Consider Park Monuments' for The Draw - 2013 Parks Capital Improvement

On February 5th, 2013, the Park and Recreation Commission met with City Council in a joint work session for the purposes of a preview of the 2013 Parks Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Consensus was generally that most projects should move forward as discussed within the CIP document.

Subsequent to the joint meeting, Council met in work session to review the monuments or signs proposed by the Commission for The Draw, with revised, more accurate cost estimates.  The consensus outcome of that discussion was for Staff to proceed to obtain quotes and thus, the purpose of this case is to consider the quotes received.

 

In April, Staff issued an invitation to area sign companies to submit quotes for the two monuments proposed for The Draw; with those quotes being due on May 13th.

It should be noted herein, that due to the need to prepare a 'proof' for some of the materials used, and getting the project into the queue for production together with installation, the monuments would need to be ordered soon as possible to be in place before the concerts begin on June 20th. 

Attached to aid in the discussion:

• Invitation to sign vendors to submit quotes for the signs
• The COR sign design framework approved by City Council in December 2012
• COR sign plan
• The Draw Event Series schedule

The request for quotation was sent to the sign firms listed below:

Bob's Sign Company of Anoka
Extreme Graphics of Anoka
Gillette Signworks of Elk River
JDI Signs and Graphics Inc of Ramsey
Pillar Signs and Graphics of Ramsey
Archetype of Minneapolis
James The Sign Guy of Elk River
Mark Signs & Graphics of Ramsey

Of the eight firms the invitation was sent to, two were returned with no forwarding address; with one quote received from Archetype - and no communication from the other sign vendors.

Archetype's quote for the stone kiosk monument near the amphitheater was $35,400. The sign adjacent to Ramsey Boulevard was quoted as $21,900. That proposal is attached.

In speaking with Archetype's project manager, he stated that there was very good probability that the latter sign could be fabricated and installed by the June 20th first concert.  The Kasota Stone kiosk's fabrication and installation would be dependent on the stone cutting schedule associated with the quarry.  Archetype's representative stated that they would prioritize within their ability to meet the June 20th date, and there was some likelihood the kiosk would be substantially complete by the above date, (with no assurances however).

Alternatives to addressing park signage and wayfinding at The Draw would include approving one or both of the monuments proposed by the Park and Recreation Commission (or neither); or 'rethinking' the design or construction methods for either sign for economy.

The funding source is presently shown as (an earlier estimated) $20,000 within the 2013 Parks CIP from the Park Improvement Trust Fund.  It may be noted that this estimate was developed before the COR sign framework was adopted by the City late in 2012.  (The present balance of the Park Trust Fund is approximately $2,442,000.)

Staff supports the Park and Recreation Commission's recommendation for the two monuments; and recommends the installation of both in the amount represented by Archetype's proposal.

Motion to approve or not approve one or both of the monuments for The Draw based upon discussion.