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Council awards Rockhaven preservation contract, considers broader site access and funding
Summary
Council approved awarding a construction contract to ARC Construction for preservation and reuse of the former Rockhaven Sanitarium, with staff and council discussing tiers of work, in‑house planting to cut costs, and the possibility of completing all tiers now to save mobilization costs.
The Glendale City Council voted July 15 to award a construction contract to ARC Construction, Inc. for the preservation and reuse of the former Rockhaven Sanitarium, authorizing staff to proceed under a contract that includes a 10% construction contingency and related appropriations.
Staff presented two financing/contract options. Option 1 would complete Tier 1 (including the Pines Cottage renovation and core site work) and required an additional appropriation after accounting for available state grant funds. Option 2 would complete all three tiers (added pathways, irrigation and broader site access) and required a larger appropriation. Staff identified a $400,000 deductive change order (removing planting from the contractor's scope) and proposed using Parks Division crews to perform planting work in‑house, reducing the general‑fund impact. Staff also noted a separate construction‑management contract previously awarded to a program manager.
Public speakers representing community groups and longtime neighbors urged completion of additional tiers now to secure public access and avoid higher costs later; other commenters urged caution on the net fiscal impact. Council members discussed tradeoffs between advancing only the critical museum and accessibility work versus completing the full site improvements now to avoid future mobilization and escalation costs. Council concluded that proceeding with the contract (with the planting deductive change order and contingency management) served the council’s goals and approved the award. Council asked staff to prioritize minimizing general‑fund exposure and to return with updates on contingency use and community engagement plans.
Staff noted the project is part of an $8 million state grant and that unused contingency would be returned to the general fund. Project management will include contract execution, periodic construction progress reports and community outreach as construction proceeds.
