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Properties committee discusses boosting RH Johnson courtyard furniture budget to $125,000
Summary
Staff presented options to furnish the RH Johnson courtyard and advised increasing the CIP line from $90,000 to $125,000 to afford higher-quality, accessible seating; members supported getting multiple quotes and in-person samples before final purchase.
The Properties Committee discussed plans to furnish the RH Johnson (RHJ) courtyard and heard staff recommendations to increase the proposed capital budget to secure higher-quality, accessible seating.
Sabrina Alivito, facilities operations manager, told the committee she had gathered vendor renderings and pricing and asked members how many people the courtyard should accommodate. "If we did seating in those areas for 70 people with the higher quality furniture, which is like one of their lowest levels starting at that higher end, is going to be about $100,000 for that area," Alivito said, adding that a midlevel option to seat about 100 people was quoted at roughly $70,000, excluding tax and freight. She recommended moving the current $90,000 proposal up to $125,000 to allow purchase of higher-quality pieces and room to shop for preferred styles.
Committee members repeatedly emphasized accessibility and durability. Director Chanton and others raised concerns about deep lounge seating that can be difficult for older residents to use; one member requested that lounge seats be 18 inches high where possible to ease transfers. Members also urged commercial-grade materials to resist sun, wind and sand, and favored locally sourced vendors for warranty and service access.
Several members recommended a stepped procurement approach. "Get quotes for 70 and 100 seats and for low-, mid- and high-grade options," one committee member suggested, asking staff to return with comparative numbers and samples. Audience commenter Chris Waller recommended a plot drawing to verify how 70 or 100 seats would fit without creating circulation or ADA-access problems; staff said they would attempt a rendering but noted some vendors will not create detailed layouts without a purchase commitment.
An online commenter, Lynn Johnson, signaled support for the higher-quality option: "I concur with $125,000 and 70 people. This area is a showcase first impression area for potential residents," she wrote.
Next steps: staff will collect firm quotes (including local vendors), bring sample pieces to committee members for hands-on testing and, where possible, provide a layout so the committee can confirm seating density and circulation before final selection. The committee did not take a formal vote at the meeting but broadly supported advancing the higher-quality option pending firm quotes and samples.
