Lumos gets inside track to do Carson City design

Lumos & Associates emerged on top after an internal city review to select a downtown Carson City design team company, Public Works Director Darren Schulz announced Wednesday.

Lumos topped four other firms and three other finalists after initial analyses by a city staff review and selection committee, according to Schulz, who said the next steps are negotiations and taking the recommendation to the city’s governing board for final action. Then the Board of Supervisors will act on the recommendation, according to the time line, and a contract is anticipated to begin Feb. 5.

Schulz said the board can accept, reject or modify the contract. Mayor Robert Crowell, without tipping his or the board’s hand, Wednesday said he liked the local connection. Lumos has offices in Carson City and other Northern Nevada locations. Crowell said that was a big part of why the board took things out for a bid.

“We’re looking to make sure our local folks have a shot as well,” he said while acknowledging the board decision is still to come. Schulz, meanwhile, stressed Lumos’ experience.

“Lumos & Associates has a deep breadth of experience with similar streetscape projects and a proven track record of collaboration for successful outcomes,” Schulz said in a prepared statement. “In addition, we believe their local office, team and knowledge will help successfully involve our community in achieving a project that will make Carson proud.”

He said there were really good proposals from “some really good, quality teams,” but ultimately the review group picked Lumos.

Lumos is a multidisciplinary consulting company that provides civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, planning, landscape architecture, traffic and transportation, water resources work, surveying, GIS, materials testing and construction services to clients, according to the city. It has offices in Carson City, Reno, Fallon and at Lake Tahoe.

“Lumos & Associates will engage HDR Engineering, Inc., Design Workshop, PK Electrical and Kelly Associates in the design process,” the city reported.

By emerging with the inside track to get the job, Lumos bested Resource Concepts, Inc., another firm with Carson City offices, Stantec and Atkins at this stage. Originally, five firms had submitted proposals but one from CFA was dropped in the internal selection process without reaching the interview stage. Those other three firms have Reno offices.

The Carson Street Design Project, as city government has dubs it, is among several capital improvement project relying mostly on bonds from a one-eighth of a penny boost in the city sales tax passed by the governing board last year. The price tag is up to $11 million, according to the city. Design work will include Carson Street, later Curry Street upgrades a block running parallel to the west, and probably a downtown plaza on a closed West 3rd Street.

The city’s request for proposals said Curry Street improvements would be designated in conjunction with the Carson Street project and separately funded after Carson Street is done.

“In addition, renovation of 3rd Street between Carson Street and Curry Street into an outdoor plaza may be included with the Carson and Curry Street design efforts.”

Schulz said initial construction downtown is scheduled to begin in early 2016.