[00:00:01]
SO, UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
SO JUST REAL QUICK, IN ORDER TO SPEAK, YOU ALL HAVE WIRELESS MICS IN FRONT OF YOU, THE BUTTON TO THE RIGHT.
AND WE ASKED THAT ONCE YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING, IF YOU CAN TURN IT OFF, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE MAY BE SOME FEEDBACK, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UM, IS THAT EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO KNOW, MARCUS? YEAH.
SO OTHER THAN THAT, I GUESS WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
THE OTHER BUTTON IS A MUTE BUTTON IN CASE SOMEONE COMES UP, YOU KNOW, AND YOU NEED TO TALK TO THEM OR DO YOU HAVE TO COUGH? YOU CAN JUST HIT THAT BUTTON.
SO IT DOESN'T BREAK THROUGHOUT THE ROOM COMMISSIONER THAT ISN'T, IT IS AN OBJECT BUTTON.
SO IT'LL, IT'LL LAUNCH A LOT OF THE MEETING.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED IS
[CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]
6:07 PM.IT'S A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION AT AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS.
UH, COULD YOU CALL ROLL PLEASE? YES, SIR.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS
UM, TONIGHT'S DESIGN COMMISSION, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2021.
UH, CHAIR CARROLL PRESENT COMMISSIONER FRANCO, COMMISSIONER MINORS HERE.
COMMISSIONER TENDER, GUCCI COMMISSIONER WEAVER, COMMISSIONER ROLLISON, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, PRESENT COMMISSIONER WALL-E PRESENT AND COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
SO YOU DO HAVE SIX TO BEGIN MEETING.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZENS? THERE ARE NO SIGNUPS FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
[1.a. Staff Briefing related to the Downtown Density Bonus Program, to be presented by Sam Tedford and Alex Radke– City of Austin Housing and Planning Department.]
BRIEFING RELATED TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.AREN'T DO YOU HAVE A CLICKER? WELL, I MEAN, IT'S RIGHT HERE.
UNLESS YOU JUST WANT TO COME IN WITH NEXT LIFE.
WELL, WILL THIS MIC WORK? HOW DO I WORK? IT IT'S FINE.
I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER IN THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I'M HERE, UH, TO COVER THIS PRESENTATION ON THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
I'LL ALSO BE FILLING IN TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY FOR SOME COWORKERS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT'S MEETING.
UM, I INTEND TO KEEP THIS PRESENTATION IS SHORT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, IN BACKUP FOR COMMISSIONERS TO DIGEST AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT AS NEEDED SO, AS I MENTIONED, MY COWORKERS FROM THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN PROGRAM DELIVERY AND REAL ESTATE SIDE OF THE SHOP, COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
SO I WILL DO MY BEST TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY PREPARED FOR YOU ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, HISTORY REQUIREMENTS AND OUTCOMES TO DATE.
AND I WILL ALSO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE WORK TO RESPOND TO A RECENT COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO RECALIBRATE THE PROGRAMS FEE IN LIEU OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO, UH, AS YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY AWARE OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL BY AN ORDINANCE IN 2013, THAT REPLACED THE PREVIOUS CENTRAL URBAN REDEVELOPMENT, UH, PROGRAM.
AND THEN THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE AMENDMENT TO THE PLAN TO DATE THAT CAME IN THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR AFTER IT WAS INITIALLY ADOPTED THAT PROVIDED SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND SET UP THE CURRENT RAINY STREETS, SUBDISTRICT REQUIREMENTS, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS,
[00:05:01]
UM, ARE ONE OF SEVERAL OPTIONS FROM A MENU OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS OUTLINED IN THE ORDINANCE, IN ADDITION TO THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS.UM, HOWEVER FOR RESIDENT, FOR MOST PROJECTS, 50% OF THE BONUS AREA MUST BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
AND THE OTHER 50%, IT IS UP TO A DEVELOPER TO ELECT WHICH COMMUNITY BENEFIT THEY'LL SUPPLY, UM, AND FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BENEFIT, IT CAN BE DONE THROUGH A FEE IN LIEU OR ON-SITE INCOME, RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE UNITS.
THE ONSITE OPTION IS ONLY ALLOWED FOR, UH, RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS OR PROJECTS WITH THE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT.
AND, UH, FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO THERE'S AN OPTION TO PAY A FEE IN LIEU TO ACHIEVE THE BONUS, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE.
HOWEVER, IN THE RAINY STREET SUB DISTRICT, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR THE FIRST TIER OF THE BONUS PROGRAM.
AND FOR THAT TIER 5% OF THE BONUS SQUARE FOOTAGE MUST BE SET ASIDE TO, UH, TO, UH, HOUSEHOLDS MAKING 80% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME OR BELOW, UH, FOR THAT HOUSING TO BE AFFORDABLE TO THOSE HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, THE REST OF THE PROGRAM, IF YOU ELECT TO PROVIDE ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THOSE REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS ARE 120% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME OR BELOW FOR 99 YEARS FOR OWNERSHIP, HOUSING AND 80% OF MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME OR BELOW FOR 40 YEARS FOR RENTAL HOUSING.
I KNOW THE COMMISSION HAD REQUESTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, UH, MORE OF AN UPDATE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM TO DATE.
AND SO THAT IS THE INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED IN YOUR BACKUP.
UM, YOU'LL SEE HERE, THESE NUMBERS ARE FOCUSED ON RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS THAT WOULD HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN REQUIRED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
UM, WE HAVE SEVEN PLANNED RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THE PIPELINE, 11 RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND ABOUT SIX COMPLETED RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT TRACKED USING THE SAME DATA THAT WE HAVE FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONTRIBUTING SITES, UH, THERE ARE ABOUT 14 COMPLETED NON-RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AS WELL.
THERE ARE VERY FEW SITES DOWNTOWN THAT HAVE ACTUALLY ELECTED TO PROVIDE ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS AREA.
THOSE TWO, UH, COMPLETED PROJECTS WITH ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCLUDE THE CAMDEN AT RAINEY STREET AND THE QUINCY, BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE WITHIN THE RAINEY STREET DISTRICT, BUT BY FAR FEE IN LIEU IS MORE COMMON THAN ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
UH, WE DO HOWEVER, HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE IN THIS BONUS AREA.
UM, WE HAVE ONE NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE PIPELINE THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING FOR ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST PROJECT OUTSIDE OF RAINY IN DOWNTOWN THAT IS ELECTING TO PROVIDE ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
AND THAT WILL LOOK LIKE ONE, ONE BEDROOM AND THREE, TWO BEDROOM UNITS AT 80% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, THE TABLES SHOW, TOTAL HOUSING UNITS IN THE PIPELINE THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
AND YOU'LL NOTE THAT RAINEY STREET DISTRICT IS PROJECTED TO PRODUCE ABOUT HALF OF THE PIPELINES BONUS RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
THESE ARE ONLY FROM DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE ELECTING TO TAKE THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, NOT ALL, UM, HOUSING UNITS IN DOWNTOWN OVERALL THOUGH FEE IN LIEU DOLLARS ARE DUE BEFORE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
THEREFORE THESE ARE THE ESTIMATED TOTAL FEE IN LIEU, UH, IN THIS TABLE HERE AND FEES ARE BASED ON THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF FORMAL SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL.
AND SO ALL THE CHANGE IN FEES THAT WE'LL DISCUSS HERE IN A MOMENT WERE TYPICALLY BEFORE THESE WERE CERTIFIED.
AND SO THEY'RE USING THE OLDER FEES FROM THE 2013 ORDINANCE.
