SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : LPA Gets Contract for Center

The City Council has awarded a $211,200 contract to design the first phase of a planned community center.

The council unanimously approved the contract Tuesday, although lower bids were received by the city.

Council members chose LPA, Inc., an Irvine firm, which will also provide the city with a marketing study on how to make the center as financially self-supporting as possible.

City building and planning staff recommended LPA Inc. after reviewing bids.

“I think that staff made the best choice,” said City Councilman David M. Swerdlin.

The contract covers the first phase of a 32,000-square-foot community center, which is part of the city’s future sports park near Del Obispo Street and Camino Del Avion. The $1.4-million first phase of the center will be 9,000 square feet.

LPA Inc. submitted a bid of $182,400, which was at least $10,000 higher than bids submitted by a Fullerton firm and another Irvine firm.

Extra marketing work that increased the final contract to $211,200 was negotiated after LPA was chosen by city staff as the most qualified firm, according to Sharon Heider, the city’s open space project manager.

City officials estimate that the first phase of the community center will be completed in two years. No completion date has been set for the entire center.