Naperville seeking bids for Moser Tower repairs

The sound of the Millennium Carillon could be temporarily silenced this summer as Naperville prepares for structural repairs to the iconic bell tower.

The city is seeking construction bids to fix various problems discovered with the Moser Tower, including cracked concrete, corroded structural steel and post-tension stress pockets, said Bill Novack, director of transportation, engineering and development.

Upgrades also are expected to encompass landscaping, waterproofing and renovations to the base floor to ensure the structure drains properly, he said.

The Naperville Park District has canceled programs, halted tours and closed the 160-foot-tall tower and visitor center for the 2021 season in anticipation of the work, which Novack said is likely to start the second half of June and extend into the fall. Weekly Carillon concerts - held at noon on Saturdays and 3 or 4 p.m. on Sundays - will continue until construction begins, park district officials said.

But the city council will first have to approve a deal with a contractor for the repairs, which could cost between $1.5 million and $2 million, Novack said. That includes the replacement of a deteriorating beam and other improvements to a section of a walkway along Eagle Street.

The future of the roughly $7 million tower was called into question after the cracked concrete, erosion and other issues were discovered in 2015. A report on the condition of the structure, built between 1999 and 2007, showed it was "aging faster than we think it should be," Novack said. "It was a little alarming."

City staff members and Riverwalk commissioners left no stone unturned as they evaluated their options for the tower, Novack said, which included fixing it in phases, completing repairs all at once, enclosing the lower portion in glass and - the most controversial idea - tearing it down.

But subsequent testing showed the tower poses no immediate threat and is not in danger of collapsing, and city leaders deemed it worth repairing. The commission recommended taking steps toward fixing the structure in one phase this year to ensure it could be adequately maintained for years to come.

City officials have spent the last year preparing construction plans, Novack said. He expects a proposal to be ready for council review at its June 1 meeting, after bids are opened mid-May.