City to explore a new construction partnership for south fire station

Mar. 13—GOSHEN — Goshen's new fire station on the south end of the city will be constructed using a build partnership format yet unused locally.

During the Goshen Redevelopment Commission meeting Tuesday, Redevelopment Coordinator Becky Hutsell explained that the first step in the build-operate-transfer partnership process is, as with a design-build building project format, to get a request for proposals.

"Part of it is, it is a specialty, with the ventilation needs and the different components and all of the cancer concerns for the stations, and this allows us to bring in some specialty in that regard as well, people that have experience in designing and constructing of that nature," Hutsell said.

Builders will attempt to meet the city's estimated budget for the project and present what they believe they can do with the funds, which will be produced through bond.

Next is the scoping process, where the construction team and the city work together to develop a fully fleshed-out design and determine the guaranteed maximum price.

The new fire station will be located at 17120 C.R. 40, Goshen, north of the Goshen Municipal Airport. The site is about 8 acres. The city's proposal, based on a needs analysis, includes an estimated 13,700-square-foot building with three bays and six bunks, a kitchen and dining area, a conference room, an exercise room, a bathroom and shower facilities, and parking.

While they build, the construction company will technically be operating the facility and then transfer it to the city upon completion.

"It works well when you're trying to build a building because it puts you more akin to a property owner working with different contractors, and you work with them to help design and figure out how to build it and do all that work, and you have the agreement upfront with them as opposed to hiring an architect, specking it out and everything and seeing if a construction company wants to build that particular building," explained City Attorney Don Shuler.

Once the building is constructed and the city takes ownership, per the agreement, there will be a 30-day period where the construction company will be responsible for all problems with the facility. There will also be a warranty period after that.

"Since this is new to us, we actually met with a local contractor and had a frank discussion with them, and what their comment was out of that meeting was that they would be more likely to bid on a project like this with the build-operate-transfer than standard the design-bid-build," Goshen Director of Public Works Dustin Sailor said. "They said they would probably just pass on it. There's enough work out there that they can do better, I guess, on private contracts, but this seemed to be favorable and something that they would offer a bid."

City Councilman and Commissioner Brett Weddell and Commissioner Brian Garber agreed to be on the committee for the project. School board member Bradd Weddell will also join the committee as a nonvoting member of the Redevelopment Commission.

Brett Weddell confirmed the possibility of the cost being higher than it would otherwise be to account for possible market changes.

"That's a reason you avoid a lot of change orders because you're having all that done by one team," Shuler explained.

The current estimate for the project is $7 million, but Hutsell said the final cost will be dependent on the proposals received and if it runs too much higher, they'll be able to reconsider the design plans.

"What we're really looking for is that value-engineered component from the architect and the builder," Sailor explained.

Jonathan Graber asked if anyone locally had used the method before.

Shuler said the city of Franklin has used it for a police station, aquatic center, and also a fire station; Noblesville used it for an event center; and Westfield has used it for a police station.

The commission approved the Request for Proposals and Qualifications, with plans to have the official request issued early next week, with an expected deadline in late April. The city hopes to enter into an agreement with the contractor in late May.

Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.