Ford Center renovations update

[rcjunkie]

Why don't we make up the shortfall by cutting City employee wages a bit more? Instead of 5%, lets make it 10%, that should do it.

Not for renovating the Ford Center, but I would gladly give up 10% of my City retirement pay to save jobs (Fire, Police, AFSCME and Management).

[ljbab728]

Does anyone have any updates on what's going on with the Ford Center?

[Larry OKC]

Does anyone have any updates on what's going on with the Ford Center?

http://newsok.com/ford-center-renova...eadline_sports
(Oklahoman 7/7/10)

...Final renovations on the Ford Center will begin this fall and be completed in the summer of 2011. City officials have earmarked nearly $40 million for the final phase — a grand entryway on the southwest corner near Robinson. ...

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-migh...rticle/3473998
Oklahoma City might save as much as $14 million on Ford Center renovations, practice facility (Oklahoman 7/7/10)

...
Cost, Project
$12.2 million, professional fees (A&E, testing)
$1.5 million, early basketball operations
$1.3 million, relocation of I-40, Robinson Ave.
$4 million, 2008 Ford Center renovations
$29.8 million, 2009 Ford Center renovations
$2.8 million, 2010 Ford Center renovations
$40 million, 2010-11 Ford Center renovations
$14.5 million, practice facility
$106 million, TOTAL COST

[CuatrodeMayo]

Wait a minute...didn't a portion of the Ford Center renovations get cut due to lower-than-expected tax revenue? I guess it's just how you spin it...

[khook]

yep it was originally projected at 130 Million so it was cut.... read today article in the Oklahoman for the explanations and the support for the numbers listed previously

[megax11]

Wait, wait, wait.

They said the final phase is only the new grand entrance?

What happened to the rooftop garden, child center, more restaurants and whatnot?

There was more in the final phase, than just a new grand entrance.

I thought the only thing to get cut was some kind of frontside office and the warmup courts?

[ljbab728]

Wait, wait, wait.

They said the final phase is only the new grand entrance?

What happened to the rooftop garden, child center, more restaurants and whatnot?

There was more in the final phase, than just a new grand entrance.

I thought the only thing to get cut was some kind of frontside office and the warmup courts?

The article states that interior renovations will begin next summer after basketball season. It doesn't detail what those renovations will be though.

[Spartan]

I can't imagine cutting a rooftop garden really saving that much. Imagine the statement that it would make for sustainability in our city, and the VIEW IT WOULD HAVE!!

As for the grand entrance and new facade, the city is currently letting a contract for architectural services on that. Or did ADG, Little, or FSB already secure it? lol

[LakeEffect]

The contract has been with Benham since the start, Nick. There is no new contract for architectural services being advertised...

[Spartan]

http://okc.gov/AgendaPub/pubmtgframe...doctype=AGENDA

OCPP.F. I was there are the meeting and I assumed it was referring to a contract that hadn't been designated yet because there was NO discussion on it. If it was already with Benham then how come they didn't even discuss their work when they forked over $10 million so they will design the next phase? I don't get that.

[LakeEffect]

That item was for the City to purchase the OCPPA's plans for the Ford Center. The $10 million covered the whole design... which makes sense, if you think an arch/eng fee ranges from 6.5% to 10% depending on the project. City trusts/authorities often pay for A/E and then the City reimburses the trust/authority when the funds are available.

[Spartan]

OK, now I get it. I wasn't aware of the separation between the OCPP and the City. I guess some of the Medical Business District people are now going to come on here and insist that OCPP is entirely separate from the City (joking).

I knew Benham did the practice facility design, so I'm guessing the ENTIRE Ford Center and practice facility were just bundled together for the architectural services contract?

[bluedogok]

That item was for the City to purchase the OCPPA's plans for the Ford Center. The $10 million covered the whole design... which makes sense, if you think an arch/eng fee ranges from 6.5% to 10% depending on the project. City trusts/authorities often pay for A/E and then the City reimburses the trust/authority when the funds are available.

I wish we could get close to that percentage in fees....

It makes sense to use Benham for the Ford Center stuff since they did the original project and many who worked on it are still there, it greatly reduces the learning curve. I didn't work on it when I was there, only the Wranglers locker room before they folded.

[LakeEffect]

By the way - Benham did NOT design the practice facility. That contract was given to HOK Sport (now called Populus). Funny, considering the practice facility is being built in the shadow of Benham's building.

[bluedogok]

By the way - Benham did NOT design the practice facility. That contract was given to HOK Sport (now called Populus). Funny, considering the practice facility is being built in the shadow of Benham's building.

C.H. Guernsey is the "Architect of Record", HOK Sport/Populous is the Designer. The Ford Center was Benham as the Architect of Record and Sink, Combs, Dethlefs of Denver as the designer. Benham is now owned by a large California company (SAIC), at the time of the Ford Center work I think the WS Atkins acquisition had already occurred, It was AtkinsBenham when I left to move to Austin. I think Bennett was involved with the group that financed taking Benham back from Atkins a few years before the sale to SAIC.