Chicago to pay fired contractor $11 mil

The city of Chicago has agreed to pay a general contractor it fired during the construction of a park $11 million under a settlement reached by lawyers for both sides.

The city hired Harston/Schwendener as general contractor for the Millennium Park project. In 2000, officials fired the joint venture involving Westmont-based Paul H. Schwendener Inciroirated and Chicago-based G.M. Harston Construction amid mounting concerns about the project's cost and delays.

According to court records, Harston/Schwendener alleged the city owed it tens of millions of dollars in disputed fees.

Pending the City Council's approval of the March 4 agreement, the final price tag for the popular tourist attraction in downtown Chicago now would exceed $500 million.