C2A - Approve Rfq for Bass Museum Expansion

Procurement Requests - C2 A

COMMISSION MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission (City Commission) of the City of Miami Beach, Florida authorize the issuance of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2025-402-DF for Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) for the Bass Museum of Art expansion project.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY

The Bass Museum of Art’s (the “Bass”) buildings and site, located at 2100 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL within Collins Park (the “Park”), represent a unique and cherished resource for the City of Miami Beach (the “City”). The architecturally distinctive main building, constructed in 1930, was designed by John S. Collins’ grandson, architect Russell T. Pancoast, as a public library. The original building exhibits an Egyptian-Revival style–featuring cast concrete seabirds at upper corners and bas-relief panels inset above the front entrances depicting early Miami Beach history and nature. Pancoast specified that several Baobab trees be shipped from North Africa to complete the setting. Six of these massive trees survive today on the south side of the Museum. The original building, along with later wings symmetrically added to each side, is clad in “Keystone” (coral stone) sourced from the upper Florida Keys.

A modern addition to the gallery building’s northwest corner was designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki; however, a recent modification project was designed by New York architect David Gault, who had been Isozaki’s associate on the gallery building. The proposed modification expands the existing structure into the parking lot to the south (the “Project”). The Project is bounded by Park Ave to the west, 22nd Street to the north, 21st Street to the south, and Collins Park to the east. Therefore, the administration developed a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2025-402-DF for Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) for the Bass Museum of Art expansion project.

The project seeks to enhance the Bass’ visitor experience and its ability to serve the public. We will be adding a new wing to increase versatile spaces for engagement and a state-of-the-art contemporary gallery for the museum's growing permanent collection. This is a G.O. Bond Arts and Culture Project Type “GOBAC-T1” with a total allocated/approved budget of $15.3M of which $5.8M is funded in Tranche 1, and $9.5M will be funded in Tranche 2.

The site for this proposed Project on the southwest corner of the site was already proposed as the location for a later phase by Isozaki in the master planning of his original Gallery Building addition. Fortunately, the loss of a few parking spaces would be inconsequential now that the City has completed the new parking garage for the cultural campus located on the block north of the Bass.

The neighborhood surrounding Collins Park has emerged as a cultural campus featuring the

Bass, the Regional Library, the Miami City Ballet headquarters, and the decorative Rotunda building being redeveloped by the City for cultural uses. The Park serves as the centerpiece for these assets and is within easy pedestrian range of the City’s Convention Center, Lincoln Road Mall, and multiple hotels. Collins Park and the Bass are protected by the City’s historic preservation ordinance – additions and modifications require approvals from the City of Miami Beach’s Historic Preservation Board.

ANALYSIS

Through the issuance of this RFQ, the City seeks to obtain proposals from CMR firms with the capabilities and experience to provide preconstruction services, and construction phase services via a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for The Bass expansion project (the “Project”). The current total estimated construction budget for the Project is $11,100,000.00.

In June 2024, the Office of Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) engaged Zyscovich, Inc. to complete a Needs Assessment and Basis of Design Criteria for The Bass expansion project that reflects the museum's future vision, needs, and business model. The services were required to develop functional space programming, which will serve as a road map (basis of design) for the Project’s design, and ultimately, contracted Architect.

In September 2024, CIP initiated the process of issuing an RFQ, with the assistance of the Procurement Department, to select a firm for architectural design services for the Project to provide complete design, permitting, construction documents, bid assistance, and post design services.

On March 12, 2025, during their Board of Trustees meeting, the Bass discussed the possibility of raising and releasing private funds to cover the architect fees for The Bass Art expansion project. This would allow for GO Bond funds currently budgeted for soft costs to be reallocated to hard costs. It was agreed and accepted during the meeting to create an independent process whereby the Board of Trustees will review and select the architect for the Project with up to $1,500,000.00 from existing backup funds. The said approval was contingent upon final approval and process guidance by the City Manager’s Office. Currently, CIP is working with the City Attorney’s Office on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and The Bass Board of Trustees.

Work required under this RFQ shall be performed in accordance with the approved design and construction documents for the project. The Project includes building an indoor/outdoor structure that opens its doors and serves as a multi-use cultural space maker; a space for the community to convene in the form of a gathering space, café, and art exhibition space. This multi-purpose concept would convert the small and underutilized parking lot adjacent to the museum into a social space and offer year-round cultural programming. The successful CMR firm must demonstrate an ability to provide multi-disciplinary management in the areas of scope definition/validation, cost estimating, construction scheduling, construction services, quality control, and assurance plan, building code review/inspection, design and constructability review, close-out, and warranty services.

The scope of work and requirements of the RFQ for a CMR for the Bass expansion project are more fully defined in the RFQ attached as Attachment A. Following the receipt of proposals, an Evaluation Committee will review proposals in accordance with the criteria established in the RFQ. After the Committee has evaluated the proposals, the City Manager will present an award recommendation to the City Commission for approval.

FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT

It is not anticipated that grant funding will be utilized for this project. The CMR for the scope of work included in this RFQ will be funded by the project’s capital account.

Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? Click or tap here to enter text. (FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)

If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on: See BIE at: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/meeting-notices/

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The below listed amount is available for the funding of the contractual fees, once a contract is negotiated with the awarded vendor. Additional funds for this capital project shall be appropriated upon approval of the Arts and Culture G.O. Bond Tranche 2 issuance by the City Commission.

395-6901-069357-26-410-549-00-00-00-22024 $4,125,070.00 $4,125,070.00

CONCLUSION

The Administration recommends that the Mayor and Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida authorize the issuance of RFQ 2025-402-DF, for Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) for the Bass Museum of Art expansion project.

Applicable Area

South Beach

Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No

If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s):

Department

Procurement

Sponsor(s)

Co-sponsor(s)

Condensed Title

Issue RFQ 2025-402-DF, CMR Bass Museum Expansion Project. CIP/PR

Previous Action (For City Clerk Use Only)