Vancouver City Council |
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: February 25, 2003
Author/Local: C. Hosein/7616
RTS No. 3240
CC File No. 1805
Meeting Date: March 11, 2003
TO:
Vancouver City Council
FROM:
The Director of Facility Design and Management in consultation with the General Manager Parks and Recreation, Director of Vancouver Public Library, Manager of Real Estate Services and General Manager Community Services
SUBJECT:
1 Kingsway Project - Award of Contract for Consulting Services
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the contract for consulting services for 1 Kingsway Project be awarded to Busby and Associates Architects at an estimated fee of $1,372,500, exclusive of GST and disbursements, comprising architectural fees of $904,000 and the major consultants (structural, mechanical, electrical and landscape) fees of $468,500; source of funding to be existing Capital Funding for 1 Kingsway project. Said fees to be assigned to each component of the project on the basis of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia Tariff of Fees.
COMMENTS OF THE GENERAL MANAGERS OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
Integrated service delivery is an important aspect of better city government. Council approval of the 1 Kingsway project has created an exceptional opportunity to further these objectives. Not only is this development consistent with the directions set in the 1987 Mount Pleasant Community Development Plan, but it also meets the objectives of CityPlan for neighbourhood centre development and of Council for a more coordinated approach to City service delivery.
COMMENTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
The Director of Finance notes that funding is available for this consultancy in the existing Capital Budget. However, apart from this allocation, funding for the balance of the project is not in place. This additional funding will be provided fromthe 2003 - 2005 Capital Plan and from a separate decision on the participation of the Property Endowment Fund in the housing component of the project. This additional funding will be sought as part of the 2003 Capital Budget to be before Council in early May.
POLICY
· Consulting contracts over $30,000 are to be awarded by Council.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council's authorization to award the contract for architectural, landscape and engineering consulting services to Busby and Associates Architects; other consultants to be retained as the project develops.
BACKGROUND
The 2000-2002 Capital Plan allocated $5.75 million to purchase a site and rebuild Mount Pleasant Community Centre. Although the Library had sought funding for replacement of the Mount Pleasant Branch Library in this Capital Plan, it was not given sufficient priority to receive funding. However, it was acknowledged that should the community centre replacement proceed, including a replacement for the library in the project should be an objective.
On September 18, 2001, Council approved the purchase of the property at 1 Kingsway for a price of $3.45 million with interim funding provided by the Property Endowment Fund. The property purchase was made to provide a site for the relocation and redevelopment of a Mount Pleasant Community Centre and Mount Pleasant Library joint use project with other potential uses, such as, housing and retail.
In 2002, Henriquez Partners Architects, in association with Burgess Austin Cawley & Associates, were appointed to undertake an economic feasibility study for various development options for the site including: community centre, library, childcare, retail and market and non-market housing.
On October 1, 2002, Council approved the final allocation of funding in the 2003-2005 Capital Plan. This allocation included $10.525 million to fund the 1 Kingsway Project, comprising an expanded Mount Pleasant Community Centre, Branch Library and Childcare. In addition, Council indicated a willingness to provide funding for the housing component of the project from the PEF once the final configuration of the project was complete. The cost of the housing component was anticipated to range from $10.2 million to $13.2 million depending on the project size.
DISCUSSION
In June 2002 as part of the submission for the 2003-2005 Capital Plan, Council received an Information Report on the proposed 1 Kingsway Project. In summary the report noted the following salient components of the project:
Proposed Development: The integrated delivery of library, childcare and community centre services in a single joint-use facility at 1 Kingsway offers numerous benefits to the users of these services. The addition of a housing component contributes to meeting the City's housing objectives and serves to more fully utilize the development potential of the site.
This part of Mount Pleasant is in transition and this civic project will act as a potential catalyst in the revitalization of the Main and Broadway commercial district consistent with the CityPlan vision of neighbourhood centre development
The public will experience the convenience of one-stop shopping as well as the opportunity to benefit from innovative, diverse programming to be offered jointly by the three service providers. The site's visibility, combined with its excellent transit access and proximity to three bicycle routes fully supports CityPlan and Sustainable City objectives.
The Site: The site is located on the southeast corner Kingsway and 7th Avenue at Main Street and is zoned C-3A Commercial District Schedule. It has an area of 40,708 square feet and a potential buildable area of approximately 121,000 square feet, subject to approval by the Development Permit Board for a total development potential, including an amenity bonus of 132,300 square feet.
Community Centre: The Mount Pleasant Community Centre at 16th Avenue and Ontario Street is poorly situated in relation to the area it is intended to serve. The current Mount Pleasant Community Centre at 29,048 square feet in floor area including a 1,300 square feet childcare, corresponds to a medium-sized community centre in the Vancouver context. The intended size of the community centre facility in the new complex will be approximately 30,750 square feet. This increase reflects the added demands resulting from a more central location, along with an allowance for population growth in the Mount Pleasant and False Creek Neighbourhoods and proposed South East False Creek development.
Branch Library: The Mount Pleasant Branch Library currently rents space (5,985 square feet) at Kingsgate Mall at Broadway and Kingsway. The location is situated to serve the branch's current catchment area, however, the current branch has issues of size and crowding impacting on use, functionality, operations and service delivery.
