On June 26 the Worcester City Civic Center Commission voted to approve a design amendment not to exceed $376,500 to advance three design efforts at the DCU Center, including a design-for-construction package for an arena chiller, programming and back-of-house design and schematic exterior lighting work.

Staff member Matthew Street said, "I'm requesting approval for 376,500 not to exceed for the pilot's design," and asked the commission to vote. The motion was put to a voice vote and commissioners indicated unanimous approval.

The commission heard a line‑by‑line cost breakdown before the vote. Street described the three components as: a design‑for‑construction chiller package (quoted at $222,000), programming/back‑of‑house work (about $115,000) and a schematic exterior lighting package (about $35,000), plus roughly $5,000 in reimbursables. He told the commission that the full set of three items increased previously approved design funding and would raise the design total to $376,500 — about $156,500 more than the earlier $250,000 authorization — and that funds were available in the project balance.

Commissioners raised scope and cost concerns before the vote. Commissioner Sandy warned against pursuing an outsized lighting scheme, saying she preferred keeping the scope modest: "I'd rather not go down the $2,000,000 rapid hold for lighting." Another commissioner urged that the design team clarify options and produce constrained proposals tied to specific budget caps so the commission could avoid schematic concepts that lead to much larger construction estimates.

In the same meeting the commission also approved a $15,880 contract for a backflow-preventer installation after a bidder submitted that price and approved a $121,100 design‑through‑construction item for elevator modernization from Weston & Sampson (the item will roll prior purchase orders and show a credit for prior private design work). Both approvals were taken by voice vote and recorded as approved.

Street and other staff said next steps will include a follow‑up meeting with the design consultant (Populous) to nail scopes and ensure the schematic lighting proposal responds to the commission’s requested cost limits. Street also said staff may return to the commission with clarified proposals or change orders if the programming work requires narrower or different scopes than those presented at this meeting.

The commission’s approvals allow design work to proceed but do not commit the city to construction-level spending beyond separate competitive procurement and further approvals.

Financial clarifications provided at the meeting: the previously approved design line items for two packages totaled $250,000; adding the third package and expanded scope yielded a proposed total of $376,500; staff reported available project funds and said approving the amendment would change the project balance from roughly $4,000,005.77 to about $4,000,400 (figures presented by staff at the meeting).