SO AS FOR THE FEES THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED TO DATE, THIS IS A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW THERE'S, UM, I'M NOT, I DIDN'T CREATE THIS TABLE, SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO EVERYTHING THAT'S IN IT.
UM, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THE FIRST FEES IN LIEU FOR THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY RECEIVED UNTIL 2017.
SO THERE WAS A BIT OF TIME FROM, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS COMING THROUGH THE PIPELINE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY STARTED COLLECTING
[00:10:01]
FEES FROM THIS PROGRAM AND PER, UH, PER CODE, THE MONIES FROM THIS FEE IN LIEU OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BENEFIT REQUIREMENT, UH, ARE TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR LOW BARRIER APPROACHES TO, FOR THE CHRONIC HOMELESS.AND I'LL SPEAK ABOUT WHAT THAT HAS LOOKED LIKE, UH, IN A MOMENT, BUT HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FEE-ONLY RECEIVED TO DATE.
THE PROGRAM HAS CREATED OVER $2 MILLION IN FEES TO DATE, BUT SO FAR ONLY ABOUT 250,000 HAVE BEEN SPENT BETWEEN TWO DISTINCT PROGRAMS AND $1.6 MILLION REMAINED TO BE ALLOCATED.
SO THE INITIAL INTENT WAS TO USE THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM FEE AND LIEU DOLLARS FOR A LOCAL PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING LOCAL VOUCHER PROGRAM.
UH, THIS PROGRAM WAS ENDED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, HOWEVER, DUE TO DIFFICULTIES IN SCALING THE PROGRAM IN MEETING THE GOALS.
UM, SO FAR IT HAS SERVED 27 INDIVIDUALS DURING THE SECOND CONTRACT PERIOD.
SO THERE WERE TWO CONTRACT PERIODS, AND I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T HAVE NUMBERS ABOUT WHO WAS SERVED IN THAT INITIAL CONTRACT PERIOD, WHICH WAS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2020 TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2020 1, 27, INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED.
AND ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED A SUBSIDY UNDER THE PILOT AND WERE TRANSITIONED TO A MORE PERMANENT HOUSING SUBSIDY BEFORE THE PILOT WAS ENDED.
HOWEVER, DUE TO SOME OF THOSE DIFFICULTIES IN SCALING THE PROJECT AND SERVING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO SERVE, UH, THE CITY INTENDS TO ALLOCATE REMAINING APPROPRIATED FUNDS FROM THE PILOT PROGRAM FOR A HOTEL CONVERSION, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT.
AND IF THIS PROJECT IS SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE EXPECT TO, TO DIRECT DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS FUNDS TOWARDS THE RENOVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROPERTIES.
AND NOW I WILL SWITCH SORT OF TO TALKING, UH, GIVING A BRIEF UPDATE.
I SPOKE WITH THIS COMMISSION SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN, UH, THE FIRST, UH, COUNCIL RESOLUTION AROUND THE FEE IN LIEU CALIBRATION CAME DOWN THE LINE.
UH, WE HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS, BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE THROWS OF RECALIBRATING THIS FEE, BUT I CAN SPEAK A BIT TO WHAT IT SAID AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW IT'S SHAPING UP AT PRESENT.
IF YOU'LL RECALL, THERE WAS A RESOLUTION FROM COUNCIL IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, THEY GAVE US DIRECTION AND IN THREE KEY AREAS, THE LATTER TWO PARTS OF THE APRIL, 2021 RESOLUTION, OR WHAT I'LL BE SPEAKING TO TONIGHT, ONE PART OF THAT RESOLUTION DIRECTED STAFF TO IMPLEMENT INTERIM REVISIONS TO THE IN LIEU AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEES.
AND THEN AS MORE OF A TECHNICALITY OF THE PROCESS, COUNCIL ASKED STAFF TO MOVE THE FEES FOR THIS PROGRAM INTO THE FEE SCHEDULE, WHICH IS ADOPTED ANNUALLY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
PRIOR TO THAT MOVE, THE FEES WERE SET IN THAT 2013 ORDINANCE AND LIVED IN THE CODES OF ORDINANCES, WHERE IT WAS ADOPTED, AND IT HAD NOT BEEN AMENDED OR TOUCHED SINCE THE 2013 PASSAGE.
AND THE FINAL PART OF THE RESOLUTION ASKED STAFF TO UPDATE THE FEE IN LIEU ANALYSIS TO REFLECT CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS AND EXISTING ZONES OF TODAY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THAT IS, AND SO THOSE INTERIM FEES WERE PASSED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, BUT THEY WERE ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE INTERIM.
THEY WERE CALIBRATED BY ECONOMIC CONSULTANTS DURING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION PROCESS IN LATE 2019.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE FEES HAD BEEN CALIBRATED SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2013.
HOWEVER, AS WE KNOW, THE PAST TWO YEARS IN PARTICULAR HAVE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN AUSTIN, WHICH LED THIS ANALYSIS NOT TO NOT REALLY HOLD UP OVER TIME, PARTICULARLY WELL.
AND THIS ANALYSIS WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION PROCESS AND INCLUDED PROPOSED CODE CHANGES THAT DO NOT EXIST IN OUR CODE TODAY.
ONE OF WHICH WE'LL DISCUSS IN A BIT, BUT SPEAKS TO AN ARTIFICIAL REDUCTION IN SALES PRICES DUE TO THE PROPOSED PARKING MAXIMUM DOWNTOWN.
OUR CURRENT LDC HAS PARKING MINIMUM CITYWIDE AND IN DOWNTOWN, THE MINIMUM CAN BE AS LOW AS ZERO PARKING STALLS PER HOUSING UNIT.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO REGULATORY LIMITS TO THE AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT CAN BE PROVIDED.
SO WE CONSISTENTLY SEE DEVELOPMENTS DOWNTOWN PROVIDING AMPLE PARKING.
UM, AND SO THIS SLIDE AGAIN IS JUST SHOWING THOSE INTERIM FEES THAT WE WENT FROM.
THE PREVIOUS SLIDE SHOWED THE 2013 ADOPTED FEES.
UM, MOST NOTABLE YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE THAT THE COMMERCIAL FEE OR FEE FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS WENT UP TO $12 OR UP TO
[00:15:01]
$18 FROM ZERO IN SOME AREAS.AND THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL FEES ALSO INCREASED, BUT NOT QUITE TO THE SAME DEGREE, THE CALIBRATION WORK HOWEVER HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT IS NOT YET FINALIZED.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE KNOW THOUGH BASED ON OUR WORK SO FAR, FUTURE RECALIBRATION OF THESE FEES IS ASSUMED.
ALTHOUGH THE CADENCE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED, UM, THE REASON COUNCIL ASKS STAFF TO MOVE THOSE FEES FROM THE ORDINANCE INTO THE FEE SCHEDULE IS SO THAT THEY COULD BE UPDATED MORE EFFECTIVELY, BUT WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED DIRECTION AROUND HOW FREQUENTLY COUNSEL ANTICIPATES THAT HAPPENING.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HEARD FROM THIS COMMISSION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT, UH, IT COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO CONSIDER AN ANALYSIS OF BARRIERS TO ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND REEVALUATION OF THE DOWNTOWN DITZY BONUS PROGRAMS, POLICIES TO ACHIEVE MORE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT BASED ON OUR WORK SO FAR USING THE MODELING TOOLS WE HAVE, WE, UH, ARE FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT THE ONLY FEES RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT COULD BE HIGHER THAN THESE INTERIM FEES, BUT THE INTERIM IN LIEU FEES FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY CURRENT COMMERCIAL MARKET CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND TODAY.
