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6.d3 ARI Scandia Parks & Rec Master PlanParks, Recreation, & Open Space Master Plan City of Scandia 14727 209th Street North Scandia, MN 55073 January 28th, 2022 Architectural Resources, Inc. Eleanor Brandt, ASLA, PLA 126 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55812 • 218-727-8481 Proposal for Professional Services ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES, INC. 2Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan COVER LETTER City of Scandia, Architectural Resources, Inc. is excited to submit the following professional services proposal for Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for the City of Scandia. This proposal summarizes our firm’s understanding of the outlined goals and intended outcomes in the city’s 2005-2025 Comprehensive Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Plan efforts. We recognize that this is an undertaking that must consider the history, daily life, and future vision for the City of Scandia and its residents. Our team at Architectural Resources, Inc. (ARI) is comprised of architects and landscape architects who have experience working on projects of this scope and scale. We are an engaged group of designers and thinkers who integrate our project and industry knowledge with the nuances of each project’s constraints, considerations, and budget. We have listed references in the following proposal, and we encourage you to call them. We take a great deal of pride in the relationships we build and foster over the course of time – many of which started with projects like this one. ARI’s goal is to execute a project that your community can be proud of – that we can proud of! Our proposal demonstrates the experience and engagement we possess for projects like yours. We look forward to continuing to build up this relationship with the City of Scandia. Thank you for this opportunity. Eleanor Brandt, ASLA, PLA EB/ mf January 28, 2022 Professional Services Proposal Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan City of Scandia, MN 3Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan FIRM PROFILE About Us Architectural Resources, Inc. (ARI) is a multi-disciplinary architectural & engineering firm, and we have been delivering personalized design services across Minnesota & Wisconsin for over seventy years. We base our design process on innovative, yet sensible design solutions. Regardless of scale, we approach each project as an opportunity to create something unique for our clients while implementing energy efficient design and green building technologies. Architecture ●Feasibility Studies ●Long Range Planning Building Master Planning ●Best-Use Studies ●Building Addition & Expansion ●Adaptive Re-use and Historic Preservation Engineering ●Electrical & Mechanical Engineering ●Climate Control Systems ●Building Automation ●Safety & Security Systems ●Utility Schematics ●Energy Conservation Solutions ●System Reviews ●Security System Design Interior Design ●Office Remodels & Upgrades ●Space Planning ●Building Code Analysis ●Material Selection ●Furniture & Fixture Planning & Coordination Landscape Architecture ●Site Inventory & Analysis ●Schematic Design & Conceptual Plan Development ●Planting Plans ●Master Planning ●Mineland Rehabilitation & Reclamation Services ●Urban Design & Park Planning General Services ●Grant Preparation Assistance ●Code & Regulation Navigation ●Facilities Assessments ●Construction Administration ●Project Management DULUTH 126 E. Superior St. • Duluth, MN 55802 • Tel: 218.727.8481 PRIMARY CONTACT, PROJECT MANAGER Eleanor Brandt, ASLA, PLA 218-727-8481 eleanor.brandt@arimn.com HIBBING 704 E. Howard St. • Hibbing, MN 55746 • Tel: 218.263.6868 4Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan PROJECT UNDERSTANDING & APPROACH Project Understanding We understand that the City of Scandia is seeking a collaborative and forward-thinking team to create a future vision for the community’s parks and trail system. We recognize that the City of Scandia is a close-knit community and that the city has worked hard in prior planning efforts to include the voices and perspectives of its community members. Our team has extensive experience working within smaller communities and understands that attention to detail and working collaboratively, alongside the city and its community members, is critical to a positive outcome. Our team will assess the needs and challenges presented in the RFP and 2005- 2025 Comprehensive Plan and identify achievable next steps that align with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and regulations. ARI is prepared to work with the community, including the Scandia Parks and Recreation Committee, Scandia City Council, city staff, community members, and other key stakeholder groups to inform our designs, planning, and processes. We work with community groups on a regular basis, guiding teams through visioning, planning, and communication. We have the ability to work with these groups, to take each piece of input into consideration, gather the most important aspects of the group’s ideas, and use that information to reach a group consensus. We will help the City and stakeholders by recoding your grand vision in a document that will guide the City of Scandia through development and planning in the years to come. Project Approach From what we gather, the City of Scandia seeks a holistic, community-centered approach that considers the historical, contemporary, and future context of the town, its resident’s, and their needs. We will conduct precedent research and consider unique solutions to the needs presented in the assessment phase. Our goal will be to develop a framework that represents diverse perspectives, opportunities, and grand vision for the future. We will review publicly available demographic information for changing population trends to inform future decision- making regarding levels of service standards. As communities change and shift, what works for one park district may not be applicable to others. As such we will tailor our approach to reflect the unique characteristics of Scandia. At an initial programming meeting, we will come prepared to advance the city’s goals and initiate the next steps in the process of planning, design, and documentation. ARI is prepared provide all deliverables outlined in the RFP encompassing the key project objectives, final design, report, presentation, and all related communications. 5Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan PROJECT APPROACH Visioning Scandia is uniquely positioned amid several natural attractions of the St. Croix River Valley; the lakes, parks, and natural areas represent a wealth of outdoor recreation possibilities and cherished places that must be considered in the larger context of this project. With these local attractions in mind, we will consider ways of integrating multi- modal connectivity to and from community resources, services, open spaces, and parks within the larger context of the area. Based on identified needs, context, and feasibility, we will present a framework for introducing new systems that highlight Scandia’s natural corridors and open spaces while preserving and protecting them for future generations. Community Outreach & Engagement First and foremost, it will be the goal of our project team to identify and evaluate the needs of community members. Using existing planning efforts as a backdrop to our PROs plan, we will develop a fillable survey for residents of the City of Scandia to complete, which can be distributed or accessed in a variety of ways suitable to all users. With the community’s input and feedback we will establish a list of action items to be incorporated into the PROs plan that will help guide our decision making and design process. We have experience guiding organizations through public engagement alternatives to in-person . We will work within the current COVID-19 guidelines for health and safety to conduct any in-person community engagement, meetings, and site visits. Needs Assessment After reviewing the provided resources and documents on the City’s website, we see a variety of opportunities and avenues that will inform our planning and design efforts of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROs) Master Plan. We intend to highlight the unique character and history of the city as we look to introduce a network of outdoor amenities for all to enjoy. We recognize that assembling a master plan of this scope and scale will require careful planning and consideration of both near and long-term impacts on the community. Our team will review and analyze all information and documentation complied through previous planning and engagement efforts. Through a site inventory process, we will study the existing conditions of the city’s parks, trails, recreation, and open spaces to better understand how they currently function and opportunities for the future. We will utilize the existing information in prioritizing strategic site evaluations, taking advantage of the project schedule to potentially evaluate differences in seasonal usage, both in the winter/spring months upon the kickoff, as well as later in the summer months during public engagement. Our systems-level inventory will assess the existing functionality and connectivity of spaces, as well as the amenities and programing diversity. We will also take into account capacity and maintenance needs in support of short and long term phases. 6Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCERELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE ARI worked with Isanti County to develop a county- wide master plan to visualize how a regional trail system could be implemented ahead of expected future growth. The project involved an extensive public process in which community members provided feedback via public meetings and online surveys. The comprehensive, final document, a nearly 300-page booklet, addressed community opinions, discussed findings, and identified prospective corridors for investment and development in trail infrastructure. It also provided design standards, typical trail layouts, and environmentally-responsible implementation guidelines. Relevance: Evaluation of Existing Trails Public Process & Community Engagement Isanti County, MNISANTI PARKS & TRAILS RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE 7Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan ARI was contracted by the Schroeder Area Historical Society to develop a master plan for the Cross River Heritage Site, a common stopping place for visitors and tourists to Minnesota’s North Shore. Through a process of research and documentation, ARI focused on how best to preserve the site for future educational and interpretive purposes while thoughtfully expanding to meet a growing need for additional space and programs. We explored future programming opportunities: walking paths, educational exhibits, an outdoor event space for concerts, lectures, and performances. Throughout this process the focus was on providing spaces that cultivated arts and learning, and blended a strong sense of connection between the surrounding context and the architecture. ARI has also designed trail structures for the Forest History Center. The structures are utilized year-round for visitor research, shelter, recreation and special events. Relevance: Cultural Heritage Site Connectivity Existing Site Amenities & Program Cross River, MNCROSS RIVER HERITAGE CENTER RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE 8Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE Architectural Resources, Inc. worked with the Fond du Lac Band to engage the Fond du Lac community for the purpose of compiling the reservation’s first