Burlington Wall Improvements Re-Approved at Higher Cost

The Hinsdale Board of Trustees voted Tuesday night to approve a contract with King’s Landscaping for the construction of a new masonry wall in Burlington Park separating the park from the adjacent commuter parking area along the railroad tracks.

If that sounds familiar, it is because the board of trustees originally awarded the construction and landscaping work to Wilson Ware Group for $195,291.29 in March, but that company has not been able to follow through since suffering damage during the widespread flooding in April.

The contract with Wilson Ware Group, which was awarded after the firm was the lowest responsible bidder in the spring, was annulled by the board Tuesday.

King’s Landscaping was the second-lowest bidder at $204,022.55 for the construction, and has agreed to honor that bid.

On top of that amount, village economic development director Tim Scott estimated the cost of the landscaping the wall, work planned for next spring, to equal 10 to 20 percent of the construction cost or $20,000 to $40,000. That would put the total tab between approximately $220,000 and $240,000.

Village staff acknowledged the cost increase, but said the original bid by Wilson Ware Group was unexpectedly low.  

Though the village had budgeted $200,000 for the wall in the current year’s budget, Scott said staff was shocked when the Wilson Ware Group bid came in below that number, including landscaping.

“We felt that that was terrific news,” Scott said. “Unfortunately we haven’t been able to move that forward with that contractor.”

Assistant village manager Darrell Langlois said the village will have to find an offset for the additional costs elsewhere in the budget.

The construction of the wall, Scott said, is expected to be completed this fall. The village hopes to have landscaping around the wall done next spring, with a bidding process for that work in the late winter or early spring.

Trustee Laura LaPlaca said that the current plan is “not perfect,” mentioning the cost increase, but supported it along with the rest of the trustees based on Burlington Park’s importance to the village.

She also said the timing, with Uniquely Thursdays and several other of the park’s summer events over, is actually better that if it had been done earlier this summer.

“If we can crank it up and get this done I think that would be preferable,” LaPlaca said.

Scott said construction could begin as early as next week.

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