HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11v - Accept Downtown Alley Improvements Project as Complete
DATE: June 17, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director
Kevin Merrill, City Engineer
By: Johnathan Doojphibulpol, Principal Civil Engineer
SUBJECT: ACCEPT ALL WORK PERFORMED BY GENTRY BROTHERS, INC. FOR
THE DOWNTOWN ALLEY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT AND CITY
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,984,979.50
CEQA: Exempt
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
On August 15, 2023, the City Council awarded a contract to Gentry Brothers, Inc. in the
amount of $1,938,334 for the Downtown Alley Improvements Project and City Broadband
Infrastructure, with a 10% contingency. There were three (3) Change Orders for the
project, including the final quantity adjustments, totaling $51,445.50, or about 3% above
the original contract amount.
The terms and conditions of this project have been complied with, and the required work
has been performed to the City’s satisfaction, for a final cost of $1,984,979.50. It is
recommended that the City Council accept the project as complete and authorize the final
payment in accordance with the contract.
BACKGROUND
In 2019, Metro made Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Program (“MSP”) funds
available to cities through the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (“SGVCOG”),
under four categories, one of which was the First/Last Mile and Complete Street Program.
The City was awarded MSP First/Last Mile and Complete Street Program funding for the
Downtown Alley Improvements Project.
The Project provides shared paths for pedestrians, bicyclists, and automobiles that are in
a “complete street” format, to be safe and welcoming for all. The alleys are concrete, and
the pedestrian paths are denoted with colored and decorative concrete. Bike lanes are
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June 17, 2025
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demarcated with painted stencils, and the project also included storm drain, landscape,
and lighting improvements. The two alleys being improved are listed below:
• East-West Alley north of Huntington Drive between Santa Anita Avenue and First
Avenue (Citrus Alley)
• East-West Alley north of Santa Clara Street between First Avenue and Second
Avenue (Acorn Alley)
The project was advertised for bids in June 2023, and bids were opened on June 29,
2023, with Gentry Brothers, Inc. as the qualifying low bidder with a $1,773,334 bid. The
Development Services Department also worked on a Downtown Broadband Strategic
Plan to improve broadband infrastructure in the Downtown area. Gentry Brothers, Inc.
provided a quote of $165,000 for the Broadband work. A contract in the amount of
$1,938,334, plus a 10% contingency, was awarded by the City Council on August 15,
2023, for both parts of the project.
DISCUSSION
Construction began in December 2023 and was completed in May 2025. There were
three (3) Change Orders for the project: one (1) for Southern California Edison (“SCE”)
connection work, one (1) to fix a private property issue, and one (1) for the final adjustment
of quantities, totaling a net increase of $51,445.50. These changes are described in
greater detail below.
The SCE connection work was required when the mixed-use development known as the
Alexan Azalea, located north of Citrus Alley at the southeast corner of Santa Anita Avenue
and Santa Clara Street, began construction. The development was conditioned to
underground the SCE poles located in the north-south alley to the east of the project and
relocate any infrastructure on the poles. This work included a feed point that powered the
City’s parking lot lights in the large downtown parking lot. Since this Project included
installation and energizing of new pedestrian lighting, and given the close proximity to the
feed point, the City decided to partner with SCE and Gentry Brothers Inc. to add the
relocation of the feed point to an SCE vault, located in Citrus Alley. Gentry Brothers Inc.
provided a quote of $39,000 for the work. SCE was contacted and design took several
months before the work could be completed.
The second Change Order was for additional work located near 15 & 17 E. Huntington
Drive. When the City experienced heavy rainfall, water was unable to be released from
the property’s parking lot and collected on site, which had not happened in the past. After
review, it was determined that a combination of factors led to the problem and the City
would rectify this issue. After a variety of solutions were considered, the owner chose not
to alter their property, leaving the City to make the adjustments in the alley. Gentry
Brothers, Inc. provided a quote of $70,460 for this work.
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June 17, 2025
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Quantity adjustments on the project include a reduction in the use of concrete joints, due
to changes in the spacing of the joints. There was also an adjustment in sizing for a storm
drain pipe due to the grade of an existing catch basin. Other minor adjustments were
related to field conditions and actual measurements of work compared to approximate
numbers provided during design, like utilities, curb length, and square feet of pavement.
As a result of all the adjustments, the final amount is a net increase of $51,445.50, about
3% of the contract amount and within the approved contingency. A summary of the
construction contract with the Change Orders is as follows:
Original Contract: $1,938,334.00
Change Order #1 (SCE Connection Work) $39,000.00
Change Order #2 (15 & 17 Huntington Dr Fix) $70,460.00
Change Order #3 (Quantity Adjustments) ($62,814.50)
Final Total Contract: $1,984,979.50
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
This project is categorically exempt per Section 15301 and 15302 of the California
Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), as repair and maintenance of an existing highway
or street.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City was awarded funding from a Metro Multi-Year Subregional Program Grant,
under the First/Last Mile and Complete Street Program funds, in the amount of
$1,771,250 for design and construction. Of this funding, $240,000 was dedicated and
spent on design. The remaining $1,531,250 in grant funding was dedicated to project
construction. To cover the remaining costs, in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Budget, $800,000
of Proposition C and $200,000 of Measure M funds were earmarked for this project. The
total funds available for this project are $2,531,250.
The initial contract price was $1,938,334 and three (3) Change Orders totaling $51,445.50
were approved. The total cost of the project, including the Change Orders, is
$1,984,979.50. There are sufficient funds in the project budget to cover this work.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine this action is exempt under the
California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and accept all work performed by Gentry
Brothers, Inc. for the Downtown Alley Improvements Project and City Broadband
Infrastructure as complete; and authorize the final payment to be made in accordance
with the contract documents.
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June 17, 2025
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