Item:
Title
Capital Project Amendment No. 19CPA0000016 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 19BCC000043- Appropriating $225,760 of Debt Service Fund fund balance and transferring the funding to the Downtown Parking Deck(s) Capital Project and Authorize the Execution of Architectural Services Agreement with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting Ltd. for the Programming Phase of the Architectural Design Services for the Structured Parking at Two Downtown Sites (300 and 500 Blocks of East Main St.) Project No. 4730DC138
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: April 8, 2019
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve the Capital Project Amendment No. 19CPA000016 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 19BCC000043 appropriating $225,760 of Debt Service Fund fund balance and transferring it to the Downtown Parking Deck(s) Capital Project and to authorize the County Manager to enter into a contract with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Ltd. (Little) of Durham to provide architectural services for the programming phase of the Structured Parking at the (2) Downtown Sites, located at the 300 and 500 Block of East Main Street, Durham, in the amount of $215,760 plus reimbursable expenses in the amount of $10,000 thus totaling a not to exceed amount of $225,760 (See Attachment 1, Pages 1-19).
Durham County is seeking to re-develop two (2) County-owned sites just east of the downtown core. A contract was executed on June 29, 2017 with the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative (DFI) for a multi-phase pre-development process for the 300 and 500 blocks of East Main St. Over the past several months, DFI has held numerous meetings with the County and community stakeholders to develop draft Guiding Public Interests to facilitate a vision and preliminary programming scope for these two sites based on the input received during these listening and feedback sessions. The BOCC adopted conceptual Plan B which maximized affordable housing on the (2) downtown sites on November 13, 2018.
The structured parking projects are driven by the County’s need to provide additional parking for employees as well as patrons using County facilities and to provide parking support for the potential mixed used development project(s). The overall mixed-use project is expected to involve retail, residential, office/commercial, parking, and civic uses. A separate solicitation has recently been advertised seeking development partners for the commercial and residential components of the development which is outside of this scope of work. This approval is for the Programming and Space Needs Assessment only which will include an analysis of the County’s future parking needs based on trends in public transportation including the anticipated Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit System, coordination with the City of Durham’s Comprehensive Parking plan, evolutions in vehicular technology and expected employee population growth. Findings will be presented to County management and the Board of County Commissioners for input/approval. A separate approval will be required for design once the programming/parking space counts are defined.
This RFQ was specifically issued by the County for architectural services to refine the program and design of the structured parking components of the projects. The request for qualifications (RFQ) for architectural services for the project was advertised in local newspapers on January 19, 2019. One (1) response was received on February 19, 2019 and were evaluated by a selection committee representing the County Engineering Department. The firm of Little Architectural Consulting, Ltd. was determined to be the most qualified firm to provide design services for this project based on the evaluation and their experience with similar projects and the massing studies/conceptual work. Little is located within the American Tobacco Campus of Durham, NC. For M/WBE participation information (See Attachment 2, Page 1).
It is recommended that the County proceed with the work in the proposal dated March 25, 2019 in the total amount not to exceed $$225,760. Funding for this service is pending approval of the Capital Project Amendment in the Downtown Parking Deck Capital account.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This request aligns with Strategic Plan Goal #5 - (Accountable, Efficient and Visionary Government) - by providing a phased programming analysis to determine the overall parking needs for the development of these (2) downtown sites which will allow more efficient service delivery and better customer service through the development of these community resources.
Resource Persons: Jay Gibson, P.E., General Manager/Director of Engineering and Environmental Services; and Peri Manns, ASLA, LEED GA, Deputy Director of Engineering and Environmental Services; and Julie McLaurin, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Community Studio Principal, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting.
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board approve the Capital Project Amendment No. 19CPA000016 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 19BCC000043 appropriating $225,760 of Debt Service Fund fund balance and transferring the funding to the Downtown Parking Deck Capital Project and authorize the execution of an architectural service agreement with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Ltd. in the amount of $215,760 for the programming phase of the Structured Parking at (2) Downtown Sites plus reimbursable expenses in the amount $10,000 thus totaling a not to exceed amount of $225,760.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________