MEETING DATE:
APRIL 28, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-9575 - AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR ARCHITECTURAL ASSISTED SERVICES AND DELEGATING AUTHORITY TO THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE, FINALIZE, AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH SAFDIE RABINES ARCHITECTS
Body
Recommendation
Recommendation
ADOPT a resolution awarding a contract for City Hall Architectural Assisted Services and delegating authority to the City Manager to Negotiate, Finalize, and Execute the Contract with Safdie Rabines Architects.
Body
Board or Commission Action
Not Applicable
Relevant Council Strategic Theme
Good Governance
Relevant Department Goal
Not Applicable
Executive Summary
The City of San Marcos owns and operates the City Hall building, which includes public City spaces such as the Council Chambers and City Staff spaces on the first and second floor. The City also leases the remaining space not utilized for public City business to various tenants. Tenant-leased spaces include the entire third and fourth floor, as well as parts of the first and second floors. The leased portions is part of the City’s revenue-generating Enterprise Real Estate Portfolio, which contributes non-tax revenue towards the City’s General Fund. As part of upkeep and maintenance duties of being a commercial real estate operator, improvements are proposed for City Hall common areas, including the public ground floor lobby, hallways and corridors, restrooms, elevator lobbies, and other areas utilized by tenants, visitors, and members of the public. As part of the updates to the common areas, architectural assisted services are needed to ensure the work is completed in-line with the approved concepts. This work includes construction drawings, permit processing coordination, public bid support as needed, and construction administration to assist with oversight of the work and ensure successful delivery of completed work within approved budgets and according to specified architectural plans. The architectural assisted services are in the FY 2025-26 Annual Operations & Capital Improvement Program Budget Real Property Management Fund. The refresh of common areas will maintain marketability of the spaces and also satisfy the City’s responsibility as landlord to address aging infrastructure and accessibility, as well as maintain common areas in good condition. Furthermore, a large portion of the costs will be recovered by tenants via common area maintenance (CAM) charges according to the terms of their respective leases.
On behalf of the City, the City’s real property management consultant initiated a request for proposal (RFP) for the architectural assisted services work related to the City Hall common area refresh project on March 12, 2026, which resulted in one bid from Safdie Rabines Architects.
Staff reviewed the proposal and determined it satisfied the project needs. Staff now seeks City Council approval to award the contract to Safdie Rabines Architects for architectural assisted services relating to the City Hall common area upgrades, and to authorize the City Manager to negotiate, finalize, and execute contract documents.
Discussion
The City operates a real estate portfolio as part of the fulfillment of Section 203 of the San Marcos Charter, which emphasizes enterprise activities designed to produce non-tax revenue sources. The City leases out portions of floor 1 and 2, and the entirety of floor 3 and 4 of the City Hall building, the proceeds from which contributes revenue towards the City’s General Fund each year. As a commercial real estate operator, the City is required to maintain the buildings and common spaces patroned by tenants and customers for safety, aesthetic, and legal purposes.
Design of the City Hall common areas has been initiated, which includes the public ground floor lobby, hallways, corridors, restrooms, elevator lobbies, and other spaces that are publicly available to tenants, visitors, and members of the public. Due to the nature of the associated common area update projects, architectural assisted services are needed to ensure all projects are delivered to specification, which will help ensure the projects are completed on-time and within approved budgets. These services will include delivery of construction drawings, permit processing and coordination, construction administration, bid support as needed for components of projects required to go to public bid, and review of mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) plans to ensure compliance with specified plans. A request for proposal (RFP) was issued on March 12, 2026 for architectural assisted services. The request for proposal was advertised by IDS Real Estate, as the City’s real property management consultant, on behalf of the City. Subsequently, one bid was received as a result of the request for proposal from Safdie Rabines architects. The proposal received by Safdie Rabines architects was determined to suit the needs of the project and was deemed to be a qualified proposal.
The proposal outlined the work needed, which includes construction drawings, permit processing coordination, public bid support as needed, and construction administration to assist with oversight of the work and ensure successful delivery of completed work within approved budgets and according to specified architectural plans. The work will fulfill requirements of the City as the landlord to maintain common areas in a condition that is well-maintained, safe, accessible, and in a condition that ensures marketability of tenant spaces for tenants who conduct their business in the building.
The FY 2025-26 budget for the project is sufficient to cover the proposed contract with Safdie Rabines Architects, as well potential change orders, additional support work, labor compliance, and other project-related items. Staff reviewed the proposal for the project and seeks City Council approval to award the architectural assisted services contract to Safdie Rabines architects in the amount of $264,760, and to authorize the City Manager to negotiate, finalize, and execute an agreement with Safdie Rabines Architects.
Environmental Review
Not applicable.
Fiscal Impact
The funding for the service is budgeted in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Adopted Annual Operations & Capital Improvement Program Budget as building improvement costs in the Real Property Management Fund (605). The contract award does not result in a change to the overall Real Property Management Fund Budget.
Attachment(s)
Resolution
Prepared by: Janet Brotherton, Budget and Analysis Manager
Submitted by: Donna Apar, Finance Director
Reviewed by: Donna Apar, Finance Director
Approved by: Michelle Bender, City Manager