Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager, or Designee, to Execute an Agreement with Bjork Construction Company, Inc. for the Littlejohn Park Recreation Building Restoration Project, No. P.W. 11-21-39, in an Amount Not to Exceed $1,591,260; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2021-23 Capital Budget to Increase Revenues and Expenditures in the Littlejohn Park Recreation Center Rebuild Project (C55500) in the Amount of $1,877,686 Using $1,822,475 in Insurance Reimbursement and $55,211 in General Funds. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301(c) (Existing Facilities), 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction), and 15303 (New Construction of Small Structures). (Public Works 60641591)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Littlejohn Park Recreation Center, built in 1976, was impacted by an arson fire in April 2021. The resulting fire, smoke and water damages rendered the facility uninhabitable. The proposed Littlejohn Park Recreation Building Restoration project will fully restore the facility, increase accessibility, upgrade the mechanical systems and increase storage capacity. Funding for the construction will primarily be provided by the City of Alameda’s (City) insurance provider, however the City will fund the costs related to the storage upgrades, air filtration upgrades and Wi-Fi interconnectivity, in the amount of $55,211 from the General Fund. Staff recommends City Council award the proposed agreement to Bjork Construction Company, Inc. to perform the renovation, and adopt a resolution to amend the Capital Budget to provide funding.
BACKGROUND
The Littlejohn Recreation Center is located at 1401 Pacific Avenue in Littlejohn Park, a 3.5 acre park that provides picnic tables, benches, grass fields, a baseball field, basketball courts and fully inclusive children’s playground.
The single-story 1,300 square foot facility serves the Littlejohn Park and playground, as well as Ala Costa Center, who leased the facility to provide non-profit after school and summer programs for youth with developmental disabilities. Ala Costa is strongly interested in returning as a tenant to continue their successful programming.
On April 19, 2021 the Alameda Fire Department responded to a structure fire at the facility and extinguished the flames. The damage was significant. The roof structure and all of the interior wood framed members were damaged beyond salvation. The only structural elements to survive were the foundation and the exterior CMU (Concrete Masonry Unit) walls.
Staff has coordinated with the City’s insurance carrier to determine coverage, define the repair parameters and abate the damaged contents and materials.
Staff procured the services of an architect to design the restored building. During design, Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) identified the need to increase storage capacity at the facility, which was incorporated into the project scope. The proposed project includes a new roof design, with improved aesthetics and a more maintenance-friendly design relative to the former roof, new interior and exterior finishes, cabinets, counters and casework, new ceilings and light fixtures, kitchenette counters, sinks and appliances, toilet fixtures and accessories, exterior windows, doors and door hardware, as well as CA Building Code and ADA accessibility upgrades. Additionally, the gas-fired heating and ventilation unit will be replaced with an electric heat pump, making the facility now ‘all electric’.
The building loss and its contents were insured. Funding for the proposed contract will primarily be covered by the insurance carrier, though the City is responsible for the storage upgrades, the air filtration upgrades, and the Wi-Fi interconnectivity, at a cost of $55,211, as well as the $250,000 deductible, which was funded through a previous appropriation in Fiscal Year 2021-22 to the Littlejohn Park Recreation Center Rebuild Capital Project (C55500).
DISCUSSION
To solicit the maximum number of bids and most competitive price, plans and specifications were provided to 16 separate builders’ exchanges throughout the Bay Area. In addition, notices were placed on the City’s web page and published in the Alameda Sun on Thursday, October 13, 2022. After a bidding period of 3 weeks (21 days), three contractors submitted bids. The bids were opened on Thursday, November 3, 2022, with the following results:
|
Bidder |
Location |
$Base Bid |
|
G & G Builders, Inc. |
Livermore, CA |
$1,566,461 |
|
Bjork Construction Company, Inc. |
Fremont, CA |
$1,435,600 |
|
DC Construction |
Oakland, CA |
$1,299,939.92* |
*Bid Submittal deemed non-responsive as it did not include the three required Addendums issued during bidding period. Additionally, the bid did not include costs for the two bid alternates.
Public Works Staff contacted references provided by the lowest responsive bidder and received positive feedback on the ability of the company to meet the project requirements and the quality and timeliness of its work. Staff recommends executing an agreement with Bjork Construction Company, Inc. for a total amount of $1,591,260, which includes the base bid of $1,435,600, the costs of the two elective Bid Alternates at $11,000, and a 10% contingency of $144,660. The contractor is not guaranteed any of the contingency amount and the use of the contingency will be at the sole discretion of the Public Works Director for work not originally anticipated in the plans and specifications. The agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.
ALTERNATIVES
• Award the contract as presented.
• Adjust the work in the contract, consistent with requirements in the public contract.
• Do not award the contract and provide alternative direction to staff.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
As noted above, City Council previously allocated $250,000 from the General Liability Internal Service Fund to the Littlejohn Park Recreation Center Rebuild Project (C55500) to fund the insurance deductible associated with the April 19, 2021 fire event that occurred at the Littlejohn Park Recreation Center. Staff proposes, through the attached Budget Resolution, to amend the project budget to increase the revenues and expenditures in the amount of $1,822,475, for a total project budget of $2,127,686. With the exception of the $250,000 deductible, previously funded by the General Liability Internal Service Fund and the $55,211 for the previously stated facility upgrades funded by the General Fund, the remaining sum will be reimbursed by the City’s insurance carrier(s), Lloyd’s of London, Hallmark Insurance Co., and RSUI Group.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301(c) (Existing Facilities), 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction), and 15303 (New Construction of Small Structures).
CLIMATE IMPACT
The City’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) recommends electrification of new buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although this is not a ‘new’ facility, the restored building will abandon the existing gas meter and gas-fired heating and ventilation unit and install an electric heat pump for HVAC needs, making this an ‘all-electric’ facility.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement with Bjork Construction Company, Inc. for the Littlejohn Park Recreation Building Restoration project, No. P.W. 11-21-39, in a not to exceed amount of $1,591,260, including a ten percent contingency; and adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2022-23 C55500 Capital Budget to increase revenue to the amount of $2,072,475 and increase expenditures in the amount of $2,127,686 for a net $55,211 sum cost to the General Fund.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Vance, Acting Public Works Director
By,
Jack Dybas, Project Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret L. O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Construction Agreement
cc: Erin Smith, City Manager