Augusta commissioners on Tuesday rejected an $836,288 change order connected to fire safety at the new Trade, Exhibit and Event Center, a move that could potentially slow the center’s completion and opening.
Commissioners Grady Smith and Wayne Guilfoyle joined commissioners Alvin Mason and Bill Lockett in voting against the change, which failed 4-5-1. Commissioner J.R. Hatney abstained from voting.
The bulk of the order is a $399,083 request to upgrade mechanical and electrical equipment “to increase the smoke exhaust system from approximately 2.5 air changes per hour to approximately eight air changes per hour, per Marriott Corporate request,” according to an Oct. 17 request from Jacques Ware of Heery International/Dukes Edwards & Dukes, two firms employed by Augusta to oversee construction projects.
The order itself was prepared by contractor R.W. Allen, which is building the project. Other changes in the order include additional storage rooms, upgraded ceiling power, $260,403 in changes based on comments from a “building review department and fire marshal,” kitchen plumbing changes and various other adjustments down to $16,050 for different toilet accessories, according to the request.
“This was signed off October of 2011, and now we’re into February of 2012, what took you so long?” Lockett asked City Administrator Fred Russell.
Russell said that since October, he and others had been “negotiating” with Marriott International. “After a fairly frustrating attempt to do that, we brought it forward to you,” he said.
The air change system designed by architect tvsdesign and mechanical engineers meets Georgia requirements. It does not meet Marriott’s higher standards, and the hotel chain won’t bend, tvsdesign architect Emory Leonard told commissioners.
The main issue raised by commissioners is why they didn’t learn of the changes, which bring the project’s total price to $30.1 million, any sooner.
“We are getting facts after the fact,” Hatney said.
After the meeting, Smith said he was “tired of getting information at the ninth hour.”
“Why is it that we hear at the ninth hour that Marriott wants four times what the state calls for at an exorbitant expense?” he said.
He said he will bring the order up for discussion at an upcoming committee meeting and doesn’t expect the delay to slow work on the building.
Smith said he would like to sit down with Marriott, TEE Center operator Augusta Riverfront LLC, builders and architects about the changes and hopes a better-priced compromise solution can be reached.
“I don’t want to just rubber-stamp everything,” Smith said. “We bend over too easily with the taxpayers’ dollars.”
Paul Simon, the president of Augusta Riverfront LLC, questioned the commission’s judgment, particularly with regard to a fire safety issue.
“I think it’s a shame what they did,” he said.
The firm, already under contract with the city to run the TEE Center and under a franchise agreement with Marriott, has ties to the management of Morris Communications, which owns The Augusta Chronicle.
A point no one raised Tuesday that Simon emphasized after the meeting was that the commission voted to “fast-track” the project when approving it several years ago.
On a regular construction schedule, all details are plans are worked out in advance. On a fast track, some details are expected to be worked out along the way, and “you sometimes create situations that occur later that you have to adjust for, like this one,” Simon said.
Can someone explain why Marriott has any say in the TEE Center at all?
Has Marriott ponied up a single dollar? Even a penny?
If Marriott wants to make this the Marriott TEE Center, we should gladly sell it to them.
When the dust settles, if they ever get clear title to the property, the project will end up costing the taxpayers 40 million. Yet there was no money to keep the golf garden open downtown.
That new baseball stadium downtown that Cal Ripken was behind would have been a better project and produced a lot more revenue than a 40 million dollar parking garage that the city may not own.
My construction worker-relative's assertion that the TEE site is "a big mess" looks more and more accurate.
This makes me think that some have been reading "sumthin"..
OOOHWEEE...the power of the internet....RM is right.
As always, no money for enhanced public safety. Must cut the Sheriff's budget.
This is the most important statement in the whole story:
The air change system designed by architect tvsdesign and mechanical engineers meets Georgia requirements. It does not meet Marriott’s higher standards, and the hotel chain won’t bend, tvsdesign architect Emory Leonard told commissioners.
The "hotel chain" needs to learn the following: Though the convention center is connected to the hotel, the convention center belongs to the citizens of Augusta, not to the hotel chain. They are two separate buildings, though connected. They do not have to have the same air conditioning specifications. In fact, because the two buildings are so dissimilar in size, shape, and function; it is silly to think they should have the same air handling specifications.
Most hotels still allow smoking in some of the rooms. Does anyone reading these comments know whether one can still rent a smoking room at the Marriott?