comprehensive plan. The plan outlines the roadmap the Band will take to bring the reservation in line with the values of the community, and recommends a number of policies and projects that could help them get there. Some of the top goals outlined in the document dealt with the importance of using indigenous foods and outdoor programming to connect residents with their cultural heritage and root them in their communities. Relevance: Cultural Familiarity Community Understanding Educational Outcomes & Goals Cloquet, MNFOND DU LAC COMPREHENSIVE PLAN RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE 9Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan ARI was contracted by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe to assess development opportunities on a 100-acre site. ARI engaged the tribal community and compiled a regional socio-economic profile to help assess how the site could best serve the surrounding area and those within it. The project scope included the exploration of four potential uses for the site: a powwow grounds, a residential neighborhood, a business park, and a mixed-use development. Each use was designed to a conceptual level, and delivered with budget estimations of the required road and utility infrastructure to help the client decide on a plan to move forward. Relevance: Master site planning Site analysis Presentation graphics Carlton, MNFOND DU LAC KONZAK SITE PLAN RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE 10Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan RESUMES Eleanor Brandt, ASLA, PLA Landscape Architect Architectural Resources, Inc. Architectural Resources, Inc. 2019- Present University of Wisconsin, Madison B.S. Landscape Architecture Registrations: MN No. 57428 Eleanor has more than ten years of experience working as a landscape architect and project manager. Her experience in city, county, and private landscape experience, in combination with her project management skills make Eleanor a valuable asset to any project team - internal or external. Project Role: Landscape Architecture, Project Manager Landscape architecture ties together different site elements and connects past, present and future. Eleanor will coordinate closely with the design team as well as the City of Scandia. Relevant Experience Cross River Heritage Center Shroeder, MN Creating a living masterplan for the Schroeder Area Historical Society’s Cross River Heritage center involved the analysis of existing site, evaluation of user group needs, and forward visioning to bring history into the present. Conversations surrounding integration of historical elements into flexible space drove the conceptual design and strategic phasing of site elements. The end result was a planning document that encompasses a well-rounded future path. Fond du Lac Comprehensive Plan Cloquet, MN The Fond du Lac Comprehensive Plan is a document used by the Fond du Lac Band to guide all future development efforts and programming on the reservation. Eleanor guided the planning process and drafting of the document, working internally to coordinate with the Band’s Planning Division and the residents of the Reservation to produce a document that spoke to the wants and needs of the community while outlining a path for getting there. Bruce Mine Park Chisholm, MN The Chisholm Beautification Association contracted ARI to complete a phased park project at the historic Bruce Mine Headframe site in Chisholm, MN. Eleanor has led the project from the initial site master planning phase. The project is currently under construction, and Eleanor is frequently in communication to monitor progress and meet with the project team. 11Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan RESUMES Zoe Hoffman Landscape Designer Architectural Resources, Inc. Architectural Resources, Inc. 2021- Present Ripon College B.A. Educational Studies & Cultural Anthropology University of Minnesota - TC Masters, Landscape Architecture Zoe recently joined ARI after relocating to Duluth from the Minneapolis Area. Her professional experience encompasses a diversity of projects including Civil-oriented site restoration, park and open space design, and collaborative planning efforts alongside community members and key stakeholder groups. With a community-centered approach, Zoe’s focus is on the near- and long- term outcomes that will create lasting, equitable designs. Project Role: Landscape Designer Relevant Experience Lower Phalen Creek Daylighting Project, Capitol Region Watershed District* St. Paul, MN Expansion of an existing feasibility study and recommendations for a creek daylighting project along Phalen Boulevard in St. Paul, MN. Landscape architecture scope included site assessment, preliminary site layout, final graphics and recommendations, and assembly of final feasibility documentation. Beaver and Long Lake Shoreline Restoration Feasibility Study* Ramsey County, Various Sites - MN Landscape architecture scope included site assessment, documentation of areas of highest need, and restoration recommendations for short- and long- term interventions along two metro-area lakes. Zo worked collaboratively on a multi-disciplinary team to document and compile a final feasibility study, complete with graphics for future grant funding opportunities and community input. Grand Rounds Multi-Use Trail Improvements, Minneapolis P&R Board* Minneapolis, MN Scope included inventory of site circulation and addressed areas of erosion where existing multi-use trail was failing. Recommendations for site restoration and future shoreline stabilization measures; construction documentation were also in Zo’s scope of work. *Completed with a previous employer 12Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan RESUMES Architectural Resources, Inc. 2011- Present North Dakota State University B.S. Environmental Design Bachelors in Architecture Registrations