Council authorizes project management contract for new school

The Murfreesboro City Council voted Thursday (May 10) to authorize contracts with CBRE/Heery for project management services and Johnson+Bailey for architectural services of a new Murfreesboro K-6 school. The new school, to be located at Veterans Parkway and St. Andrews Drive, will be designed similar to Overall Creek Elementary. Anticipated opening is August 2019.

“With time of the essence for delivering the City School’s next facility and to relieve overcrowding, it is paramount to begin the Owner’s Representative process now,” said Interim City Manager Jim Crumley. “CBRE/Heery will provide a set of preliminary kick-off meetings with school staff, architect Johnson+Bailey and City staff. Heery will review construction documents and support the bidding and contract phases of the school construction.”

Council approval authorizes CBRE/Heery to serve as Owner Representative/Project Manager related to the new Southwest School in an amount not to exceed $160,000. A separate contract authorizes Johnson+Bailey to conduct architectural services for a professional fee of 3.94 percent of construction not to exceed $925,000.

Under the contract, CBRE/Heery will conduct monthly meetings during construction and approve pay applications. Heery will also conduct three punch-list reviews at pre-substantial and substantial completion of the building. In addition, Heery will hold final operation and maintenance reviews with staff, complete the documentation of warranties and hold one additional operational review with all parties before the school opens.

CBRE/Heery will provide follow-up services of scheduled 30/60/90 day and 1-year inspections on the building and a final lessons learned report. Heery served as Owner’s Representative for the new Rutherford County Judicial Center and recently reviewed services for the new Murfreesboro Police Headquarters. Heery has also been contracted with the City as Owner’s Representative for the new Fire Station Four currently under construction on Medical Center Parkway.

Council also authorized Johnson+Bailey to serve as architects for the new Southwest Elementary School for a set maximum contract price of $165 per square foot of construction. The not-to-exceed fee includes architectural, structural, civil, landscaping, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and kitchen designs.

The new two-story elementary school will be built to serve 1,000 students and will help relieve overcrowding at Overall Creek, Scales Elementary and Cason Lane Academy on the growing West side of Murfreesboro. It will be constructed on a 23-plus acre campus at the northeast corner of Veterans Parkway and St. Andrews Drive.

Johnson+Bailey Architects has estimated the cost of construction at $27.8 million. Total project costs, including land, streets, utilities, architect fees, furnishings and other items is $33 million.