Panel reviews OKC convention center bids
Oklahoma City appears set to get all it needed in a convention center.
It may even get some of things it wants, though details are sparse.
Architects reviewed construction bids with the MAPS 3 convention center advisory committee Thursday afternoon, focusing on the numbers received last week.
The apparent low bidder, Flintco LLC, based in Tulsa, offered to build the center for $173.3 million, $34.3 million under the estimate by lead architect and design firm Populous.
Architect Adam Paulitsch said he had never “in my wildest dreams” expected such a favorable result. “We designed this up to all of the standards that we would design a first-class, Grade-A, cutting-edge convention center, from top to bottom,” he said.
“We never felt like we sacrificed along the way and the way that the bids are coming in, it just is a very favorable situation and we couldn’t be happier,” Paulitsch said.
The city received three bids, all within a close range. JE Dunn Construction of Kansas City bid $175.9 million and Archer Western Construction of Atlanta bid $181.2 million.
Paulitsch said the favorable bids were“the product of a good set of drawings, competitive environment, the local working climate.”
“When we talk about finishes, exterior finishes, the functionality of the building, we never sacrificed anything,” he said.
Thursday’s review focused on options, or “alternates,” the city was willing to sacrifice if construction costs exceeded the project budget.
MAPS 3 Program Manager David Todd said his office was recommending all but one be included.
Alternates slated for inclusion are:
• A skybridge between the convention center and the adjacent Omni headquarters hotel.
• Surface parking and improvements to S Broadway Avenue and SW 4 and SW 6 streets.
• Shade “fins” to reduce glare and improve energy efficiency of the glass exterior.
• Lighting rigging for the ballroom and a meetingroom system for the hearing-impaired.
• Partitions to increase flexibility of the 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall.
Todd recommended leaving out equipment for a central utility plant designed into the building. Plans are to contract with Veolia for heating and cooling. Veolia’s plant serves about 30 downtown buildings, including the city’s recently completed police headquarters and Municipal Court buildings.
“We’ve got the money. We’re under budget. These are all good, valid alternates. I’d like to see them in the project,” Todd said.
“We’re going to have a fantastic building with great finishes, with the area we needed and we’re under budget,” he said. “That’s the best news ever.”
Paulitsch said architects were working with the city, and would work with Flintco once a contract is finalized, on unspecified “wants” for the building.
“There’s chatter about ‘we want this, this’ — it’s all relevant,” he said.
Without offering details, Todd said there “are things that have been discussed” but indicated none would qualify as major additions.
The convention center is the largest building project in city history, with a total budget of $288 million.
Construction is expected to begin this summer, with the building opening in 2020. Financed by the MAPS 3 sales tax, it will open debt-free.