Title
Design and Construction of the One-Stop Homeless Assistance Center "GRACE Marketplace" (B)
This is a request for the City Commission to approve the Preliminary Site Plan and Floor Plan in the design of the GRACE Marketplace that will be located within the vicinity of 820 NW 53rd Avenue, Gainesville, Florida 32653.
Explanation
It is anticipated that on or about December 13, 2010 the City will enter into an agreement with Charles Perry Construction, Inc. ("CPC") for the Design-Build of the GRACE Marketplace. The approximate 13,020 SF Building, which is 1,000 SF larger than the Request For Proposals (RFP) requirement, will allow for the operation of a multi-purpose homeless assistance center that is to be located within the vicinity of 820 NW 53rd Ave. The center will be built to meet 120 MPH wind speeds and strive to achieve a United States Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED "Silver" level certification.
The conceptual design for the building was to comply with the design criteria set forth in the RFP, whereby the building's minimum requirements contained the following: 15 bedrooms that would house up to 60 residences (4 per room), a kitchen area that could serve a minimum of 500 meals per day, a dayroom, common areas, five offices, a laundry room, and additional support rooms necessary for the facility to become operational upon completion.
The Design-Build Team, which consists of Ponikvar & Associates, their consultants, and Charles Perry Construction, began the design process by holding three (3) charrettes to flush out "What Is" and "What Is Not" the GRACE Marketplace. Prior to the charrettes, invitations were sent out for participation by organizations that are currently involved in the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. Representatives from the following organizations/agencies participated in the discussion: Gainesville/Alachua County Office on Homelessness, Alachua County Housing Authority, and the Alachua County Poverty Reduction Program. The charrette process allowed attendees the opportunity to participate in the discussions, while the Design-Team made real time changes to the building site and floor plans, based on the discussions and feedback provided.
The first day of the Charrette was held on Tuesday, October 26, 2010, it was determined that the design of the kitchen had to occur first, whereby the rest of the building would take form from there. The Design-Build Team brought in a kitchen consultant, who began asking a lot of hard questions as to the types and quantities of meals that would be produced daily, while breaking down all of the equipment into individual components so that the Design-Build Team and attendees could understand that everything has to have a place if the kitchen is to run optimally upon completion. From the kitchen, the individual bedroom pods were created, while trying to maximize the usable space that would ultimately become the dining/multi-purpose room or the core of the building. From this point, the remaining pieces began to fall into place. Since the time the Design-Build Team was chosen, additional funding has been obtained to allow for the increase of four additional rooms, with two beds in each room, and the associated bathrooms to accommodate the additional tenants have been incorporated into the overall conceptual building design.
To gather additional information, the Design-Build Team scheduled a field trip to the Job Corp facility in Gainesville on October 28, 2010, whereby the intent was to establish a baseline of spatial needs and requirements that could be incorporated into the GRACE Marketplace on a smaller more economical scale now and in the future as additional funds became available. After the site visit and the incorporation of some critical components into the conceptual design, it was agreed upon by everyone involved that it would be great if on the last day of the charrette some very special visitors could join the charrette process. These special visitors included two prior homeless gentlemen, who were able to provide direct and insightful feedback based on their experiences at being homeless and what potential hurdles this facility would need to overcome in the design stage to ensure its success as a "One-Stop" facility in the fight against homelessness in the City of Gainesville.
To comply with Administrative Procedure No. 22A, two (2) neighborhood workshops were held to glean input from residents who are located within 400 feet of the future site, and from anyone else who attended the workshops. The workshops were held on November 17, 2010 and Deccember 1, 2010. The Design-Build Team presented the attendees the conceptual site and building plans. Upon completion of the presentation, the attendees were given the opportunity to ask questions and/or make comments about the designs.
Per the preliminary design, the City Commission will see the floor plan and associated site plan attempt to address every possible suggestion while attempting to balance a budget that has been a moving target for the last five years, while simultaneously working to achieve the LEED goals, and aggressively working to maintain the proposed development and construction schedules. In order to meet these deadlines and budget constraints, the Design-Build Team needs to submit a site plan to the City of Gainesville Planning Department before the 100% presentation to the City Commission. The preliminary design being presented to the City Commission is at or near the 30% design phase; therefore, staff is recommending the City Commission approve the preliminary design and waive the 30%, 60% and 100% construction document presentation to the City Commission. If approved, the waiver would allow the Design-Build Team to expedite the start of construction on the One-Stop Homeless Assistance Center.
Fiscal Note
City of Gainesville has identified funding for this project through a variety of sources including the City General Funds, Community Development Block Grant Funds, GRU Connect Free Program Funds, and Capital Improvement Revenue Bonds.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) approve the preliminary design and instruct the Design-Build Team to continue working on construction drawings; 2) waive the 30%, 60% and 100% construction document presentation to the City Commission; and 3) allow the Design-Build Team to submit the site plans to the City of Gainesville Planning Department.
Alternative Recommendation A: The City Commission: 1) approve the preliminary design and instruct the Design-Build Team to start construction drawings for review by the City Commission at 30%; and 2) allow the Design-Build Team to submit the site plans to the City of Gainesville Planning Department.