City expands project to attract developers

$1.7 million in improvements to North 32nd St. fast-tracked

by Marianne Gasaway

The Clear Lake City Council bought into the “build it and they will come” philosophy Monday night in a big way.  The group voted unanimously to spend an estimated $1.7 million to fund the first two phases of improvements to North 32nd Street.

In December 2017 the Council approved a professional services agreement with Veenstra & Kimm, of Mason City, for engineering services related to the reconstruction of North 32nd Street, which intersects Highway 122 at the new Kwik Star corner.  At Monday’s regular Council meeting, Flory asked the Council to amend that agreement to include services for an additional 950-feet of street and infrastructure improvements.  In total, the work approved by the Council will extend approximately 1,850 feet north of Highway 122.  Street lighting has also been added to the project scope, along with special assessment services.  The additional costs can also be attributed to the need to improve storm sewer lines and extend them across the highway.

The estimated cost of construction has increased from just over $500,000 for phase one, to $1.7 million for phases one and two to be done at once.

Flory likened the project area to the city’s expansion in its Industrial Park in recent years.  Expanded paving, including 12th Avenue South, sparked Titan Pro to locate in the area, followed by other smaller firms and finally McKesson, a Fortune 100 company.

Interest in the northwest portion of property along North 32nd Street is high, said Flory.

“If we want economic development, it’s not going to be with gravel (road) and no infrastructure,” said Flory.  “Proactive is how you land a project.  Reactive is not.”

Five property owners will be affected by special assessments for the work.  Four of the properties on the west side of North

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember][wlm_ismember]

32nd Street are identified by Cerro Gordo County as owned by Hall Industries, of Sheffield, under the LLC TD Fuel.  Four properties on the east side of the road will also be assessed for the improvements.

The project schedule calls for bid letting to be held on Feb. 28 and the consideration of an award of contract on March 4.  A projected early start date for construction is April 4, with a completion date of Oct. 31.

Flory noted the city should realize economies of scale by combining the first two phases of the project and is hopeful the $1.7 estimated cost can be reduced.

“It’s not a matter of if, but when,” Flory told the Council about development occurring in the area.  “Clearly it’s a property that’s being actively and aggressively marketed.”

Other business

In other business Monday, the Council set the date for a public hearing a bid letting for its 2019 Sanitary Sewer and Storm Sewer Trunk Line Improvement Project.  The work includes replacing the existing 12 and 10-inch sanitary sewer main that extends from 4th Avenue South to South 15th Street, north and west through public works property to 13th Street and ultimately to Main Avenue, which is a location where the City has had to bypass pump several times.  The new sanitary sewer main will be 18-inches in diameter.

The estimated cost of construction is approximately $920,000.

Bid letting will be conducted Jan. 31, with consideration of bids and award of contract at the Council’s Feb. 4 meeting.  The work is slated to being April 8, with a final completion date of Sept. 20.

Bid letting will be held on Feb. 14 for improvements to four city-owned parking lots.  A contract is expected to be awarded at the Feb. 18 Council meeting.  Two of the lots— located adjacent to the police department and library, will be completed prior to the July 4 holiday. The remaining two— at the Senior Center and City Hall, will be done after the holiday.  The project is being bid with hot-asphalt mix as one bid alternate, as well as PCC paving as another bid alternate.  The parking lots at City Hall and the Senior Center would also include permeable pavers as a storm water quality improvement enhancement.  The estimate for the asphalt option is $424,000; the concrete alternate bid is estimated at $681,330.  The city is investigating possible grant money available for use of the permeable pavers.

[/wlm_ismember]