Covered parking coming to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
MANATEE -- Shaded parking for valet-parked vehicles and, perhaps, those belonging to travelers willing to pay a premium may soon be a new creature comfort at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
The airport's governing body, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority, plans to spend as much as $925,000 to erect the sun and inclement weather shelter in its east terminal parking lot. Designed to cover up to 400 vehicles, the free-standing roofing would become a primary parking area for airport valets. If space proves adequate, it could also serve travelers and airport visitors who wish to self park.
Construction is expected to begin this year, according to airport CEO Fredrick "Rick" Piccolo.
On Monday, the authority's commissioners picked Dallas-based USA Shade & Fabric Structures of Sarasota as its top choice to design and build the project. SRQ airport staff also brought a proposal from a joint venture of Lakewood Ranch builder CORE Construction and Hoyt Architects of Sarasota to the board.
Proposals from the CORE-Hoyt group and USA Fabric varied both in construction type and scale. They offered options ranging from fabric and metal roofs, to those made of PVC plastic and one covered with electricity-producing solar panels. The size of the proposed structure ranged between providing coverage for about 200 cars up to a maximum of approximately 400.
Another option presented to airport authority commissioners included a covered walkway for drivers to walk between the parking area and the terminal.
Airport staff evaluated the qualifications of nine firms for the project. The top two presented their qualifications and their perspectives on the parking cover to the authority board. Both showed examples of numerous parking shelter structures they have built.
The CORE-Hoyt group emphasized its status as a local company and its ability to digitally model construction designs in a way that allows them to make instant modifications to both structure and price. Representatives from USA Shade presented a list of parking structures the company has built for airports.
Both were working against some bias from the commission's chairman, U.S. Senate candidate and Manatee County home builder Carlos Beruff. The airport is choosing a design-build firm under Florida's Consultants Competitive Negotiations Act, or CCNA. The rule requires public authorities to pick certain types of contractors -- including engineers, landscape architects and design-build companies -- based on their qualifications and one-on-one negotiations. There is no bid process that pits firms against one another on ba
sis of price.
Beruff has long opposed CCNA because he believes it can cause an agency to lose out on the lowest price for a construction project.
"When you go to hire one of these firms, you cannot ask them what they are going to charge. I call it the beauty pageant," Beruff said. "This board member hates design build."
Beruff said his preference is to hire the design work separately, then put the construction portion of the project out to bid.
Agencies engaged in CCNA negotiations may end negotiations with a contractor if it finds a price unacceptable. When that happens, the agency must move onto the next choice in the process. The agency may not re-enter negotiations with a firm once they are terminated, even if other firms prove to be more expensive.
Other airport commissioners directed their questions toward the durability of the structures, particularly those built with fabric roofs. Wade White, senior vice president of USA Shade, said he has seen fabric roofing last more than 17 years. The structures are also protected against severe weather. The fabric breaks away in high winds, leaving the metal bases intact, he said.
Half of the funds for the parking cover was provided by the state through a Florida Department of Transportation grant. The airport authority will pay the remainder.
Matt M. Johnson, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7027 or on Twitter @MattAtBradenton.
This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 8:16 PM with the headline "Covered parking coming to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport ."