DEL MAR — The City Hall replacement project moved another step forward at the Sept. 6 meeting after council members unanimously awarded a $13.8 million construction contract to RABC-ECC, A Joint Venture.
“It’s a very important day for Del Mar,” Councilman Don Mosier said.
The company is a partnership between San Diego-based R.A. Burch Construction Co. and EC Constructors Inc., the latter of which built Del Mar’s 17th Street beach safety center in 2012.
“We’re glad to be back in your community building,” Jim Summers from EC Constructors said.
The city received four proposals during the bid process, which ran from Aug. 8 through Sept. 1 and included a mandatory pre-bid job walk that attracted 26 general contractors.
Following a review by city staff, the city attorney and project architect Miller Hull Partnership, RABC-ECC was deemed the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, Management Services Director Kristen Crane said.
Other bids ranged from $14.4 million to $18.1 million.
The review team verified licenses and bonding capacity, reviewed the partnership’s business history and safety record and looked past performance and experience with similar construction projects.
“Each of the firms has experience with multimillion dollar, large-scale public construction projects,” Crane said.
RABC-ECC is currently awaiting a notice to proceed on a $26 million design-build project for city of San Diego, she added.
“It’s an ongoing joint venture,” Summers said, noting the partnership wasn’t formed exclusively to build the civic center.
The project includes grading and utilities, construction of a single-story parking structure for 96 cars supporting two on-deck buildings — City Hall and Town Hall — a breezeway and a plaza featuring trellises, pavers, planters, landscaping and irrigation.
Plans also call for retaining walls, a surface parking lot for 45 cars, metal gates, landscaping, irrigation and off-site street improvements.
Construction is estimated to be $12.8 million. The total project cost is approximately $17.8 million.
“I’m pleased where we ended up in the budget,” Councilman Al Corti said. “I was afraid that we might not get to this point.”
Demolition of the nearly 100-year-old City Hall began in June. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sept. 19. Construction will start the next day, with estimated completion in spring 2018.
“We’re happy to be back in your neighborhood,” Summers said.
“We get to do all the fun stuff,” added his wife and company president, Sherri Summers. “We really appreciate everything you guys have been through to get to this point and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
“It’s a key milestone,” Councilman Terry Sinnott said.
