Mooresville awards $1.6 million preconstruction amendment to Balfour Beatty for downtown parking structure

The Mooresville Board of Commissioners voted June 16 to approve a contract amendment with Balfour Beatty Construction LLC to complete preconstruction services for a proposed downtown parking structure.

Ashta Walker, engineering services manager, outlined the phased approach the town used and said the requested amendment (not to exceed $1,315,250) increases the total design-build preconstruction contract to $1,596,280. The amendment would carry the project through 100% design, permitting, utility coordination, a construction cost estimate and establishment of an overall guaranteed maximum price.

Walker said the schematic design shows three flat parking levels plus ramp parking with approximately 481 parking spaces (plus or minus a few as design continues). The project includes ground-floor retail and restaurant shells along Church Street, graded parcels for future private development on Moore Avenue and Center Avenue, and a downtown police annex to provide visible security.

Walker said the team intentionally addressed aesthetic concerns and pedestrian activation, including multiple pedestrian connections, two elevators and stair cores, and a raised arcade/catwalk on the second level. She said the town is including conduit and infrastructure for future utility needs but determined early that designing the structure to accept additional parking levels later was not cost-effective.

Commissioners discussed Founders Way (the project's proposed name for the existing service alley), utility coordination with Duke Energy for potential undergrounding, and a roughly nine-month schedule to reach a guaranteed maximum price. Commissioner Haven moved to approve the contract amendment; Commissioner West seconded and the motion passed.