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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2c - Downtown City Parking Lot and Pedestrian Access Improvement Project DATE: May 16, 2017 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Philip A. Wray, Deputy Director of Development Services/City Engineer SUBJECT: REJECT ALL BIDS FOR THE DOWNTOWN CITY PARKING LOT AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND DIRECT STAFF TO SEPARATE OUT AND RE-BID THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY In 2012, the City undertook a study of the parking supply and demand in Downtown Arcadia. One of the recommendations from the study was to consider expanding and reconfiguring the City-owned parking lot at the easterly terminus of Wheeler Avenue, incorporating the Indiana Street right-of-way, to gain more parking spaces. In addition, the City reviewed various pedestrian access issues throughout the Downtown and incorporated improvements into a combined bid package. Kreuzer Consulting Group (“KCG”) was retained to prepare the design for the project and construction plans and specifications were completed and advertised for bids in January 2017. Five (5) bids were received on February 23, 2017, with the low bid being from Sully-Miller Contracting Company in the amount of $514,226.55. Concurrent with the bidding process, the property owners of the properties directly west and southwest of the easterly parking lot approached the City with a plan to assemble their lots and explore redevelopment possibilities. Because development of these properties could have an impact on the existing and proposed parking lot layout, it is recommended that the City’s parking lot project be placed on hold until development plans are known. However, the plans for the Pedestrian Access could proceed. It is recommended that the City Council reject all bids for the Downtown City Parking Lot and Pedestrian Access Improvement Project, and direct staff to separate out and rebid the Pedestrian Access Improvement portion. Reject All Bids - Parking Lot 1B & Pedestrian Access Improvements May 16, 2017 Page 2 of 4 BACKGROUND The City of Arcadia owns three (3) parking lots within Downtown Arcadia. The three parking lots are shown on Attachment No. 1. These lots are intended to provide public parking to supplement downtown businesses. Five years ago, the City undertook a study to inventory all parking in Downtown Arcadia, and survey the use of spaces to compare supply and demand. In the process, it became evident that the easterly parking lot (Attachment No. 2) could be redesigned to make more efficient use of the adjacent Indiana Street right-of-way to accommodate more parking stalls. Along with the parking lots, the City owns a pedestrian access easement connecting the westerly parking lot to Huntington Drive, located midblock between Santa Anita Avenue and First Avenue (see Attachment No. 3). The pedestrian access is very narrow, between two buildings, and is hard to find. There are currently no signs or landmarks to draw attention to this walkway. In discussions with the Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association (“AIA”), they expressed support for any efforts to create more public parking in Downtown Arcadia. Although the study showed sufficient available parking, the AIA believes that in order for the downtown to be successful for the long term, additional parking must be provided to accommodate tenant changes and offset private parking deficiencies. The parking study included some very conceptual alternative layouts for the easterly parking lot incorporating Indiana Street, and the results were favorable. In May of 2015, the City contracted with Kreuzer Consulting Group (“KCG”) to develop and analyze parking lot alternatives, and prepare construction plans and specifications for the preferred alternative. Also included in KCG’s scope of work was the development of enhancement alternatives for the pedestrian walkway between the westerly City-owned parking lot and Huntington Drive. KCG prepared several conceptual parking lot plans for the easterly parking lot and Indiana Street. The preferred plan adds 13 parking spaces, expanding the existing 62 spaces in the parking lot and street to 75 spaces (see Attachment No. 4). KCG also prepared a conceptual plan for the pedestrian access way that includes lighting, and accents at each end, like pavers and monument signage. KCG proceeded to complete the construction plans and specifications for both the parking lot and the pedestrian access, with a total engineer’s estimate of $600,000. The proposed parking lot layout provides several areas to be landscaped, including a large unusable triangular area in the center of the parking lot. It was decided to not include landscaping as part of this project to allow more time to consider landscape/hardscape concepts and the use of the central triangular area. Reject All Bids - Parking Lot 1B & Pedestrian Access Improvements May 16, 2017 Page 3 of 4 DISCUSSION The project was advertised for bids in January 2017, and five bids were received on February 23, 2017 as follows: NAME AMOUNT SULLY-MILLER CONTRACTING CO. $514,226.55 EC CONSTRUCTION $563,510.01 PALP INC./DBA EXCEL PAVING $574,835.00 PUB CONSTRUCTION INC. $639,567.00 PCN3 INC. $1,043,689.50 Concurrent with the bidding process, the property owners of the properties directly west and southwest of the easterly parking lot approached the City with a plan to assemble their lots and explore development possibilities. Development of the properties adjacent to the parking lot could have an impact on both existing and proposed parking lot layouts. Potential development proposals could include such things as vacation of a portion of the alley, relocation of one or both City parking lots, inclusion of the parking lot properties into a larger development project, and/or relocation of vehicular access points on Huntington Drive and Wheeler Avenue. Development proposals are currently being solicited, and the results will not be known for a few months. Because of the potential changes to the block, it appears premature to proceed with the City’s parking lot reconstruction project at this time. It is in the City’s best interest to wait until either a preferred proposal is actively pursued, and the impacts on the City facilities can be evaluated, or plans are abandoned. The parking lot plan can be reevaluated at that time, and a decision made as to whether to revise the plan or proceed as is. The pedestrian access portion of the project is in a different block than the proposed development and, therefore, is not impacted by it. It is recommended that the pedestrian access improvements be separated out, and rebid as a separate project, as soon as possible. FISCAL IMPACT This project was budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program of both Fiscal Year 2015-16 and 2016-17 at a total cost of $690,000, with $170,000 from Gas Tax funds and $520,000 from Capital Outlay funds. The Pedestrian Access engineer’s estimate is $115,000, and this is recommended to be funded by the Capital Outlay portion of the funding. However, this project would be rebid and returned to the City Council for evaluation. Reject All Bids - Parking Lot 1B & Pedestrian Access Improvements May 16, 2017 Page 4 of 4 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council reject all bids for the Downtown City Parking Lot and Pedestrian Access Improvement Project, and direct staff to separate out and re-bid the Pedestrian Access Improvement portion. Attachment No. 1 – City Owned Parking Lots Attachment No. 2 – Parking Lot 1B Attachment No. 3 – Pedestrian Access Easement Attachment No. 4 – Proposed Layout