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Upper Arlington taps Edge Group for Fancyburg Park design; maintenance building to be built as part of 2027 project
Summary
Council heard that the Edge Group was selected to do detailed design for Fancyburg Park; staff said the previously separate maintenance building will be integrated into the larger park construction to seek economies of scale, with bidding planned for November and construction in 2027.
City staff presented a detailed update on Fancyburg Park on May 11, telling council that previously separate projects are now being combined into one construction effort and that the Edge Group scored highest in the RFP to provide detailed design and cost estimating.
Staff said bids for only the maintenance/service building had come in well over budget when advertised separately; as a result, the maintenance building will be folded into a comprehensive park renovation to seek economies of scale and reduce total disruption. Staff emphasized ongoing community engagement on the playground, shelter finishes and lighting and said an on-board third-party cost estimator will help keep design and bid packages aligned with budget.
Timeline and procurement: staff said scope verification and cost estimating will begin next month, public input and an updated cost estimate are expected in August (to inform the 2027 capital budget), the team aims to bid the base project and alternates in November and to perform construction in 2027 as a one-season effort.
Community concerns and clarifications: council asked about wording calling part of the plan a 'wetland' and whether that implied an extensive marsh; staff replied the element is intended to be a small seasonal natural area or nature-play feature, not a large wetland like Thompson Park. Council also pressed staff on tree retention; staff said the plan will aim to retain trees where possible and add additional trees in the final design. Because the maintenance building will remain on-site during parts of construction to support tree care and nursery needs, staff said staging and operational sequencing will be necessary to maintain critical services.
Why it matters: consolidating the maintenance building into the larger renovation is intended to control costs and limit multiple mobilizations, but it introduces operational planning needs for forestry, nursery and equipment staging during construction. The Edge Group’s inclusion of a third-party cost estimator is intended to provide more predictable bid pricing and to identify alternates that can be traded for budgetary reasons.
What’s next: staff will return with detailed design deliverables, cost updates in August and a bid package in November; council will see construction-award items and capital-budget planning ahead of 2027 construction.
