The Town of Normal approved funding for a bell tower to be restored on the grounds of Broadview Mansion.
The project includes work that will reduce the amount of water getting into the tower, repair masonry on the parapet, replace brick mortar and improve ventilation.
City Manager Pam Reece said The Van Leer mansion, which used to be called Broadview Mansion, was built between 1904 and 1906 and is an amazing asset to the community.
“We are excited that we get to partner with the Immanuel Bible Foundation to maintain this asset and invest in it,” said Reece.
At a council meeting, Councilmember Kathleen Lorenz raised questions regarding the difference in the prices bid between bidders.
“We had three bidders on this project,” Reece said. One was the low bid of Garneau Construction which is what we recommended. The two other bidders were significantly higher. We are excited that Garneau has given us such a good bid on the project. Their bid has been reviewed by Scharnett Associates, the architect on this team.”
According to Reece, Garneau is using “different means and methods” to get the work done.
Reece anticipates that will allow Garneau to be more efficient and get the job done quicker resulting in savings in the cost of the project.
Garneau won the job with a lower bid of $144,180. Otto Baum bid $599,365 and River City $695,505. Garneau’s bid was $455,185 less than Baum’s.
Bloomington architect Phil Hooten designed the 110-foot-high tower in a Northern Italian Romanesque style. B.C.
Van Leer passed away in 1933 and his wife Margaret had the tower constructed as a memorial to her husband.
The tower was formally dedicated on Sunday, Sept. 29, 1940.