Atherton asks five architects for civic-center design proposals

With council member Rick DeGolia saying the move is a "huge step forward," Atherton has asked five architects to submit proposals for designing a new civic center for the town.

Atherton's City Council on Nov. 5 unanimously approved, with Bill Widmer absent, a request for proposals that will go out to five architects who have been chosen by the Civic Center Advisory Committee to compete for the job of designing the new civic center.

The huge step forward, Councilmember DeGolia said, "is making a decision to go out and interview the architects."

Mayor Cary Wiest agreed. The document that will be sent to the five architects, is, he said, a foundation for what will be the "town's biggest investment now and in the future."

The five firms, chosen from 16 that asked to be considered, are Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Harley Ellis Devereaux, Siegel & Strain, Swatt/Miers and WNS Studio.

The document approved by the council was prepared by the town staff and the consultants who have been hired to manage the civic center project, Mack5, and then modified by the Civic Center Advisory Committee.

Steve Dostart, chair of the advisory committee, said he thinks the document, which carefully lays out a schedule, expectations and measures to keep costs in control, "is very well thought-through," adding: "This will become the road map to get our project done."

The firms must return their proposals by Dec. 10 and will be interviewed in mid-January by the advisory committee. The council is scheduled to interview the finalists chosen by the committee on Jan. 27.

The new civic center will be funded mostly with privately raised money, and while no commitments of funds have yet been publicly acknowledged, by the time the town hires an architect, the town will need to have private funds in hand to pay the firm.

Go to tinyurl.com/request118 view the request for proposals.

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Atherton asks five architects for civic-center design proposals