Dripping Springs authorizes bid issuance for Stephenson Building rehab and downtown parking lot

Dripping Springs City Council voted June 17 to authorize staff to issue a unified bid package covering the Stephenson (Stevenson/Stephenson in packet) Building rehabilitation and associated downtown parking improvements.

City project staff said the unified package is intended to coordinate site development and avoid contractor conflicts by using a single general contractor. The value-engineered estimate for the building was presented at approximately $3,550,000; combined with parking and bid alternates the total estimate cited was about $4.7 million (staff cautioned numbers were not updated for current market conditions).

Two bid alternates were described: (1) power pedestals (12 pedestals providing event power and food-truck hookups) and associated electrical service, and (2) off-site paving work for the Rambo Lodge parking area (staff estimate ~$38,000). Council discussed that the power pedestals are installed under the pavement and that adding them later without conduit in place would require tearing up the pavement. "We are doing pervious pavers, which are more expensive," staff said, explaining drainage and water quality tradeoffs that raised the parking cost but increased parking yield compared with onsite ponds.

Council members expressed concern about the project cost relative to overall budget (one member described the parking improvements as representing a large single-project share of available funds) and asked staff to provide options if bids come in higher than estimates. Staff said they would return options and noted they had implemented cuts (~8%) during value engineering.

A motion to issue the request-for-bids and move the project forward passed on a voice vote. Staff will release the bid package, conduct an optional pre-bid meeting at the Stephenson Building, receive bids by the stated due date, and return to council for award recommendations.