The City of Joliet is spending more than $1 million on improvements to its parking garage in the downtown area.
Joliet’s Director of Public Works Greg Ruddy asked City Council approval for a contract of $1,027,136 to Staalsen Construction Co. in Chicago for improvements to the city-owned Ottawa Street parking garage. The city council Tuesday did grant his request.
As construction is underway on the City Square project, Ruddy said several modifications are required at the adjacent Ottawa Street parking garage.
These scheduled improvements include building an electrical and IT rooms, equipment garage that includes a sweeper for the garage, and storage rooms within the deck, as well as adding a small salt storage shed for use during the winter next to the parking structure, Ruddy’s memo stated.
Four sealed bids were opened for the project, and the Chicago company was the lowest of four bidders, according to Ruddy. The highest bid submitted was $1.298 million as the engineer’s estimate was $1.6 million.
In other news, the City Council adopted a resolution approving an honorary street name designation for the Rev. Larry Ellis Way on Wallace Street between Joliet and Ottawa streets.
Ellis was a community leader and activist within Joliet and served on various boards and committees. He was an ordained minister with St. Mark C.M.E. (Christian Methodist Episcopal) Church in Joliet.
During the public comments portion of the meeting, colleagues, community members and family residents remembered the “humble” late Ellis who never felt attention on him was warranted. But they remembered his spirit of doing good for others and his community that made a difference in people’s lives for the better.
