AGENDA #13
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Options for Scheduling Renovations at Hargraves Center and A.D. Clark Pool
DATE: November 26, 2001
This memorandum reports on the status of the Hargraves Center and A.D. Clark Pool renovation project and presents scheduling options.
The attached Resolution A would authorize the Manager to schedule the start of the renovation of the Hargraves Center and A.D. Clark Pool for late August 2002. The Manager recommends adoption of Resolution A.
The attached Resolution B would authorize the Manager to schedule the start of the renovation of the Hargraves Center for April 2002 and the A.D. Clark Pool for late August 2002.
The attached Resolution C would authorize the Manager to schedule the start of the renovation of the Hargraves Center and A.D. Clark Pool for April 2002.
All of the resolutions would authorize the Manager to submit an application for approval of installment financing to the Local Government Commission.
BACKGROUND
During the fall of 1999, the Town contracted with Applied Management Engineering, Inc., for a detailed condition assessment of several facilities, including the Hargraves Recreation Center and A.D. Clark Pool. The consultant identified estimated maintenance deficiencies of $394,000 for the Hargraves Recreation Center and $357,000 for the A.D. Clark Pool. The Capital Improvement Program budget includes 10-year installment funding for maintenance and repair of both facilities.
On April 4, 2001 the Public Works Department submitted a budget Working Paper response to the Council’s request for a status report on the renovation projects for the Hargraves Recreation Center and the A.D. Clark Pool. The following schedule was proposed at that time:
April-June 2001 Project Design
July-August 2001 Advertisement for Bids and Bid Award
September 2001 to April 2002 Construction
May 2002 Reopen the Facilities
DISCUSSION
BUDGET
The budgets for the projects are:
Hargraves Recreation Center $493,000
A.D. Clark Pool $447,000
Total $940,000
The Council has approved a 10-year financing plan for both renovation projects beginning in the current fiscal year and ending in FY 2010-11. The amounts identified for repayment of the loans for these projects are $582,000 for the A.D. Clark pool and $643,000 for the Hargraves Recreation Center for a total of $1,225,000. The total average yearly payment would be about $122,500 for both projects, although the estimated repayment amounts gradually descend from a high of $146,000 in FY 2001-02 to a low of $99,000 in FY 2010-11.
All of the attached resolutions include authorization for the Manager to submit an application to the Local Government Commission (LGC) for approval of the installment-financing portion of this project. The process takes about 60 days to complete and includes a public hearing by the Council. This process needs to coincide with awarding of bids. We anticipate recommending that the financing payments on the Hargraves Center and A.D. Clark pool be structured so that the first payments will fall in FY 2002-03.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The renovation project is anticipated to make substantial
improvements to the condition of the Hargraves Recreation Center and the A.D.
Clark Pool including bringing these facilities into compliance with certain national and state
standards.
Hargraves Recreation Center (Upstairs Area and Exterior): Work would include basic infrastructure and required Americans with Disabilities Act improvements. We are planning to include the following in the bid documents:
· Replace electrical system
· Repair roof and siding
· Repair masonry
· Install new windows
· Install new doors
· Upgrade kitchen
· Replace HVAC system
· Upgrade attic flooring
· Improve storage on main floor
· Install accessible entry with ramp
· Upgrade to accessible restrooms
· Refinish floor, walls, and ceiling
Hargraves Recreation Center (Day Care Area): Improvements to the downstairs daycare center portion of the Hargraves Center are anticipated to include the following:
· Replace electrical system
· Install new windows
· Install new doors
· Upgrade kitchen
· Replace HVAC system
· Upgrade to accessible restrooms
· Refinish floor, walls, and ceiling
Repairs to the daycare area are intended to upgrade the facility so that it is generally in compliance with certain State day care and Federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, although these improvements will not bring the facility into total compliance with all regulations. The most significant regulatory improvements are anticipated for the kitchen and restroom.
A.D. Clark Pool: Pool and bathhouse improvements are primarily focused on meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and State pool operator requirements.
