BENTONVILLE — The City Council hired Jackson Brown Palculict of Little Rock to design Fire Station No. 6 on Tuesday night after the firm agreed to offer discounts on similar designs in the future.
The design contract was sent back to the firm two weeks ago after council members said they wanted ownership of the plans so future fire stations based on the same drawings at a lower cost.
The firm’s offer on Tuesday includes 50 percent off the design fee for the first reuse of the plan, 60 percent off for the second and 70 percent off for the third, with the understanding Jackson, Brown and Palculict will be hired to do the design work. Any further uses would be negotiated at that time, according to the contract.
At A Glance
New Fire Station
Fire Station No. 6 is planned to be built on Southwest I Street north of its intersection with Southwest Regional Airport Boulevard.
Source: Staff Report
“Does that apply to the entire fee or just a portion thereof?” Bill Burckart, alderman from Ward 3, asked Fire Chief Brent Boydston.
The cost reduction would apply to the firm’s design fees, but not to portions subcontracted to other firms, he said.
“If that layout is utilized in its entirety on another site with the same amount of apparatus bays, similar sleeping quarters and kitchen, they would apply that savings to the portion of it that is designed by the architects,” said Mark Clinard, construction manager for the project. “Even if it changes a bit, they would expect there are significant savings on the design part of it.”
A memo to council members from the architect expressed concern about liability if the firm doesn’t retain ownership of the plans. The memo states the copyright is on the plans for legal protection.
Burckart, who owns a construction company, said he often purchases plans with the condition he can reuse the designs. Boydston said the city owns land for two more stations and probably builds a station every 10 years.
“We have to take into consideration your plans,” Boydston said. “You build one right after another. In another 10 years, codes are going to change and we don’t know what they are going to require.”
Burckart said he felt the city could have realized substantial savings if the council had negotiated for a reuse discount on Fire Station No. 5, which is very similar to the station being considered.
“This discussion is for the people coming behind us,” Burckart said.
Council members unanimously approved the design contract. It establishes a 6.5 percent fee on the finished cost of the project. The city has budgeted $180,000 for the design fees.
In other business, council members voted to rezone 40 acres near Been Road and Southwest 28th Street from single-family to medium-density residential to clear the way for a Lindsey Management development. The rezoning doesn’t include any portions of Thornbrook Subdivision.
Some residents of the subdivision expressed concern at Planning Commission meetings about traffic issues. The project was subsequently scaled back by Lindsey to the 40-acre development south of the subdivision.