Columbus Parks Board members will allocate money from the parks cash reserve to fund the city’s portion of a contract with the design firm selected to help define the future of FairOaks Mall and Donner Center.
The four-member board approved a resolution Monday to provide $183,000 in funding from its general fund cash reserve to pay design firm MKSK to lead the process of transforming FairOaks Mall into a community wellness and sports tourism complex, as well as exploring new potential uses for Donner Center.
The board’s decision, however, must be approved by Columbus City Council members.
The amount approved by the Columbus Parks Board includes $166,367 for the services outlined in the contract with MKSK, plus an additional $16,633 as a contingency that would only be used for unforeseen expenses, said Tom Brosey, a former Cummins Inc. executive the city hired as a consultant on the FairOaks project.
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“The contingency just says there could be things that are unexpected as we get into the project,” Brosey said during the meeting. “For example, we have 12 stakeholder meetings in the work schedule. Three months into the project, we may say, ‘Boy, we’d really like to have one more additional stakeholder meeting or one more public engagement meeting. What would the cost of that be?’ So we have some funds in there so we wouldn’t have to go back and re-authorize everything.”
Brosey said a 10 percent contingency is “pretty much” industry standard.
MKSK is a collective of architects, urban designers and planners with studios in Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis and West Lafayette; Detroit, Michigan; Greenville, South Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
On May 28, the FairOaks Community Development Corp. Board, which includes Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Columbus Regional Health CEO Jim Bickel, approved a $212,200 contract with MKSK.
Overall, the city would be responsible for $166,367 of the $212,200 in fees for the contract, according to figures provided by Brosey. CRH would contribute the remaining $45,833.
Approximately 75 percent of the fees associated with the Fair Oaks Mall site, or $137,498, would be paid for by the city, with CRH putting up the remaining 25 percent, or $45,833. The fees for the Donner Center total $28,869. CRH will not be contributing funds for fees related to Donner Center.
According to the contract, MKSK and its subcontractors, Perkins+Will, Greenstreet Ltd. and Moss Construction Cost Management, will “provide analyses, alternatives, recommendations and conceptual plans” for indoor and outdoors spaces at the FairOaks Mall site and Donner Center, as well as their connectivity with the surrounding area, including the People Trail, Hamilton Center, Lincoln Park, Columbus Regional Hospital, among others.
The design firm and its subcontractors will also look at potential for development, public infrastructure upgrades, improved parking and other “enhancements” in the mid-town area of Columbus.
Additionally, under the terms of the contract, the design firm and its subcontractors would engage with public and private stakeholders, including city and CRH officials, the FairOaks design team, as well as members of the public, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. students and other stakeholders.
The total appropriation of funds approved by the Columbus Parks Board was $233,000 — $183,000 for the FairOaks Mall project, with the remaining $50,000 related to two insurance claims at Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena.
The first claim is related to a Freon leak in the Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena’s basement utility room in September that led to white smoke filling the basement, said Pam Harrell, director of business services at Columbus Parks and Recreation.
The second claim is related to a structural issue with the roof at Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena that has caused some cracking around some of the window frames, Harrell said. A brace has been installed as a temporary solution.
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On Dec. 14, the city finalized the purchase of the 35.36-acre FairOaks Mall property at 25th Street and Central Avenue for $5.9 million. The city put up approximately $4 million, or 75 percent of the property’s appraised value.
Columbus Regional Health contributed $1.3 million, or 25 percent of the appraised value. Additionally, the Heritage Fund — The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County committed to providing $450,000, which is the difference between the selling price and the appraised value.
The impetus behind the purchase is to transform FairOaks Mall into a community wellness and sports tourism complex. Multiple uses for the FairOaks Mall property have been discussed.
The property could include an indoor recreation center and an air-supported dome facility for indoor softball, soccer, volleyball or other sports. Connectivity with Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena, the Lincoln Park Softball Complex, the People Trail and Columbus Regional Hospital are being considered.
Also being considered are indoor soccer competition fields surrounded by a track, indoor softball fields, room for indoor hardwood court sports such as basketball and volleyball and also a space for fitness and indoor recreation. The city also hopes to to move its parks and recreation department offices from the aging Donner Center to the mall site as part of the project.
The potential uses for the property also go beyond sports. Wellness activities and classes, including nutrition and cooking classes have been discussed. Columbus Regional Health is partnering with the city and hopes to provide some programming on the mall site. Food and restaurant services could also be provided on the mall property.
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