Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
Date:	March 2, 2011
RE:	Acceptance of Grant from Federal Railroad Administration/Kansas Department of Transportation to Fund Professional Architectural Services to Develop Final Plans for the Santa Fe Station

Please add the following item to the consent agenda for the March 8, 2011 City Commission:

Authorize the City of Lawrence to accept a grant from Federal Railroad Administration/Kansas Department of Transportation to Fund Professional Architectural Services to Develop Final Plans for the Santa Fe Station (BNSF Depot)

In August of 2010, the City Commission authorized staff to submit an application through the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) for a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant to perform professional architectural work and develop final construction plans for the Santa Fe Station.  The City was notified near the end of 2010 that the grant application was successful.  It now appears that KDOT and the FRA are ready to proceed with this project.  It would be appropriate for the City Commission to formally accept the grant and authorize the City Manager to sign any necessary paperwork regarding the project.

The grant was awarded in the amount of $87,563, or 77% of the project costs, which total $112,563.  The City committed a $25,000 match for the project.  The project would develop final architectural drawings and construction plans for the Santa Fe Station, which build upon the Historic Structures Report commissioned by the City and completed by Hernly Associates in the fall of 2009.  The final construction plans would provide for shelf-ready construction drawings for complete both phases of the rehabilitation work at the Station.  This would enable work to commence should the City receive a grant for any portion of the rehabilitation work.  Additionally, it should be noted that design costs are not eligible for funding under the Transportation Enhancement Grant funding, which is the most likely source of future funding for the rehabilitation work.  Thus, this grant provides 77% toward costs that would be the City’s responsibility if the City is successful with future TE grants and if the Commission wishes to proceed in that event. 

The City staff will be suggesting to KDOT and the FRA that Hernly Associates is the most qualified firm to complete these plans as Hernly Associates completed the Historic Structures Report and thereby has the most knowledge about the Station.  However, whether the City would be able to have Hernly complete this work or whether it would need to go through a competitive process is an issue that has not yet been fully resolved with KDOT/FRA.  

Recommendation:  Staff recommends that the City Commission authorize the City’s acceptance of the grant and authorize the City Manager to sign any necessary documents related to the grant project.