Braidwood's long-discussed town center is finally moving from blueprint to backhoe. The City Council has approved a construction contract for the project, a major overhaul of city-owned property off Main Street, setting a completion deadline of June 1, 2027, for all work, including restoration and any remaining tasks.
The council's vote brought in a team of three firms to get the job done, according to Shaw Local: Naperville-based RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture, along with Ruben E. Smith Construction and R&R Inc. RVi had reviewed the bids, qualifications and references for all four companies that submitted proposals and recommended Ruben E. Smith Construction and R&R Inc. as the lowest qualified bidder, with a base bid of $1,280,456.75.
That bid beat out three competitors from an Oct. 7 bid opening. Hacienda Landscaping came in at $1,342,256, Innovation Landscape Inc. bid $1,489,457.86, and Landworks Limited submitted the highest offer at $1,686,753, per the same report.
A State Grant Covers Less Than Half the Bill
The project got a financial boost in January, when Braidwood received a $600,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant earmarked specifically for the town center's construction. But that money only goes so far: the grant covers $600,000 of construction expenses, which the Shaw Local report notes is less than 50% of the $1,280,456.75 base bid the city ultimately received.
The funding push dates back further than this month's vote. Last year, the city approved a measure allowing it to apply for the OSLAD grant, a move that passed with three commissioners in favor, one opposed and one abstention, according to an earlier Shaw Local report. That 2025 account described the state grant as requiring the city to match the $600,000 itself. The same coverage described pickleball courts as part of a planned second phase, while this month's amenities list folds a pickleball court in alongside the rest of the project.
What's Actually Getting Built
Once finished, the town center is slated to include a splash pad, gazebo, band shell and pickleball court, transforming the city-owned parcel into a gathering spot for Braidwood residents. Todd Lyons said the project would not have been possible without the grant and city staff's hard work, and added that the park will benefit the community and bring people together, the outlet's report notes.
Not Every Commissioner Is On Board
The contract vote wasn't unanimous. Commissioners Warren Wietting and Dale Walsh voted against it, saying the project is not a priority. Wietting and Walsh have said the town center is less needed than funding for infrastructure projects, a position that echoes Walsh's dissenting vote on the original grant application measure last year.
Despite the split vote, the city is pressing ahead. A groundbreaking celebration is set for 10 a.m. on Nov. 5 at Braidwood City Hall, 141 W. Main St., where the city plans to serve coffee and doughnuts to mark the occasion.
