City of Sebastian Municipal Complex

Owner: City of Sebastian, Fla.
Location: Sebastian, Fla.
Cost: $7.6 million
Contractor: Suffolk Construction Co., West Palm Beach
Architect: REG Architects, West Palm Beach

This project consisted of two components: a new, two-story, 24,000-sq.-ft. city hall complex and the renovation and expansion of the city of Sebastian's existing police station.

The city hall facility would include a council chamber auditorium and would house the Sebastian Building Department and offices for city staff members.

The police station component consisted of the construction of a new 12,000-sq.-ft. addition and renovation totaling approximately 7,000 sq. ft. Also included was the addition of a new hurricane-proof Emergency Operations Center and Communications Center within the police station.

In addition, new parking lots, storm drainage and utilities were added, as well as a new municipal park that included two pavilions with barbecues and picnic tables, softball and soccer field, four tennis courts, shuffle board, beach volleyball and a "tot" lot.

According to Suffolk Construction, none of the project's documents and permits were issued until after the guaranteed-maximum-price contract had been agreed upon. When drawings were finalized, the project's scope increased significantly, along with costs.

To get back to the original GMP, Suffolk worked with the project's electrical engineer, ICE International Consulting Engineers of Delray Beach, and the electrical contractor to value engineer the communications/data raceways and lighting packages to shave approximately $100,000 from the budget without reducing the quality or functionality of the systems.

To save additional funds, the project team changed the building's original design for exterior tile bands to scored stucco and colored painting. Another cost-saving change included the use of wood-truss framing instead of metal trusses on the city hall lobby roof.

In the end, Suffolk Construction was able to deliver the project under budget and was able to credit the owner more than $60,000 against the contract total.