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Commission approves $8.5M downtown-square renovation, awards $7.06M construction contract to JHC
Summary
The commission approved an $8.5 million budget for the Decatur Square transformation, awarded construction to JHC Corporation for $7,062,825 after disqualifying a lower bid for missing documents, and authorized a $150,000 owner-representative contract with Ascension Program Management to support an accelerated 10-month schedule.
The Decatur City Commission on Monday approved a multi-part package to move forward with a planned transformation of the Decatur downtown square.
Deputy City Manager David Younger outlined the recommended $8.5 million project budget and said the city received two bids on Feb. 27. TriScapes submitted the low bid but was disqualified for failing to include required contractor qualification documentation; JHC Corporation submitted the next-lowest responsive bid for $7,062,825 and staff recommended awarding the contract to JHC.
Key project elements include a new performing-arts stage with a green room, new restroom facilities, a children's play area, expansion of amenities onto North McDonough Street and upgrades to the Marta Plaza with landscape and hardscape improvements. The work will require demolition of the current gazebo and relocation of the existing celebration sculpture.
Because of the project's accelerated schedule and technical complexity, staff also recommended hiring Ascension Program Management as owner representative for $150,000 for additional construction oversight. Staff said the project will be financed through SPLOST (special-purpose local-option sales tax) proceeds and that the voters authorized up to $10 million in debt backed by SPLOST for these projects; staff anticipates construction starting in about six weeks with an approximately 10-month schedule aimed to finish before summer 2026 events.
Commissioners discussed bidding details and reference checks for JHC, the contingency/miscellaneous line-item discrepancy that affected bid comparisons, and the need to coordinate utility work (MARTA, Georgia Power, Atlanta Gas Light) as the project proceeds. The commission voted to approve the project budget, the JHC contract and the Ascension owner-rep agreement in separate motions; all motions passed on the record.
