TODAY IN HISTORY
City of San Diego has rejected all bids for construction; rebidding is next
Today is March 6, 2021.
Today’s highlight
On March 6, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Dred Scott v. Sandford, ruled 7-2 that Scott, a slave, was not an American citizen and therefore could not sue for his freedom in federal court.
On this date
In 1475, Italian artist and poet Michelangelo was born.
In 1836, the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, fell as Mexican forces stormed the fortress after a 13-day siege; the battle claimed the lives of all the Texan defenders, nearly 200 strong, including William Travis, James Bowie and Davy Crockett.
In 1944, U.S. heavy bombers staged the first full-scale American raid on Berlin.
In 1964, Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
In 1981, Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time as principal anchorman of “The CBS Evening News.”
Today’s birthdays
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is 95. Actor Carmen de Lavallade is 90. Actor Joanna Miles is 81. Singer-musician David Gilmour is 75. Actor-director Rob Reiner is 74. Actor Tom Arnold is 62. Actor D.L. Hughley is 58. Actor Connie Britton is 54. Basketball star Shaquille O’Neal is 49.
The long-planned restoration of Balboa Park’s storied Botanical Building finds itself on unsure footing with the city of San Diego failing to secure a construction firm to complete phase one improvements.
Thursday evening, Christina Chadwick, assistant deputy director for the parks department, told Balboa Park Committee participants that the city had rejected all bids for work and would need to rebid the project. No reason was provided.
“Following a thorough review, all proposals (for the Botanical Building construction contract) submitted were rejected,” Chadwick said during the meeting. “The city is now working as quickly as possible to reissue the bid solicitation .... While this isn’t the outcome the city had hoped for, the project remains on track and timelines remain uninterrupted.”
The city, Chadwick added, still aims to award
a contract this summer and work is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2023.
While the turn of events is being framed as a minor snag, it has the potential to unravel the entire project. An $8.26 million award from the state — money that represents the bulk of funds reserved for the restoration — comes with the requirement that the work be completed by June 30, 2022.
However, the city can request a deadline extension from the state if needed, city spokesman Timothy Graham said.
Originally constructed in 1914, the Botanical Building is just one of four remaining permanent structures built for the PanamaCalifornia Exposition. It is oft-described as the park’s heart of horticulture. A popular free attraction, the Botanical Building draws more than half a million visitors in a normal year.
The facility, however, is in need of major repair due to termite damage, severe rust and years of deferred maintenance, according to the city’s nonprofit partner the Balboa Park Conservancy, which has been spearheading the renovation effort since 2015.
In 2019, California stepped in with a $8.26 million
grant to get the project back on track after it had stalled due to a lack of funds. The gift was meant to cover most of the roughly $11 million project, with the conservancy tasked to raise the rest of the money.
The project was then split into two phases. The city opted to immediately tackle structural, historic and infrastructure improvements with cash on hand. Exterior improvements and landscaping were saved for the conservancy to finance and construct at a future date. The park organization plans to conduct a capital campaign and sell naming rights for various building elements following approval of a policy that’s expected to go before the City Council in the coming months.
For its part, the city allocated $300,000 to select a construction team and oversee the first phase of construction. The formal requisition process began with a November request for qualifications, proceeded with a request for proposals and resulted in two bids.
“In accordance with San Diego Municipal Code §22.3015, which states the city may reject any and all proposals when to do so is in the best interests of the city, all submitted proposals have been rejected,” said Timothy Graham, a
spokesman for the city.
The city is now working to reissue the solicitation to the three qualified bidders identified during the request for qualifications process, Graham said.
“We look forward to seeing the results of the RFP process, and are pleased that the Botanical Building project remains on track,” said Jacqueline Higgins, who is the director of planning, design and programs for the Balboa Park Conservancy.
Beyond the construction hiccup, the city and the conservancy are also facing pushback on an in-theworks plan to generate revenue from the improved Botanical Building for its ongoing maintenance. In recent weeks, David Lundin, who is president of the Balboa Park Heritage Association and has filed suit against the city in the past, has publicized concerns on social media and reached out to city officials, warning that the currently free public attraction is at risk of being turned into a privatized event venue.
The city and the conservancy expect to present operations ideas and solicit input from the committee as early as April, Chadwick said.