Title
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DULUTH CIVIC CENTER PLAZA.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
RESOLVED, that the proper city officials are hereby authorized to execute a memorandum of understanding, substantially the same as the agreement attached as Exhibit 1, with the United States of America for the design and construction of improvements to the Duluth Civic Center Plaza.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes a memorandum of understanding (the “MOU”) with the United States of America, acting by and through the Administrator of General Services (the “USA”), for the design and construction of improvements to the Duluth Civic Center Plaza (the “Civic Center”).
The City, USA, and St. Louis County own property that comprise the Civic Center. The Civic Center contains improvements and amenities such as a driveway, parking meters, pedestrian walkways, landscaping and a water foundation. The same parties undertook major improvements to the Civic Center in the 1980s to update and beautify the space. The improvements constructed in the 1980s are at or near the end of its life and the parties now desire to undertake a new project in the next couple of years to update and restore the civil and landscape architectural features of the Civic Center (the “Project”). The scope of work for the Project will be decided once an RFP is issued and a design consultant is hired. Once the Project is designed, the improvements will be constructed.
The anticipated elements of the Project include sidewalks, curbs, vehicular pavement, lighting, landscape features, plant materials, outdoor seating, handicapped accessibility, wayfinding, metered parking and EV charging. The final design should pay homage to the original 1909 design by architect Daniel Burnham with consideration given to modern materials and construction methods. It is expected that the completed Project’s aesthetic will prevail against time and be of minimal maintenance to the property owners.
The City will be managing the Project on behalf of the USA and St. Louis County, and each party will contribute 1/3 of the financial cost toward the Project. This memorandum of understanding is needed to obligate the USA to contribute to the design and construction phases of the Project. The parties will need to agree on each aspect and phase of the Project before each step moves forward. The MOU requires that the project is completed no later than September 30, 2027 and caps the USA’s contribution toward the Project at $1 million. Each phase of the Project will be brough to council for approval once the exact scope is known and the consultants and contractors are hired.
A map depicting the area of Civic Center to be improvement under the Project is attached as Exhibit A to the MOU attached as Exhibit 1.