Select Architect and Approve Process for Elmcrest Park’s Community Building

The Elmcrest Park building (and associated playground) has been in the city's Parks Capital Improvement Plan for many years, and is identified in the 2013 CIP, as an approximately $500,000 investment in the community park.  Of this referenced amount, about $75,000 is anticipated to be appropriated for the play structure (at a later time). 

The need for a building with restrooms, storage, concessions, shelter and meeting space, is in part evidenced by the expense Northern Lights Soccer (NLS) pays each time a tournament occurs at the park for the rental and set up of tents, generators etc.  The park is used April into October each year by Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association's NLS club and also by the general public and adjoining neighborhoods year-around. The park in any year serves thousands of individuals - all of which will benefit from the community building this project will deliver.

In addition to the playground aspect of the 2013 project there are other costs necessary (within the $500,000 project estimate) to develop a fully functioning park building at Elmcrest and are as follows:

While municipal water is within the park, connecting to this watermain will have a somewhat significant expense as a parking lot with curb and gutter will need to be crossed and replaced. This may be a minimum of $20,000.  Further, a solution will need to developed for the septic system, as municipal sanitary sewer is miles distant. The system design is yet to be determined, and thus the cost is unknown, but believed to be in the range of $10-20,000 dollars. 

Additional costs will be identified during the building's design phase associated with site improvements like sidewalks, landscaping and restoration.  These may be considered to represent $10-15,000 dollars.  All of the project expenses will be collated and brought back to City Council once the building design and cost estimate is developed.

The final generalized cost category (aside from the park building itself) is architectural services, and the subject of this case.

Architectural Design - Scope of Services
Architectural services will consist of three phases that will; 1) explore concepts and a schematic design process to meet the needs of stakeholders and end users, 2) project development to final design and the identification of the building's cost (estimate), and 3) the preparation of construction documents.

The above work plan is detailed in the Scope of Services proposal (attached) from Bissonnette Erickson Architects, LLC as a not-to-exceed cost of $22,500. The 4th phase of architectural services, Construction Administration, would be approved by City Council subsequent to this case (discussed below) when the design and construction documents are completed and the building cost estimate (or 'Guaranteed Maximum Price') is presented to Council. The proposal by Bissonnette Erickson identifies this figure at a not-to-exceed amount of $6,000.  

Selection Process
In terms of the selection process for an architect, staff is recommending Bissonnette Erickson for the following reasons:

• NLS  representatives and Staff independently 'discovered' two different park buildings in the metro that closely resembled the the building conceived for Elmcrest Park - both of these were in Eden Prairie's park system, and are community buildings serving their athletic associations.  Both structures happened to be designed by Del Erickson of Bissonette Erickson Architects, LLC. (See attachment entitled 'similar buildings'.)
   
• Staff feels the best value may be obtained by the selection of an architect that understands municipal park buildings and has worked with athletic associations and end users to develop a building that is highly functional and at the best cost for the city (construction and operating expenses).  After Eden Prairie's selection of Mr. Erickson for their first building project, they retained him for 5 more building projects (3 buildings, 3 shelters, from 2000 to 2007). Eden Prairie's staff responsible for each of these projects reported zero difficulties or budgetary concerns relating to architectural services - nor concerns about the use and functionality (design) of the structures after construction.
   
• In reviewing established rates for architects, Staff finds that fees (on the low end) are generally 8.5 to 9.5 percent of the buildings' constructed cost.  Bissonette Erickson Architects' fee proposal represents an 8 to 8.5 percent cost based upon an estimated construction budget of $350,000 (for all three phases mentioned above at $20,000 - 22,500, plus Bidding and Construction Administration at an estimated, additional cost of $6,000 - which is also discussed below in terms of an alternative process associated with this larger project).