I'M NOT GOING TO SHOW TOO MUCH OF THESE SIDES.
I KNOW I PRESENTED SOME OF THESE BACK TO YOU ALL IN JUNE, AND I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE SORT OF FUNDAMENTALS OF, YOU KNOW, THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WHY WE RELY ON INCENTIVE BASED PROGRAMS FOR THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, BUT I WILL REEMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR THAT BALANCE.
THAT CALIBRATION MEANS, UM, TRYING TO MAXIMIZE OUR PUBLIC BENEFIT AND ACHIEVE POLICY GOALS WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING AN INCENTIVE FOR DEVELOPERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO LEAVE SOME VALUE, UH, ON THE TABLE FOR THOSE BONUS ENTITLEMENTS.
I'M ALSO PREPARED TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE MORE TECHNICAL MODELING, UM, METHODS THAT WE'RE USING, BUT I WON'T GO INTO IT UNLESS THAT IS THE WISH OF THE COUNTY OR OF THE COMMITTEE COMMISSION.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE I'LL SKIP THESE TWO SIDES UNLESS THERE'S, UH, A DESIRE TO FOCUS IN ON SOME OF THESE EARLY ANTICIPATED RESULTS WE'RE SEEING, UH, I WILL OVERALL JUST STATE THAT OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RECALIBRATION ARE TO MAXIMIZE THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT SO THAT THOSE FEEDING NEW DOLLARS THAT ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS A LOW BARRIER APPROACHES, HOUSING, PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, WE ARE GETTING THE MOST COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT WE CAN AT THIS TIME.
UH, BUT WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEED TO KEEP FLEXIBILITY AND RESILIENCE IN THE PROGRAM TO ACCOUNT FOR FLUCTUATIONS IN THE MARKET DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY EVOLVING, BUT THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN DEMAND DEMAND FOR DOWNTOWN OFFICE SPACE IS IN A SORT OF HOLDING PATTERN OR A BIT UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME.
AND ALEX RADKE IS MY COWORKER WHO WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT.
UM, BUT IF WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT IS COMING THROUGH THE PROGRAM NOW, AND SOME OF THE LOOK BACK ON THE PR THE PROGRAM'S PERFORMANCE TODAY, I MAY DIRECT YOU BACK TO MY COLLEAGUE, ALEX.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT PROGRAM CALIBRATION, I CAN ANSWER.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? DO YOU HAVE ANY, WHAT FIRST? GO AHEAD.
UM, I GUESS AFTER THE CITY'S MEMO LAST WEEK ABOUT THE FEE CALIBRATION, I'M SURPRISED THAT WE'RE STILL HAVE REVIEWING THIS PRESENTATION THIS WEEK.
UM, SO I'M A LITTLE BIT UNPREPARED AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A GROUP THAT WAS GOING TO SPEAK, BUT THEY ALSO THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UM, SO I GUESS, UM, TO, TO SHARE WHERE THE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN AND REVIEWING THE B CALIBRATION I WITH PROFORMAS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT RENTALS ARE NOT SUPPORTED IN THE FEE.
CALIBRATION CONDOS ARE COMMERCIAL IS NOT SUPPORTED AT ALL.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A RELEASE OF THE MODELS.
UH, THE MODEL IS, IS AVAILABLE ON THE DEVELOPER INCENTIVE WEBSITE.
I REALLY THOUGHT I HAD LINKED IT IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I CAN ENSURE THAT THE LINK GETS OUT TO COMMISSIONERS.
THE MODEL IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, ALONGSIDE
[00:20:01]
THE MEMO THAT WAS CREATED BY THE CONSULTANTS WHO MADE THE MODEL FOR US.UM, HOWEVER, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU SAW THE MEMO THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK.
WE FOUND A SMALL ERROR IN THE MODEL THAT WE ARE GOING BACK INTO CORRECT NOW.
AND SO I'LL ENSURE THAT THE UPDATED MODEL IS ALSO PROVIDED PUBLICLY ON THE WEBSITE THAT MAKES SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME INPUTS BECAUSE THE MARKET VALUE IS WHAT THE INPUTS ARE.
FINANCE LOOKS AT, WHAT COSTS ARE THEY LOOK AT, WHAT RENTS ARE.
AND SO MAKING PROJECTIONS THAT ARE DISCRETIONARY ISN'T SUPPORTED BY FINANCE.
I THINK IF YOU'RE SPEAKING TO THE DATA INPUTS, THOSE WILL ALSO GO UP ONCE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS READY WHEN TEND TO PROVIDE A DATA SHEET OF WHAT, UH, MARKET INPUTS, UM, WERE USED TO ART STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU, MR. COLEMAN, THANK YOU, SAM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, TWO QUESTIONS.
DO THESE FEES INCLUDE THE INCREASED PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES THEY DO.
THAT WAS SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WE HAD TO STAKEHOLDERS THAT SORT OF SET US OFF OF OUR ORIGINAL TIMELINE, UH, FOR CALIBRATING THESE FEES.
BUT THE CALIBRATION NOW IS INCLUDING THE STREET IMPACT FEE, WHICH, UH, WILL BE EFFECTIVE, UH, SOON, BUT IT'S NOT YET CURRENTLY SEEN ON THE GROUND.
AND THEN THE INCREASE IN THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES FROM THE LAST FISCAL YEAR TO THE PRESENT HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS WELL.
HOW DID THAT INFLUENCE THE NUMBERS? HONESTLY, IT SO FAR HAS NOT BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE.
UM, FOR THE MOST PART THAT INCREASE IN DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENTS STILL LOOKS FAIRLY SMALL.
UM, HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN THE RAINY STREET PROGRAM FROM WHAT WE ORIGINALLY, UH, SEEING FROM OUR MODELING.
UM, BUT I MEAN, SO FAR, IT, IT HAS NOT BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE.
NOT SUBSTANTIAL AND LESS THAN LIKE A DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOT PENNIES, NOT DOLLARS LESS THAN LESS THAN $1.
UH, HOW MANY NEW OFFICE PROJECTS AND HOW MANY NEW RESIDENTIAL TOWERS HAVE STARTED THE PERMITTING PROCESS UNDER THE NEW FEE STRUCTURE? THE ONE THAT WAS TAKE TOOK PLACE IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR, I DON'T BELIEVE ANY PROJECTS HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED SINCE APRIL THIS YEAR.
UM, THIS WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO HAVE MY, UH, CO-WORKER ALEX WHO RECEIVES AND REVIEWS THOSE APPLICATIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ERIN YOU'VE HEARD ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM APPLICATIONS AS WELL, BUT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THERE'S BEEN SOME INTEREST, BUT NOTHING HAS GOTTEN CERTIFIED JUST YET.
AND SOMETHING I THINK I MIGHT'VE MISSED IS IN VOUCHERS IN SUBSIDIES, THERE WERE ONLY A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS PAID OUT OF THE FUND.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE ACTUAL FEES HAVE BEEN PAID TO DATE.
I'D HAVE TO PULL UP THE SLIDE AGAIN TO GET THE NUMBERS, BUT I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON THE CITY HAS DECIDED TO, TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE VOUCHER PROGRAM WERE I THINK WHAT, WHAT I'VE HEARD SECONDHAND, UH, OBVIOUSLY IS THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE SUPPORTING US LIKE KERRY TOSS OF AUSTIN AND ECHO, OR HAVING STAFF CAPACITY ISSUES, WHICH MADE THE PROGRAM STRUGGLED TO SERVE THE FOLKS THAT WE WANTED TO.
