Pictured: An artist’s rendition of the field house component of the Nexus Park project at the former FairOaks Mall. Submitted photo
COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Columbus Board of Works has selected Force Construction as the contractor for the NexusPark fieldhouse, voting to accept the company’s proposal and to begin working with them to narrow down options to reach a final cost for the project.
Local contractor Force Construction was one of two companies that had submitted requests for qualifications and then request for proposals for the fieldhouse project, which is be built on the former FairOaks mall complex as part of the mall’s revamp as a sports, health and recreational complex.
While Indiana statute does not require a public entity to select the lowest bid in a request for proposals, Force was the lowest, according to city officials and the technical review committee that evaluated the two proposals.
However, Indiana law allows the city to not reveal the actual amount being proposed until modifications or additions are negotiated with the selected contractor to come up with the final price.
City officials said actual numbers on the NexusPark fieldhouse are expected to be released in a few weeks.
The two companies that submitted request for proposals were Force Construction and Runnebohm Construction of Shelbyville.
In documents released after the meeting, Force Construction’s lump sum base bid was at $26.5 million while Runnebohm’s was $27.4 million. This does not include various alternatives that could add or subtract from the structure’s final cost.
The project includes design/build construction of the fieldhouse, demolition of the former Goody’s, site preparation, moving underground utilities, and constructing a connector to the NexusPark building. Bids include quotes and work schedules.
Director of Administration and Community Development Mary Ferdon said earlier that the city engaged architecture firm Perkins & Will for design of the parks department administrative space at NexusPark and initial design on the fieldhouse. However, the actual design build of the fieldhouse will be completed by whichever contractor the city chooses.
Fieldhouse construction is estimated to take nine to 12 months, due to delays in obtaining steel.
The fieldhouse is being financed through a lease with the Columbus Municipal Facilities Building Corp. The city has approved the building corporation to issue lease rental revenue bonds — in an amount not exceeding $29 million — for the purpose of financing “all or any portion” of this project. The estimated funds available for project expenses would be $25 million.
Lanam said at a previous meeting that the estimated maximum annual lease payment is $1.85 million, though the bond details will be finalized once the city knows more about the costs of construction. He estimated that the total cost of repayment, including both principal and interest, would be about $39.7 million.
The city plans to pay for the lease rentals using a portion of the city’s Economic Development Income Tax revenues.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
