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Sharonville council adopts Upper Grove (Gower East) renovation plan and moves design contract forward
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Summary
On Feb. 24, the Sharonville City Council unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the Upper Grove renovation concept and approved an ordinance reading authorizing staff to pursue a design contract and construction-manager-at-risk (CMR) procurement, moving the project into schematic design and contractor selection.
Sharonville City Council on Feb. 24 voted unanimously to adopt the concept plan for the Upper Grove (also referenced as Gower East) renovation and advanced related contract authority so the city can move into schematic design and construction-manager-at-risk procurement.
The action included a first-and-only reading of Ordinance 2026-13-e, authorizing the Safety Service Director to enter into design and contract-administration services for the Upper Grove Project, and adoption of Resolution 2026-R03-e, which formally adopts the renovation concept. Council recorded unanimous yes votes from Councilmembers Cook, Sharpshire, Citadino, Lovett, Cox, Knight and Schmidt.
Safety Service Director Glenn Lucas described the project as one of the top priorities from the city's five-year capital plan and said the city intends to use a construction-manager-at-risk (CMR) delivery to manage today's volatile material and labor markets. Lucas said the CMR approach provides early cost input, constructability guidance and a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) to limit change-order exposure.
Chris Balich, a principal with McGill Smith Puncheon (MSP), presented the master-plan highlights: expanded pickleball courts, a central gathering gazebo, added restrooms, improved ADA access to the upper grove, upgraded lighting, additional parking and stream-enhancement opportunities. MSP's high-level estimate for renovating the full Gower area was about $6,000,000; the Upper Grove phase was estimated at roughly $2,000,000. Balich said those are "give-or-take" planning estimates and that MSP would refine numbers during schematic design.
Balich and Lucas also flagged regulatory constraints: parts of the park were purchased with federal funds in 1970, and the project will require coordination with agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on floodplain and stream-related work.
Council discussion focused on procurement safeguards and oversight. Lucas said an earlier ordinance draft contemplated immediate CMR contract authority up to the professional-services threshold; because a construction manager had not yet been chosen, staff presented a revised ordinance that adds an intermediate step and returns to council for the final contract award.
The council vote allows staff to proceed with schematic design, pursue formal CMR selection and return with the recommended construction manager and contract for council approval. The resolution and ordinance reading do not themselves authorize construction; they move the project into the next procurement and design phases.