AND SO, YEAH, VERY LITTLE OF THE FUNDS WERE ACTUALLY SPENT DOWN.
SO AS A DESIRED TREND, NOT TO HAVE AFFORDABLE, THIS IS A LOADED QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO ASK IT.
I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND OFFENSIVE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE LEANING MORE TOWARDS A CITY RENOVATING FACILITIES.
WE FIND LIKE THE LAST EXAMPLE YOU JUST GAVE AND NOT HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THE TOWERS THEMSELVES.
SO THERE IS STILL, UH, THE POLICY ITSELF IN THE DOWNTOWN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RAINEY IS NEUTRAL TOWARDS ON-SITE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR FEE IN LIEU CALIBRATION.
I THINK STAFF HAS FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOCUSED HERE.
WE GOT DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO RECALIBRATE THE FEE AND LIEU, BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY LOOKED AT THAT ONSITE SET ASIDE REQUIREMENT AND BARRIERS THAT FOLKS MIGHT BE FINDING.
SO WE HAVE NOT TOUCHED THAT POLICY AND IT IS PRETTY NEUTRAL TOWARDS EITHER.
I WOULD SAY SINCE THE CODE REQUIREMENT SAYS THAT THE FEE AND LIEU DOLLARS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS LOW BARRIER POUCHES APPROACHES TO HOUSING FOLKS, WHO'VE BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.
UM, WE'RE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
WE INITIALLY TRIED THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, WHICH WE THOUGHT WOULD BE MOST FLEXIBLE.
AND NOW WE HAVE PRO UH, ACE, A PROJECT LINED UP TO ALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS FOR A MOTEL CONVERSION PROJECT.
UM, AND THE IDEA IS THAT IF THAT IS SUCCESSFUL, THEN THAT WOULD BE WHERE THE FEE IN LIEU DOLLARS GET DIRECTED, UH, GOING FORWARD JUST TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE REQUIREMENT.
AGAIN, IF THE, IF THE POLICY WAS CHANGED, THEN WE COULD PROBABLY ENTERTAIN OTHER THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE WITH THE FEES, BUT THAT'S, WHAT'S IN THE CODE TODAY.
[00:25:01]
THIS IS THE KITCHEN.UM, SAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE COST IS FOR THESE UNITS, THE AFFORDABLE UNITS AT THE CAMDEN RAINY STREET, THE QUINCY AND THE FUTURE WATERLOO APARTMENTS.
AND YOU MEAN, UH, WHAT WE WOULD CALL LIKE THE BUYDOWN COST, WHAT IT COSTS FOR A DEVELOPER TO PROVIDE THOSE? NO, I'M CURIOUS WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST THE CIVILIAN TO LIVE THERE.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT I THINK I PUT IN MY NOTES WHAT THOSE ACTUAL RENTAL RATES LOOK LIKE.
AND LET ME THINK ABOUT, YEAH, OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE OF LIKE, WHEN WE SAY 80% OF MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AS WELL AS THOSE RENTAL LIMITS AND FOR SALE PRICE LIMITS, BUT I DO HAVE OFFHAND.
SO FOR AN 80% RENTAL LIMIT, A ONE BEDROOM WOULD BE 1385 PER MONTH.
A TWO BEDROOM WOULD BE 1582 PER MONTH, AND A THREE BEDROOM UNIT, WHICH ARE REALLY RARE DOWNTOWN WOULD BE 1780 PER MONTH.
JUST ONE MORE TIME WITH THAT, PLEASE.
UH, FOR, UH, 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME THRESHOLD, THE RENTAL FOR A ONE BEDROOM WOULD BE 1385 FOR A TWO BEDROOM, 1582 AND FOR A THREE BEDROOM, 1780.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GET THE REFRESHER OF ALL THIS INFORMATION.
UM, APOLOGIES IF I'VE MISSED SOME CORRESPONDENCE, WE SENT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT ALL THIS, RIGHT.
UH, AND I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT, LIKE WHAT THE FEEDBACK IS TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, LIKE, UM, JUST IN TERMS OF GETTING A GOOD FEEDBACK LOOP SO THAT WE CAN KNOW WHAT'S RELEVANT AND WHAT WAS LESS RELEVANT, UM, TO, TO Y'ALL.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE PROCESSES Y'ALL'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE TO COUNCIL.
AND SO COUNSEL WOULD NEED TO ACT ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE STAFF FORMALLY ACTED.
HOWEVER, I DID STATE IN OUR PRESENTATION THAT WE'VE HEARD THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION'S FEEDBACK.
AND I THINK STAFF IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA OF DOING AN ANALYSIS OF EXISTING BARRIERS TO PROVIDING ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT WE DO KIND OF HAVE TO WAIT FOR COUNCIL DIRECTION TO, TO ACT ON Y'ALL'S RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
I WAS WONDERING IF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED ANY BENEFITS TO SAY THOSE MAKING 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NOT REALLY, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE COUNCILS DECIDED THAT ALL THE FUNDS SHOULD GO TO CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AND WE'RE, AND WE HAVE SOME IN RAINY STREET AVAILABLE TO 80% MFI, BUT BETWEEN THAT, WHERE THERE'S REALLY NO BENEFITS, IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S TRUE.
THE ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT, DOES NOT HAVE THAT LOW OF AN AFFORDABILITY THRESHOLD, UH, OR DOESN'T HAVE THAT DEPTH OF AFFORDABILITY.
BUT IN THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES YOU'LL FIND, I MEAN, THE HOME, THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS COULD DEFINITELY HELP FOLKS WHO ARE MAKING BELOW 50% MFI AS WELL, UM, THROUGH A HOUSING VOUCHER PREVIOUSLY OR WITH THESE NEW MOTEL CONVERSION PROJECTS.
AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION IS IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPERS, ONCE I GET A, UM, ACCEPTED A COMPLETION CHECK ON THE SITE PLAN, UM, AND BEFORE THEY GO INTO FORMAL SUBMITTAL, THEY'VE ESSENTIALLY KIND OF LOCKED IN OR GRANDFATHERED THE CURRENT RULES AND THE RULES WON'T BE CHANGED ON THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT, WHICH IS, I THINK IS REASONABLE, BUT I'M WONDERING JUST WITH THE STREET IMPACT FEES AND PARKLAND DEDICATION AND DENSITY BONUS, IF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN, UM, DEVELOPERS KIND OF DO A LITTLE BIT OF A RUSH TO GET SOMETHING INTO SITE PLAN REVIEW, AND BUY THEMSELVES SOME TIME.
I MEAN, I'VE WORKED ON PROJECTS WHERE THAT'S CERTAINLY BEEN THE STRATEGY OF THE DEVELOPER AND IT MAKES SENSE TOO, THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT.
BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE'RE SEEING ANY KIND OF UPTICK AND SUBMISSIONS BASED ON, UH, THESE PENDING FEE INCREASES.
I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH OF THE, ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE.
[00:30:01]
SEEN THAT OR NOT.I WOULD SAY THOUGH, IN MY EXPERIENCE THOSE THREE THAT YOU MENTIONED HAVE HAD SORT OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES I'VE, I'VE HEARD ANECDOTALLY SIMILAR THINGS ABOUT THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEE INCREASE THAT THAT'S IN THE ANNUAL FEE SCHEDULE THAT MOVES FORWARD WITH THE CITY BUDGET.
