Frisco's plan to replace part of the air-conditioning system at the Frisco Discovery Center stalled last year when contractor prices came in well above estimates. With money now set aside in the new budget, the project is back, and its design has to be redone first.
The Frisco Community Development Corporation board is set on Thursday, Oct. 15, to ratify a $30,000 change order with engineering firm Reed, Wells, Benson and Company to revise its drawings. It is listed among routine consent items for the board's 6 p.m. meeting.
Why the design is being redone
The firm was hired in December 2024 for $75,500 to design a partial replacement of the building's heating and cooling system, according to a memo from Administrative Services Director Daniel Ford. After the design was finished, the city collected prices from contractors. "Costs came in significantly higher than estimated, and staff was unable to proceed with the work," the memo says.
The project then became a new budget request for fiscal 2027, which has been funded. In the meantime, Frisco adopted the 2024 building code, which changed some standards the original drawings were based on. The change order covers the redesign and brings the firm's total to $105,500, paid from the development corporation's fund.
What would be replaced
The firm's Sept. 9 proposal lists five rooftop air-conditioning units to be replaced, along with structural changes to support the new units and roof work so they sit high enough for proper drainage and the roof warranty. The design also covers:
- a new digital control system for heating and cooling across the whole Discovery Center
- carbon monoxide detection in the building's spaces, to meet the 2024 energy code
- fire alarm changes, including duct smoke detectors on the larger units
- related electrical and plumbing work, and new ceiling tiles where ductwork changes require it
The firm would also watch construction from start to finish with weekly site visits, the proposal says.
