Ryan Companies to manage construction of new library

Ryan Companies US Inc. will oversee construction of the new Cedar Rapids Public Library.

The library board voted 6-1 on Thursday, with one abstaining and one absent, to award the contract for construction management of the project to Ryan, a Minneapolis firm with an established local presence in Cedar Rapids.

As construction manager, Ryan will oversee the architect and the general contractor, and be responsible for the project to stay on budget and on schedule. “They're the quarterback,” said Greg Eyerly, the city's flood-recovery director.

The price for Ryan's services will be negotiated, and will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Ryan is also managing reconstruction of the Paramount Theatre, the building of a new Central Fire Station, the upgrade of the U.S. Cellular Center and other smaller projects.

Library board member Paul Pelletier voted against giving the library project to Ryan, because Knutson Construction of Iowa City offered to cap the cost of its services at 1.9 percent of the $45 million project's total cost. Other library board members said the request for qualifications didn't require such a specific cost cap, and Library Director Bob Pasicznyuk recommended Ryan.

Pasicznyuk cited Ryan's work rebuilding Theatre Cedar Rapids, and said he liked Ryan representatives' willingness to push back against his suggestions during interviews.