Carson City Board of Supervisors takes up downtown project Thursday

A downtown remake detailed design process is set to get underway when Carson City’s Board of Supervisors is expected to choose Lumos & Associates as the lead company.

A contract for $1.1 million covering the Carson Street Urban Design Project, as it’s formally called, is up for approval at this stage to kick off the overall roadway, utility and streetscape design and streetscape architecture for work on Carson Street, a closed West 3rd Street to have a community plaza, and eventual sprucing up of Curry Street. A goal is pedestrian-friendly downtown.

Lumos is being recommended after emerging as the choice from five firms that submitted proposals

Overall work eventually is expected to cost upward of $10 million. In large measure, that’s funded with bonds backed by the one-eigth of a penny hike in city sales tax approved in 2014, but there also are utility and private funds.

Lumos was announced by Public Works Director Darren Schulz as the lead firm with the inside track via a search committee’s recommendation. The other firms vying for the role were Resources Concepts, Inc., another locally-officed company, and three with offices in Reno. Those are CFA, Stantec and Atkins. The board has the final call, but isn’t likely to go against the recommendation.

The board Thursday also will settle on the process for appointing someone to replace Al Kramer as Carson City treasurer. Kramer resigned Jan. 12 to take a position with state government. The board’s appointed replacement will assume the office until 2017. That replacement, if he or she runs, or someone else will secure the office by election to the position late next year. The four-year elected term would begin in Jan., 2017.

Mayor Robert Crowell has pledged an open process.

Those and other items will be handled in the morning board session, which starts at 8:30 a.m. in the Sierra Room at the Carson City Community Center. Beginning at noon the board will hold a strategic planning workshop at the Eagle Valley Golf Course, the muncipally-owned golf complex, at 3999 Centennial Park Drive.