Item:
Title
Execution of the Public Art Agreement with David Wilson for the Fabrication/Installation of the Public Art at the Administrative Building II Renovation (former Judicial Building) Project No.: DC073
Body
Date Of BOCC Meeting: March 12, 2018
Request For Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is hereby requested to authorize the County Manager to enter into a contract with David Wilson for the fabrication and installation of the Public Art at the Administrative Building II Renovation (former Judicial Building) located at 201 E. Main St. in the amount not to exceed $60,500.00 (See Attachment 1, page 1).
Background:
On August 18, 2016, the Site Plan for the project was approved which included language from the City-County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) related to Public Art. This section of the UDO requires all building and building renovation projects designated as “monumental projects” shall provide “a minimum of one element of (public) interest (i.e. fountain, art, clock, etc.) …”. As this was the first DCo building downtown so designated via the UDO, County staff began the process of recruiting an artist for the project. Assistance and input were sought from Chris Ogden of the Durham Arts Council, following which a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) for Public Art was advertised by the County on October 14, 2016. Only one (1) response was received on November 15, 2016, from the art/design team of Wilson and Utley. In an attempt to solicit more interest and gain additional responses to this RFQ, the selection committee revised the RFQ. This revised RFQ was advertised on March 3, 2017. Only one (1) response was received on April 4, 2017 in response to this revised RFQ, again from the team of Wilson and Utley. The selection committee evaluated the response, interviewed the team and agreed to enter into a contract with the Wilson & Utley firm for the Public Art design based on the body of work highlighted by the firm during the evaluation and interview process.
Following this selection, Durham County authorized Wilson & Utley to proceed with development of the design concept phase referenced in the RFQ. On June 21, 2017, the Public Art Committee received a design concept presentation from Wilson and Utley and voted unanimously to approve the concept (See Attachment 1, pages 2 & 3). Durham County then executed a design contract with Wilson and Utley on July 18, 2017 to begin the conceptual design/preliminary activities associated with the development of the approved public art. Subsequently, a presentation on the final concept was made to the BoCC by the Wilson & Utley team at the December 2017 worksession. Following feedback from the BoCC, along with further technical input related to the scale and anchorage of the art, certain minor revisions were made that preserve the integrity of the approved concept while improving integration of the proposed art into the site design.
The Judicial Building renovation project is currently well-underway and is scheduled for substantial completion in the early Summer of 2018, with occupancy by the County in late Summer/early Fall 2018. The execution of this Public Art contract contemplated by this AAF is required in order to allow the fabrication/installation of the Public Art. The UDO requires that the Public Art be installed prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the building. M/WBE information is contained within Attachment 1, on page 4. Funding for this contract is available in the Durham County Administrative Building II Renovation (Judicial Building Renovation) account.
Alignment With Strategic Plan: This aligns with Goal 4 - Environmental Stewardship - through the improvement of the environmental performance of County buildings to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment. The relocation of various departments into this facility also addresses Goal 5 - Visionary Government by providing more efficient service delivery and better customer service.
Resource Persons: Jay Gibson, P.E., General Manager, Peri Manns, ASLA, LEED GA, Deputy Director of Engineering and Environmental Services, Brenda Hayes, Bright, Assoc. AIA, CDT, Project Manager and David Wilson, Wilson and Utley
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board authorize the execution of a Public Art Agreement with David Wilson for the fabrication/installation of Public Art at the Administrative Building II Renovation (former Judicial Building) located at 201 E. Main St., Durham North Carolina in the amount not to exceed $60,500.00 as outlined in the proposal dated February 19, 2018.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________