Plaza construction to start in July

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CHAMPAIGN — City officials have rearranged the construction schedule for Phase 1 of the Neil Street Plaza project in hopes of addressing concerns from local businesses.

The Champaign City Council will vote on two agreements related to Phase 1 of the project at their 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday: an approximately $3.26 million construction contract with A&R Mechanical Services and a $298,500 construction engineering contract with Clark Dietz.

“Pending approval of these Council Bills, construction is slated to begin on July 15, 2024,” said David Happ, a civil engineer in the public works department.

“In an effort to lessen the impact on neighboring businesses, work along the buildings and within the licensed outdoor dining areas will be delayed until after September 15. Instead, initial work will take place on the balance of the project site.”

Phase 1 of the plaza project includes renovation of the One Main Plaza, where Big Grove Tavern’s outdoor seating is located.

The restaurant’s general manager, Scott McIntosh, previously asked if the city could delay construction so as not to affect the revenue generated by their patio during the warmer months.

Happ said that bids for the project were originally going to be opened on May 23. However, the date was pushed back to June 6 so that the city could incorporate an addendum changing the work schedule.

“It is only after September 15 that work will be performed within the licensed outdoor dining areas,” Happ said. “To offset the loss of those dining spots, the City is currently working to (temporarily) add outdoor dining space along Main Street, immediately adjacent to the Big Grove Tavern.”

He added that “work along the buildings and work near the intersection of Neil Street and Main Street” must be completed by Dec. 6, 2024.

The rest of the work will be finished by May 2, 2025, except for some landscaping items that need to be planted in the fall.

The project addendum includes an incentive if the construction is finished prior to the May 2 deadline. The city will pay A&R $10,000 for every day the work is completed prior to this date, up to a maximum of $150,000 for 15 days.

Additionally, under the proposed agreement, A&R will receive an incentive of up to $81,484.42 if it meets certain conditions for “minority subcontracting and minority project employment,” city officials said.

According to Happ, Phase 1 of the project focuses on the southern end of the Neil Street Plaza.

“It includes a redesign of One Main Plaza and a modest expansion to make it more usable for the activities to be carried out there, including outdoor dining and the addition of a stage for special events and performances, such as Friday Night Live,” he wrote. “Additional amenities include bench swings, seat walls, and stacked or tiered seating.”

The city received three bids on the construction of Phase 1. A&R’s proposal was the lowest but still exceeded the engineer’s estimate of $3.1 million.

Happ wrote that the city will need to spend a little under $3.37 million from the capital improvements fund and $273,141 from the Downtown Fringe TIF Fund to fund the contracts with Clark Dietz and A&R, along with the potential diversity incentive for the latter.