FOLKS KNEW ABOUT THAT FEE INCREASE IN MIGHT HAVE TRIED TO GET IN BEFORE THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, BUT THAT COULD HAVE APPLIED FOR ANY OF THE OTHER DEVELOPMENT FEES THAT ALSO INCREASE THIS YEAR FOR STREET IMPACT FEE.
THAT WAS PART OF THE THINKING BEHIND THE ROLLOUT WAS HAVING, I BELIEVE IT WAS A TWO YEAR DELAY IN EFFECTIVE DATE TO TRY AND GET THE WORD OUT TO DEVELOPERS THAT THIS WAS COMING AND THAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE CHANGING SLIGHTLY.
UM, BUT FOR DOWNTOWN COUNCIL ELECTED TO TAKE A, LIKE A TIERED APPROACH WHERE THEY ADOPTED INTERIM FEES VERY RAPIDLY AFTER THEIR APRIL, UM, RESOLUTION.
BUT SINCE THEN, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF THINGS.
AND, AND MY IMPRESSION IS THAT DEVELOPERS ARE KIND OF WAITING ALSO TO SEE WHAT MIGHT COME OUT OF THIS, UH, FEE RECALIBRATION.
AND SO IT'S HARD TO SAY, CAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S A BIT OF A HOLDING PATTERN IN THE COMMERCIAL MARKET ANYWAY, BUT ALSO IMPOSING THIS NEW FEE GOING FROM ZERO TO 18 COULD ALSO BE LIKE, FOLKS ARE WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT AS WELL.
I WANT TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MAY BE WAITING TO SEE ARE PEOPLE GETTING IN EARLY BEFORE FEES, YOU KNOW, INCREASE, UH, MIGHT HAVE US REALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, UH, LESS SITE PLAN SUBMISSIONS, YOU KNOW, COMING UP, WHICH MAY NOT MEAN THAT NECESSARILY THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEW FEES MAKE A PROJECT AND FEASIBLE.
IT JUST MAY BE THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF WHY PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO KIND OF TIME THE MARKET, THAT THERE MAY BE WHO MAY HAVE AN UPTAKE AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOWDOWN AND BEFORE RETURN TO NORMAL, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'LL SAY, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, I CAN SEE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THE INTERIM FEE FOR 18 FOR COMMERCIAL, AND THEN LAST MONTH Y'ALL RELEASED TWO 50.
THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE, A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH I'M SURE WITH DEVELOPERS RIGHT NOW, WHETHER THEY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD OR THEY'RE GOING TO PULL BACK AND WAIT FOR THESE FEES.
UM, I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION, UH, RAINY SPECIFICALLY, UH, THE, THE NUMBERS I REALIZED THESE AREN'T THE FINAL NUMBERS, BUT THE NUMBERS THAT Y'ALL PROPOSE LAST MONTH WAS MORE THAN TRIPLED.
THE RAINY NUMBER WAS IN RAINY SPECIFICALLY, DOES THAT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT? THEY ALREADY HAVE TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON SITE YES.
OR MODELING TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT 5% REQUIREMENT FOR THE FIRST TIER OF THE BONUS.
UM, AND THEN THE POTENTIAL THAT THE ENTIRETY OF THE NEXT BONUS AREA WOULD BE PROVIDED AS FEE AND LU.
UM, SO YES, IT, IT DOES ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO HOW, UM, BOOMING THE RAINY DISTRICT HAS BEEN AND THE KIND OF SKYROCKETING SALES PRICES WE'VE SEEN IN THE RAINY DISTRICT FOR RESIDENTIAL AS WELL.
AND SO IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CBD NUMBER AND THE RAINY NUMBER? IS THAT EXTRA BURDEN TO PROVIDE THAT ON-SITE HOUSING? I WOULD SAY.
UM, I HAVEN'T, UM, I GUESS SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT IT LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT IS WHAT'S SETTING APART, THE CBD RATE FROM THE RAINY IS THAT 5% REQUIREMENT IN THE FIRST BONUS.
YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, PARKING, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, THE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENT, UH, POTENTIALLY MAXIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENT.
AND I'M WONDERING, UH, AS PART OF THE RECALIBRATION, ARE THEY LOOKING AT FAR THE FAR, UH, ENTITLEMENTS AND, UH, HOW MUCH PARKING IS PROVIDED AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT CAN BE COUNTED AS PART OF THAT RATIO? YEAH, SO FOR MOST OF DOWNTOWN, I MEAN, THERE'S THE SUBDISTRICTS THAT DO HAVE, UM, HEIGHT CAPS, BUT IN A LOT OF DOWNTOWN, THERE'S ACTUALLY AN UNLIMITED HEIGHT AND, AND THE, UM, LIMITING FACTORS, TYPICALLY THE FAR LIMITS THAT ARE IN THE BONUS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE DO ACCOUNT FOR FAR, AND THAT IS WHAT I WOULD SAY MOSTLY DRIVES OUR BOTTLING.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE FAR THOUGH IS, OR WE DON'T COUNT PARKING TOWARDS FAR.
AND THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, AN ELEMENT OF THE WAY THAT FAR IS CALCULATED.
AND IF THE CODE TODAY, UM, I'M SORRY, YOU HAVE, OH, AND THE LAST BIT ABOUT WHAT PARKING WE'RE USING.
UM, WE USE MARKET INPUT SINCE WE HAVE NO REGULATORY WAY TO LIMIT PARKING, WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT THE MARKET IS PROVIDING TODAY IN TERMS OF PARKING DEMAND.
AND SO THE PARKING RATIOS WE'RE LOOKING AT
[00:35:01]
ARE ABOUT ONE STALL PER BEDROOM, UM, AND I THINK A LITTLE LESS FOR RENTAL.UM, BUT IN THAT WAY, STAFF DIDN'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, TRY TO MINIMIZE PARKING IN ANY WAY WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE MARKET PROVIDING TODAY TO ASSESS THE VALUE OF THOSE PROJECTS AS THEY WOULD BE CREATED TODAY.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, FINANCING IMPLICATIONS WHERE DEVELOPERS HAVE TO HAVE IT IN ORDER TO GET FINANCING FOR A PARTICULAR PROJECT, BUT IT DOES SEEM THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN EXCESS OF PARKING PODIUMS, UH, IN THESE BUILDINGS THAT ARE COMING TO US FROM THE DOWNTOWN BONUS, WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE VIBRANCY, THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN MOVING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAVE A SHIFT AWAY FROM CAR OWNERSHIP, UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK WITH ALL THESE MASSIVE PARKING GARAGES.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE STRONGLY LOOKED AT, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN INCENTIVIZING BELOW GRADE, UH, PARKING, UM, OR OFFSITE PARKING.
UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S SOME PART OF THE CONVERSATION, I THINK IT SHOULD BE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS IN OUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, AS A COMMISSION, UM, TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, BUT, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.
ANYONE ELSE WHEN WHAT'S THE TIMING, WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE THE NEW FEES? SO OUR, OUR NEW DATE THAT WE'RE INTENDING TO GET TO COUNSELORS AT THE END OF JANUARY, JUST AS A MATTER OF ALL THE HOLIDAYS AND BREAKS IN BETWEEN.
UM, SO I, I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE IF WE'LL BE AT YOUR DECEMBER MEETING WITH THE ACTUAL FEE, UM, TO PRESENT, OR IF IT WOULD BE YOUR JANUARY MEETING, BUT ONE OF THOSE TWO, I'LL BE BACK HERE WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO MOVE THE TWO DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS UP.
AT THE END OF YOUR NEW BUSINESS, MOVE THOSE TWO ITEMS UP NEXT.
