State College board issues call for Memorial Field design services

On Monday evening, the State College Area School District board of directors voted unanimously to approve a request for proposal for design services, the next step in the ongoing process of possible renovations to the facilities at Memorial Field.

A draft RFP was developed during a board meeting in September as a way of reasserting the district’s commitment to maintaining a presence in the downtown area and to make renovations that would improve the facility for continued use.

An attached scope statement clarifies the design work for the RFP as “Phase 2” of an ongoing renovation. Listed as priorities in this leg of the potential project are locker rooms, restrooms for spectators, improved site circulation and security, equipment storage and the replacement or reconfiguration of bleachers on the east side of the stadium.

The approved RFP functions something like a job posting and the first part of the process will focus on design review and refinement.

The board subcommittee for facilities and grounds endorsed an accelerated schedule for the hiring of a designer. The RFP will be issued Tuesday and interested parties will have until 4 p.m. Feb. 5 to submit, among other things, plans that are developed to a schematic design level and identify the location of restrooms, locker rooms and concession facilities, elevations and renderings of a completed plan and an estimate of probable cost for Phase 2.

At least two “at-large” meetings will be held so that the community can be presented with concepts and submit feedback on the project.

Should the board chose to proceed with a contractor, that does not mean locking onto any one plan or design, but instead continuing to refine and reshape the scope of the project as needed.

Currently, RFPs are scheduled to be reviewed on Feb. 11, with interviews taking place from Feb. 22 through March 4.

This story was originally published January 11, 2016 at 10:42 PM with the headline "State College board issues call for Memorial Field design services."