City Council Meeting: November 13, 2007

Agenda Item: 8-E

To:                   Mayor and City Council 

From:              Craig Perkins, Director - Environmental and Public Works Management

Subject:          Approval of Design, Location and Design for an Exterior Elevator and Electric Room Addition to City Hall, Third Modification to the Existing Professional Services Agreement for the City Hall Seismic Retrofit Project and Approval of Contract Extension

 

 

Recommended Action

Staff recommends that the City Council:

1.      approve the location and design of the addition of an exterior elevator, an exterior electric room and creation of a new entry into the vacant jail in City Hall;

2.      authorize the City Manager to execute a third modification to Contract No. 8529 (CCS) with Black and Veatch, modifying the scope, schedule, cost and expanding architectural services for the design of the seismic retrofit of City Hall to March 31, 2008. The total modification is not to exceed $591,512 (including 10% contingency) for a new not to exceed amount of $1,902,401. 

 

 

 

 


Executive Summary

Resuming use of the vacant jail portion of City Hall for office space requires certain upgrades to meet current Accessibility guidelines, Fire and Building codes. The required upgrades would include a new elevator, a new entry door and electrical service. The placement of a new elevator presents the greatest challenge. The current elevator cab was determined to be a historically contributing element that should remain, along with at least one jail cell. The historic cab will be left in place on the first floor and one jail cell will be retained. However, the current shaft is too small to house a new accessible elevator cab.

 

This report presents Council the opportunity to provide input to the design of the elevator. Under the new process outlined on October 13, Council, as client, would have provided input prior to Landmarks Commission approval on October 8. Since this project is part of the Federally-funded City Hall Seismic retrofit project, the design of the elevator was already proceeding as a part of the larger project.  If Council wishes to modify the materials or finishes, the elevator may need further Landmarks Commission action, which would result in minor delays to the project, which must be completed by January 2009. A change to the location of the elevator would present additional challenges as its effect on the existing structure would need to be re-evaluated. Any extensions to the project completion date require Federal Emergency Management Agency approval. 

 

Staff, with input from Planning and Community Development and the City’s Historic consultant, considered exterior placement of the new elevator and electrical to provide maximum interior space for office use and to reduce cost. Several exterior placement options for a new elevator and electrical room were reviewed with the staff of Landmarks Commission and later the full Commission for recommendation. Attachment 1 provides the location and design of the proposed additions. FEMA has approved the use of seismic retrofit funds for this project.   

 

Discussion

Background

City Hall currently houses the main data center that serves all City facilities.  This data center and ISD offices must be relocated in preparation for the seismic retrofit project. The proposed new location for the data center and ISD offices is in the vacant jail in City Hall.  Conversion of the jail into the data center and offices requires addition of an exterior elevator, restrooms and a new main entry door.  Increased power requirements of the new data center and elevator create additional electrical demands that require a larger main electrical service to the building.  This new electrical service requires the addition of an exterior electrical room.

 

Seismic retrofit construction is required within the City’s existing main data center and cannot be executed without jeopardizing the data center computer systems.  Operational requirements of ISD require that their staff be located directly adjacent to the data center.  ISD staff can be accommodated by converting all three floors of the vacant jail into a new permanent data center and office space.

 

The vacant jail does not meet current Electrical or Accessibility codes. Current codes require that the City construct a new electrical room for the main electrical switch gear, and that the new offices in the vacant jail are served by a code compliant elevator and main entry to the area.  Addition of the electrical room is required to provide increased electrical service for the functional upgrades to City Hall.  Design of the electrical switch gear is currently being performed under a separate contract with another vendor.  Staff will return to Council for approval of the construction contract at a later date.

 

The current total estimated construction cost for the City Hall Seismic Retrofit Project is approximately $10.5 million.  Funds have been approved by FEMA for the additional design work by Black and Veatch, with the exception of funds for construction of the electrical room, which is ineligible under federal guidelines.

 

The locations of the new exterior elevator, electrical room and main entry door were selected through a process of reviewing all elevations of the jail area of the building, site logistics and layout of interior spaces.  These reviews were performed by City Architectural staff, City Planning staff and the City’s Historic consultant.  This process was presented in the October 8, 2007 Landmarks Commission Staff Report (Attachment 2).  Without these additions, any renovation of the jail area will not be in compliance with current codes. 

 

Council is requested to review and approve the location and design of the elevator and electrical room.  The design has been approved by the Landmarks Commission. Under the new process outlined at the October 13 workshop, Council would have received a concept design prior to Landmarks Commission approval. The elevator and related electrical room are designed to accommodate current needs and to easily be incorporated into any future uses behind City Hall. The addition as designed, is finished with smooth troweled stucco to match the existing smooth cast in place concrete and will be painted white to match City Hall. New rails will match the existing rails and new doors will match existing doors in color and design to the extent possible. Alternative locations for this addition have been investigated by city staff with the City’s Historic Consultant and have been found to be unacceptable for a number of reasons including effects to exterior historic materials and interior functionality. Material finishes of the addition can be revised, although using a heavier material such as precast concrete or stone cladding will require the existing structure to be re-evaulated for seismic retrofitting.

 

Previous Commission Actions

On October 8, 2007, the Landmarks Commission approved (with minor revisions) the design of the elevator/electrical room addition and the construction of the new entry door (Attachment 2).  Minor revisions include revisions to window glass color, paint color, stucco reveal pattern, continuation of separation between the new and existing building, and the revision of guard/hand rails.

 

Previous Council Actions

On May 24, 2007, City Council authorized the second modification to the Professional Services Agreement with Black and Veatch for design of the City Hall Seismic Retrofit Project. On April 25, 2006, City Council authorized the first modification to the Professional Services Agreement with Black and Veatch for design of the City Hall Seismic Retrofit Project. On November 22, 2005, City Council authorized the negotiation of a professional services agreement with Black and Veatch, Contract No. 8529 (CCS) for design of the City Hall Seismic Retrofit Project.

 

Contract Modifcation

A modification to the existing professional services agreement with Black and Veatch, Contract No. 8529 (CCS) in the amount of $591,512 is required for the increased scope of work.  This modification includes both additive and deductive scopes.  Services to be added to the existing scope include the creation of design and construction documents of the new ISD offices, an exterior elevator, an electric room, restrooms, and a new ISD office entry door.  Services to be deducted from the existing scope include portions of the as-built process (second modification), not completed due to unforeseen site conditions.  A three month extension of the project completion date is also required.  The modified agreement will now expire on March 31, 2008.  With this modification, the new agreement is not to exceed $1,902,401.  The modification to the existing agreement is funded by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds and General Funds.  FEMA has approved the use of seismic retrofit funds for this project.

 

Budget/Financial Impact

The total cost of the modification to the Black and Veatch contract for additional architectural services is $591,512.  A portion of the additive scope is design of the electric room, which is ineligible for FEMA grant funding.  Therefore, design of the new electric room will be funded with General Funds ($15,750). 

 

Funds in the amount of $575,762 are available in account E130748.555010, “City Hall Seismic Retrofit.”  Funds in the amount of $15,750 are available in account C010162.589000, “City Hall Expansion.” The total cost of the modified professional services agreement is not to exceed $1,902,401. 

 

Prepared by:

Alex Parry, Architect

 

 

Approved:

 

Forwarded to Council:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Perkins, Director - Environmental and Public Works Management

 

 

P. Lamont Ewell

City Manager

 

 

 

Attachment 1:                        Revised Project Plan

Attachment 2:                        Landmarks Commission Staff Report