Title
SW 13th Street Bridge Design Competition (B)
Explanation
On August 20, 2007 the CRA Board authorized staff to pursue development of a design competition to address current aesthetics and linkage of the SW 13th Street pedestrian overpass. The overpass, located approximately at the junction of SW 13th Street and Archer Rd, presents itself as a unique redevelopment opportunity. It has the potential to serve as both a striking gateway feature into the CPUH Redevelopment Area and provide an important connection for multi-modal commuters traveling along the Depot Ave Rail-Trail. The competition is modeled after the City of Pittsburgh's West End Pedestrian Bridge Design Competition. It is structured as a hybrid design competition and RFQ process, intended to attract visionary design proposals and qualified professionals to re-design this important landmark.
The competition is comprised of two stages. The first stage is a hybrid open design competition and RFQ process. The second stage is a closed design competition.
Stage I - Open Competition
The open design competition is intended to attract engineers, architects, landscape architects, urban designers, planners, artists, industrial designers, students, and others to create concepts for the re-design of the pedestrian enclosure structure and access to the overpass. The top three design concepts submitted to the competition will be selected by a panel of jurors. These entrants will then be invited to participate in Stage II of the competition.
Stage I - Request for Qualifications
An RFQ will be released concurrently with the first stage of the competition to solicit professional consultants with experience in pedestrian bridge design. The purpose of the RFQ is to identify professional firms capable of providing engineering services to develop design concepts for Stage II of the design competition. A selection committee will convene to identify the top three respondents to the RFQ, and the selected firms will be invited to participate in Stage Two of the design competition.
Stage II - Closed Competition
The teams selected through Stage I of the Competition and the RFQ are invited to enter into Stage II of the design competition. Teams will be required to have a professional designer, capable of providing engineering solutions, before registration in Stage II is complete. These professional teams will then be awarded a stipend to further their design concepts into preliminary engineered solutions. Final submissions will be juried, and the team with the winning proposal will have the opportunity to enter into contract negotiations with the CRA to create construction drawings.
Fiscal Note
$507,852.00 has been budgeted in account 618-W735-W22. The CRA project number is CPUH-03-RP-2007.
Recommendation
Executive Director to the CRA: Hear a presentation from staff.