The Bryan City Council approved awarding a contract for the Midtown Park boardwalk after staff presented a redesigned plan that reduced cost compared with earlier bids and explained permitting and coordination issues tied to the lake and spillway.

Paul (last name not specified on the record), city staff lead on the Midtown project, told the council the original bid package had produced substantially higher prices — earlier bids for the bulkhead and boardwalk exceeded $9 million combined — leading the city to revise the design. The redesigned option, modeled on a Baylor boardwalk prototype, uses stamped concrete with a wood-like pattern (rather than stained concrete) and a cable-style railing consistent with Midtown master-plan design guidelines. Staff said the recommended bidder offered coordination advantages because the same contractor is constructing the adjacent Movie Bowl Grill project.

Staff explained the permitting status: the lake remains not fully permitted to be filled; the city published required public notice for the TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) comment period and is awaiting the state’s review. Staff said building portions of the boardwalk now at a lower lake elevation is advantageous for contractor access and may reduce costs versus building from barges. Separately, design and bidding for the spillway and bulkhead will be advertised and bid in the near term; those sheets were removed from the boardwalk bid package because their cost pushed the earlier bids well beyond the city’s budget target.

Council members asked about historical estimates and cost changes; staff said the city’s prior estimate and the first round of bids placed the combined bulkhead/boardwalk scope north of $9 million. After redesign and rebidding, the city received a single complete bid for the revised package that met the engineering and procurement criteria and came in below the engineer’s estimate. Staff emphasized technology upgrades included in the project and noted the contractor’s ability to work from the dry, Movie Bowl Grill side of the site as a coordination advantage.

Why it matters: Midtown Park is a key recreational amenity for Bryan. The council emphasized fiscal stewardship after earlier bids exceeded the budget; staff said the redesign saved an estimated several million dollars versus the earlier package and that the city aims to proceed while state permits are pending.

What’s next: The city will proceed with the boardwalk contract and advertise the spillway and bulkhead work separately. State permitting to allow filling the lake remains pending with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; staff said they had completed public notice and were awaiting the state’s response.

Speakers and documentary excerpts cited in this story are listed in the speaker list and clarifying details.