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City staff recommends CMAR for new police headquarters, cites major site and escalation costs
Summary
Staff recommended using a construction manager at risk (CMAR) for the planned police headquarters to allow early cost control; architects cited major site work (~$6M) and multi‑year escalation as principal drivers of the rising price, and the council discussed financing and procurement options.
City Manager Loing briefed the council on contracting options for the new police headquarters and said staff recommends selection of a construction manager at risk (CMAR) based on experience with recent city projects. Staff said early CMAR involvement during design helps identify cost controls and reduce escalation risk.
Architect Jeff Mudgett of Parker Mudgett Smith Architects outlined the primary reasons current cost estimates grew: substantial site work (he cited roughly $6,000,000 of site‑work costs compared with an earlier ~$1,000,000 estimate for a renovation scenario), structural work that must be rebuilt or brought to current code and multi‑year record levels of price escalation. “For the record, Jeff Mudgett, Parker Mudgett Smith Architects,” he said when answering council questions about the shifting price drivers. Council members asked about appraisal work, renovation vs. new construction tradeoffs, and whether alternative procurement (P3 or build‑to‑suit) might avoid debt on the city books; staff and architects warned P3 could carry higher long‑term financing costs and reduce design control.
Staff said the solicitation for a construction manager should begin soon if the council agrees, and cautioned that financing choices will affect timeline and cost. The council did not take a formal vote during the workshop; staff will return with recommended solicitation documents and a timeline for selection.
