Design teams make pitch for building police station

Representatives of the two design-build teams vying to construct the new, $11 million Cape Girardeau police station and municipal court stressed their experience in erecting law-enforcement buildings during a public meeting Monday at city hall.

Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson and Kiefner Brothers Inc. of Cape Girardeau are competing for the job. Both contractors have teamed with architectural and construction firms to offer proposals.

Both teams told the council, city officials and the few residents in attendance they could build a police station within the city’s $11 million budget. About 40 people attended the meeting, which included several representatives of the design-build teams.

“We are not here to review floor plans or site plans,” city project manager Anna Kangas said at the beginning of the meeting.

City manager Scott Meyer said city staff will evaluate the teams and make a recommendation to the council. Once a team is chosen, Meyer said, city officials will seek to negotiate a contract with the design-build team. If an agreement cannot be reached, the city will seek to negotiate a contract with the other finalist team.

Tom Kiefner, president of Kiefner Bros. Construction, speaks during a public meeting Monday with the top two police station project teams at Cape Girardeau City Hall.Fred Lynch

Meyer said he hopes to make a recommendation to the council within a month.

Philip Penzel, president of Penzel Construction, said the design-build process will result in fewer revisions and keep the project on schedule.

“Penzel is a pioneer in design-build,” he said. “Since 1996, we have constructed 60 design-build projects.”

Penzel said most of those buildings have been built within 30 miles of Cape Girardeau.

Penzel said his firm is using the design-build process for Cape Girardeau’s indoor sports complex.

Penzel, in partnership with Holland Construction Inc. of Swansea, Illinois, has proposed four concepts: two that involve renovating the former Naval Reserve Center and two that envision razing the structure and building a new facility.

“We feel our team is the best choice,” Penzel said. He added the design-build process allows for a single contract, better cost control and faster turnaround.

Tom Kiefner of Kiefner Brothers Construction told city officials, “You laid out a pretty significant challenge with an $11 million budget.” But he vowed his team could build a facility within budget.

Chris Chiodini of Chiodini Architects of St. Louis, a partner in the Kiefner proposal, said, “We believe Kiefner is the premiere institutional contractor in Cape Girardeau.”

Chiodini said the design-build process is a “collaborative balance” between costs and scope of the project. He said his firm has designed police stations for departments similar in size to Cape Girardeau’s.

The Kiefner team estimated it could construct a 33,000- to 38,000-square-foot structure within the city’s budget.

“Our proposal is predicated upon tearing down the old building,” Kiefner said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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