The current Mount Pleasant Branch at 5,985 square feet is well below the recommended size for a Community Branch service. The intended size of the branch library in the joint facility is 12,000 square feet. This increase reflects the need to address current crowded and inadequate space to serve the library's present catchment area of approximately 32,000 people as well as allowing for the projected population growth and anticipated future use of the library facility from South East False Creek.
Child Development Facility: The City's childcare strategic plan sets out a vision whereby childcare and child development (e.g., parent/caregiver drop-in, parenting programs, family place, etc.) are viewed as a continuum of service integral to healthy child development. Child development programs build on the foundation of childcare and integrated into a community hub model, provide a range of services to families and children in a coordinated and accessible manner. This child development centre at 1 Kingsway will be the first purpose-built child development hub. The space (6,800 square feet indoor and 5,500 square feet outdoor) is based on a 49-space licenced childcare centre, however, the configuration of the space will be shaped by a community needs assessment which examines service needs. The Vancouver Public Library has expressed interest in working collaboratively with Social Planning in developing programs with the child development centre to promote early literacy.
Housing: The feasibility study undertaken by the consultant included a detailed financial analysis to determine the viability of developing housing with the remaining and unused floor area available (73,374 square feet) after fulfilling the space requirements of the Library, Community Centre and Childcare.
Financial analysis was undertaken to study only the addition of the Housing component as retail was not considered appropriate. A number of development scenarios were studied ranging from full optimization of the 73,374 square feet to a less dense development of 55,000 square feet. The rationale for considering the different project massing options was based on assumptions pertaining to Planning approval, anticipated community reaction to project scale and overall timing issues for obtaining final development approvals.
The financial analysis concluded that the best scenario to pursue in order to maximize development efficiencies and return on investments is to build the largest housing component possible and that a minimum of 55,000 square feet should be considered. The Building Committee and architect will work closely with Planning in reviewing options which would optimize the development potential particularly as the remaining potential would be taken up with new housing.
PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTING SERVICES
By an open call for architectural proposals, twenty-two (22) proposals were received. The terms of reference included:
1. Review of the City's needs and programming requirements and, through workshops with the users and the community, consolidate said programs so as to provide an integrated program which maximizes the use of common areas.
2. Examine various massing options with an aim of maximizing the developed area. Meet informally with the City's Urban Design and Development Planning staff and examine recent City urban design studies for Mount Pleasant with an aim of examining possible higher structural massing if such massing provides better opportunities for the project.
3. Provide detailed design and supervision services.
Three firms were shortlisted (Henriquez Partners Architects, Roger Hughes and Partners Architects, Busby and Associates Architects) and were interviewed by the Building Committee, comprising representatives from Facility Design and Management (Chair), Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver Park Board, Real Estate and a representative from the Mount Pleasant Community Centre Association. On the basis of the proposals and interviews, the Committee recommended that Busby and Associates Architects be appointed architects for the project. Busby Associates Architects have extensive experience in designing "green" buildings and sustainable designs.
Based on an estimated construction cost of $16.5 million Busby Associates Architects estimated their fees at $1.372 million, comprising the following:
Phase One:
Programming and Workshops
$25,000
Phase Two:
Detailed Design
Architectural
879,000
Structural
165,000
Mechanical
160,000
Electrical
108,500
Landscape
35,000
Total (excluding GST and disbursements)
$1,372,500
When the final construction costs are determined, the fees will be adjusted on the basis of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia Tariff of Fees. Other consultants (cost, traffic, building envelope, security, acoustic, etc.) will be retained at a later date as the project develops and design needs are better defined. These fees are within the amount budgeted for the project.
PROJECT BUDGET AND FUNDING SOURCES
The overall cost of the project at 1 Kingsway is anticipated to be approximately $26.7 million, subject to final decisions on the size of the housing component. On the basis of the areas proposed for the various uses the project budget and proposed funding source are as follows:
Function Component
Area
(square feet)Cost
Funding Source
Sustainable Building Pilot Project
$175,000
2003-2005 Capital Plan
Community Centre
30,750
5,750,000
2000-2002 Capital Plan
1,150,000
2003-2005 Capital Plan
2,000,000
South East False Creek CACs
Library
12,000
200,000
2000-2002 Capital Plan
4,850,000
2003-2005 Capital Plan
Childcare
6,800
1,050,000
2003-2005 Capital Plan
1,300,000
City-wide DCLs
Market Rental Housing
55,000
10,230,000
Property Endowment Fund
Total
104,550
$26,705,000
These estimates will be reviewed as part of the consultancy recommended in this report. Funding for the $1.37 million consultancy is available in the current Capital Budget. These costs will be shared by all components of the project. Funding for the balance of the project will, subject to Council approval, be provided as part of the 2003 Capital Budget.
PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE
On the basis of the current functional program, the preliminary schedule is projected as follows:
Program Validation
Mar - Apr 2003
Public Meetings / Designs / Development Permit
May 2003 - Mar 2004
Contract Documents / Tender
Apr 2004 - Sep 2004
Construction
Oct 2004 - Jan 2006
The above schedule will be adjusted after the zoning issues are finalized and a decision made whether to implement a sequential tendering process.
* * * * *