Title
Resolution to Approve Contract with SmithGroup for $746,000 for Architectural and Engineering Services for 350 S 5th Ave
Memorandum
The City of Ann Arbor owns 350 S 5th Avenue and City Council approved a resolution (R-20-139) directing the City Administrator & AAHC to secure entitlements for the site to support the development of affordable housing in the City. The AAHC is also partnering with the Ann Arbor Area Transit Authority, Downtown Development Authority and eventually a private development partner.
The City approved a Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning and supplemental regulations (ORD 22-03) on April 4, 2022. The design includes two towers. The supplemental regulations require the smaller tower to include 100% housing that is affordable up to 60% of the Area Median Income. The second tower must include a minimum of 20% of the units affordable up to 60% AMI. A minimum of 100 units and 40% of all units, between the two towers, must be affordable up to 60% AMI households. It is estimated that one tower will have approximately 90 units and the second tower will have approximately 280 units. The total project costs are expected to exceed $100 million.
The next steps are to create a schematic design to submit to the city for site plan approval. SmithGroup conducted the community engagement, initial conceptual designs, and prepared all of the documents submitted through the PUD zoning process. Due to their familiarity with the City and AAHC goals for the project and existing conceptual designs, staff recommend that the AAHC hire SmithGroup to continue working with the AAHC on schematic designs and site plan approval.
The AAHC's purchasing policies requires a competitive process for non-federal contracts over $75,000 but specifically provides an exception for architectural and engineering (A/E) services. However, since this contract exceeds $250,000, the Board must approve the contract award prior to contract execution.
The FY22 & FY23 City ...
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