OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Enterprise Services has selected Sellen Construction Co. of Seattle and ZGF Architects of Portland as the apparent successful team to design a new state office building planned for the block which is part of the north edge of the Capitol Campus in Olympia.

The department assembled a committee made up of design professionals, construction managers and financial analysts who selected the finalist. Two other teams — Hoffman Construction of Portland, Belay Architecture of Tacoma and GBD Architects of Portland, and Mortenson Construction Co. of Minneapolis with a regional office in Kirkland and SRG Partnership Inc. of Portland with a regional office in Seattle — also submitted proposals.

"I want to thank all the teams for their highly creative proposals," said Enterprise Services Director Chris Liu. "We are excited to move forward with a design for an energy efficient building that fits within the character of our historic campus while also connecting the state with downtown Olympia."

The 1063 Block Replacement Project was initiated by the 2013 Legislature and calls for the design and construction of a 200,000 to 225,000 square-foot state office building at 1063 Capitol Way S. in Olympia. The new building will house the Washington State Patrol and replace the existing state-owned building — which once housed a children's museum — as well as a two-story parking garage.

Enterprise Services is using a $13 million legislative appropriation to pay for the design of the building as well as other related costs. As Enterprise Services moves forward with negotiations with the apparent successful design team, the administration is considering a range of options for next steps in the project.

The other two teams competing have the ability to appeal the decision following the department's issuance of a notice of intent to award a contract, which will be no more than 60 days from today.

A final contract will likely be in place by July 1, 2014.

Public comments about the project can be submitted to Enterprise Services by using the department's electronic mailbox at: EASmail@des.wa.gov.

Enterprise Services manages more than 500 design and construction projects for public agencies across the state valued at more than $500 million a biennium.

View more information about the proposed 1063 Block Replacement Project at: www.des.wa.gov/about/pi/1063Block.

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