City defends spike in Pelissier parking garage costs, lowers estimate

City staff thoroughly defend the rising cost to convert the PelissierStreet parking garage in a new report that also gives a new reduced price estimate.

Councillors and downtown business owners were angry last week when the lowest bid on the project came in at $888,000, a significant jump from the $507,000 originally estimated by city staff.

• Cost to convert Pelissier parking garage skyrockets to $888K

The latest report, which will be discussed at Tuesday night's council meeting, indicatescosts increased because of rising construction costs, additional aesthetic features anda tighter deadline to have the work done to accommodate the new University of Windsor downtown campuses.

Staff have since met with the lowest bidder, ElmaraConstruction Co. Limited, and found ways to whittle the cost down to $723,500.

The city saved $30,000 by extending the completion deadline from 60 days to 75 and another $130,000 by eliminating one of the aesthetic options ofsandblasting the underside concrete deck, walls and columns. In total, the the tender price was reduced by $154,500.