· Add zero entry ramp into pool
· Replace retaining wall
· Enlarge deck around baby pool
· Replace fence
· Expand pump shed for storage
· Add new drain for baby pool
· Add new chlorination system
· Renovate plaza area between pool and Center
· Add new roof on bathhouse
· Raise the bathhouse ceiling
· Add passive lighting
· Add family changing area
· Upgrade to accessible bathhouse
POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON PROGRAMMING
Any option will affect the programs at Hargraves Park. However, scheduling the construction work during certain months can eliminate some conflicts and reduce others. Most of the programs in the Hargraves Center can be relocated to the Northside Gymnasium meeting room during the construction period.
The Hargraves Summer Camp would be at least partially disrupted by any construction during the period June to mid August. We believe that a smaller camp could be accommodated in the Northside Gymnasium meeting room, but that it would be reduced in size from 125 to about 40 participants per session.
Construction activities have the greatest potential to affect use of the pool if work is scheduled from June to mid-August. The pool serves thousands of children in various camp programs throughout town including camps run by the Town, the schools, Special Olympics, the ARC, Public Housing, church camps, and the YMCA. All of these organizations would be affected by any pool closure. In addition a summer closure would affect general community use of both the large pool and the baby pool. The Hargraves Camp would also be affected although it may be possible to bus the camp participants to the Community Center Pool during this period. (Please see discussion of programming impacts under options below).
We believe that operations of the daycare center will not be affected by any of the options proposed below. Holmes Child Care, Inc., the current renter, has secured a temporary site with a lease that expires in September 2003. The childcare operations moved to the new site in November. The daycare’s after school program will remain at the Hargraves Center until the last possible day prior to the start of construction and then will move to their newly leased site. Please see the attached Appendix A for a discussion of the daycare operations.
SCHEDULE
It now appears that the earliest the project could begin would be April 2002 with an opening in October 2002. This delay was caused by several factors including:
· After the architect was selected, negotiations to finalize the architect’s contract were more complicated and time consuming than first anticipated. The process took about 6 weeks to complete.
· The original time estimate was prepared before the architect was selected; therefore, we had no input from the architect on how much time would be needed to prepare plans. Because of the complexity of the project, the architect required more time than we had anticipated for research and program development. We have been meeting on a regular basis since August to give the architect the necessary guidance to move the project to a final design stage.
· Resolution of technical issues regarding the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act and various codes governing swimming pools has taken more research time than expected.
CONSTRUCTION OPTIONS
We are assured by our designer that working drawings and a bid package will be ready in time to begin the bid process in February or March. It now appears that there are three options for scheduling this work:
Option 1: Combined Construction (Start in late August 2002): We could schedule the bid process to take place in late June or early July with a construction start time of late August 2002 and reopening in February 2003. With this option the contractor would take control of the entire work area at one time. Renovation of both the Hargraves Center and the A.D. Clark pool would be administered as a single job site and a single contract.
This option would have the following advantages:
· The A.D. Clark pool would remain open through most or all of the 2002 summer season.
· The Hargraves summer day camp program could continue to operate. This camp serves about 125 children, most of whom are from lower income families.
· We would likely receive better bids because the contractor could control the entire work site at all times and more efficiently schedule trades between the two facilities.
· Safety could be better controlled if the entire work site is secured at one time.
The option would have the following disadvantages:
· Construction would be delayed by about four months.
Option 2: Sequential Construction (Start in April 2002): We could schedule the bid process to take place in February or March with a construction start time of April 2002. We would specify a construction sequence that would allow work to begin on the Hargraves Center building as soon as the contractor could begin. Renovation of the pool would be postponed until late August.
This option would have the following advantages:
· The A.D. Clark pool would remain open through most or all of the 2002 summer season.
· Work at the Hargraves Center could be completed up to four months earlier than option 1.
The option would have the following disadvantages:
· The summer camp program would be reduced or eliminated for 2002.
· We would likely receive higher bids because of the need to phase work and to work around children’s programs.
· Safety would be a concern because pool activity would continue in areas adjacent to construction staging areas.
Option 3: Combined Construction (Start in late April 2002): We could schedule the bid process to take place in February or March with a construction start time of April 2002. This would allow us to likely reopen the facilities in October 2002.
This option would have the following advantages:
· Construction would start about four months earlier than proposed in Option 1.
· We would likely receive better bids than for Option 2, because the contractor could control the entire work site at all times and more efficiently schedule trades between the two facilities.
· Safety could be better controlled if the entire work site is secured at one time.
