Joliet City Council to Discuss Downtown Hotel

The Joliet City Council will be looking at a variety issues affecting the downtown area at Tuesday night’s regularly scheduled meeting. Item one on the agenda will be a vote on a resolution approving a development with City Center hospitality Inc. The plan is for that company to develop a Marriott Springhill Suites Hotel in Downtown Joliet at 65 N. Ottawa Street. Per the agreement to be voted on by the council the project would cost an estimated $17.4 million with the city to give $5 million in incentives. If approved the project could be completed by spring of 2021.

The second item for the council would be to reward a contract for the Joliet Multi-Modal Regional Transportation Center. The latest bid package for the project is for the construction of the new bus station and turnaround. Four bids were submitted with the city staff recommending the bid from Carlson Brothers Inc. in the amount of $9.2 million. The low bid by Carlson Brothers is approximately $16% higher then the engineer’s estimate of $7.9 million. The council will also receive an update from the Ad Hoc City Manager Search Committee which has narrowed down it’s choice in candidates to three individuals. A decision on that issue is expected to take place soon due to the impending retirement of Interim City Manager Steve Jones in March.