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Zephyrhills workshop narrows choice for construction manager‑at‑risk; Reeves Young emerges as committee's top pick
Summary
The Zephyrhills City Council workshop on Nov. 10 reviewed presentations from JE Dunn, Wharton Smith and Reeves Young for the Zephyr Park construction‑manager‑at‑risk role; the selection committee signaled Reeves Young as its top pick and staff will return with a formal recommendation at the Nov. 17 meeting.
The Zephyrhills City Council workshop on Nov. 10 heard hour‑long presentations from three shortlisted construction managers at risk (CMAR) — JE Dunn, Wharton Smith and Reeves Young — as part of the selection process for the Zephyr Park rehabilitation project. After questions from council and a review of the selection committee's scoring, the committee recommended Reeves Young as its top choice and advised staff to bring a recommendation to the council at the Nov. 17 meeting.
JE Dunn emphasized firm longevity and a local Tampa presence. Jake Nellis, who introduced JE Dunn's Tampa team, said the firm plans phased construction to keep amenities such as the splash pad and tennis courts open as long as possible and to protect memorial features during construction. John Shea (JE Dunn) described a two‑phase approach to maintain community access and to protect shared utilities during earthwork and pond regrading.
Wharton Smith framed its presentation around local experience and flood mitigation, stressing recent work on Hercules Park and the firm's relationships with Pasco County and Kimley‑Horn. Johnny Santos (Wharton Smith) told the council the team had worked through flooding issues at Hercules Park and said flood mitigation would be a top priority on Zephyr Park.
Reeves Young focused its remarks on CMAR process controls, fast‑track schedules and site logistics. Mike Izzi (Reeves Young) outlined a preconstruction program, value‑management log and a 13‑month target construction schedule that included strategies for dredging and long‑lead items.
Selection committee members said presentations shifted the relative rankings from the written proposals. Staff noted the committee members considered depth of park‑specific experience, demonstrated familiarity with dredging/earthwork, and the availability of senior resources. In discussion council members weighed the tradeoffs between a local firm with recent Zephyr Hills experience and larger, out‑of‑area firms that presented broad park portfolios and specialized civil capabilities. Council members also raised past warranty and maintenance issues brought up in the Hercules Park project; staff said Wharton Smith has been addressing outstanding warranty items and that typical warranty work remains in process.
No formal award was made at the workshop. Staff said the selection committee's recommendation (Reeves Young as first choice) will be brought to the Nov. 17 meeting for a formal award recommendation and, if authorized, to a later council meeting for contract approval. Council members emphasized that final selection will include the standard CMAR negotiated preconstruction phase, a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) review at 90% design, and the council's ability to halt the process at the end of preconstruction if terms are unsatisfactory.