YEAH, WE'LL DO THE NEXT, UM, SO NEXT WE'LL DO,
[1.h. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether 4th and Brazos, located at 204-208 E. 4th Street, complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the city of Austin; Chi Lee Perkins+ Will, Amanda Surman Armbrust & Brown, Richard Shuttle Armbrust & Brown.]
UH, ITEM ONE H DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER FOURTH AND BRAZOS LOCATED AT 2 0 4, 2 OR EAST FOURTH STREET COMPLIES WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.UM, SO, UH, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE FOURTH AND BRAZOS, UM, OFFICE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, UH, THAT'S SUBMITTED FOR DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
UH, SO WE'VE GOT A BRIEF, UM, SLIDE DECK TO RUN THROUGH, UH, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THE DESIGN LOOKS LIKE, UM, AND HOW IT'S COMMITTING TO THE, UM, THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS AND HOPEFULLY HELPING TO IMPROVE DOWNTOWN.
SO THIS IS SORT OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED.
IT'S ON FOURTH AND BRAZOS, UM, SAN JACINTO TO THE EAST.
UM, IT'S A HALF BLOCK ON THE SOUTHERN HALF AND IT'S FRONTED BY A PUBLIC ALLEY TO THE NORTH.
UM, IT'S KINDA HARD TO SEE THE SLIDE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT I THINK IT ALSO SHOWS WHERE BUS STATIONS ARE AND ALSO THE FUTURE, UM, UH, RED LINE THAT PASSES ON FOURTH STREET.
UM, SO AGAIN, UH, THIS IS A PRETTY CENTRALIZED, UM, SITE IN DOWNTOWN AND IT'S AT THE NEXUS OF A NUMBER OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION, UH, LINES, UH, BUS LIGHT RAIL FOR IN THE FUTURE.
NEXT SLIDE WENT AHEAD A COUPLE, UH, TWO MORE BACK, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE TIGHTER SHOT.
IT'S A NINE SQUARE GRID OF THE DOWNTOWN BLOCKS, UM, TO THE EAST.
A COUPLE OF BLOCKS IS A BRUSH SQUARE, UM, WHICH IS A NICE OPEN SPACE IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS TO ADD TO THAT OPEN-SPACE NETWORK THROUGH THIS PROJECT.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT JUST TO ORIENT YOURSELF, YOU CAN SEE FOUR STREET IS TO THE SOUTH
[00:40:01]
BRAZOS STREET IS TO THE, TO THE WEST.AND IT'S A TWO WAY STREET SANSAR CENTO IS TO THE EAST SENSE OF ONE WAY.
NEXT SLIDE, SOME JUSTIN GESHE, MICHAEL HSU OFFICE OF ARCHITECTURE, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, CHIEF AND HIS TEAM AT PERKINSON WELL ON THE DESIGN OF THE GROUND PLAN AND PUBLIC REALM OF THE PROJECT.
SO WE WANTED TO START WITH JUST A FEW SLIDES THAT SHOW YOU, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WE'RE THINKING AS FOR THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GROUND PLANE.
AND I THINK FOR US, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO, FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO INVITE THE PUBLIC INTO THE PROJECT AND TO HAVE THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE BUILDING REALLY FEEL LIKE AN EXTENSION OF THE, THE CITY'S PUBLIC REALM.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PRIMARY METHODS TO DO THAT IS WITH ENGAGING LANDSCAPE AND KIND OF DYNAMIC SPACES AT THE GROUND PLANE.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTIVATE ALL FOUR SIDES OF THE BUILDING.
AND ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE POTENTIAL TO REALLY BRING A LIVELY ACTIVITY TO THE ALLEY.
WE THINK SOME OF THE ALLEY SPACES IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN CAN BE UTILIZED.
SO WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO DO SOMETHING UNIQUE AND, AND SPECIAL FOR THE CITY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A CLIENT WHO'S VERY COMMITTED TO PUBLIC ART.
AND SO A BIG PART OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY FEATURE PUBLIC ART ON THE PROJECT.
WE HAVEN'T QUITE DEFINED EXACTLY WHERE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT, UM, A BIG PART OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE KIND OF A MONETIZING THAT PUBLIC EXPERIENCE THROUGH, UM, THROUGH ART AND LANDSCAPE.
SO THE OVERALL STRATEGY WITH THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC AT THE GROUND PLAN IS TO BRING THE PUBLIC OFF THE PERIMETER OF THE PROJECT AND INVITE THEM TO DISCOVER THE INTERIOR OF THE PROJECT.
SO IN THIS CASE, THE WALLS OF THE BUILDING ACTUALLY MOVE IN BOARD FROM THE, THE SCAN OF THE TOWER ABOVE.
AND WE HAVE A SERIES OF LANDSCAPED SPACES THAT ARE SEXUALLY INTEGRATED AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE PROJECT.
SO IN ADDITION TO ACCESS TO RETAIL AND RESTAURANT TENANTS AT THE GROUND FLOOR, THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLORE THE, THE BASEMENT LEVEL BELOW AS WELL AS THE SECOND FLOOR ABOVE.
WE'RE ALSO INTRODUCING AN OPEN AIR PASEO THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING THAT CREATES CONNECTIVITY FROM THE PRIMARY FACADE ON FOURTH STREET, BACK TO THE ALLEY AS AN EFFORT TO KIND OF BRING THE PUBLIC ACTIVITY BACK INTO THE ALLEY SPACE AND REALLY GIVE THE RETAIL TENANTS ON THE ALLEY OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF THRIVE.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AND REALLY ACTIVATE ALL FOUR SIDES IS BY CLEANING UP THE SERVICES ASPECT OF THE ALLEY.
SO WE REALLY NEED THE, THE BASEMENT TO KIND OF HELP OUT WITH THAT.
UM, APOLOGIES FOR NOT INTRODUCING MYSELF EARLIER, I'M CIVI WITH PERKINS AND WILL.
UM, SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WAS MOVE A LOT OF THE BACK OF HOUSE, UH, AND SUPPORT SPACES TO THE BASEMENT LEVEL OR ONE LEVEL BELOW GRADE.
UM, SO THE TRANSFORMER VAULTS ARE TO THE SOUTHWEST AND IT'S ACCESS THROUGH A HATCH AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER.
AND THEN, UM, CHILLED WATER, UM, THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT LOOP IS COMING INTO THE BUILDING FROM THE EAST LOADINGS ALSO BELOW GRADE AS WELL.
SO THAT INCLUDES GARBAGE AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE DID THIS BECAUSE AS JUSTIN SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTED TO THE GROUND PLANE AND GIVING THAT BACK TO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN ON THE GROUND LEVEL.
SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAD TO MOVE ALL OF THESE SERVICES DOWN TO THIS LEVEL.
NEXT LINE AT THE SECOND FLOOR, WE HAVE A SERIES OF MEZZANINE SPACES THAT ALSO SERVE AS A RETAIL OR RESTAURANT SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC REALM.
AND WE'RE IMAGINING A SERIES OF KIND OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE STYLE TENANTS HERE THAT COMPLIMENT THE PROGRAMMING ON THE GROUND PLANE AND CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO KIND OF EXTEND FURTHER INTO THE, INTO THE BUILDING.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIAGRAMS HERE, UH, THIS FIRST ONE DEALING WITH RETAIL FRONTAGE.
SO, UH, THAT BLUE LINES INDICATE THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF THE BUILDING AND THE INTERIOR PASEO THAT, UM, THAT ARE ACTIVE WITH RETAIL, AS WELL AS THE GREEN LINES, UH, ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING THAT ARE HAPPENING ALONG OUR PLAZAS.
