BE IT RESOLVED, that the following actions be approved for the Franklin Library Interior Modification project (CP 1004466):

• Approval of schematic design for the Franklin Library Interior Modification project;
• Authorization to proceed with project design development and construction documents;
• Authorization to advertise and receive proposals;
• Authorization to proceed with a single contract to include general, mechanical and electrical construction;
• Authorization to use contracted service vendors and commodity contracts as necessary for portions of the work, furnishings and equipment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to award contracts to the contractors offering the best value if the proposals are within the approved project budget; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the contracts on behalf of the county after the performance and payment bonds have been properly executed; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.

History:

The Franklin Library, located at 1314 E. Franklin Ave. in Minneapolis, is a 13,283 gross square foot, two level building, situated on a .33 acre site. Franklin Library primarily serves residents of South Minneapolis, including the Phillips neighborhood, and it is the local library for the Community Embedded Library Services-American Indian Cultural Corridor initiative. 

Franklin Library serves as a gathering spot for recent immigrants, English language learners and Indigenous people, and this is reflected in the library’s collection and services. Franklin is number one in the Hennepin County Library system for visits per square foot and patron use per computer, and this access to technology helps contribute to disparity reduction in the Phillips neighborhood where the unemployment rate is 11.17% compared to 2.5% for the rest of Hennepin County. Community members are served by materials written in their native languages, including Amharic, Arabic, Oromo, Somali and Spanish.

The Franklin Library Interior Modification project (CP 1004466) will selectively refurbish heavily utilized areas of the library to respond to operational and facility needs. The Franklin Library experiences extremely high patron use resulting in a greater need for periodic facility updates. This project will address immediate building improvements needed to support continued library operations and services.

This limited scope project will address immediate building needs including: 

• Replacing worn furniture and floor finishes 
• Reconfiguring furniture layout to improve patron service and sightlines 
• Remodeling heavily used restrooms to improve accessibility, durability, maintenance, and safety 
• Increasing access to technology with added computers 
• Additionally, under a separate capital project, the existing light fixtures will be re-lamped with LED lamps to reduce energy usage 

The library will be closed during construction for approximately 10-11 weeks (November 2019 - January 2020).

The 2019-2023 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes a total project budget of $1,710,000 for the Franklin Library Interior Modifications. The Schematic Design estimated project cost for the Franklin Library Interiors Modifications project is $1,710,000. The project’s estimated construction cost averages $52/SF with a total estimated project cost averaging $129/SF. The Schematic Design Executive Summary Report has been distributed to the County Board, and a copy is on file with the Clerk to the County Board.

Because of the limited scope of the project, the architectural firm of Mohagen Hansen was selected through the consulting services agreement process and awarded a contract of $145,066. Mohagen Hansen is a Small Business Enterprise. 

Current Request: 
This request seeks approval of the Schematic Design and authorization for the County Administrator to award a contract to the contractor offering the best value if the proposals are within the proposed budgets. 

Impact/Outcomes: 
This project will address immediate building improvements needed to support continued library operations and services and a library serving diverse community needs. It will replace furniture, refresh the interior space, make the working environment more pleasant for staff, and increase the number of computers for patrons.