H'm... ~28 pounds isn't too bad. $2500 is doable, though a bit more than I expected.
So how critical is suspension? Last weekend I did a ride on my steel cross bike with 32c's on a flat packed dirt road, with maybe 10 miles of big chunky gravel, some ruts etc. I didn't feel particularly beat up, but I did think the cross won't be sufficient for rougher roads. However, I'm not sure if ultimately that's due to a lack of suspension, geometry, or both.