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FPRA hears final designs for Sunrise Event Center as members press for garage repairs and cost detail
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Summary
Architects presented 100% construction documents for the 9,000‑sq‑ft Sunrise Event Center; board members praised the design but pressed staff about $288/sq‑ft build estimates and outstanding structural and roof repairs to the underlying parking garage before committing to full build‑out.
Architects and city staff on April 14 presented final construction documents for the Sunrise Event Center, a proposed 9,000‑square‑foot event venue on the fourth floor of the Sunrise Center parking garage, and commissioners said they supported the design while pressing for clarity on costs and structural safety.
The presentation, led by a city staff member and Daniel Diaz of Architects Design Collaborative, showed a flexible banquet hall (layouts for 200–240 guests), four meeting rooms, a warming kitchen, a bridal room and an extended corridor with a custom wall wrap celebrating Fort Pierce history. The architectural team said the package includes acoustical curtains and baffles, furnishing selections for lobbies and conference areas, and allowances for the wall‑wrap installation; they described the documents as 100% construction documents ready to be issued for bidding.
Why it matters: commissioners said the project could generate revenue and broaden downtown event capacity, but they repeatedly raised safety and cost questions that must be answered before moving to contract. Commissioner questions focused on whether the garage below needs substantial repair before adding dead and live loads from build‑out, whether design oversight (construction administration) is included in the scope, and how the per‑square‑foot estimate was calculated.
Architects reported schematic‑phase estimates of roughly $216 per square foot and later contractor feedback of about $288 per square foot for the current scope; they noted the $288 figure came from early contractor input and that the team had solicited a few informal bids. The design team also identified constraints from existing roof drains and overhead fire lines that required ceiling and layout adjustments and reduced the bar size to accommodate food‑service equipment.
Board members pressed staff and the city engineer for a clear sequencing plan. One commissioner noted a recent engineering review that identified spalling and active roof leaks in parts of the parking garage and said an $850,000–$1,000,000 repair estimate had been discussed; city engineering staff told the board they were preparing bid documents for required garage repairs and characterized the observed spalling as a common maintenance issue but urged structural evaluation as needed. Several commissioners said the city must prioritize public‑safety work and establish whether garage repairs should precede a full event‑center build‑out.
Commissioners also asked for a breakdown of the $288 per‑square‑foot number (gross versus usable area and common‑area load factors) and whether construction administration and permit responses were included in the fee. The architect said the design fee for the completed package was roughly $96,000 and that typical construction‑administration services were not assumed at that price point; the firm estimated 3–4 months to finalize documents and to be ready for bidding.
The board provided direction to staff to: confirm whether the construction documents include any required construction administration work, obtain a detailed cost breakdown (usable vs. gross square footage and the common‑area factor), and coordinate with city engineering on the scope/timing of garage repairs before releasing construction contracts. The board did not take a formal vote on the event‑center funding or construction timeline at the meeting.
Next steps: staff to return with clarified cost breakdowns, contractor oversight options and the engineering department’s recommended sequencing for garage repairs and event‑center work.
