City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JANUARY 20, 2016
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of Staff Recommendation for Replacement of Warwick Pool.
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ISSUE: That City Council accepts the staff recommendation for replacement of the Warwick Pool facility including strategies for replacement of the pools, pool building and related site work.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Manager be authorized to proceed immediately with the necessary next steps to replace the Warwick Pool and bath house with Alternative #3 as detailed in this report.
SUMMARY: The preferred Alternative #3 for the pools consists of replacement of the existing facilities with new construction of similar design. The preferred Alternative #3 for the bath house is to construct a new one-story seasonal replacement facility. The total anticipated construction costs for the project, determined in the recent feasibility study, range from
$1.7 Million to $2.1 Million. RPCA will proceed to contract for architecture/engineering design services and construction contracting to have the new facilities open by Memorial Day 2017. Approved CIP funding for this project is $2,150,000.
BACKGROUND: Warwick Pool, located adjacent to Landover Park at 3301 Landover Street, is on property leased to the City by the Virginia Theological Seminary. Warwick Investors transferred the pool lease to the City in 1978. Site features include a 25-yard pool with a diving well, a separate wading pool, and a bathhouse and community room. Original construction of the pool is thought to be 1958.
Significant capital investments have been required over the past 35 years. In 2002, an engineering analysis of the pool was completed, finding structural issues related to the pool’s construction and other site conditions. In May 2014 staff identified 42 deficiencies related to the facility ranging from items not in compliance from existing codes to items representing a potential risk factor over a four year operational period. The estimated cost for repairing and addressing these items was $1.5 Million to $2.0 Million.
The average annual operating costs have been $92,000 in recent years. As a part of the FY 2016 budget, the facility was closed to the public with direction from Council that staff explore replacement of the facility.
DISCUSSION: In December 2015 CARDNO, Inc. completed an architecture and engineering consulting study for the facility. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of renovation or replacement. The recommended replacement approach, versus renovation of the existing facilities, enables the City to better meet community needs and reduces risks associated with retrofitting an obsolete facility. A new one-story pool house is more suited to the site as there are no programmatic recreation service needs compelling a two-story structure. A seasonal one-story structure also avoids the additional costs for HVAC systems and an elevator required in a two story structure.
The study identified three alternatives as summarized below:
Alternative #1 Full Renovation: (2-Story Pool Building): The in-kind renovation alternative includes renovation of the pool and renovation of the existing two-story building to meet current ADA requirements. This option includes correcting major structural and cosmetic defects, renewing and upgrading building systems to meet prevailing codes. Because this option includes accepting the existing building layout, including its limitations and limited ability to provide cost-effectively remedies, it entails the greatest risk in terms of contingency during construction. Cost estimate: $2.4 to $2.8 Million.
Alternative #2 Full Replacement: (2-Story Pool Building): The replacement alternative includes total demolition of the pool(s), pool house and related access and provision of a new two-story facility consistent with existing program configuration and compliant with current building codes including ADA requirements. Cost estimate: $2.1 to $2.8 Million.
Alternative #3 Replacement: (1-Story Pool Building): The nearly full in-kind replacement alternative includes total demolition of the pool(s), pool house and related access and provision of a new one-story building for seasonal pool-use support that is at common-grade with the pool deck. This alternative eliminates the existing second-floor community meeting space and proposes a warm-season use only building that does not need heating and air-conditioning. Cost estimate: $1.6 to $2.1 Million.
FISCAL IMPACT: The staff recommended alternative replacement of the Warwick facility is estimated to cost from $1.7 Million to $2.1 Million, including engineering and design. The
FY 2017 CIP provides $2.15 Million for the Warwick facility. Additional operating funding will be needed in the FY 2018 budget for full operation of the facility which should open in June, 2017. In anticipation of subject work, staff is working with Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) to update conditions of the existing lease of the property. The existing lease with VTS has 27 years remaining and staff will be seeking renewable lease terms, as well as a residual value agreement by VTS that will require payment to the City for new investment minus depreciation should the lease be terminated.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Final Facility Assessment Report; CARDNO, Inc. November; 2015
2. Warwick Presentation Slides
STAFF:
Emily Baker, Deputy City Manager
James B. Spengler, Director, RPCA
Laura D. Durham, City Open Space Coordinator, RPCA
Ron M. Kagawa, Division Chief, RPCA