Council speeds Sheridan Crossing cleanup: $6.9 million contract approved, Lake County agreement and oversight contracts advanced

The North Chicago City Council advanced multiple actions Aug. 4 to begin environmental remediation at the Sheridan Crossing site, approving a subrecipient intergovernmental agreement with Lake County, accepting a certificate of incumbency and awarding a remediation contract to Bluff City Construction LLC not to exceed $6,921,762. Council members voted to waive first readings on the Lake County subrecipient agreement and on the remediation resolution because of time limits on the grant funding. City staff said the city must spend $2,000,000 of the first tranche by January, and Lake County was moving the matter quickly so the county could present the agreement to its committee and then the full board. City staff and consultants told the council they have secured multiple funding sources for the remediation, and that Congressman Brad Schneider had secured $4,000,000 toward the effort; staff also referenced brownfield funding and other county resources. The city manager and project consultant Gary Deegan told the council that required environmental permits are in place and that the cleanup will allow redevelopment: "This changes the whole dynamics of that site," the mayor said, adding the remediated site could support hotels, businesses or residential uses. The council voted, by roll call, to approve the Lake County subrecipient intergovernmental agreement and the certificate of incumbency; both votes were recorded as "Aye." A subsequent motion to award the remediation contract to Bluff City Construction LLC (amount not to exceed $6,921,762) was moved by Alderman Evans and seconded by Alderman Brooks and carried by majority roll call. City staff said Deegan and Associates will continue to serve as the city's environmental consultant; the council was presented with a forthcoming contract for oversight of the cleanup with Deegan for an amount not to exceed $436,883 and staff said they plan to present that agreement for council approval at the next meeting. Staff also said Deegan had helped reduce proposed consultant costs by approximately $500,000 during solicitation. Council members praised staff and outside partners for long‑running work on the site. Mayor Rockingham said the effort traces more than 20 years and credited work with the Illinois EPA and the U.S. EPA. The mayor said development options on a remediated Sheridan Crossing site could include hotels, businesses or residential projects, and council members said remediation finally gives the city a clean slate for redevelopment.