AND THEN THE SECOND DIAGRAM IS JUST SHOWING POTENTIAL, UH, FOR PUBLIC SEATING, UH, IN THE LANDSCAPE ZONES, OUTSIDE OF THE RETAIL AND RESTAURANT ENVIRONMENT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RETAIL FRONTAGE TO THE STREET ON ALL THREE KIND OF PRIMARY SIDES, AS WELL AS, UH, WHERE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES ALONG THE ALLEY.
SO THIS STARTS TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER OF WHAT THAT INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT ON THE LOWER LEVELS COULD FEEL LIKE.
SO, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, REALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO USE A KIND OF SEXUALLY SECTIONALLY INTEGRATED APPROACH TO INVITE DISCOVERABLE LANDSCAPE THAT, THAT SPANS ACROSS MULTIPLE LEVELS OF THE BUILDING, A WARM ORGANIC MATERIAL PALETTE, AND A REALLY CREATIVE, UH, INTEGRATION OF THE LANDSCAPE.
AS WE, AS WE KIND OF WORK THROUGH THE PUBLIC AREAS OF THE BUILDING.
NEXT SLIDE, WE ALSO REALLY ARE ENDEAVORING TO KIND OF CREATE A, AN INTUITIVE WAYFINDING FOR THE BUILDING.
SO THE FRONT DOOR OF THE BUILDING IS OFF THE PLAZA ON THE INTERIOR,
[00:45:01]
BUT WE IMAGINE THAT THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING ITSELF KIND OF INDICATING THE, UH, THE FRONT DOOR AND THE ENTRY POINT OF THE BUILDING.AND, UH, THE OPEN, UM, STRUCTURE ALLOWS THE, THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT TO REALLY BE ENHANCED AS AN OVERHANG IN AND OF ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SET WITHIN THE PROPERTY LINE AND THE PERIMETER BOUNDARY OF THE BUILDING NEXT SLIDE.
AND ONE LAST LOOK AT WHAT, UH, ENGAGEMENT MIGHT LOOK LIKE ALL ALONG THE ALLEY FACE.
SO WE ARE IMAGINING TRUE, UH, TENANT RETAIL, OR TRUE, TRUE TENANT STOREFRONT WITH A RETAIL ACTIVATION ON THE, ON THE ALLEY SURFACE WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR, UM, PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY TO KIND OF THRIVE IN THAT ZONE.
I AM BRETT WITH 10 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, WE COVERING A LITTLE BIT OF THE LANDSCAPE ITEMS. UM, SO THIS FIRST SLIDE IS MORE OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE VERSION OF THAT SITE PLAN WE JUST REVIEWED.
SO I'LL JUST TALK QUICKLY ABOUT THE LAYERS AS YOU MOVE FROM OUTSIDE TO END.
SO ON THE OUTSIDE, WE HAVE THE GREAT STREETS, TREES, SITE FURNISHINGS, LIGHT POLES, UM, AT THE CURB, UH, ON FOURTH STREET, YOU'LL SEE IN THE SECTION AND A FEW SLIDES, UH, GETTING RID OF THE EXISTING ANGLED PARKING AND THE ELEVATED SIDEWALK ON FOURTH STREET AND DOING PARALLEL PARKING ALL THE WAY DOWN FOURTH.
UM, THEN WE HAVE THE, THE SIDEWALK ZONE, AND THEN IMMEDIATELY, AS JUSTIN MENTIONED BEFORE THE FACADES PULLED BACK, SO WE HAVE A SERIES OF OUTDOOR GARDEN SEATING AREAS, UH, THAT WRAP AROUND THE RETAIL.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE PASEO THAT WRAPS, OR THAT GOES THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE, OF THE BUILDING.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A LOWER LEVEL DOWN THERE.
WE'RE STILL GONNA GET LANDSCAPED DOWN IN THE LOWER LEVEL.
SO YOU HAVE GLIMPSES OF IT COMING UP, UH, FROM THE LOWER LEVEL.
NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S A QUICK DIAGRAM SHOWING A LANDSCAPE TYPES.
THESE, UH, IS TO REPRESENT THAT LANDSCAPE WILL BE TAILORED BASED ON LIGHT LEVELS AND BE TUNED SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE SUNLIGHT AND AVAILABILITY OF LIGHT, UH, WE'LL HAVE A PLANTING PALETTE, UH, THAT CAN HOLD UP NEXT SLIDE.
SO THESE ARE JUST CHARACTER SHOTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS THAT WE'RE KIND OF CHANGING SCALES, MOVING FROM STREET TO ARCHITECTURE.
SO, UH, USING LANDSCAPE TO HELP MAKE THAT TRANSITION ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ARE SOME ENHANCED PAVING MATERIALS WE'RE CONSIDERING, UH, NATURAL STONE AND CONCRETE UNIT PAVING, AND THEN POTENTIALLY WATER FEATURES.
NEXT SLIDE, UH, SOME OTHER, UH, IMAGES ABOUT, UH, CREATING LANDSCAPE ON VERTICAL SURFACES WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN A FAIRLY NARROW PLAN FOOTPRINT.
SO, UH, AS MUCH AS WE CAN, UM, WITH LIVING WALLS POTENTIALLY, AND, UM, CREATING DIFFERENT VEGETATED EDGES ALONG THE STREET, POSSIBLY VAR BORROWED VIEWS OF LANDSCAPE TO THE INTERIOR WITH LIVING WALLS.
SO THE TOP SECTION SHOWS THE EXISTING CONDITION ON FOURTH STREET NORTH IS TO THE LEFT.
SO THERE'S AN X, UH, CURRENTLY A RAISED SIDEWALK AND ANGLED PARKING.
SO WE'RE PROPOSING PUSHING THE CURB ALL THE WAY OUT IN A 10 FOOT WIDE PARALLEL SPACE, AND THEN THE FULL GREAT STREETS WITH THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND THEN THE, AS IT KEEP GOING LEFT THE GARDEN SEATING SPACES, NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS A DIAGRAM SHOWING THE OVERALL LIGHTING STRATEGY.
THIS IS THE CONCEPT AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT CREATING LAYERS, JUST LIKE WITH LANDSCAPE LAYERS OF LIGHTS.
SO ON THE PERIMETER, WE HAVE THE GREAT STREETS POLES AND THE GARDEN SPACES.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LOWER PEDESTRIAN BOLLARDS.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE INTO THE PASEO, IT'S MORE ARCHITECTURAL FROM ABOVE AND LIGHTING WITH THE RAILS, UM, TO SEE DOWN INTO THE OPENINGS BELOW, UH, WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING SOME SORT OF ACCENT LIGHTING AT THE MAJOR ENTRIES.
SO YOU SEE THAT ON FOURTH SAND JACK PROCESS IN THE ALLEY, NEXT SLIDE, UH, MORE CHARACTER IMAGES OF THE LIGHTING.
AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT SCALE AND, AND CREATING A COMFORTABLE PEDESTRIAN SPACES, UM, BOTH WITH LANDSCAPE LIGHTING AND LIGHTING ON THE BUILDING AND THE ARCHITECTURE.
UH, AND THEN, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INTEGRATED IS, UH, DIRECTIONAL AND BRANDING SIGNAGE THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, AND THESE ARE JUST STUDIES OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WAYS OF CREATING AND SCALING DOWN THOSE PUBLIC SPACES ON THE STREET.
UM, THIS, THIS IS A TYPICAL GARAGE PLAN.
UM, IT'S A FAIRLY EFFICIENT GARAGE.
