City looks for transfer station architect
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 5, 2010 1:50 AM
Selection of an architect for the $4.5 million GATEWAY bus transfer station portion of the Union Station project could be made by mid-February.
Proposals from two architectural firms were reviewed Wednesday by Assistant City Manager Tasha Logan, GATEWAY Director Alan Stubbs, Goldsboro-Wayne Transpor-tation Board Chairman and City Council member Don Chatman, Development Services Director Randy Guthrie and Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. Director Julie Thompson.
The state Department of Transportation also provided input, Ms. Logan said.
The current transfer station is housed in an old fire station on Beech Street.
Along with serving GATEWAY, the transfer station also would serve the Greyhound bus system. It will be a new building with waiting and ticketing facilities on the north end of the Union Station property.
In October, the city asked for letters of intent from architectural companies interested in the project. The city received six letters, not as many as had been hoped for, Ms. Logan said. The city had wanted to have a short list of at least three top companies, she said.
Regardless, a short list was chosen in November when the list was narrowed to two firms and the full proposals were received.
Making the short list were David E. Gall, Architect, PA of Winston-Salem and Moser Mayer Phoenix Associates, PA of Greensboro. The two companies were asked to submit full proposals, and representatives of those two firms will be interviewed in early January followed by the fee negotiations once staff recommends a firm.
Final approval rests with the City Council, which is expected to make its selection by mid-February. The GATEWAY board will be notified of the staff recommendation prior to the vote.
Also responding to the city's call for letters regarding the transfer station were HH Architecture, Raleigh; Darden J. Eure and Associates, PA, New Bern; JKF Architecture, Greenville; and Anne Fahim Architectural Services PC, Raleigh.
The total capital cost for the bus transfer station is estimated to be close to $4.5 million. The construction cost is roughly $4.1 million and design is $400,000. Estimates for the transfer station were provided as part of the study completed by Martin/Alexiou/Bryson.
"When looking for a firm you look for one that you think is the best qualified and has experience working in an historic district," Ms. Logan said.
Since several projects, all funded by different sources, could be ongoing at the same time at Union Station, it also is important to have a firm experienced in dealing with different money streams and that is able to coordinate work efforts among several projects and companies, she said.
The city will receive a $500,000 federal earmark to help build the new transfer station. The earmark will require a 10-percent match, $50,000 from both the city and state. The $500,000 is actually the second allocation Last year, the project received $855,000.