Single building option to solve the community space requirements
By Bob Adair

The Ocean Pines Association (OPA) Board of Directors held a special meeting on May 25 to discuss the plan to meet the activity space requirements of the community.  Work on this program began over two years ago, which included active participation by the OPA Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) and the OPA board members. Design Atlantic Ltd. (DAL) assisted the effort with analytical support.
The Community Facilities Evaluation Study determined the space requirements to be 25,000 square feet.  Using this base figure the CPC developed essentially two approaches to creating the necessary facility.  The first option would require the construction of a building 29,000 square feet in size in the vicinity of the Sports Core swimming pool. This building, the Town Center, would provide the needed space in one location. The additional 4,000 square feet is the space required to house the infrastructure to support the facility.

Another option involves the renovation of the existing Community Center and the construction of a 20,000 square foot facility at the Sports Core. The space acquired through renovation of the old Community Center would be 12,270 square feet, less the 2,450 square feet needed for the north firehouse.  Any major renovation on the old Community Center would involve the whole building, not just the area known as the current Community Center.

The plan to finance the project included the use of the revenue from the sale of 19 residential lots in Ocean Pines owned by the OPA and the commercial property along Route 589 between Taylor Bank and the Route 90 ramp, also owned by OPA.  An additional $900,000 would be used out of the reserve accounts.
After preliminary reviews, discussions and cost analysis the OPA directors elected to present the options to the public at the Ocean Pines Town Meeting on April 27 at the Yacht Club. They provided rationale as to why they favored the combination option at that time over the larger, single building. This venue and date was selected because the timeline on this project now becomes a factor. Certain steps must be accomplished in a specific time sequence in order to have a referendum on space requirements accompany the annual OPA board election ballots.  April 27 gave the board almost the entire month of May to receive comments and input from the residents, something the board had purposely factored into the equation.  Also, in the interim time DAL was tasked to fine-tune the cost analysis and present it with a detailed breakdown of specific item costs.

At the May 25 special meeting OPA Board President Dan Stachurski provided the DAL cost analysis associated with the options under consideration. DAL separated the cost presentation into three general figures: 1) Projected construction costs; 2) Projected Non-construction costs and 3) Contingency costs.

Projected construction costs include site development, substructure, shell, interior construction services and equipment and specialties.  Non-construction costs include permits, impact fees, architect/engineer. Survey/geotechnical, legal accounting, insurance, furniture, etc. Contingency fees are usually set at eight percent of the total cost.

The projected cost of the 20,000 square foot building is $2,895,669. The project cost is listed at $139.32 per square foot. The cost of renovating the Community Center building is $1,871,964, which comes to $152.26 per square foot for the project.

This places the total project cost of the 20,000 square foot building and the cost of the renovated Community Hall option at $4,767,633. The combined cost per square foot of this option is $148.00.
The cost for the single 29,000 square foot building option is $4,040,257, putting the square foot cost at $139.32.  This option is $727,376 less than the combination option of the 20,000 square foot structure plus renovation of the old Community Hall.

From the comments of several directors it became evident that a combination of the new numbers and input received as a result of the Town Meeting that the original motion to adopt the combination option had lost its appeal.  Director Mark Venit said, “What we spend, what we budget, what we build and where to put it has changed looking at the comments.” Director Tom Sandusky stated he was uncomfortable supporting the more expensive option now that refined figures were available.
Director Heather Cook introduced the subject of an artist’s rendering of the new building.  Director Skip Carey joined her in describing the need for a visual of the project in order for people to put the product together with the projected cost of the facility.  The board directed OPA General Manager Dave Ferguson by a vote of five to two to contact DAL and ask for a rendering to be made available by the next special meeting on June 1.  Two directors thought this timeline would be too tight. The rendering should provide a sample floor plan as well as an elevation sketch, complete with landscaping.

Director Glenn Duffy made the motion to change the original motion to reflect the board now favors the single building (29,000 square foot) option. The amended motion carried unanimously. 

With reference to financing the project a motion was made to base the financing on the sale of the 19 residential lots in Ocean Pines and the commercial property along Route 589.  Director George Coleburn was initially interested in holding on to the commercial property as an investment for the future. Mr. Stachurski and Mr. Carey both pointed out that the commercial property as it sits there does nothing for Ocean Pines. Only in the sale of it does it become an asset.  The vote was unanimous.

The team of Coleburn, Duffy and Sandusky have the task of composing the referendum that will reflect the new position of the board.  Agreement on the wording will be obtained from all members via e-mail. Additionally, the board set June 29 at 7 p.m. in the Community Hall for the required public hearing on the project.  Notification of the meeting must be sent out by June 14.

One subject left to be discussed as an issue separate from the space needs project is the future of the old Community Hall.  Now that it is not part of the current project the board can look at several alternatives already identified by the CPC.

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