Evan J. LancasterOn Friday, June 4, the results of a dual-site study conducted by the California Department of Veterans Affairs were made public. The results of the CalVet study, performed on the ARDA and Golf Course sites, determined which site was the most cost-effective site to build a veterans cemetery in Irvine.
The CalVet Project Cost Summary report indicate that the costs are estimated. CalVet also noted that the results were only estimates for phase 1 of the veterans cemetery project.
CalVet Golf Course Site Results
The results, obtained by Irvine Weekly, indicate that the Golf Course site is the more cost-effective site, and would cost approximately $74.3 million to construct.
In an email to Irvine Weekly, Lindsey Sin, CalVet Deputy Secretary, Communications explained that the results of both studies have been sent to the office of Irvine City Manager Maryanna Marysheva. Sin added that CalVet will begin working with the city to make the, “preferred site available.”
“Among the next steps will be to work with the City of Irvine to better understand which site it would like to make available as the preferred site for development of the veterans cemetery,” Sin wrote in an email to Irvine Weekly.
The CalVet studies show that it would cost an estimated $110 million to build the veterans cemetery at the ARDA site, which is a difference of $35.7 million, in comparison to the Golf Course site.
The results also indicate that the project timeline for the ARDA site is an estimated 10 months longer than the Golf Course site. The Golf Course site also has a lower constriction contingency cost, which is 5%, of $2,870,700. The ARDA site’s constructions contingency is estimated to be $4,546,000.
Additionally, the Golf Course site report lists an amount of $700,000 in funds available, that have not been transferred yet. There are no such funds for the ARDA site.
Earlier this week, Irvine City Council members were eager to receive the results, as CalVet indicated the final reports would be available near the end of May.
In a text message to Irvine Weekly, on Friday, June 4, Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan said she had not received the site reports from CalVet and did not know when she could expect them.
This is a developing story.
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