First CityArchRiver Projects Approved
Date Posted: November 13, 2013
Posted In: News,
Great Rivers Greenway announced that its board voted unanimously to approve contracts for seven different firms that were awarded work by the District for the Central Riverfront portion of the CityArchRiver 2015 project. The selection of the contractors comes as Great Rivers Greenway, the City of St. Louis and the CityArchRiver 2015 Foundation prepare to break ground on the transformational project, with a public celebration taking place at noon on Thursday.
Approximately 45 firms submitted bids for work on 10 bid packages that make up the Central Riverfront project. BSI Constructors, which was selected in September to oversee construction management services on the project, worked with Great Rivers Greenway, the Federal Highway Administration and MoDOT to review the bids and determine which firms were most qualified based on their bid amounts. The work on the $33 million dollar project was split up into 10 project packages to encourage local companies to bid and to help keep the work in the region.
The contracts, which were worth more than $23 million in total, were awarded to seven different companies, all of which are located in the St. Louis area. Castle Contracting, which is located in downtown St. Louis, was chosen to oversee demolition and earthwork; while X-L Contracting, located in Hazelwood, will be responsible for asphalt paving, installing pavers and providing temporary flood protection. Wentzville-based LanDesign will be in charge of the landscaping around Leonor K. Sullivan; Goodwin Bros, which is located in Crystal City, will oversee work on the concrete, and Fenton-based Gerstner Electric will be responsible for the electrical work on the project. Arnold-based St. Louis Bridge Construction Company will install the metals and rails; Festus-based D&S Fence will be in charge of signage, and Pangea, which is located in South St. Louis City, will be responsible for sewers and plumbing work.
The awards come on the heels of outreach efforts undertaken by Great Rivers Greenway, CityArchRiver 2015 Foundation, MoDOT, the City of St. Louis and other project partners, in order to ensure that the bidding process was both proactive and inclusive of DBE firms and local businesses. A stakeholder meeting with supportive Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) organizations was held on Sept. 6, with more than 50 organizations and leaders focused on promoting skills, careers and capacity of DBE firms in attendance. A subsequent DBE networking event provided firms with the opportunity to network for collaborative bids on the project. All of the seven firms meet or exceed the goals for DBE participation in the project.
The Central Riverfront project, the second component of the CityArchRiver 2015 initiative to break ground, will improve the safety and accessibility of the Mississippi Riverfront and Gateway Arch grounds for visitors and residents. With the help of the selected contractors, Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd. will be transformed into an enhanced 1.5-mile-long corridor that will enhance the visitor experience. Work includes elevating Leonor K. Sullivan further out of the Mississippi River floodplain to help reduce flooding, providing a riverfront promenade, improving the streetscape by adding plantings and lighting and creating a separated bike lane and pedestrian walkway that will connect into Great Rivers Greenway’s system of trails, parks and greenways. The new connections will provide residents in the Metro East and St. Louis County with direct access to the Gateway Arch grounds.
The Central Riverfront project will be split up into two phases to maintain access to the existing riverfront tourist amenities, including the riverboats and helicopter rides. Phase I will include work from Choteau Ave. to the Grand Staircase and will be completed in fall of 2014. Phase II, which will include work to add accessible river walk pathways from the Arch to the Riverfront, will then begin in the fall of 2014 and will complete the work from the Grand Staircase to Biddle St. The Central Riverfront project will be completed in time for the Gateway Arch’s 50th anniversary celebration in fall 2015.
“We’re proud to be a part of this transformational project, and we are grateful to our partners for their help,” said Susan Trautman, Executive Director of Great Rivers Greenway. “This project will improve the quality of life for the entire region by promoting tourism, providing real transportation alternatives along the riverfront and connecting communities. We are thrilled these qualified firms were interested in helping us and CityArchRiver 2015 fulfill our mission, and we look forward to working with them.”
CityArchRiver 2015 will create a seamless park experience from the city to the Mississippi River. CityArchRiver 2015 is a public-private partnership including the National Park Service, the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Great Rivers Greenway District, the City of St. Louis, Bi-State Development Agency, CityArchRiver 2015 Foundation and many other organizations.
The Great Rivers Greenway District was created by a vote of the people in 2000 with the goal of making the St. Louis region a better place to live. The public organization is carrying this goal by creating community connections with the River Ring, an interconnected system of trails and greenways. The District also works to provide transportation alternatives, preserve nature, improve health and increase the economic vitality of the region. Great Rivers Greenway’s district includes St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County.