement does not impose maintenance responsibilities on the city and that Bi-State uses the adjacent hillside for highway- and trail-related rights-of-way.

Procedural steps Alderman Beuse introduced the ordinance approving the contract (Bill No. 7087); the board gave unanimous consent for immediate adoption and approved the ordinance on second reading the same evening. The easement ordinance (Bill No. 7088) was introduced and adopted similarly.

Budget and schedule context Staff said the contract amount is within the program budget presented in April 2025; the estimated program-level construction cost with contingencies had been $11,861,625, placing the low bid within project contingencies. Staff asked the board to authorize the $200,000 contractual contingency for change orders during construction. Construction duration is estimated at about 13 months; staff noted some program procurements (signage, FF&E, low-voltage systems and temporary accommodations) remain to be done and are included within the project budget.

Next steps City staff will finalize the contract and return with any required procurement items and an executed schedule. Construction mobilization is expected after contract execution and completion of required preconstruction work.