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Lake Forest approves $1.34 million contract to replace Waveland Park pavilion after bids top estimate
Summary
Lake Forest City Council voted 8–0 to award a $1,277,500 contract (plus a 5% contingency of $65,000, total $1,342,500) to Ephraim Carlson Construction to demolish and rebuild the Waveland Park pavilion after bids came in roughly $392,500 above the city’s $950,000 estimate.
Lake Forest — The City Council on Sept. 15 awarded a $1,277,500 construction contract to Ephraim Carlson Construction to replace the Waveland Park pavilion, approving a 5% contingency ($65,000) for a total project cost of $1,342,500.
Assistant Director of Public Works Jim Lockfair told the council that design work began in June 2024 and that an early fiscal‑planning estimate used for the CIP was $950,000. Multiple bids returned significantly above that estimate, prompting staff to pursue value‑engineering options without success. Lockfair said the low responsive bidder able to build this fall was Ephraim Carlson Construction.
“This project is specifically for the demolition and new construction of a new open‑air pavilion,” Lockfair said. He told the council that market changes and trade‑cost increases — particularly in electrical and plumbing — drove the higher bid amounts and that a 5% contingency was agreed with the contractor and architect.
Lockfair told the council the Ephraim Carlson total presented a budget overage of $392,500 compared with the $950,000 estimate. Several aldermen described a sense of “sticker shock” but said the neighborhood’s need for a functioning pavilion and the practical limits of further scope reductions supported moving forward.
Alderman Powers summarized the council’s position: after extensive review, the choice was “go/no‑go” — either accept the higher bid to deliver the long‑overdue facility or delay further. Multiple council members said they favored proceeding to deliver the amenity to residents.
The council approved the award on a roll‑call vote, 8–0. Staff said construction could begin the following week and that some interior work might continue through the winter.
What’s next: Staff will finalize contracts and notify neighbors. The contract includes a $65,000 contingency and accounts for site grading, ADA connections, and mechanical spaces that required a small footprint expansion.
Vote and contract specifics: Award to Ephraim Carlson Construction — base bid $1,277,500; contingency 5% ($65,000); total authorized amount $1,342,500; roll‑call 8 ayes, 0 nays.
