Bloomington, Indiana – The Redevelopment Commission (RDC) of Bloomington has approved a $770,000 contract with Indianapolis-based Compass Commercial Construction Group for the building of a new office space within the Trades District parking garage in a major step to improve Bloomington’s infrastructure and support for technological businesses. This area is set aside for the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), an effort that is absolutely vital in enabling cooperative scientific research projects amongst several universities.
According to the contract, a 4,059 square foot ground floor portion of the parking structure—mostly situated on Rogers Street just south of 10th Street—will be transformed. This important site is ready to become a hub for ESnet, offering necessary high-bandwidth connectivity for its operations—which center on addressing world scientific concerns including climate change.
Compass’s bid, which came out top following a rigorous RFP process supervised by the RDC, was chosen since the company promised to finish the building by the end of the year, a schedule faster than those of other applicants. DELV Design has been assigned design duties; they intend to start work as early as the week of July 8.
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When describing the facilities of the building, the intended office space will have eight to twelve closed offices, extra surge seating for twelve visitors, a couple of conference rooms, and a large meeting room able to host up to twenty people. Using soundproofing components and wooden accents, the design emphasizes modernism. To support ESnet’s high-tech activities, functional elements include non-gendered bathrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, large security systems, and advanced connectivity choices.
Approved by the RDC in May, the leasing agreement not only specifies the ground for ESnet’s first five-year term with options for extension but also includes a complete upgrade allowance totaling around $223,245. Through higher rent payments beginning at $19 per square foot with an annual escalation of 2.5%, ESnet is also scheduled to refund an extra $550,000 spent by the RDC on these improvements.
This project did have a hitch during the most recent RDC meeting when Compass found a missing document in the proposal following an inquiry regarding the precise financing cap. The packet given during the meeting had unintentionally omitted the $770,000 cost cap paper. But the issue was quickly resolved, therefore enabling the commission to go on concluding the contract.
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This project represents a major turning point in the continuous evolution of the Trades District as a major hub for Bloomington’s economic growth and innovation. It also shows the city’s dedication to supporting important scientific research by means of necessary infrastructure enabling the connection between top research facilities and laboratories spread around the nation.
