City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 20, 2025 FROM: MUSEUM DEPARTMENT WARD: 1
SUBJECT: RFP NO. 2419 – PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH K+R DESIGN, INCORPORATED OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SERVICES FOR REHABILITATION OF HARADA HOUSE AND CONSTRUCTION OF ITS INTERPRETIVE CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $533,217.50; AND AUTHORIZE A 15% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY UP TO $79,982.63 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $613,200.13 ISSUE:
Approve the Professional Services Consultant Agreement with K+R Design, Incorporated of Pasadena, California, for architectural design services for rehabilitation of Harada House and construction of its Interpretive Center in the amount of $533,217.50; and authorize a 15% change order authority up to $79,982.63 for a total amount not to exceed $613,200.13.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Award RFP No. 2419 to K+R Design, Incorporated of Pasadena, California, for architectural design services for the rehabilitation of Harada House and construction of its Interpretive Center in the amount of $533,217.50; Authorize 15% change order authority in an amount up to $79,982.63 for project changes including, but not limited to, unforeseen conditions or necessary design changes for a total amount not to exceed $613,200.13; and Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with K+R Design, Incorporated, including making minor and non-substantive changes in accordance with all purchasing policies.
BACKGROUND:
The National Historic Landmark Harada House (Harada House) was donated to the Museum Department (Museum), City of Riverside (City), by Harada family heirs (deed recorded 2004) on the condition that it be preserved as a civil rights resource for the public. Jukichi Harada, his wife Ken, and their first son Masa Atsu settled in Riverside, California in 1905. They soon were operating a rooming house and the Washington Restaurant. Following the death of their first American-born son, Jukichi and Ken sought a home with healthier conditions for their family. Aware of the 1913 California Alien Land Law prohibiting immigrants such as themselves from owning property, in December 1915, Jukichi Harada purchased the house at 3356 Lemon Street in the names of his three American-born children, Mine, Sumi, and Yoshizo. In 1918, he prevailed in a landmark court battle to retain the home. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990 due to the history surrounding this legal case.
Since that time, funds have been expended to arrest further deterioration, respond to weather-related emergencies, and offer interpretation of Harada family history. Due to the compromised structural condition of the house, it has never been open to the public. On January 22, 2019, City Council approved the accession of Harada House into the Museum’s permanent collection.
In 2014, the City purchased the adjacent home, Robinson House, with privately donated funds. The purpose of the purchase was to use the property as an interpretive center for Harada House.
DISCUSSION:
This agreement is for architectural design services that will continue and complete the design work started by a prior architectural design firm for the rehabilitation of the Harada House and construction of the Interpretive Center.
Harada House:
The rehabilitation of the National Historic Landmark Harada House will result in a historic house museum that is open to the public and honors the City’s commitment to the Harada family when the City accepted the donation of the house. The architectural design will follow the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for the rehabilitation of historic structures.
Interpretive Center:
On October 21, 2020, the Museum presented a receive-and-file presentation to the Cultural Heritage Board regarding the plan to demolish and reconstruct according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for reconstruction.
The structural integrity of Robinson House is also highly compromised, but the building is a contributor to the City of Riverside’s Heritage Square historic district. An analysis performed by a consultant in 2023 to satisfy Section 106 and CEQA requirements recommends salvaging the original front three rooms of Robinson House and demolishing the back of the existing house, rather than demolishing it entirely. Following this course results in the federal treatment standard being rehabilitation rather than reconstruction.
The construction of the Harada House Interpretive Center will provide an appropriate environment for museum objects and space for exhibitions and public programs. while maintaining the exterior of the facility as a contributor to the Heritage Square Historic District.
Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2419 was posted on the City’s online bidding system, Planet Bids, on October 3, 2024, seeking prospective bidders to provide architectural design services for the rehabilitation of the Harada House and construction of its Interpretive Center.
