Ovation project: designers, funders say construction on track; council approves easement for right-of-way encroachments

Representatives of the Lansing Public Media Authority, the City of Lansing and Dymaxion Development updated the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 27 on the Ovation project's design and schedule and said construction is tracking within the $28 million construction budget.

Emily (Lansing Public Media Authority) introduced the update, saying the project is a 75,766-square-foot concert venue with approximately 2,000 seats, a black box theater and a planned third-floor restaurant buildout. Brendan Fox of Dymaxion (Dymaxion Development) said design work by Albert Kahn Architects has progressed through programming, schematic design and design development; initial demolition and asbestos abatement work are complete and the team has submitted plan sets for 520 South Washington building work to the city building department for review.

Brendan Fox said about $1.4 million of construction dollars had been spent to date, with roughly $1.17 million in earned value on the architectural contract and $874,000 paid so far to the architect. The project team said private fundraising is ongoing to add enhancements and provide a contingency against construction-market volatility; "we are fully funded for the project," Emily added, while noting continued fundraising is for improvements and to guard against future cost escalation.

The team discussed local labor engagement. Dymaxion said the project is engaging the Building Trades Council and the Builders Exchange for bidding and that bid packages are sent to union membership to maximize participation.

The presentation included an economic-impact estimate supplied by the project team: an estimated $17.5 million construction-phase economic impact and about 209 full-time-equivalent (FTE) construction jobs; an estimated ongoing annual economic impact of about $12.5 million, 159 FTE ongoing jobs, and roughly $904,000 annually in taxes and fees. The team said the total construction cost is about $28 million and construction spending to date is about $1.4 million.

Council members asked schedule and procurement questions. The team said they expect spring site demolition and site-preparation activity weather permitting and that contractors are under consideration for site work; selection announcements were expected once RFPs closed. A council member asked whether bidders and specification documents could be made publicly visible like the State of Michigan process; Dymaxion said that is feasible.

City staff and Dymaxion sought an Act 33 easement for right-of-way encroachments that would allow barrier-free ramps at 520 South Washington and at the Ovation entrance, roof overhangs along Washington Avenue and Lenoir Street and a black box theater facade encroaching on the South Washington right-of-way. Brendan Fox described the encroachments as necessary for barrier-free access, weather protection for patrons and to increase operational flexibility for the venue.

President Cost called for a motion on the Act 33 request. A motion for the easement was made and the Committee voted to approve the resolution unanimously. The council's city attorney confirmed the item would be handled through the Act 33 process and the committee would forward the approved resolution as part of normal follow-up procedure.

Project leaders said they will return with further updates once plan review is complete and construction phasing is clearer; they said construction-phase earned-value tracking will be easier to report once vertical construction begins.