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Item 9A - Memo City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork M E M O R A N D U M November 12, 2025 To: Alison Ortowski, City Manager From: David Miller, Director of Community Services Subject: Consider and select remaining design alternatives for the Town Hall Plaza Park project Action Requested: Consider and select remaining design alternatives for the Town Hall Plaza Park project Background Information: The purpose of this item is for Council to consider and select remaining design alternatives for the Town Hal Plaza Park project related to Artificial Turf versus Natural Grass and whether to construct bathroom/amenity centers. In June of 2025, the City Council approved a design contract with Kimley Horn and Associates Inc. for engineering, design services, and construction administration for the Town Hall Plaza Park project. The scope of that agreement included the following: Project management and design coordination – This task includes managing the contract and monitoring the project schedule and deliverables. Schematic design, design development, and construction documents – This task includes design, design development, and construction documents for landscape architecture, civil engineering, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, subsurface, structural, architectural, and all other elements included in the project. Construction phase services – This task includes bidding phase services for all elements of the project, construction phase services, and construction phase public communication and coordination. In addition to a larger scope of visual enhancements within the park, necessary maintenance and infrastructure improvements were also identified and are included within the scope of work. These enhancements include upgrading underground utilities to allow for increased electrical capacity, food truck water and electrical, and tent electrical capacity, as well as addressing the pond and the condition of the retaining wall. Adding bollards is also included as part of the Alison Ortowski, City Manager Meeting Date –November 18, 2025 Page 2 of 5 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork necessary improvements to improve the safety of large community events. Finally, work will be done on the existing site drainage environment to address drainage concerns across the site. Other prioritized enhancements included creating a flexible Main Street, closing Fountain Place, which will become a large plaza space, installing a larger Pavilion made of composite materials with AV and lighting infrastructure, including the potential for artificial turf in place of natural grass, and installing a larger fountain. Shade structures with additional seating will also be constructed on the site, and infrastructure will be put in place for A/V and mechanical storage as well as restroom and vending areas that could be built now or in the future. When the design agreement was presented to the City Council, staff noted that at the 30% design milestone final decisions would need to be made on artificial turf versus natural grass and whether restroom and amenity centers would be built, fully designed, or removed from the project. The Town Hall Plaza Park project is currently at the 30% design milestone and staff are now seeking Council direction on the noted decision points above. Decision Point 1: Artificial Turf Versus Natural Grass The following chart shows maintenance data relevant to this decision point. Alison Ortowski, City Manager Meeting Date –November 18, 2025 Page 3 of 5 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork With the above data in mind, the following chart details two options related to decision point 1. Option 1: Complete Project with Natural Grass Option 2: Complete Project with Artificial Turf Initial Project Cost $97,000 $577,920 Annual Maintenance Costs $71,202 $22,260 Maintenance escalated 5% over 15 years $1,536,436 $480,338 Construction Cost upfront savings $480,000 N/A 15-year total cost $1,633,436 $1,058,258 Note that option one includes the conservative best practice approach to replace the SOD in the environment on an annual basis to provide a high level user experience from an operational and aesthetic standpoint. There may be years where this approach is not necessary and savings associated with a SOD replacement every two years would result in approximately a $300,000 reduction to the total cost. Also note that option two contemplates the manufacturers estimated annual maintenance cost and then triples that figure to include unknowns based on event usage and how that may impact the turf. Option 2 also includes irrigation costs as part of the annual maintenance calculation. Decision Point 2: Restroom/Amenity Centers? Staff will present Council with a visual overview of how the Restroom/Amenity Centers will look within Town Square. Please note the following options and associated cost impacts for the restroom/amenity center portion of this project. Option 1: Complete Design and Construct Restroom/Amenity Centers Option 2: Complete Design and Stub up of utilities Option 3: No Further Design or Construction Site Grading $50,000 N/A N/A Utility Infrastructure $40,000 N/A N/A Remaining Design Costs $169,000 $169,000 N/A Design of Alternate Conditioned Space N/A 32,500 $32,500 Construction Costs* $1,239,000 $260,000 $210,000 Total Associated Costs $1,498,000 $551,500 $242,500 Total Project Savings N/A $946,000 $1,255,500 Alison Ortowski, City Manager Meeting Date –November 18, 2025 Page 4 of 5 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork For Option one it is important to note that these costs are not new costs and have been contemplated with the design and construction costs should this portion of the project be fully designed and built out. For option two, it is important to note that the need for an alternative- conditioned space in lieu of restroom/amenity centers is a necessary component to house the needed A/V and IT infrastructure related to A/V and IT improvements to the gazebo and park environment. The alternate-conditioned space would either be located within the park itself or would be built into the existing Town Hall environment. Construction costs for this option include $210,000 for the alternate conditioned space and $50,000 to stub up utilities for potential restrooms in the future. For option three, it is important to note that the need for an alternative- conditioned space in lieu of restroom/amenity centers is a necessary component to house the needed A/V and IT infrastructure related to A/V and IT improvements to the gazebo and park environment. The alternate-conditioned space would either be located within the park itself or would be built into the existing Town Hall environment. It is also important to note that a stub up for required utilities for future restroom/amenity centers could be included in the project without further design at a cost of $50,000 in addition to the $210,000 that will be necessary for the alternate conditioned space. Next Steps 1. FY 2026 – FY 2031 Capital Improvements Program: Staff will identify costs at 30% of design that are necessary to fully fund this project as part of the 2026 Capital Improvements Program budget process. 2. Construction Manager at Risk Selection: Staff have identified the Construction Manager at Risk method as the ideal project delivery method for this project. Staff will begin the process of bringing on a Construction Manager at Risk as soon as possible. Onboarding a CMAR will allow staff to provide a clear set of costs and ultimately a Guaranteed Maximum Price on the project as soon as possible. Financial Considerations: Financial considerations are dependent on the decisions made by Council in relation to decision points 1 and 2. Alison Ortowski, City Manager Meeting Date –November 18, 2025 Page 5 of 5 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork . Strategic Link: This item is linked to the City’s Strategy Map related to the focus areas of Infrastructure and Development and Partnership and Volunteerism and meets the corporate objectives of investing to provide and maintain high-quality public assets and collaborating with select partners to implement service solutions. Citizen Input/ Board Review: City Council consideration November 18, 2025 Legal Review: The design contract for this project is a standard contract that was reviewed by the City Attorney. The design alternatives under consideration require no additional legal review. Alternatives: Alternatives are presented as part of this consideration item. Staff Recommendation: City Council direction on decision points 1 and 2.