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La Porte awards $1.36 million Clear Lake parking lot contract, opts to include trees
Summary
The redevelopment commission voted 5-0 on May 27, 2026, to award Milestone the Clear Lake parking lot contract for $1,359,687.43, including alternate 2 (trees only), after bids came in above the city’s $1.2 million planning budget.
The City of La Porte Redevelopment Commission on May 27, 2026, voted unanimously to award the Clear Lake parking lot contract to Milestone for $1,359,687.43, choosing the base bid plus alternate 2 to include trees.
Beth Trader of SEH, the project's design project manager, told the commission two bids were received — from Reece Riley Construction and Milestone — and that staff reviewed the submissions. She explained the bid package included two alternates that reduce landscaping; the recommended low-cost combination had been base plus alternate 1 (minimal landscaping). Trader said, “I, of course, as landscape architect, would love to see everything installed as designed, but, we also have to work in within a budget.”
Staff told commissioners the internal planning budget had been $1,200,000; the total bid package came in roughly $1,400,000. Staff said the base bid plus alternate 1 would still be above the $1.2 million planning amount and that full implementation of landscaping would put the project near $1,420,000, which would require an additional appropriation from the fund balance. Staff summarized the funding implication: “It’s just a matter of how much you’re comfortable doing an additional appropriation for to cover this project.”
Commissioners debated whether to defer landscaping or include some planting now. Several members said they preferred at least trees, citing the difficulty of returning later for landscaping. A motion to award the contract to Milestone with the base bid plus alternate 2 (trees only) carried by voice vote, 5-0; Beth Trader confirmed the base-plus-alternate-2 total would be $1,359,687.43.
Why this matters: Bids exceeded the city’s planning estimate, requiring the commission to weigh budget limits against the value of completing the project with some landscape features now. The commission approved using fund balance and a likely additional appropriation to cover the difference.
The commission moved next to approve a project-management contract for the job.