The option would have the following disadvantages:
· The A.D. Clark pool would close for the 2002 summer season.
· The Hargraves summer day camp program would be eliminated or reduced for the summer of 2002.
RECOMMENDATION
Manager’s Recommendation: Because of the anticipated cost savings, minimal impact on programming, and relatively minor impact on the construction schedule, we recommend that the Council adopt Resolution A, which would reflect the Option 1 schedule as follows:
Begin Installment Financing Process March 2002
Complete Project Design March 2002
Advertise for Bids April 2002
Award Bids June 2002
Begin Construction August 2002
Reopen the Facilities February 2002
ATTACHMENT
1. Discussion of the Operations of the Holmes Child Care Inc. (p.10).
RESOLUTION A
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT A SCHEDULE FOR RENOVATION OF THE HARGRAVES CENTER AND A.D. CLARK POOL THAT WOULD RESULT IN A LATE AUGUST 2002 CONSTRUCTION START FOR BOTH FACILITIES (2001-11-26/R-20a)
WHEREAS, the Council has adopted a Capital Improvements Program budget that includes renovations for the Hargraves Center and the A.D. Clark Pool; and
WHEREAS, a late August start of construction would allow the Hargraves Day Camp and A.D. Clark pool to remain open through their respective 2002 seasons; and
WHEREAS, the late August start would allow the contractor to better control work flow and site safety;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Manger to follow a schedule that would result in a late August start of construction.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Manager to submit an application to the Local Government Commission for installment financing of this project and to schedule a Public Hearing.
This the 26th day of November, 2001.
RESOLUTION B
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT A SCHEDULE FOR RENOVATION OF THE HARGRAVES CENTER AND A.D. CLARK POOL THAT WOULD RESULT IN AN APRIL 2002 CONSTRUCTION START FOR THE CENTER BUILDING AND AN AUGUST START FOR THE POOL (2001-11-26/R-20b)
WHEREAS, the Council has adopted a Capital Improvements Program budget that includes renovations for the Hargraves Center and the A.D. Clark Pool; and
WHEREAS, an April start of construction would allow for an earlier completion of work on the Center building; and
WHEREAS, the late August start would allow the pool to remain open during the 2002 season;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Manger to follow a schedule that would result in an April construction start for the Center building and a late August start of construction for the pool.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Manager to submit an application to the Local Government Commission for installment financing of this project and to schedule a Public Hearing.
This the 26th day of November, 2001.
RESOLUTION C
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT A SCHEDULE FOR RENOVATION OF THE HARGRAVES CENTER AND A.D. CLARK POOL THAT WOULD RESULT IN AN APRIL 2002 CONSTRUCTION START FOR BOTH FACILITIES (2001-11-26/R-20c)
WHEREAS, the Council has adopted a Capital Improvements Program budget that includes renovations for the Hargraves Center and the A.D. Clark Pool; and
WHEREAS, an April start of construction would allow for an earlier completion of work on the project ;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Manger to follow a schedule that would result in an April construction start for renovations to the Hargraves Center and A.D. Clark Pool.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Manager to submit an application to the Local Government Commission for installment financing of this project and to schedule a Public Hearing.
This the 26th day of November, 2001.
ATTACHMENT 1
DISCUSSION OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE HOLMES CHILD CARE INC.
Holmes Day Care Center Inc. has operated in the basement of the Hargraves Center since 1944. For the past 20 years we have been continuing the relationship by using 5-year lease agreements. The current agreement expires in December 2006.
Terms of the current lease agreement specify that Holmes Child Care Inc. maintain a school roster with at least 60% of the participants residing in Chapel Hill. However, as of November 19, 2001, out an enrollment of 39 children the daycare has only 11 Chapel Hill residents (28%). Eighteen (18) of their participants are from Carrboro, 9 are from Orange County, and 1 is from Wake County.
We believe that we should investigate other options for use of the space if Holmes Child Care Inc. is still out of compliance with the terms of the agreement upon their return to the Hargraves Center at the conclusion of construction. Other options might include:
· Lease the space to a different daycare operator
· Create a Town-sponsored daycare
· Use the space for another purpose
If the daycare operator is still out of compliance with the agreement at the end of construction we will report back to the Council with options for future use of the facility.