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Council OKs $3.59 million River Market contract; project part of larger $7.2M redevelopment plan
Summary
Council authorized a $3,590,856 contract with Curtis Wayne Schulte Inc. for the River Market facility, part of an estimated $7.2 million combined River Market and Chestnut Street build-out funded by state, county and local sources.
The Jefferson City Council approved a $3,590,856 contract with Curtis Wayne Schulte Inc. for construction of the River Market facility, a central element of a broader $7.2 million redevelopment that also includes Chestnut Street improvements.
City staff and project managers described the River Market as integral to the redevelopment of the old MSP site and the city's riverfront strategy. Rachel Cinzi, neighborhood services supervisor, summarized funding and design decisions and said staff used value engineering to reduce costs by about $337,000 (for example, selecting 16-foot stock garage doors instead of 17-foot custom doors and specifying polished concrete rather than epoxy flooring) while maintaining the project's core program.
Funding for the combined River Market and Chestnut Street work comes from multiple sources: a $2,100,000 state Community Revitalization grant (50/50 match requirement), $1,500,000 from Cole County targeted to Chestnut Street, about $1,000,000 of the city's ARPA funds, state Office of Administration participation on Chestnut Street (paying 50% of that work), and local contributions including up to $150,000 from Jefferson City Parks for irrigation. Staff reported the combined estimate for River Market (about $4.3M) plus Chestnut Street (about $2.8M) at roughly $7.2M, leaving an approximate contingency/buffer of $193,000 in the present estimate.
City staff said the contract approval lets the city commence construction activities required by the state agreement that secures the MSP site for municipal development. The contract award was approved in a roll-call vote.
Why it matters: The River Market is a visible downtown investment tied to the city's long-term waterfront and tourism strategy; the project also unlocks Chestnut Street work funded in part by state and county partners. Value engineering and multi-source funding reduced immediate budget pressure, but staff cautioned that change orders and standard project contingencies mean the budget must be actively managed.
What happens next: Staff will proceed with contract execution and project mobilization; Parks staff and engineering consultants will coordinate the Chestnut Street work and long-term maintenance planning.
