It was supposed to be in December, then January . . . now it’s postponed til June!! Along with other pieces of the project.Here’s some excerpts from the 4th Quarter Report to the Mayor’s Public Works Improvement Committee.
DECEMBER/JANUARY
In the Third Quarter Report, we reported that the occupancy permit for the City’s new Wilson Street Garage on Block 88 would be issued before year end. We indicated that the early onset of winter, the coordination between the garage and Podium construction, the timing of the punch-list process and the City’s desire to ensure that the construction is completed in a high-quality manner, the date for the Certificate of Occupancy had been pushed back to after the winter holidays into January. With the Government East Ramp open, we do not have a deadline required by others to finish the new Garage and felt the extra few weeks would ensure a successful completion to the Garage element of the project.
NOW JUNE????
As part of finishing the construction of the Garage, City Building Inspection initiated their end-of-construction inspections in December. One element…the air transfer system (“air ducts”) for the emergency generator…was determined by City Building Inspection to not have the needed two-hour fire rating. Changes to these “air ducts” will be required to provide a two-hour fire rating before the City will issue a Certificate of Occupancy for the Garage. It should be noted that the air transfer system was built in accordance with the State of Wisconsin approved building plans for which the City issued the building permit in October 2017. City Building Inspection believes it was an oversight on the part of the State to have not required this change to the “air ducts” at the time of their review. Construction of the remedial work on the “air ducts” is likely to extend into April/May 2020, which would necessitate the opening of the Garage on or about June 1, 2020. The existing Government East Ramp will remain open and operating during this extended construction time, ensuring that the public continues to have a place to park and the Parking Utility continues to generate revenue.
$4M IN CHANGE ORDERS, NO CONTINGENCY LEFT?
9 change orders have been approved by the Board of Public Works to date in the amount of $112,970 for the Podium element. At the end of the fourth quarter, the available contingency was approximately $300,000.
15 change orders have been approved by the Board of Works to date in the amount of $4,358,295 for the garage element. At the end of the fourth quarter, there wasn’t any contingency remaining.
BICYCLE CENTER OPENING ALSO IN JUNE
Bicycle Center
- The build-out of the bicycle center will be finished as part of the City’s Wilson Street Garage construction.
- The lease has been fully executed and Freewheel’s security deposit has been paid to the City. The grand opening of the bicycle center will be timed with the opening of the Wilson Street Garage.
WHEN WILL CONSTRUCTION ON THE HOUSING BEGIN?
The Urban Design Commission will consider the matter on February 12th, the Plan Commission on February 24th and the Common Council on March 3rd. The construction start target date is June 1, 2020 and the move-in target date is June 2021.
WHEN WILL GOVERNMENT EAST BE TORN DOWN/HOTEL CONSTRUCTION BEGIN?
Block 105 Private Development
- Beitler Real Estate Services contacted the City in November, advising that it had formed a development team for its hotel project on Lot 1 of the Block 105 parcel. A meeting was conducted in Madison with City staff on December 12th to introduce the hotel development team and discuss key issues regarding the development of the project. A follow-up meeting was scheduled for January to continue the discussion.
- Bids were received on October 3rd for the demolition of the Government East Ramp. The low bid was $709,300 from Veit. The Board of Public Works reviewed the bid on October 16 and the Common Council approved the resolution on November 5 . The Order to Proceed will be issued by City Engineering to be timed with the issuance of the occupancy permit for the Wilson Street Garage. We will likely see a change order due to the delay caused by the air ducts issue for labor rate increases and the increased need for safety measures to protect the operation of the Great Dane patio after it opens this spring.
NEXT STEPS DUE TO DELAYS
- The Wilson Street Garage final construction elements will be completed. Depending the solution chosen for air ducts issue, the Wilson Street Garage and the bicycle center could be moved to as late as June 1, 2020. A certificate of occupancy will be requested from the City to open the garage and the bicycle center as soon as that construction element is completed.
- Upon the opening of the Wilson Street Garage, an order to proceed with the demolition of the Government East Garage will be issued. The demolition is now targeted to be completed in the summer 2020.
- Stone House has requested land use approvals for the apartment tower on Block 88 and consideration of that application should be completed in March. City staff is working with Stone House to complete the condominium documents. A loan commitment for a $34.5 million loan from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority to construct the apartment tower is expected by the end of February.
- City staff will continue to work with Beitler Real Estate Services to advance the hotel development on Block 105. A schedule of activities will be developed during the first quarter.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you are looking for more info, check out the 4th Quarter Report to the Mayor’s Public Works Improvement Committee.
