Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with ELS Architects, Inc. for City Aquatic Center Schematic Design Services and Community Engagement through December 31, 2024, in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $503,687.50. (Recreation)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Aquatic Center (Center), located on the west side of Sweeney Park, will provide critical additional pool space to meet the increasing and unmet community needs for competitive and recreational aquatic programs. This agreement with ELS Architects, Inc. (ELS), in an amount not-to-exceed $503,687.50, will enable ELS to complete the community engagement process and design services through schematic design, which services were previously included in the Phase I Design/Build agreement with Blach Construction. Unrelated to ELS' work on the Center design, the City issued a stop work notice to Blach Construction on June 3, 2024 and this agreement will allow ELS to continue design work while a new Request for Proposal process for a design/build team is conducted and will limit the delays to the project timeline.
BACKGROUND
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 budget, City Council authorized funding for the Center conceptual design. In January and February 2020, the City of Alameda (City) held community workshops on pool design options and the input was incorporated into a final conceptual design. This design was recommended by the Recreation and Parks Commission on August 13, 2020. The project was paused, however, due to the pandemic, shifting priorities, and lack of funding sources.
On February 15, 2022, City Council heard options to fund aquatic facilities in Alameda, including the rebuild of the Emma Hood Swim Center at Alameda High School and construction of an Center on a City-owned site. City Council provided general direction to staff to further pursue possible funding mechanisms for both facili...
Click here for full text