The new riverside Boardwalk Grille has an official construction delay from the Orange City Council and City Economic Development Corporation.
Restaurant owner Jake LeMoine, under an EDC contract, was supposed to start construction by February 1. But on Tuesday, he told the EDC board wet weather and other circumstances have caused a delay.
The EDC board agreed to set a new deadline of May 1 to begin building and a November 1 date for completion.
The city’s EDC is giving LeMoine a grant of up to $200,000 for infrastructure like foundation, water and sewer, and other utilties. The new restaurant will be built along the Sabine River boardwalk on land owned by the city. The city is leasing the land for $100 a year with an option to buy after 10 years.
LeMoine currently has the Boardwalk Grille in the old Southern Printers Building on Fifth Street, across from where the new restaurant will be constructed.
The restaurant wasn’t the only project needed extra time for the high number of rain days in 2018.
The council agreed to add 271 calendar days to a contract with Allco construction projects with the city.
In addition, the council agreed to add 19 calendar days to a contract with Gulf Coast Oldcastle for repaving Sunset Drive. Public Works Director Jim Wolf said weather played a factor in the delays plus the discovery of a Centerpoint Energy natural gas line in the roadway. He said Centerpoint had to get a contractor to move the gas line and that work was also delayed by rainy weather.
The contracts with the city had completion dates, which can be negotiated because of bad weather that delays work.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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