Civic Center Authority cuts ties with Johnson Controls

The Knox County Civic Center Authority Board voted during a special meeting Monday to cut ties with Johnson Controls after trying for 18 months to settle on a contract to oversee the installation of the Orpheum Theatre’s antiquated heating and air conditioning system, a $515,000 project.

At its regular meeting last month, the board was told by Orpheum President Kate Francis that Johnson Controls had indicated it was unable to commit to any of the work for completion by a March 2012 deadline.

The March 2012 deadline is in place for $100,000 in funding from the Western Illinois Regional Council.

At Monday’s meeting, Francis told the board that representatives from two firms – Midwest Engineering Professionals, Morton, and KJWW Engineering Consultants, Rock island, — recently toured the Orpheum and provided information on what work would be able to be completed by the March 2012 deadline.

That work revolves around the energy efficiency retrofit of the theater’s lighting system.

The board opted to move forward with KJWW of Rock Island to oversee the retrofit portion of the project, which is estimated to cost around $125,000. That would still allow the theater to use the WIRC grant of $100,000 and then look at the next phase of addressing the heating/air/ventillation systems.

The board also expressed interest in seeking a proposal from KJWW for that next phase.

KJWW serves the healthcare, education, corporate office, government, community arts and industrial markets. Their services include infrastructure assessments, master plans, medical equipment planning, sustainable/green design, BIM, LEED certification, architectural lighting, acoustical design and systems commissioning. The company has eight U.S. office locations and two international offices.

The firm has done work at the Adler Theatre in Davenport, Iowa, Dahl Chapel in Monmouth and Paramount Theatre in Iowa City, Iowa.
“Their resume is more compatible with our facility,” Francis told the board, explaining KJWW understands the age of the Orpheum and the various funding and bidding processes that must be followed by law.

KJWW will oversee the project and bid out the trade work, she said.

“Both firms admit they are on a tight deadline, but both admit it’s doable if we get moving on it,” Francis said.