Let's parse some of Paul Simon's rant:
A point no one raised Tuesday that Simon emphasized after the meeting was that the commission voted to “fast-track” the project when approving it several years ago. On a regular construction schedule, all details and plans are worked out in advance. On a fast track, some details are expected to be worked out along the way, and “you sometimes create situations that occur later that you have to adjust for, like this one,” Simon said.
If the commission voted to "fast track" the construction process, it was likely because Mr. Simon was whispering "fast track, fast track, fast track" in their ears.
In construction projects, the "change order" is unavoidable at times — those times are when you find out that something in the design is absolutely not going to work, for example. But in this case, we see that the design meets federal, state, and local standards and codes. This increase in air handling capacity does not have to be done, as Simon hints in the quote above.
The increase in air handling capacity does not even make sense. The convention building has much of its space set up for exhibiting large items. It is largely empty space, much of it high-ceiling. Air exchange requirements for big boxes are much lower than for high population-density facilities such as hotels, prisons, schools, hospitals, etc. Riverfront LLC, Paul Simon, and Jerry Brigham are being unreasonable — and trying to hurt taxpayers to boot.
What kind of toilet is good enough? From the article:
Other changes in the order include . . . $16,050 for different toilet accessories, according to the request.
When you go to a convention, do you really need solid gold lavatory fixtures or heated toilet seats? I think Paul Simon is really micromanaging the city's convention center when he is worried about the toilet fixtures. I mean, really, is Paul Simon going to actually use the toilet in the convention center?
This just sounds like conjecture in the face of Marriot calling every and all shots. Eat the extra million, as it really is kinda minor compared to the overall cost. Nobody is going to believe that joe-taxpayer is fine with Marriot squeezing the city like this. But the reality is, Marriot is now intertwined with downtown AUG and it's success is a good thing regardless of their likability. A fight at this stage of the game isn't doing anything but driving a wedge in there deeper.
Going forward, look at the failures and try to avoid making them again.
Understand the Marriott name is the premier label in the hotel industry. It was a plus when the owner of the hotel was able to get the Marriott designation.
Fred Russell was quoted although I don't see it now, that having the Marriott on the Riverwalk was a great asset to Augusta and something we should work to maintain. In other words, give them what they want.
Does everyone understand this is all about helping the owner of the hotel to keep his relationship with Marriott using county money? My questions are: Why doesn't the hotel owner upgrade with his own money? Why doesn't the management fee pay for the marketing of the TEE also? We are helping the owner of the hotel on the Riverwalk far too much.
Know what's funny? The Marriott is now openly saying the TEE belongs to them, yet they want us to pay for everything they don't like.
Mr. Simon has millions. Maybe he could help out alot with his money.
The existing hotel was given the Marriott name because the company was assured they would get the TEE. Enormous pressure was put on the Commission to approve the TEE for that reason. The value of the hotel has gone up tremendously. It could now be sold for many millions in profit. Sweet.
Trying to put two and two together from the article above, we learn that the city hired two companies to oversee construction projects, those two firms being Heery International and Dukes Edwards & Dukes. Then we learn that this one man, Jacques Ware, is either an employee or a representative of both companies. Isn't that a little strange? Are these two companies really one and the same? Could there be some sort of shell game going on here?
In any event, this Jacques Ware requested the large overages in cost back in October. Then we learn that the general construction contractor, R.W. Allen Construction, actually put pen to paper and prepared the change order. The reporter does not say when exactly this change order was written.
But I sympathize with Commissioner Bill Lockett when he quizzed city administrator Fred (What, me worry?) Russell about the lapse in time. In other words, the request to make changes to the tune of almost $1 million came to Russell in October, and Lockett found out about it in February. Lockett thinks that is a long time. That delay definitely gives credence that time is not of the essence in this matter.
Russell tries to deflect the criticism (What, me worry?) by telling Commissioner Lockett that he and others had been negotiating with Marriott International. I'm confused here. I thought Riverfront LLC owns the hotel (land, building, and air space). Marriott International is simply a brand name, a franchise. Shouldn't Russell (and the unnamed others) have been negotiating with Riverfront LLC?
Does anyone know whether the city owns the real estate under the new convention center building? Does the city even own the air rights in the building? Does the city even own the building?
As a taxpayer, I have paid more money toward the TEE Center than Marriott or any other mega corporation.
What say do I get in the TEE toilets?
Well, we could say that you get the flush, Insider.
:-)
I'm drafting up a change order to submit to the commission.
I'm hoping it gets "fast tracked" so no one will catch on to what it says.
If the Marriott can do it, why not me?
twolane, are you being cynical in your last question? Certainly everyone knows who owns the Marriott. It is the same guy who owns the Augusta Chronicle. If I call his name, my post will be deleted.
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