The solicitation notification is summarized in the table below:
Action
Number of Vendors
External Vendors Notified
500
City of Riverside Vendors Notified
433
Vendors who downloaded the RFP
100
Proposals received
5 A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting was held on October 22, 2024, with ten (10) vendors in attendance. RFP 2419 closed on November 6, 2024, with a total of five (5) responses. Four (4) responses were found to be responsive and responsible, with one (1) vendor deemed non-responsive for not meeting the minimum experience qualification. Under the guidance of the purchasing department, three (3) City staff and one (1) individual from California State Polytechnic University, evaluated the proposals for two rounds, which resulted in K+R Design Inc ranking No. 1. The evaluation criteria, total points and rankings for each evaluation round are summarized in the tables below.
Round 1
Evaluation Criteria
Total Points
Approach and Methodology
35%
Qualifications
30%
Experience (Projects of similar size & scope)
20%
Professional References
5%
Attended the Pre-Proposal Meeting
2%
Pricing
8%
Evaluation Results
Vendor
Location
Total Cost
Total Points
Rank
K+R Design Inc
Pasadena, CA
$551,235.50
3026.35
1 Higginson Architects Inc
Yucaipa, CA
$468,900.00
2859.15
2 Tighe Architecture Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
$1,053,794.00
2391.40
3 NCA Studio Inc
Los Angeles, CA
$613,323.00
1883.64
4 Hopson Rodstrom Design*
South Pasadena, CA
$841,000.00
N/A
N/A
*Non-responsive
The top two consultants were within a competitive point range and were invited to move forward into Interviews (Round 2 Evaluation).
Round 2
Evaluation Criteria
Total Points
Approach and Methodology
35%
Qualifications
35%
Experience (Projects of similar size & scope)
30%
Evaluation Results
Vendor
Location
Total Cost
Total Point
Rank
K+R Design INC
Pasadena, CA
$551,235.50
3267.50
1 Higginson Architects Inc
Yucaipa, CA
$468,900.00
2942.50
2 K+R Design Inc entered into negotiations with the City Staff and reduced their pricing without changing scope, from $551,235.50 to $533,217.50 resulting in a savings of $18,018.00.
Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 508 Awards states, “Contracts procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible, except that… (d) Contracts for Professional Services procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the City Council.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended actions are in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101.
The General Services Director concurs with this report.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The activities of the Museum of Riverside align with Strategic Priority No. 1 Arts, Culture and Recreation. The National Historic Landmark Harada House Interpretive Center project supports Goal No. 1.1 (strengthening Riverside’s portfolio of arts, culture, recreation, senior, and lifelong learning programs, and amenities), and Goal No. 1.5 (supporting programs and amenities to further develop literacy, health, and education of children, youth, and seniors throughout the community).
This project aligns with the cross-cutting threads as follows:
Community Trust – This project promotes community trust by fulfilling commitments made in 2004, when the City of Riverside accepted the donation of the National Historic Landmark Harada House on the condition that it be preserved as a civil rights resource and in 2014, when the City of Riverside purchased the property at 3342 Lemon Street with the intention of using the property as the interpretive center for the National Historic Landmark Harada House.
Equity – Project outcomes will benefit the entire community; programs at the National Historic Landmark Harada House and its Interpretive Center will be offered equitably.
Fiscal Responsibility – Grant revenue is being used to fund this project.
Innovation – Project leverages partnerships with granting agencies at the state and federal levels.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The rehabilitation of the Harada House and construction of the Interpretive Center will ensure that future generations can learn from the Harada family story.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $613,200.13, which includes a 15% contingency amount of $79,982.63. The architectural design services are funded by a grant from the California Natural Resources Agency. The funds are budgeted and available in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Harada House Project account numbers 9272220-462050 and 9272210-462050.
Prepared by: Robyn G. Peterson, Ph.D., Museum Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
RFP Award Recommendation
Agreement
Harada House and Interpretive Center architectural services agreement ● Page 2