Timeline: Design, Plans and Specs, Construction Process Approach
A key component of the design for Elmcrest Park's community building is the Schematic Design process (Phase I), where Staff and ARAA, NLS and others carefully review the all the alternatives and concepts for the building, leading up to successful final design.  At the end of the Design Development process (Phase II) and the beginning of preparation of Construction Documents (Phase III), Staff would intend on inviting an established and reputable general contractor, specializing in park buildings to review and critique the plans and specifications at the 75% completion stage.  This is useful for a number of reasons, including to;

1.  Check for constructibility,
2.  Identify opportunities to modify construction methods and materials for economy,
3.  And as another 'set of eyes' to evaluate functionality and the practicability of what is being proposed for this public building. 

Following the above exercise and resultant modifications to the design and specifications, the general contractor would then be invited to develop a 'Guaranteed Maximum Price' for the project with he/she as the general contractor.  This is known as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) approach to constructing public buildings (versus the more traditional 'Design, Bid, Build' approach). 

At the time the Guaranteed Maximum Price is available, the community building project for Elmcrest Park would return to City Council with the plans and specs completed, with the option of moving forward under the CMAR process knowing precisely what the park building will cost, and with no change orders, (unless there would be catastrophic failure on both the part of the architect and staff in some unforeseen manner).  Or, in the alternative, Council may choose to proceed with traditional Advertising For Bid (though while having an estimate, not knowing what the building will cost).

While this case only approves the selection of the architect for Elmcrest's Park building and the associated processes, and not how the city will receive the final bid for the construction, it may be useful to point out one more value, (among several), in the proposed Construction Manager at Risk approach for this project.  If Council chooses this method for project delivery, the city would require that the Construction Manager host a pre-bid conference (together with Staff), wherein all qualified Ramsey businesses would be invited to attend and bid as subcontractors for the building's construction.  This benefits all concerned by: 

• Maximizing the potential for Ramsey businesses to receive the subcontracts, thereby cycling more money within the local economy.
• Providing Ramsey businesses the opportunity to donate tax-deductible services, thus making their bids even more competitive, and therefore more likely to be the low bidder (for that trade).
• Encouraging a lower overall construction cost for Elmcrest Park's community building, by a special, methodical process inviting those contractors to submit bids that can be the most competitive - businesses that are in the community and have lower mobilization and daily transportation costs.
• Encourage the establishment of more business to business relationships within Ramsey.
• Increase the likelihood of a truly 'community built' building within the community park.

Staff is mindful of the recent policy and general direction to issue RFP's for services whenever feasible - (though only statutorily required when professional services are anticipated to exceed $100,000).

Staff however believes the negotiated proposal presented herein is in the city's best interest based upon the reasons discussed above under 'Selection Process'. 

Further, given limited staff time resources, it is noted that the preparation of an RFP and the associated processes and administration thereafter would not be without real costs to the city; and also, given that any such RFP would be developed to target a local architect specializing in the services required, and with experience in community buildings this project entails - that the end result, or successful proposer, may very likely be the same as presented.  (Staff would also note that Bissonnette Erickson has agreed to perform the services for the not-to-exceed cost originally negotiated in June of 2012.)

Therefore, it is Staff's recommendation to approve entering into a contract with Bissonnette Erickson Architects, LLC for architectural services for design and construction documents for the community building at Elmcrest Park in a not-to-exceed amount of $22,500. (With the contract to be amended at a later time for Construction Administration in a not-to-exceed amount of $6,000 if City Council approves the project for construction.)

A sample American Institute of Architects' contract between owner and architect is attached.

The funding source for architectural services would be up to $22,500 (with an additional $6,000 to be approved at a subsequent date for Construction Administration) from the Park Trust Fund which has a present balance of approximately $2,442,000.

Additionally, the Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association has committed $40,000 to the building project that would be donated toward the Park Trust Fund upon City Council's approval of the community building's construction.

Motion to authorize the City Administrator to enter into a contract with Bissonnette Erickson Architects, LLC for architectural services for design and construction documents for the community building at Elmcrest Park in a not-to-exceed amount of $22,500.