ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES

The Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) is seeking proposals from qualified architectural firms for design services at 1407 I Street, Modesto.

StanCOG is a council of city and county governments and the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for Stanislaus County. It is governed by a Policy Board of member-agency elected officials, which meets monthly in public session along with its standing committees.

StanCOG acquired 1407 I Street in 2024 and its staff moved into the building in July of 2026. The building was built as a bank branch and has no room set up for public meetings, so the Policy Board and its committees continue to meet in the agency's former leased premises under a lease that expires in November 2026.

The purpose of this project is to create a boardroom large enough to accommodate the 16-member board, agency staff, and members of the public. The former teller area will be converted into a meeting chamber, with associated improvements to the surrounding offices.

The work will proceed through the full design process, from programming and schematic design through construction documents, bidding and construction administration.

Agency Background

Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) is a council of city and county governments comprised of the Cities of Ceres, Hughson, Modesto, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Turlock, and Waterford, and the County of Stanislaus. StanCOG was established in 1971 through a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) to address regional transportation planning, coordination, and funding issues within Stanislaus County.

As the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the region, StanCOG is responsible for developing and maintaining long-range transportation plans, short-range programming documents, and administering federal, state, and local transportation funds. StanCOG works in coordination with State Agencies, Caltrans, local jurisdictions, transit operators, and other regional stakeholders to support the planning and delivery of transportation improvements that enhance mobility, safety, and economic vitality.

StanCOG is governed by a Policy Board composed of elected officials of its member agencies, supported by several standing advisory committees. All meetings of these bodies are open to the public and are subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act.

Purpose and Need

The purpose of this project is to create a boardroom large enough to accommodate the 16-member board, agency staff, and members of the public. A secondary objective is to remodel StanCOG’s new office space.

1407 I Street is a single-story commercial building of approximately 9,420 square feet, built as a bank branch. It is a corner site (14 ^th Street and I Street), partially covered parking of approximately 25 spaces, slab on grade, with a ramped entry. StanCOG acquired the property in 2024 and its staff began occupying the space in July of 2026.

The building has no room set up for public meetings. The Policy Board and its committees meet in StanCOG's former leased premises, which the agency continues to lease for that purpose. That lease expires in November 2026. When the lease expires, the Policy Board will meet at third-party venues and the committees will be held at 1407 I Street.

The former teller area is not in use and will not be used for banking again. The rest of the building is occupied by the organization, so the teller area is what is available to immediately convert.