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June 16, 2008

County cuts list of firms for facilities plan

By Rich Flowers

It was evident to Henderson County Commissioners, viewing portfolios of firms proposing to devise a county facilities plan, that they were looking at companies that have been around the block a couple of times — and even designed a few.

The new master plan is intended to build on a previous study submitted to commissioners in 2003. The goal is to detail ways the county can remedy its need for office and storage space while providing a catalyst for economic growth in the downtown Athens area.

The issue regarding growth of county offices came to a head earlier this year when commissioners considered the possibility of purchasing land on Loop 7 — away from the downtown Athens business district — to expand. That brought protests from a number of Athens officials.

Commissioners eventually passed on purchasing the land on the loop.

“They all look like very professional firms,” Pct. 1 Commissioner Joe Hall said at a special meeting Monday. “It’s hard to choose”

Commissioners ultimately trimmed the list of 12 firms applying to perform the study to five. Henderson County Judge David Holstein said representatives of the surviving firms will be interviewed during a yet-to-be scheduled workshop session.

The final choice will be made during a regularly scheduled commissioner’s meeting, Holstein said.

The Ginger Murchison Foundation will pay up to $100,000 toward the facilities study with the stipulation that it be complete by Dec. 31. Commissioners don’t know how much the study will cost because most of the proposals came from architectural firms which did not submit any cost information with the proposals.

“The law said when you hire an architect, you can’t consider the price, but we’re hiring a consultant, not looking for an architectural designer at this point,” Holstein said.

The five companies still in the running after the winnowing process are:

• PBS&J; of Austin. Among the firm’s Texas projects are the public library in Georgetown and the post office in Fredericksburg;

• Brinkley Sergeant Architects of Dallas — whose current projects include the McKinney City Hall study and design and the Mesquite Police Department Complex;

• Fisher Heck Architects of San Antonio — designers of the 225th District Court in Bexar County and the San Antonio Animal Control Facility;

• Morgan Spear Associates of Houston — whose current projects include the Texas Farm Bureau building in Robstown and an elementary school for the Refugio Independent School District.

• LBL Architects of Arlington. Founded in 1965, the firm has completed more than 500 projects.

Also Monday, commissioners eliminated Broaddus & Associates of Austin, which performed the county’s last facilities study in 2002 from contention.

“Nothing against them, but I would like us to have a new set of eyes for this study,” Holstein said.

The county received 12 proposals by the May 15 deadline. Commissioners met May 19 and got their first look at the lengthy portfolios submitted by the firms. Commissioners met again June 4 and told Holstein they needed more time to study the submissions.

When they convened Monday, court members expressed a wide-range of opinions. Each commissioner found proposals he had ranked near the top of the list eliminated while others made the cut.

The county advertised for proposals that have clear goals to compensate for population growth five years, 10 years and 20 years in the future, Holstein added. The proposal states the firm chosen to develop the plan must complete all of its elements by Sept. 30.

The county defined an “area of interest” for the study, which includes the area surrounding the Henderson County Courthouse. The area encompasses properties north of College Street, south of the Southern Pacific railroad tracks, east of Pinkerton Street and west of Carroll Street.

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