The city of Joliet will spend more than $1 million on the Ottawa Street parking deck to retrofit sections to serve the new City Square.

The City Council voted 6-2 for the $1.02 million contract with some opposition from a councilman who said it’s an unexpected added expense to the downtown City Square project.

“This has gotten out of budget,” Councilman Larry Hug said.

Public Works Director Greg Ruddy said the the city always had planned to retrofit the deck for electrical service, storage space and other areas that will serve the City Square.

“It was budgeted,” Ruddy told the council.

The deck is located next to the square, which is still under construction and slated to open in April.

The $1.03 million contract approved by the City Council on Tuesday will not be used to improve parking in the garage.

Instead, it will be used to create an electrical room, IT room, equipment garage, and storage rooms within the deck, as well as adding a salt storage shed outside.

Hug was joined by Councilwoman Jan Quillman in voting against the contract with Staalsen Construction, the lowest of four bidders on the project.

Mayor Terry D’Arcy was not at the meeting. All other council members voted for the parking deck contract.

The cost of construction of the City Square along with Chicago Street improvements was set at $22 million in November after a second change order for the project was approved. The original estimate for the project was $20.1 million.