Contractor selected for McGregor 1st and A Street Reconstruction Project
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
The McGregor City Council, at its Nov. 19 regular meeting, awarded a contract for the 1st and A Street Reconstruction Project to Tschiggfrie Excavating of Dubuque at a cost of $857,932.
Tschiggfrie was one of four contractors who bid on the project, which will include reconstruction of the brick streets around Triangle Park as well as replacing sidewalk, installing curb and gutter, improving drainage and upgrading underground utilities.
Work is slated to begin this spring and there is a substantial completion date of Aug. 30, according to project engineer Alex Jaromin from Davy Engineering.
“There are several components and clearances for this project that have been obtained,” Jaromin said, with both the State Revolving Fund (SRF) and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) announcing a finding of no significant impact. “There was a stipulation of having an archeological monitor during earthmoving activities, especially the first earthmoving activities. Once all the final restoration work starts, that’s not needed.”
The city of McGregor has been awarded a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which will cover a substantial portion of the project. Discussion has included utilizing tax increment financing (TIF) for the remaining amount.
Condo project discussed
At an upcoming meeting, the council will consider whether to approve a request from the Trilogy Project developers to extend their two-year deadline for completion of the first condo building in their development on the McGregor riverfront.
At a Nov. 10 meeting, the McGregor Planning and Zoning Commission recommended an amendment to the Trilogy Rezoning Agreement with an extension for the project, with the first condo building deadline being extended from late October 2026 to May 31, 2027.
City administrator Denise Schneider said Trilogy has not obtained all the necessary permits to begin work, pushing the start date back.
Added economic development director Brandi Crozier, “They did not realize how much engineering they were going to have to have in order to satisfy the agencies involved in the permitting.”
Along with the extension for the first building, Schneider said it’s likely Trilogy will also need an extension for completion of the public walkway and fishing pier. However, the five-year final completion deadline for the second condo building will remain the same.
“So it’s basically an extension on the first building,” she told the council.
Council member Jason Echard wondered what the consequences would be if Trilogy does not follow through if the extension is granted.
“We keep extending it,” he said. “We really don’t have any teeth.”
“I don’t know,” Schneider responded. “That’s a question for the attorney.”
Council member Janet Hallberg also suggested the Historic Preservation Commission, Pocket City Progress Committee and city council review building designs before construction begins, to assure the buildings will meet McGregor’s historic aesthetic.
“Because it’s such a focal point of the town, we don’t want some eyesore down there,” she said.
Crozier said she plans to collaborate with the developer and their architect on this topic, and will provide examples of similar building facades for consideration.
Schneider added that, if the restricted use agreement dates are changed and the plan shifts from seven units in each building to eight units in each building, the city “could also put caveats in there for HPC, economic development and city council to approve. Then city council would actually issue the building permit.”
No official action was taken at the meeting. With council go-ahead, Schneider will work with the city attorney to complete a revised rezoning and restricted use agreement with the units, a new deadline and provisions for approval of the building permit for consideration at an upcoming meeting. A public hearing and ordinance approval will be required to make changes.
