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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: John P. Curley, Chief Development Services Officer
DATE: February 9, 2024
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval of a demolition and remediation contract with American Demolition of Carol Stream IL for the former YMCA structures at 460-480 Garfield Av. 60506 (15-21-406-021) in Ward #4.
PURPOSE:
After City condemnation of the former YMCA structure in August of 2019, the current owner has failed to remediate violations nor continuously secure the building. As a result, the city pursued a demolition suit with the owner in Circuit Court. Through this court action the city has now been granted the ability to demolish the unsafe and frequently unsecured building.
An RFP was issued by the City of Aurora in late December of 2023, as a result we are recommending contracting with American Demolition of Carol Stream IL.
That 'not to exceed' contract is for $1,482,390.00 and 160 days to complete, the final contract is subject to legal reviews.
BACKGROUND:
Staff has found cause to open more than 40 violation cases at this property in the past decade. After a fire damaged the electrical and fire safety systems at the building preventing re-occupancy of the building, it was condemned in August of 2019. At least 7 times since, the building has been found to have been broken into and occupied unsafely, placing our emergency responders in danger. After a circuit court order had granted the City of Aurora the ability to demolish the building, we authored an RFP for the demolition in December of 2023.
The building's basements are currently full of water due to the underground spring that original YMCA construction exposed and has continuously pumped out. A June 2019 pump failure allowed the basement to fill with water which led to the fire which caused the condemnation of the building. Unfortunately, this standing water and the underground spring precludes us from the abatement assessment that is required prior to the basement abatement and remediation work occurring. As a result, the RFP contained a $500,000 allowance for the abatement work at the building and the full abatement assessment and it's subsequent remediation are part of the required work. Staff has reviewed the state licensing, credentialing and past work of the proposed sub-contractors of American Demolition and has found them to be satisfactory as well.
DISCUSSION:
Risk Management funding will be used for this unplanned emergency safety project.
The selection was not based entirely upon cost as you will see in the bid tabulation and as further explained in the Bid-Tab Expanded document attached.
American Demolition of Carol Stream IL. Is being recommended for the following reasons:
a. The lowest proposal was from a contractor without an apprenticeship program in place at the time of the proposal, we cannot consider this number.
b. The next lowest proposal lacked any unit pricing, which helps us assess and compare costs for the unassessed quantities of remediation spoils. Without such unit prices we are exposed to undefined and potentially inflated pricing and as such the second lowest bid has been determined to be incomplete and not favorable for consideration.
c. American proposed the third lowest total cost.
d. Further consideration of speed with not much additional cost led us to review the fourth lowest proposal. It though had an abnormally high (by a factor of nearly 10 times) dewatering cost per 1,000 gallons.
We are recommending that a 'not to exceed' contract for $1,482,390.00 and 160 days to complete, be approved for American Demolition Corporation with the final contract subject to legal reviews.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Approving this contract with American Demolition Corporation will allow staff to resolve long standing violations and remove a blighted, unsafe building which poses a hazard to trespassers and to our emergency responders and staffers alike.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I request that City Council approve this demolition and remediation contract with American Demolition Corporation
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution to approve a demolition and remediation contract with American Demolition Corporation of Carol Stream IL for the former YMCA structures at 460-480 Garfield Ave.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, Circuit Court has granted the City of Aurora the right to demolish the structures as required to address imminent public safety issues that have not been addressed by the current owner of the building.
WHEREAS, the proposal from American Demolition Corporation for $1,482,390.00 and 160 days represents the most responsive and competitive proposal with a faster than average response time.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: Hereby, approves the award of a demolition and remediation contract with American Demolition Corporation of Carol Stream IL for the former YMCA structures at 460-480 Garfield Ave. subject to legal reviews of the final contract.