Schererville council approves $87,500 supplemental agreement for Ileana concept plan, directs inclusion of Roorman Park connectivity

The Schererville Town Council on Dec. 3 approved a supplemental agreement allowing Reardon Consulting Services to contract with American StructurePoint to produce three concept renderings and a preferred master plan for the Ileana Speedway property, with the council directing that the concept work include connectivity to adjacent Roorman Park.

Town Manager Jim Gorman said the supplemental agreement will “allow Reardon Consulting Services to move forward with American StructurePoint into preliminary design phase, which will include the development of the project schedule, site research, 3 park use concept diagrams, [and] final preferred park master plan.” The contract was presented at the council’s Nov. 13 meeting and was deferred to Dec. 3 for final action.

The supplemental agreement covers the concept-planning phase and is budgeted at $87,500. Gorman and consulting representatives said the work is limited to concept drawings; a later phase of work would produce engineering drawings and surveys and would be a separate contract between Schererville and American StructurePoint for final design and construction documents.

Council members raised two areas of concern before approving the agreement. One council member said the board should prefer a contract directly between the town and American StructurePoint rather than a third-party arrangement; Gorman and consultants explained how earlier phases had been administered through Reardon and that the final design phase would be between the town and StructurePoint. Councilman Kevin Conley said he was concerned that, if the contract’s scope were limited strictly to the Ileana property, engineers would not address connections to neighboring properties or trails: “If their concept is going to be 100% isolated to Ileana, then I think we’re getting a bad result.”

Councilman Rob Getzloff moved to approve the supplemental agreement with the amendment that the concept work explicitly consider Roorman Park and connections; Pat Reardon and American StructurePoint representatives confirmed they could include that scope. The motion passed on a roll call vote, 5-0.

Council members and staff said the three-concept approach is intended to test a range of site uses and circulation options, including pedestrian and vehicular access and how the Ileana site could integrate with Roorman Park and nearby commercial parcels. Reardon and StructurePoint representatives said final decisions about detailed engineering, surveying and construction drawings would be part of a subsequent phase and a separate contract.

The council did not adopt specific design decisions on Dec. 3; the approved $87,500 supplemental agreement funds the concept phase and requires the consultant to include Roorman Park connectivity in the deliverables. Staff said next steps include a kickoff meeting with American StructurePoint and subsequent presentation of the three concept plans to the council for review and direction.

The contract had been discussed at prior study sessions; council members asked that staff ensure the amended scope is explicit in the contract language so future engineers review connectivity, trails and ingress/egress from adjacent neighborhoods.