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Project 2 quarterly update: steel fabrication, foundations and a 30-day utility delay; budget tracking unchanged at $91 million
Summary
Contractor Gillbane reported 14% construction completion on Project 2, $91 million contract balance, structural steel fabrication on schedule for mid-March and an estimated 30-day schedule impact tied to gas-service relocation; district and contractor said they are pursuing mitigation strategies.
At the Jan. 23 Oak Park–River Forest board meeting, Gillbane and district staff delivered a second-quarter construction update on Project 2, reporting progress on excavation and earth retention, upcoming concrete foundations and structural steel fabrication while outlining schedule impacts tied to utility relocation.
Gillbane's update said the project reached roughly 14% completion by the December reporting period, with more than 14,000 labor hours logged and one recordable safety incident to date. The contractor reported the contract remains at approximately $91 million and contingency balances were unchanged as presented. Ten change-order items were under review with a potential combined value near $164,000.
Contract staff described lost work days earlier in the project due to weather and extreme temperatures; they also reported an approximately 30-day delay attributable to relocating a gas service and related coordination that prevented building demolition and subsequent schedule activities. The contractor said it is working with mechanical and utility trades, and with ComEd where high-voltage transmission lines require engineered crossing solutions, to minimize long-term schedule impacts.
Milestones and coordination noted in the update included completion of ASOM installation, earth-retention and excavation work on the basement elevation, planned mobilization for concrete foundations in early February, and fabrication of structural steel that the contractor expects to be 100% fabricated by mid-March. Project leadership said the west pool renovation is trailing behind the main addition by a few weeks, and that the current goal is to achieve substantial completion in time to allow furnished occupancy and program setup in advance of the 2026–27 school year; staff said July 31, 2026 would be preferable to an August 13 target because of moving and setup logistics for staff and educators.
District staff and the contractor emphasized ongoing coordination: shop visits, sequencing of complex structural work and pre-planning for furniture, technology and equipment staging so the district can furnish and ready the building after substantial completion. On-site geotechnical work, driven piles/caissons and soil quality were reported as satisfactory; contractors reported encountering one minor obstruction during caisson installation about 10–12 feet down that did not halt work.
Why it matters: Project 2 is a multi-year capital construction program that will add or renovate district facilities and affect future school-year logistics. The 30-day utility-driven delay is material to schedule planning; structural steel fabrication and foundation work are near-term milestones.
What the board asked: Board members asked about the meaning of “substantial completion,” scheduling choices, the risk of hidden site conditions, and contingency planning for trade sequencing. Project leadership explained substantial completion will permit occupancy and punch-list work but that final furnishing and program setup will take additional time before students and staff fully occupy the space.
Ending: Gillbane and district leaders said they expect to continue quarterly updates and will coordinate with the board about schedule shifts and major cost changes if they arise.
