Council approves $87,000 amendment for downtown park design work; funds from CBD TIF

The council unanimously approved an $87,000 amendment Oct. 14 to the city’s contract with TBG Partners (Broussard Group) for additional design services on the downtown park project.

Brianna Brown, Business Development Director, said the amendment (Amendment 2 to contract 16316) will revise construction documents to reflect council-directed scope changes to the park — most notably the removal of the splash pad and adjustments to restroom and stage structures — and also escalates consultant fees to 2026 pricing. The amendment includes $10,000 for a donor wall design now that fundraising is nearly complete, Brown said.

Brown told the council the original contract (about $971,000) was paid from remaining Gateway CIP bond proceeds in the Central Business District Tax Increment Financing (CBD TIF) zone. Brown said this amendment will be covered through the CBD TIF public improvement capital budget, including $1,250,000 of capital moved from operating to capital in the current year’s budget for public improvements.

When asked whether the city had any obligation to spend funds on the revised design, Brown said the contract is between the city (on behalf of the CBD TIF) and the architect; the TIF board, which had authorized the original contract and remains a project stakeholder, is represented at the meeting and can address its role in funding. Brown said that because the amendment extends existing contracted services, the firm may not continue the work absent the amendment.

Council moved, seconded and approved the amendment by voice vote; the motion passed unanimously.