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City outlines Westside Park/Old Street Garage redevelopment process, environmental steps and contractor obligations
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Summary
Staff described the RFPQ process for the Old Street Garage/Westside Park site, said demolition will begin next week, and told bidders they must include soil remediation, design development costs and environmental consultant work in guaranteed maximum prices; the city expects an IDEM comfort letter soon.
City staff gave a detailed briefing on the Westside Park redevelopment and the Old Street Garage RFPQ, outlining timetable expectations, environmental requirements and procurement preferences.
Kevin Krolick told the board the RFPQ was issued and the Q&A period closed, with demolition of existing structures scheduled to begin the following week after utility services were terminated. Formal proposals are due on the 30th, and staff plans to present the submissions at the board's February meeting.
Krolick summarized bidder questions from general contractor Meyer Najim and explained the city's responses: the city is willing to work with the winning team on schedule adjustments but expects the project completed expeditiously; contractors must include soil management, potential undercutting, lime/cement stabilization if needed, and remediation costs in their guaranteed maximum price. He said phase 1 and 2 environmental assessments are complete and the staff expects the IDEM "comfort letter" soon, which would confirm the city's proposed approach to contamination controls.
On procurement specifics, staff said the city prefers a skate-park provider with the expertise of Hunger Skate Parks (preferred but not mandatory) and requires that the winning build-own-transfer (BOT) team incorporate Spear Corporation (recently acquired by Landmark Aquatic) for the splash pad equipment and delivery.
Krolick further told the board that isolated contaminated soils likely exist from historical street-garage and asphalt-drying activity; such soils may need to be covered in place (parking lot or skate park) or removed to a designated landfill if required by the soil management plan and IDEM guidance. Contractors will be expected to perform geotechnical due diligence during the scoping period and to guarantee inclusion of remediation/disposal in their price proposals.
A board member asked whether the city would set a hard completion date; Krolick said the scoping period will define a schedule that becomes part of the contract and that the city may include liquidated damages for delays.
The board did not take a formal vote on procurement terms at the meeting; staff will return with proposal responses at the next scheduled board meeting.
