Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

 

FROM:

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

 

CC:

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

 

Date:

 

August 13, 2009

RE:

Request to Commence Negotiations with Hernly Associates, Inc., regarding the BNSF Depot building assessment and improvement report

 

Please place the following item on the August 18, 2009 City Commission consent agenda:

 

Authorize City Staff to begin negotiations on a scope and fee to complete the building analysis and proposed improvement report for the BNSF Depot. 

 

Background:

As the City Commission is aware, the City is currently in negotiations with BNSF regarding the acquisition of the BNSF depot located on 7th Street.  It is anticipated, but not guaranteed, that the City will be able to complete this acquisition around the end of this year.  Finalization of the transaction requires a bill of sale for the building, a land lease, and a lease between the City and BNSF for BNSF’s continued use of the building. 

 

Once the City has acquired the depot, there appears to be interest in applying for federal grants to facilitate its historic restoration.  The Transportation Enhancement grant program, administered through the Kansas Department of Transportation, has been the source of grant assistance for many depot projects throughout Kansas.  The grant program offers up to eighty percent (80%) funding of a project.  It appears that the next grant round will open later this year with applications due at the end of this year.  Grant recipients are anticipated to be notified in late spring 2010.

 

In order to make application, the City will need to submit sound cost estimates for restoration work.  A full analysis of the depot has not been undertaken.  The RFQ envisions hiring an architecture firm to undertake an analysis of the structure and prepare a restoration report to include phasing and cost estimates.  If the grant is received, the City could authorize the architect to proceed with the second phase of the project, which is the development of detailed plans to complete the restoration work. 

 

Staff believes that it is important to begin the architectural report work now.  If a firm is hired soon, a report could be delivered in time to meet the December grant deadline.  Otherwise, the City would need to wait until the next grant window. 

 

The City Commission authorized an issuance of a Request for Qualifications for the architectural services on July 7.  Proposals were due on July 31.  A total of fifteen (15) firms submitted proposals for consideration. A selection committee consisting of Carey Maynard-Moody from Depot Redux; Lynne Braddock Zollner, Historic Resources Planner; Steve Bennett, Building and Structures Manager; and Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager, reviewed the proposals and narrowed the initial field to four (4) firms to interview. The selection committee was very pleased with the quality of the proposals received for this project.

 

Next Steps:

Interviews were held with the four (4) finalist firms on August 12, 2009.  The selection committee recommends that the City Commission authorize negotiations commence on scope and fee with the firm of Hernly Associates, Inc. of Lawrence.  The selection committee believes that the Hernly team demonstrated clearly, through like experience, the necessary historic structures report, the prioritization and associated cost estimates for restoration work, experience with like mid-century modern buildings, and understanding of the active rail connection and depot use, and clearly provided an example of how the team could meet the schedule of having a report due in November. 

 

If the City Commission grants authority to begin negotiations, the selection committee proposes to have a contract back before the City Commission for consideration by approximately September 1.  This would enable the firm to have approximately two months to complete the report. 

 

Requested Action:

Authorize staff to begin negotiations on scope and fee with Hernly Associates, Inc. for the Phase 1 BNSF Depot report, if appropriate.