Building Costs Skyrocketing LG Council Finds

The La Grange City Council got a taste of the skyrocketing cost for construction at a meeting on Monday, Aug. 22. At the meeting, the Council awarded a $496,882 contract to remodel the restrooms at the Fairgrounds Softball Field and build a maintenance building with restrooms at the City Cemetery.

Gaeke Construction Company was the lowest of two bids for the project.The other bid from JB Locke Construction Company came in at $537,200. The project involves remodeling the Fairground Softball restrooms and concession stand to resemble the new restrooms at the White Rock Park ball fields. Gaeke’s bid for that part of the project was $194,618. The City built the new restrooms at White Rock Park in 2019 from the ground up for $282,100.

The other part of the project involves building a new 800 sq. ft. maintenance building at the City Cemetery. It will include a break room and interior restroom for City workers. In addition, the cemetery building will include a public restroom accessible from the exterior. Gaeke bid $302,264 for the cemetery building, a cost of nearly $378 per sq. ft.