MN No. 49444 Ryan Erspamer, AIA, Principal Registered Architect Architectural Resources, Inc. Ryan has been with ARI for 10 years and has 18+ total years of experience in the architectural field. In addition to having experience working with the City of Duluth, Ryan has extensive experience working on master planning projects and working in conjunction with both our in-house landscape design team and external subconsultants. Project Role: Lead Architect Ryan’s experience and expertise with client & community communication will help guide the team. Relevant Experience Isanti Trail Isanti County, MN This masterplan was developed to consolidate multiple trail types and uses and blend local planning efforts to guide future regional trail development across Isanti County, MN. Tettegouche Camp Historic Building Repair Silver Bay, MN Design of historic structure preservation for the Rustic Cabins at the Tettegouche Camp on Mic Mac Lake. Design focused on preserving the historic character while improving long-term viability and minimizing construction impacts on a sensitive site. Lake Superior Zoo Pavilion Duluth, MN Part of the Zoo’s renovation of a historic WPA pavilion was to create flexible three-season space, as well as a home for exhibits and displays and to function as a seasonal classroom and community space. The renovations enhanced the functionality of the space, while preserving its character. Lafayette Community Center Lafayette, MN Renovations were undertaken to provide public use spaces and minimize the impact of public use on the adjacent protected dune lands. Design focused on minimal site impact and preservation of the historic character of the local community room. 13Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan RESUMES Architectural Resources, Inc. 2019- Present University of Minnesota Duluth B.A. Marketing & Graphic Design Maggie Furlong Marketing Coordinator & Graphic Designer Architectural Resources, Inc. Maggie has the ability to create graphics and presentation materials to successfully market your project, with the goal of community support, project funding, and information distribution. Maggie has worked on a number of projects, putting together graphics, presentations, videos, and social media posts to garner community support. Project Role: Marketing, Graphic Design Relevant Experience Northome-Indus Referendum Support Northome, Indus, MN The Northome and Indus Public School District contracted ARI for a facilities assessment. Upon a needs assessment, Maggie worked with the school dis- trict to create promotional posts, videos, and organized information in order to gather community support to pass the referendum. Digi-Key Electronics Multiple national, international locations Maggie continues to work with Digi-Key Electronics on an evolving branding standards package for interior graphics. Maggie has been responsible for coordination with design teams and user-groups to determine branding standards. Wrenshall Public Schools Wrenshall, MN Wrenshall public schools contracted ARI to complete a broad-scope renovation of the school facilities. Maggie has worked with the school district to produce videos for the District to post with updates to the project, in order to gain community support. AMSOIL Inc. Superior, WI AMSOIL Inc. hired ARI to complete renovations in their headquarters facility. Maggie has been working with their team to design graphics to portray the history of their brand throughout the facility. 14Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan PROJECT SCHEDULE We will utilize a combination of in person and virtual meetings with city staff, as well as regular check-ins with key stakeholders via email to keep the project moving forward within scope and on schedule. We do not foresee any conflict of completing this work within the established time frame. The overall project will be managed by Eleanor Brandt, providing the City of Scandia team with a single point-of-contact. Task Contract Acceptance Kick-off Meeting / Scoping (Virtual?) Review of Existing Documents Site Inventory Programming & Scoping Community Outreach Preparation Community Outreach & Engagement Data Collection & Interpretation Master Plan Design Draft Review Meeting with City Staff Revise Master Plan, Establish Phasing Presentations to Committees, City Council Week 260 15Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan PROPOSED FEE For the scope of work outlined in the RFP, ARI proposes to complete this Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for a lump-sum fee of $16,780 (sixteen thousand seven hundred eighty dollars). Our fee breakdown is shown below. CCoosstt PPrrooppoossaall Key Project Objectives Percent Review of Existing Documents 15% Existing conditions, information review Scoping meeting with staff (virtual) Community Outreach & Engagement 25% User Group/Stakeholder Meetings - virtual (3) Programming Meeting with city staff (1) Needs Assesment 20% Level of Services Standards (SCORP) Evaluation of demographics, services Evaluation of existing park ammenities Improvement & Implementation Plan 25% Design Plans, Renderings Phasing Financial Plan Review Meeting with City Staff Final Deliverables 15% Final Project Report City Council Presentation Total Cost 16,780.00$ 1 2 3 4 5 16Architectural Resources, Inc. - Scandia Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan REFERENCES At ARI, we take pride in the relationships that we build and maintain with our clients over the course of time. We encourage you to give them a call! Bob Manzoline, Executive Director St. Louis & Lake Counties - Regional Railroad Authority bmanzoline@rrauth.com 218-744-2653 Erik Simula, Executive Director Schroeder Area Historical Society, Cross River Heritage Society office@crossriverheritage.org Jerry Hall, Director St. Louis County Property Management HallJ3@stlouiscountymn.gov 218-725-5085