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Housing Authority awards $499,000 Locust Court facade contract to Bergland Construction
Summary
The Housing Authority approved a $499,000 contract with Bergland Construction to repair the facade at Locust Court after the apparent low bidder withdrew; staff said work is slated to begin quickly with a target completion before May 11, 2026.
The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee on Dec. 10 approved a resolution awarding a $499,000 contract to Bergland Construction Company for facade repairs at Locust Court.
Staff said three bids were received; the apparent low bidder, Restoration Systems LLC, submitted $374,325 but asked to withdraw after identifying calculation errors (their bid had effectively priced only up to the ninth floor on a 24-story building). Bergland was the next-lowest bidder at $499,000. Allison Wisnicki, vice president of construction, told commissioners the authority’s earlier internal estimate had been closer to $1,000,000 and that staff were pleased with the competitive result.
The scope and timing: Allison Wisnicki said staff aim to have construction completed prior to May 11, 2026, and that Bergland has done facade work for the authority previously. She explained the bid includes a unit-price approach for panel restorations (staff used a 300-square-foot basis to allow apples-to-apples comparison); if actual quantities are lower the contract will be credited, and change orders would be required for scope increases.
Legal review and oversight: Commissioner Snyder asked whether the City Attorney routinely reviews housing authority contracts. Greg Cruz of the City Attorney’s Office said his office does not automatically review every contract but will do so when asked; staff said they typically refer unusual or high-value contracts for review.
Board action: A motion to approve the expenditure was made and the board approved the award by roll call. Commissioners voting “Aye” were recorded during the roll-call; the motion passed.
What to watch: Staff said change orders would be handled by the construction team and would only return to the board if they were “astronomical or completely out of the ordinary.” Work is expected to begin as soon as procurement and contract execution are completed.
Representative quotes from the meeting include Allison Wisnicki: “We already got the contract in Bergland’s hands for their review. We’re looking for approval today… and we will expedite the execution of this contract to get them out, hopefully, working next week.” Greg Cruz said of City Attorney review: “No — we don’t generally review every contract that the housing authority does. If they send us one to review, we’re happy to do it.”
