Architect selected for Next, recreation center
By Grace Lovins
Birmingham has made another step towards a new senior and recreation center building by selecting an architect, Neumann Smith, to begin designing the final site plan and construction plans, following a city commission approval during the Monday, December 9, meeting.
The process for establishing a new home for Next senior services and recreation center has been ongoing for the last decade, but recently gained significant momentum with the city’s purchase of the Birmingham YMCA building in July of 2023.
Commissioners interviewed three architectural firms—Neumann Smith, INFORM Studio and McIntosh Poris Architects—during the Monday night meeting with the intention of selecting one of the firms to prepare the final site plan, design and construction for the future Next and recreation center building.
Before being brought to the commission, the Ad Hoc Senior/Recreation Center Committee (SCC) evaluated the proposals during their Monday, December 2, meeting. INFORM Studio’s bid proposed a schematic design phase fee of $391,622, plus expanded services, allowables and reimbursables. McIntosh Poris Architects’ bid included a $416,673 schematic design phase fee, plus reimbursables, and Neumann Smith’s bid showed a $354,200 schematic design phase fee, plus reimbursables.
Per the evaluations in the meeting packet, Neumann Smith was favored by the SCC members, but the committee decided to have all three firms appear before the commission.
INFORM Studio is an architectural and design firm with offices in Detroit and Chicago, per their website, specializing in the design of mixed-use, community, cultural, learning, retail, hospitality, urban design and housing projects. The firm has worked on multiple notable projects including the A.B. Ford Park Community Center in Detroit.
Following INFORM Studio’s presentation, McIntosh Poris provided the commission with some insight into their proposal. McIntosh Poris Architects is an architecture firm with experience serving residential, commercial and institutional clients. The firm has been based in Birmingham since 1994, and has worked on notable projects in and around metro-Detroit.
The third firm to present to commissioners was Neumann Smith, an architecture firm with offices in Southfield and Detroit that provides clients with architecture, interior design, planning and preservation services, per their website.
After the presentations were complete, multiple commissioners commented that, while the programming for the building still needs to be finalized, they feel the city can successfully move forward with selecting an architect. Several commissioners also commented that although the three firms are each highly qualified, Neumann Smith stood out as the best option for Birmingham’s project.
Commissioner Brad Host and mayor pro tem Clinton Baller, however, said that they do not feel the city is where it should be in the process to move forward with selecting an architect for final designs.
Ultimately, the commission voted 4-2 to enter an agreement for Next and recreation center building design services with Neumann Smith, with commissioner Host and mayor pro tem Baller voting against the motion.
