Utica postpones contract for outdoor plaza to study bids further

Utica still doesn’t have a contractor to build its outdoor retail plaza. The two bids for the Market on Mill project came in higher than the engineer’s estimate.

A lot higher.

On Thursday, the Utica Village Board postponed its scheduled vote on awarding a contract. The two bids received Thursday were from D Construction, which at almost $2.9 million was 65% more than the estimate, and from Illinois Valley Excavating, which at almost $2.2 million came in 26% more than the estimate.

“We need some time to review these bids in a little more detail,” Mayor David Stewart said.

The village obtained a $1.25 million grant and committed another $250,000 to the project. Village Engineer Kevin Heitz crunched a final engineer’s estimate of $1,744,019, based in part on the sharp increase in the cost of construction materials.

“I kind of warned you guys the numbers are ballooning,” Heitz said.

“We started this project three years ago,” Stewart agreed, “and three years ago the costs were nowhere near what they are now.”

Costs were further driven up by a series of add-on projects. These included the acquisition of the former gas station property, urgent storm sewer and water main replacement, and taller and wider curb along Clark’s Run to reduce the risk of flooding.

“I don’t think we need to rebid it,” Stewart said, noting that the specs were sent to 10 companies and two submitted bids. “I think we need to dissect them and see what we come up with.”

The board will revisit it in June, but the clock is ticking. The grant is time-sensitive, and the board also had hoped to break ground after Memorial Day to capitalize on a tight construction season.

“The trigger is going to have to be pulled pretty quick,” Trustee Jim Schrader said.