MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: David J. Deutsch, City Manager
SUBJECT: City Hall Location
DATE: January 30, 2007
On November 27, 2005, the consulting architectural firm of Fentress Bradburn
presented its report regarding a location for the new City Hall, a facility
expected to house administrative operations and the Police Department. The
Fentress Bradburn report focused on two locations, the existing City Hall
site on Kenhill Drive and City-owned property at Town Center. Although Council
seemed impressed with the architect’s report, Council asked for additional
information. Council asked for information regarding the potential for the
Marketplace on MD 450 to serve as a City Hall location. Fentress Bradburn
was retained to develop an appendix to its original report.
The architects prepared a report which was provided to Council on January 25th. The architects used as part of their analysis a sketch of the property provided by the owners which showed how a City Hall could be sited at this location.
The Fentress report indicates that the Marketplace location would be the most expensive of the options under consideration. The Marketplace site would cost $36,307,586, compared to $31,019,136 at Town Center, and $31,598,329 at Kenhill Drive. The main driver of this differential in cost is the need for structured parking that is necessary in order to minimize the impact of the facility on the Marketplace shopping center. That structured parking facility is estimated to cost $4,481,508.
Council and the architect noted other concerns about the Marketplace site, including the lack of site control, the potential for incompatible adjacent retail uses, and the dominant position of the Safeway as the major retail anchor regarding various issues at the site.
The Town Center site remains the recommended site (see excerpts from the Fentress studies in the Attachments) for the following reasons:
1) It is the least costly of the three sites.
2) Structured parking is not required.
3) The project can be constructed five months quicker at this site.
4) It is centrally located.
5) The City owns the property.
Council has already discussed the need for a multi-faceted financing approach for this project. Elements of this approach will include at least the following items: General Fund Reserves, borrowing, and land sale proceeds. A Maryland State Bond Bill has been requested, and additional grant funds will be sought. Additional details will be presented to Council in the FY08 Budget proposal in early April. It is worth noting that the significant time span of this project means that although the architectural contract would be a FY08 expenditure, the construction contract would not be booked until FY 2010. This time lag will allow for an ongoing fiscal evaluation of the project which will provide maximum opportunity for proper sizing and timing of the borrowing.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that Council endorse the Town Center site and direct staff to prepare a Request for Proposals (RFP) for architectural services. It is expected that a contract award for the architect can be made in August 2007.
DJD/asf