Alameda Aquatic CenterWickman Construction Contract
City Council
7/7/2026
Project Goals
Provide additional pool access for the community
Increased consistent operations
Provide year-round programming
Increased water safety lessons for all Alamedans
Electrification – Reduction of emissions
Center Design
Project Design Elements
Facility Amenities
30 meter competition pool
Activity pool with 3 lanes and ADA beach style entrance Mechanical building and changing rooms
Administration building with a community room
Scoreboard and timing system
Large LCD screen 16'x9' (provided by AMP)
Parking for 50 cars
Bike Parking for over 100 bikes
Project History
2019-2020 –Public Meetings for City Aquatic Center Design Concept 2023 – Council approved $30 Million in Funding
2023 – Extensive public engagement and Project Concepts 2024 – Design Development and Comprehensive Site Studies 2025 – Council approval of Final Design, Budget approval of $35.5 Million 2025/2026 - Construction Documents, Bid Development and Contract Award 2026 – Pre-Qualification of Contractors for similar scope of Aquatic Facilities Seven qualified contractors
Project Budget - History
Early 2019 – City Council directed staff to explore Aquatic Center concept, locations and options Jan 2020 – City Council approved Aquatic Center concept design 2023 – City Council approved $30 Million initial project budget based on comparable facilities being built in Bay Area (both also exceeded initial budget) Approved Final Design – Professional cost estimators reviewed Design Concept, utilizing current Bay Area construction costs, resulting in cost estimate of $42 Million July 2025 – Council approved Final Design and Funding plan with value engineering reduced cost to $35.5 Million. Cost increase due to Electrification, Adjustments for Soil Conditions, and Ground Water Solution
Project Budget – History (Cont.)
September 2025 – Professional Cost Estimate of Bid Package Project Cost of $35.5 Million with construction cost of $25.3M December 2025 - Pre-Qualification package released to Contractors to validate experience building an Aquatic Center of similar size and scope. The process resulted in (7) qualified contractors.
April 2026 – The City received (3) bids from the (7) qualified contractors. The two lowest bids received were within $60,000 of one another. The lowest bid was $28,636,000.
Impacts Affecting Project Cost
Economic Instability
Rising construction cost of 4-6% per year
Variable material costs
Global Conflicts and Unpredictable Inflation
Project Site Conditions
Geotechnical – Soil stabilization/liquefaction to a depth of 35 feet Ground Water – Water table ranges 3-5 feet below the surface Full Electrification
Additional $1M in construction, however, will reduce operating costs
Impacts Affecting Project Cost (Cont.)
Solutions Addressing Soil Conditions and Ground Water
Increased costs by approximately $3 million
Project Delivery Methodology
The shift from Design Build to Traditional Design/Bid/Build increased project management costs during construction by $500,000 Construction Contingency
Based on 10% of base construction cost. Higher base resulted in $500,000 additional contingency for a total of $3M contingency. Staff will closely manage contingency use with all remaining returned to General Fund Given extensive site condition assessment and contingency, no additional costs are anticipated
Construction Cost
Center Costs
Actual
Previous Estimate
Percentage
Received Bid
$28,628,000
$25,350,000
11.5%
Add Alternates
$793,399
N/A
Construction Total
$29,421,999
$25,350,000
13.8%
Construction Admin. Increase
$519,548
N/A
48% (Griffin exist. Contract $1m)
Construction Contingency
$2,942,200
$2,535,000
13.8%
Construction Total
$32,883,747
$27,885,000
15.2%
Soft Costs
$7,616,253
$7,615,000
Project Total
$40,500,000
$35,500,000
12.3%
Funding Plan
2025 Center Project Budget $35,500,000
2026 Center Project Budget
Additional Request $4,998,747
2026 Center Project Total $40,500,000 (rounded)
Staff Recommendation
Approve the funding plan for the Aquatic Center.
Approve Griffin and ELS agreement amendments
Award the contract to Wickman Construction for the Aquatic Center providing the community with greater access to aquatic programs.
Thank You