By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Saugatuck City Council took steps towards big-ticket Mt. Baldhead Park improvements Monday, hiring Fleis & Vandenbrink engineers for $26,800 towards building new restrooms at the foot of the dune and $24,600 towards replacing the deck on top.
Full construction costs are estimated at $160,000 for the restrooms and $330,000 for the deck.
The existing park restrooms “are in significant need of replacement,” said interim city manager Ryan Cummins. “C listed restroom repair as a desirable priority for the year, and this work is also on the city’s capital improvement plan.”
The Parks and Public Works Committee has reviewed and approved designs shown nearby for a brick structure housing two family bathrooms and a custodial room, each 61 square feet, on the existing restrooms’ footprint. The total building will measure 22’ x 12’8”.
Fleis will provide architectural and engineering design, bidding and construction administration services for the winning contractor.
The park’s observation platform is also “in significant need of replacement,” said Cummins. This work too has been cleared by the PPW committee and appears on the city’s capital improvement plan.
Fleis plans to complete restroom design work by June, permitting in July and bidding in August. Preconstruction will start in September and construction proper the next month, with the building ready by April 2025.
The engineer targets deck design to run from July through October this year, permitting in November and December, bidding in January-February 2025 and construction next spring.
Work should be substantially complete by Memorial Day, Fleis said.
