SUBJECT: HENSLEY HISTORIC DISTRICT, W. SAN CARLOS, AND E. SANTA CLARA PEDESTRIAN STREETLIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS (RE-BID)

 

COUNCIL DISTRICTS:  3 & 6

SNI AREA:  13th Street

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Report on bids and award of contract for the Hensley Historic District, W. San Carlos, and

E. Santa Clara Pedestrian Streetlighting Improvement Project to the low bidder.  CEQA: Exempt.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Hensley Historic District is a part of the Jackson-Taylor Neighborhood Revitalization Plan.  The project boundaries of the District are defined as North Second, East Empire, North Sixth, and East Julian Streets (maps attached).  The perimeter of the District is based upon locations of the individual properties surveyed for inclusion in the National Register of Historical Places.

 

The Hensley Historic District is distinguished by its variety and quantity of architecturally historic homes and street trees found predominantly within these boundaries.  The proposed initial phase of the pedestrian scale streetlighting improvements is located on 3rd and 4th Streets between Empire Street and the Southern Pacific Railroad.

 

The W. San Carlos Street pedestrian scale street lighting project site is located on W. San Carlos Street, between Wabash and Topeka Streets.  West San Carlos Street is a neighborhood business district with a variety of retail commercial businesses.  This particular section of West San Carlos Street is known for its variety of antique and specialty stores.  Median island landscape and palm tree uplighting improvements have been completed in several phases from Meridian to Bascom Avenue since 1993.   

 

The E. Santa Clara Street pedestrian scale street lighting project site is located on East Santa Clara Street between 7th and 10th Streets and 23rd and 26th Streets.  East Santa Clara Street, between 7th Street and Highway 101 is a Neighborhood Business District that has received several streetscape improvements over the past 15 years including street trees, street and sidewalk improvements, and commercial building façade treatments.  The East Santa Clara Street business association selected pedestrian oriented areas within their Neighborhood Business District to receive the proposed streetlights.

 

These three project sites have been selected to receive streetlighting improvements that will provide aesthetic, ornamental lighting at a pedestrian scale ranging from 12 to 16 feet tall.  The proposed luminaire is known as the “Single Acorn,” a name given for its resemblance to an acorn.  This type of lighting has been implemented successfully in the downtown area and in neighborhood business districts.  The three projects are proposed to be constructed on a concurrent schedule due to their similar scopes of work.

 

The scope of work for this project consists of the demolition of asphalt-concrete pavement and concrete pavement, removal of soil, traffic control, grading and compaction, installation of asphalt-concrete paving, concrete curb and gutter, concrete paving, electrical conduit and circuitry, street lights, and electrical service point connections.

 

In addition to the base bid there are three add alternate bid items:

 

Add Alternate No. 1:  Three (3) Streetlights with Related Work- Hensley

Add Alternate No. 2:  Four (4) Streetlights with Related Work – E. Santa Clara

Add Alternate No. 3:  Electrical Wiring and Circuitry for Festoon Lighting- West San Carlos Street.

 

ANALYSIS

 

On May 24, 2001, the City received one bid for this project.  The sole bidder was 65 percent above the Engineer’s Estimate.  A review of the individual bid items revealed that the cost submitted for all individual bid items was significantly higher than the Engineer’s Estimate.

 

On June 26, 2001, after evaluating the individual bid items based on unit costs and similar projects, staff recommended that the City Council reject the bid, following which staff would immediately re-bid the project.

 

To improve the likelihood of receiving a greater quantity of bids and bids within the project construction budget, staff made the following changes in the re-bid of the project:

 

1.      Increase the number of calendar days to complete the project from 150 Calendar Days to 210 Calendar Days.  By increasing the number of calendar days for construction of the streetlighting project, it is expected that a greater number of contractors, who have numerous other commitments, may bid the project, and they will have more time to construct the project.  By increasing the number of calendar days for construction, the completion of this project will be in July 2002, compared to the originally anticipated date of March 2002.

 

2.      Divide the project into two separate projects:

 

1.      Hensley Historic District, W. San Carlos Street, and E. Santa Clara Street Pedestrian Streetlighting Project, and,

2.      West San Carlos Median Island Improvement Project.

 

By separating the West San Carlos Median Island Improvements Project from the Pedestrian Streetlighting Project, it is anticipated that each of these projects will attract contractors who will provide bids within their own expertise. 

 

It is projected that a greater quantity of electrical contractors will submit a more competitive bid as a prime contractor for the Pedestrian Streetlighting Project.  It is also projected that a greater quantity of general contractors specializing in site work and landscape will submit a more competitive bid as a prime contractor for the West San Carlos Median Island Improvements Project.  Both projects will be bid on July 19, 2001.

 

A supplemental memorandum will be forthcoming after bids are received on July 19, 2001. Information on the West San Carlos Median Islands Improvement Project will be sent to Council in a separate memo.

 

PUBLIC OUTREACH

 

Preliminary designs for the street lighting of the Hensley Historic District were presented to representatives from the Hensley Historic District in February 2001.  A meeting with the representatives was conducted at the project site to finalize light post locations.  The project scope of work has also been presented to and approved by the West San Carlos Street and East Santa Clara Street Neighborhood Business Districts.

 

This project is being coordinated with the neighborhood association.  Additionally, it was listed on the City's Internet Bid Line and advertised in the San Jose Mercury News and San Jose Post Record.  Bid packages for all public works construction projects are routinely provided to a standard list of various contractor organizations, builder's exchanges and disadvantaged business organizations, including United Minority Business Enterprises and the San José Minority Business Development Center.

 

COORDINATION

 

This proposed project has been coordinated with the University of California Lick Observatory, the Departments of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement and Transportation; and the Offices of Council District 3 and 6, the City Attorney, and the Risk Manager.  In addition, the City received a written confirmation from the University of California Lick Observatory which stated they had no objections to the pedestrian streetlighting in this project.

 

COST IMPLICATIONS

 

1.                  COST OF RECOMMENDATION:  Engineer’s Estimate:   $1,200,000

 

2.                  COST OF PROJECT:

 

Project Development

$              0

Construction (estimated)

  1,200,000

Construction Contingency

       60,000

Design and Construction Management

     174,000

 

TOTAL

$1,434,000

 

3.                  SOURCE OF FUNDING:       450 – Redevelopment Agency Improvements

                                                            001 – General Fund

 

4.                  ESTIMATED START DATE OF CONSTRUCTION:  October 2001

 

5.                  ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF CONSTRUCTION:  July 2002

 

BUDGET REFERENCE

 

Fund:

001

Appn:

6615

RC:

103273

Amount:

$300,000

Budget Document:

2001-2002 Appropriation Ordinance, section 2.26, item 7s.

 

Fund:

450

Appn:

6812

RC:

113613

Amount:

$630,000*

Budget Document:

2001-2002 Appropriation Ordinance, section 20.05, item 3y.

 

Fund:

450

Appn:

6811

RC:

113623

Amount:

$430,000**

Budget Document:

2001-2002 Appropriation Ordinance, section 20.05, item 3g.

 

*  Includes Project Services Memorandum (PSM) #240 for West San Carlos Street dated 10-11-00 in the amount of $42,000 and Amendment #1 to PSM #240 dated 4-13-01 in the amount of $588,000 for a total amount of $630,000.

 

** Includes PSM #238 for East Santa Clara Street dated 10-11-00 in the amount of $41,000 and Amendment #1 to PSM #238 dated 4-13-01 in the amount of $389,000 for a total amount of $430,000.

 

CEQA

 

Exempt.

 

 

RAJEEV BATRA

Acting Director, Public Works Department