Projects meet various fates in RDC action

With construction bids coming in higher than engineers’ estimates, three City of Greencastle projects met various fates Wednesday evening.

Development of a new parking lot at Columbia and Indiana streets was put on hold with two bids on it rejected by the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission (RDC).

Meanwhile, some Robe-Ann Park improvements will get done with an assist from the RDC, while others will await the city’s fate in securing a Land and Water Conservation Act grant.

And a new generator for the city water plant -- an element of the $700,000 OCRA grant received by the city will be ordered -- thanks to RDC funding, after coming in at almost twice engineering estimates.

RDC member Gary Lemon ranked the order of project importance as the generator, followed by park improvements and the parking lot last, and that is how action ultimately played out.

The two bids on the Columbia Street parking lot -- $453,267 from Feutz Construction, Paris, Ill., and $539,578 from S & T Construction, Terre Haute -- were rejected after coming in well above the engineering estimate of $326,694 on the work.

Jessica Hartman of Civil Engineering Consultants (CECon) said the bids “are consistent with what we’ve been seeing across the board in 2022.” A lot of that has been due to increased asphalt costs.

“We may just have to leave it for now,” Mayor Bill Dory said of the Columbia Street site that has been used as a staging area for construction work around the city, “and use it for overflow parking on grass for events like Musicfest and First Friday.”

To provide lighting for the undeveloped lot, the mayor suggested he would talk with Duke Energy officials about an interim solution such as putting lights on existing poles or reconfiguring existing lighting in the area. Decorative lighting for the parking lot will have to wait for later, he reasoned.

Funding for improvements at Robe-Ann Park were approved after Lemon said, “Just do it.” The subsequent vote was unanimous to award the bid to Feutz Construction, which submitted a $927,573 proposal, nearly a quarter-million dollars more than the $700,000 engineering estimate.

“We could see some savings if we change the scope (of the project),” Mayor Dory suggested.

“How important is this?” Lemon asked.

“We really need to do some work to the parking lot at the pool,” Dory responded. “Nothing’s been done there since it opened, and the parking lot at the park office has been on (City Attorney Hardwick) Laurie’s ADA radar since 2012.”

Plans also include improvements to the roadway and sidewalk on the south side of the park, adding more parking for the pickleball/tennis courts and additional parking at the skatepark which will help keep cars off the grass at events like Parkfest.

“I think the Park Board thinks it’s pretty important,” Hardwick commented.

The rest of the park improvements — including extending the roadway on the north side to complete a loop from the Bloomington Street entrance — will be subject to the city’s fate in its Land and Water Act grant quest.

Purchase of a new generator for the water plant, which came with a $415,000 engineers’ estimate and a $828,282 bid, will get done with the RDC covering the $413,282 difference.

“A generator for the Water Department sounds important,” City Councilman Dave Murray said from the audience.

“More important than a parking lot,” RDC member Lottie Barcus concurred.

Even ordering the generator now likely means a 12-month wait to get it, the mayor noted.

In other business, the RDC:

-- Heard Mayor Dory report that bids on the U.S. 231 reconstruction project through Greencastle are due back to INDOT Aug. 11. “That’s the most recent info I have,” he said of a project that this summer/fall will begin at Washington Street and continue to Veterans Memorial Highway. The section from Frazier Street to Bloomington Street is expected to be done next year.

-- Heard Mayor Dory report that the City Council has elected to take 100 percent of funds available through the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district this year. On a capture of $140 million assessed valuation, that is expected to generate $4 million.

-- Heard the mayor report that bids are being accepted on renovation work at the park house located that Bloomington Street entrance to Robe-Ann Park. New Park Director Greg Ruark has expressed interest in living there and sees being there as a valuable presence at the park, the mayor said. The house definitely needs “some freshening up,” it was noted. However, if bids come in too high, another option may be necessary.

RDC members Lemon and Barcus were joined for the June meeting by Chairman Erika Gilmore and Brian Cox. Member Gwen Morris was absent.

The commission will next meet in regular session at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 27 at City Hall.