The Burr Ridge Board of Trustees voted Oct. 26 to reject all construction bids for a new Village Hall.

Every proposal exceeded the $8.5 million cost that Legat Architects had projected, according to the village's November Oak Leaf newsletter. Staff has been directed to develop an alternative plan and present it to the board at a future public meeting.

The lowest of 12 base bids was $13,796,996, submitted by Staalsen Construction of Chicago. That figure was confirmed by Consertus, the village's owner's representative, after bids were opened and read aloud Sept. 24 at the Burr Ridge Police Department. The highest bid, from Toro Construction, topped $17.1 million.

The $8.5 million architect's estimate excluded final stormwater requirements. The low bid exceeded that estimate by more than $5.2 million (calculated).

No bid came close.

Offices already relocated

Village administrative offices have moved to 451 Commerce Street. The mailing address remains 7700 County Line Road. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Board meetings will shift to the Police Department training room at 7700 County Line Road starting Monday, Nov. 9.

How the project got here

Mayor Gary Grasso outlined the project's history in an Oct. 20 statement posted to the village website. The village began evaluating the old Village Hall at 7660 County Line Road in 2023. A building study found renovation financially infeasible, and the board unanimously directed the building be sold. The village has since negotiated a $2.7 million sale to Goddard, with closing expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, according to the statement.

Staff reviewed more than 15 options for relocating Village Hall, including existing buildings and new construction. In 2024, the board selected an addition to the Police Department at 7700 County Line Road as the preferred option. Staff then began formal design with Legat Architects.

Before seeking bids, the village consulted the architects and confirmed the approximate $8.5 million construction cost, according to Grasso's statement. Work had been planned to begin in the first quarter of 2027.

What comes next

Grasso said in his statement that he does not believe proceeding at the low-bid price best serves the village and its taxpaying residents. The village "remains committed to developing a Village Hall commensurate with the community's status," he said, but "we cannot ignore the projected cost of the current project's scope."

Staff is developing an alternative plan for the board's review. No date for that presentation has been announced. Grasso's Oct. 20 statement called for the alternative plan within 30 days of the Oct. 26 meeting. The vote count was not included in the village's public communications.

The next Board of Trustees meeting is Monday, Nov. 9, at the Police Department training room, 7700 County Line Road.