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Boca Raton council agrees to seek owner's representative as center plans evolve
Summary
Council directed staff to seek an owner's representative (consultant) to advise on parking, circulation, construction costs and other landlord-plan issues for the proposed Center for Arts and Innovation; members asked staff to preserve the city's reservation-of-rights and report progress to council.
Council members on Sept. 24 directed staff to pursue an owner’s-representative consultant to advise the city on the Center for Arts and Innovation landlord plans and related technical issues.
City Manager Brown told the council that staff needs clearer scope language before hiring and that the center expects to update its business plan in about six weeks, with construction estimates due by January. "If the task includes a review of the business plan or the construction estimates, I don't think we would be prepared to provide you with a consultant's evaluation of those matters until March or April of next year," Brown said, urging clarity on scope and timing.
Council members broadly supported hiring a consultant to act as an independent reviewer on matters such as parking, circulation, feasibility of underground parking, construction budgeting and whether proposed landlord-plan approvals could survive later material changes. Several members stressed they did not want the city to waive rights during the IDA process; the city attorney explained that the parties had contemplated returning to the city if material modifications occur in the IDA and that council communication of reservation-of-rights concerns now was appropriate.
Council member Wigder and others suggested the consultant serve as a longer-term partner throughout implementation, not only for an immediate quick review; some members also floated narrowly crafted amendments or reservation clauses to preserve the city's landlord rights. "If we have to move some of these dates a few months back in the grand scheme of things for a project that we want to last generations and to be done right, I think moving it back if we have to is not a big deal," Wigder said.
What’s next: Staff will seek proposals for an owner's representative with experience in construction management, circulation and performing arts facilities and report progress at the next staff follow-up (staff indicated an update by Oct. 7 and further steps by Oct. 21). The council did not take a formal vote to approve a consultant contract on Sept. 24.
Quotes and attributions are drawn from the Sept. 24 meeting transcript and reflect council and staff remarks recorded in that session.
