Title
SW 5th Ave. Porters Community Project (B)
Explanation
In September 2013, the CRA Board was presented with and approved four initiatives in the Downtown Redevelopment District. Porter's Neighborhood was among those initiatives where SW 5th Avenue was recognized as a primary corridor running east-west through the Porters Community. SW 5th Avenue connects the Porters Community to many existing and developing amenities like Depot Park, the Power District, S. Main Street, Haisley Lynch Park, the Innovation District, the 6th Street Rail Trail, Tumblin Creek Park, the SW 5th Avenue Triangle Park, and the University of Florida.
The SW 5th Avenue corridor is mainly occupied by single family / multiple family residential dwellings. While the corridor is heavily used by pedestrians both in and around the area, there is a lack of pedestrian amenities making the corridor difficult to traverse safely. To respond to the need for pedestrian amenity and public safety, in December 2013 the CRA hired Daren Land Surveyors, Inc. to conduct a survey of the SW 5th Avenue corridor from SW 6th Street to S Main Street. The survey unveiled an opportunity for a sidewalk along the north side of the corridor where ample right-of-way exists. Further analysis of the corridor revealed a lack of ADA compliance in the existing hardscape throughout the corridor.
Following the completion of the survey and an internal analysis of the corridors existing conditions, the CRA hosted a community meeting in February 2014 to gather feedback from members of the Porters Community regarding the SW 5th Avenue corridor and the Porters Neighborhood. At that meeting, the attendees were asked a series of questions and were requested to complete a questionnaire. The responses received revealed the following:
The majority of those who attended the meeting and participated in the questionnaire frequently drive through SW 5th Avenue, via automobile, to get to their destinations. They felt that SW 5th Avenue is a safe corridor, but uncomfortable to walk due to the lack of sidewalks. The majority of the participants also believed that the installation of a gateway feature at the SW 5th Avenue intersections of S. Main Street and SW 6th Street would be a strategic way of announcing the entrances into the Porters neighborhood.
In response to community feedback, in June 2014, the CRA hired EDA Engineers Surveyors Planners Inc. to design construction documents for the construction of a proposed sidewalk and associated improvements along the north side of SW 5th Avenue (between SW 6th Street and S Main Street). The project scope includes a sidewalk design along the northern edge of the roadway, upgrades to existing ramps ensuring ADA compliance, and the exploration of gateway features to enhance and announce the east and west entrances into the Porters Community. The project will improve the walkability throughout this corridor and create a physical link to surrounding public amenities. These documents received 60%, 90%, and 100% reviews from the various city permitting agencies.
On January 28, 2015, the CRA hosted an Information Session for the homeowners along the north side of the SW 5th Avenue corridor to unveil and discuss the 60% project design. At the homeowners meeting, the CRA gathered input and feedback from the homeowners who will be directly impacted by the project. A homeowner's packet was assembled for each homeowner along the northern edge of the corridor containing information about the project and what they should expect during construction of the project. Each packet was distributed to the attending homeowners and those who were unable to attend the meeting have since received their packet either in person or by mail.
On February 18, 2015, the CRA hosted a Community-Wide Information Session to unveil and discuss the 90% project design. A Project Look-Book was created in-house and distributed to each community member who attended the meeting. The Project Look-Book is a graphic representation of the project allowing each member of the community to visualize the project and provide feedback to the CRA staff.
Following the above mentioned information sessions, the CRA engaged The Brentwood Company to request a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) proposal for the construction of the SW 5th Avenue Porters Community Project. The Brentwood Company has an existing continuing services contract for construction management services for the CRA.
The GMP submitted by The Brentwood Company for the construction of the SW 5th Avenue Porters Community Project is for the amount of $210,665.98. Project construction is expected to take approximately 60 days with minimal impacts to corridor traffic.
Fiscal Note
This project is fully funded
Recommendation:
CRA Executive Director to the CRA Board: 1). Direct CRA Staff to proceed with 100% Construction & Bid Document development; and 2). Approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for project construction in the amount of $210,665.98 and authorize the CRA Executive Director to execute the appropriate documents, subject to approval by the CRA Attorney and to legal form and content.