The body overseeing the Monroe Convention Center expansion is expected to choose a construction manager for the project later this month.
(FILE PHOTO: WFIU/WTIU News)
The body overseeing the Monroe Convention Center expansion is expected to choose a construction manager for the project later this month.
That’s according to a Tuesday meeting of the Monroe County Capital Improvement Board, at which members interviewed three firms vying for the role: F.A. Wilhelm, Shiel Sexton and Weddle Brothers.
Representatives from each firm spoke about their company’s merits, made suggestions for the project and shared ideas for mitigating the public impact of construction.
It’s now up to the CIB’s members to individually score each of the firms in the coming days. Their scores will be averaged, and whichever firm comes out on top is the one board members will vote on June 12 for the title of construction manager.
The CIB also is expected to choose a site for expansion at that same meeting. The group is down to three options: east, west or south. The north option, which would have included the former Bunger & Robertson property, was ruled out last month.
The city, which owns the building, wanted reimbursement for the property if the CIB chose to use it for a northern expansion; but the CIB has said it’s not willing to negotiate on this. The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission purchased the building for nearly $7 million in Tax Increment Finance dollars.
F.A. Wilhelm representatives, while they did not explicitly endorse the east option, used it as the baseline for analysis of scheduled cost and virtual design logistics. They said they did so since north is off the table, west includes a private landowner, and they consider south the most expensive option.
Shiel Sexton representatives suggested the idea of expediting the project by constructing the convention center expansion and a connected hotel at the same time. They said doing so could help encourage more bids for the project and minimize the public impact of road closures.
Weddle Brothers, too, spoke to the public impact and safety of closures needed for construction. Representatives also cited the company’s well-rounded background on different aspects of construction as well as its local connections. Unlike the other two firms, which are based in Indianapolis, Weddle Brothers is headquartered in Bloomington.
These interviews come one day before the Bloomington City Council is expected to adopt a letter to the CIB expressing council members’ priorities in the convention center project.
The latest version of the letter includes but is not limited to the following recommendations:
Limit city expenditures on the project to the city’s share of Food and Beverage Tax revenues.
The city council should reserve about 7.5 percent of its share of Food and Beverage Tax revenues for other uses.
If any city-owned property being used for surface parking for this project is proposed to remain a part of future use, the CIB should approach the mayor and city council about these plans.
The CIB should budget for a minimum 10 percent contingency to buffer against unexpected construction costs and to decrease the likelihood the project will use funds other than Food and Beverage Tax revenues.
The CIB should not contract for services or make other financial commitments without approval from the city council, regardless of whether Food and Beverage Tax revenues have been appropriated in the annual city budget.
The CIB should develop a financial plan for the center’s long-term operations and maintenance before bonding for the project.
The project should have all requisite development approvals, such as Bloomington Plan Commission approval, prior to bonding.
Consider sustainable transportation options in plans for the project.
These recommendations are slightly altered from those outlined in a previous version of the letter. That version caused some friction between elected leaders last week, as some felt the last draft was too heavy-handed and demanding in its phrasing and expectations.
More than one city council member insisted the letter was not meant to make unliteral demands, but to prevent issues in the future when the council approves bonds for the project.
However, councilor Isak Asare empathized with the concerns of many county officials, saying the last letter signaled to others that the council “want(s) to make it hard to do a convention center.”
The council can still amend the latest version of the letter ahead of its Wednesday meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
