Mooresville staff seek $11.3 million to renovate Moore Park; lowest construction bid $10.1 million
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Summary
Town staff presented a plan to award construction of Moore Park phase 1 to GL Wilson Building Company with a base bid of $10,201,900 and a total phase 1 budget request of about $11.3 million; board members asked for additional details on bid tabulation, maintenance costs and traffic circulation.
John Simoniak, construction project manager for the town’s facilities department, asked the Mooresville Town Board to consider awarding a construction contract for Moore Park and related additions to GL Wilson Building Company for a base bid “not to exceed $10,201,900” and to approve amendments to the project budget to complete phase 1 of the park work. The proposal covers work at Moore Park, 651 South Broad Street in Ward 2, and includes a 900-seat grandstand, restrooms and concessions, batting cage, turf infield, dugouts, a new outfield fence and accessible parking and streetscape on Lowrance Avenue.
The request follows three years of planning and design. Simoniak said the town started a master plan in April 2021, awarded a design contract in April 2024 and expanded the Phase 1 scope last September to minimize lost seasons of play. He told the board the project received three bids on March 20; the low bid was about $10.1 million, with two other bids within about 8% of each other.
Staff presented a January engineer’s estimate (based on 90% plans) of just under $9.7 million and reported that the awarded contractor has completed recent town projects. Simoniak described the construction calendar as a 382-day period that would begin in April 2025 and target completion in May 2026.
On financing and scope, Simoniak said the base construction bid plus a $95,000 alternate for organic turf infill totals $10,201,900. He said the town will need about $1,105,000 in additional project funding for items including a separately procured 60-foot backstop netting and contractor markups, yielding a phase 1 construction total in the staff presentation of roughly $11,306,900. Simoniak said the town intends to issue a $10,000,000 bond and pay the remaining approximately $1.3 million from existing project ordinance allocations.
Board members asked for more procurement detail and operational estimates. Commissioner Qualls asked for the full bid tabulation and said he typically receives that before Monday night voting; Simoniak said he would provide the tabulation. Commissioners asked whether the design will accommodate requests from local ball clubs; staff said clubs were consulted and that some changes were incorporated. Commissioners also asked for projected maintenance and operations staffing and equipment requirements; staff said they would follow up with the board.
Several members raised traffic and circulation concerns around the park site. One commissioner said closing the rail crossing and planned streetscape work on Broad Street will change traffic patterns during events and recommended staff refine a circulation plan. Staff agreed to return with a circulation plan and said they will coordinate with Duke Energy and the rail company; Simoniak and other staff noted a transformer on Broad Street creates a multi-year dependency that shaped the town’s decision to stage work so play is not interrupted.
The presentation closed with staff recommending approval of the resolution awarding the contract and the associated budget amendments; the meeting record included questions and a pledge to supply requested supplemental materials (bid tabulation, maintenance estimates, and a circulation plan) before the board’s next formal action.