IT'S A HALF BLOCK, TWO TRAY PARKING GARAGE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE CIRCULATION IS,
[00:50:01]
UH, IN TWO DIRECTIONS AROUND THE ENTIRE PLAN.UM, THESE ARE EXTRA ELEVATIONS OF THE BUILDING.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, A DOUBLE-HEIGHT GROUND FLOOR AND THEN A PARKING STRUCTURE.
THERE'S A SKY LOBBY THAT JUSTIN WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LATER.
AND THEN THERE'S ABOUT 25 FLOORS OF OFFICE ABOVE AND A MECHANICAL, UM, ROOFTOP.
AND THESE ARE, UH, SOME 3D IMAGES AND VIEWS OF WHAT THE BUILDING, UH, LOOKS COULD LOOK LIKE OR IS LOOKING LIKE.
UM, CLO WAS REALLY COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUILDING, UH, HAD A PRESENCE THAT WAS CALMING.
AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID JUST THE BIG GLASS BOX.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE SOME, MAYBE MORE HUMANISTIC MATERIALITY TO THE EXTERIOR FACADE AND, UH, NEXT SLIDE, UM, WITH THE COMMITMENT TO OUTDOOR SPACE, BOTH ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND THE SKY LOBBY, WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING A LOT OF OUTDOOR SPACE TO EVERY FLOOR OF THE OFFICE LEVELS AND YOU CAN SEE IT TO THE LEFT OF THE TOWER.
SO THERE'S SOME PRETTY, UM, PRETTY AMAZING OUTDOOR SPACES THAT ARE COVERED IN SHADED AND LANDSCAPED.
UM, THAT WOULD BE OFFERED TO EACH OF THE TENANTS AS PART OF THEIR WORKSPACE WORKSPACE, THE SKY LOBBY ITSELF, IT'S STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT, BUT, UH, THE INTENT IS FOR IT TO BE ARCHITECTURALLY SIMILAR IN CHARACTER TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE GROUND LEVEL.
THIS WILL BE KIND OF THE PRIMARY LOCATION FOR OUR SHARED BUILDING AMENITIES FOR THE PROJECT.
AND WE HOPE THAT IT'S ALSO A GARDEN SPACE.
THAT'S, UM, THAT'S, UH, AN AMENITY BOTH TO THE BUILDING USERS INTO THE CITY.
AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER VIEW.
YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS, UH, UM, THE TERRACES THAT ARE UP ON THE OFFICE FLOORS.
AND I THINK THAT'S IT QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, MR. ROLISON THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THERE'S A LOT THAT I LIKE ABOUT IT.
UM, I LOVE THE, THE GROUND FLOOR LANDSCAPING, THE OASIS THAT YOU'RE CREATING, UH, INVITING THE PUBLIC TO REST AND RESPITE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THE PASEO, UM, AND HOW YOU ACHIEVED THAT, YOU KNOW, ACTIVATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES BY PUTTING EVERYTHING IN THE BASEMENT.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY AWESOME FOR AUSTIN.
UM, I LOVE THE SMALL LOBBY AND PRIORITIZING PROGRAMMING FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, UM, I LOVE THE WARM MATERIAL PALETTE AND THE INTEGRATED LANDSCAPING THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE, THOSE PUBLIC SPACES.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THOUGH.
UM, ONE IS WHAT ARE YOUR STRATEGIES FOR GROWING AND ALL THOSE PLANTERS AND TERRACES THROUGHOUT THE PARKING AND OFFICE LEVELS.
AND WILL THAT BE PART OF THE BASE BUILDING OR THE TENANTS BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE ALL OF THAT? I MEAN, FOR THE OFFICE LEVELS AND THEN, WELL, THE WHAT'S THE STRATEGY FOR THE PLANTING MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING ON THE GARAGE LEVELS.
SO, UH, IT WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING AND THE INTENT IS EVERYTHING THAT'S BUILT INTO THE BUILDING WOULD BE MAINTAINED BY THE DEVELOPER, ANYTHING IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHETHER IT'S POTS OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BY TENANTS, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TICKET OF SOIL VOLUME INTEGRATED INTO THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING FOR ALL THE LEVELS FOR ALL.
THE GROUND FLOOR, SKY LOBBY AND ALL THE BALCONIES AND THEY'LL HAVE PERMANENT IRRIGATION.
SO ALL THE GREEN THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE RENDERINGS WILL BE PART OF THE BASE BUILDING.
UM, AND THEN, UH, BIKE PACKING SHOWERS FOR OFFICE EMPLOYEES, STAFF, VISITORS, PUBLIC RESTROOMS, DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
WHAT'S THE, OH, UH, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
SO THE PROJECT IS TARGETING LEAD PLATINUM, AND IT'S GOT TO MEET A MINIMUM OF AIG AEG, TWO STAR.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO MORE THAN COVER THE AMOUNT OF BIKES AND SHOWERS AND ALL THOSE OTHER COMPANIES.
WELL, I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS PROJECT.
COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, DID YOU HAVE, I THINK I'M ASKING A OBVIOUS QUESTION, BUT THIS IS A HUNDRED PERCENT OFFICE WITH GROUND FLOOR RETAIL.
NOW YOU COVERED MOST OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THE ONLY OTHER ONE I HAD WAS YOU TALKED ABOUT ACTIVATING THE ALLEY AND YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE BASEMENT ASSISTING WITH THAT.
AND THEN I KIND OF BLANKED OUT ONLY IN THE SENSE OF, UM, UH, MOVING ALL OF THE BACK OF HOUSE SPACES TO THE GROUND, BUT TO THE BASEMENT LEVEL.
[00:55:01]
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WHEN YOU HAVE AN ALLEY, YOU MIGHT PUT THE TRANSFORM REVOLVE, THE FIRE PUMP ROOM, THE MAIN ELECTRICAL, ALL THOSE THINGS FRONTING ON IT.SO IT BASICALLY TAKES UP ALL THE FRONTAGE.
WE MOVED AT ALL DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT SO THAT YOU CAN ACTIVATE THE ALLEY.
ARE YOU REPAVING THE ALLEY FROM COMPLETELY? I MEAN, IF THE CITY WANTS TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
SO REALLY YOU'RE JUST ACTIVATING IT BY KEEPING STUFF OUT OF IT, WHICH IS GOOD.
I MEAN, THE INTENT IS TO TURN IT INTO MORE OF A PEDESTRIAN ACTIVATED SPACE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CLIENT TO, TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
JUST CURIOUS TO HOW IT WAS ACTIVATED.
CAUSE IDEALLY IT'D BE GREAT IF IT COULD BE COMPLETELY CLEANED UP CAUSE THAT BACK OF HOUSE IS PRETTY BAD RIGHT NOW.
I THINK IN ADDITION TO THE, THE KIND OF, UH, REMOVAL OF, OF UTILITARIAN PROGRAM FROM THE ALLEY, THE CONNECTION OF THE PASEO THROUGH TO THE ALLEY CREATES A DIRECT POINT OF ACCESS FOR THE PUBLIC TO GET FROM FOURTH STREET BACK INTO THE ALLEY PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL HAVE TENANTS THAT WILL PRIMARILY FRONT ON THE ALLEY.
SO THOSE TENANTS, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FRONT ON, UH, ON THE STREET OR ON A, UM, ON THE PASEO AND IN ADDITION, BUT I THINK WE ARE IMAGINING THAT ALLEY AS AN ACTIVE PEDESTRIAN, UH, RETAIL FRONT.
THE REASON FOR THE QUESTION IS WE'VE HAD SOME PRESENTATIONS RECENTLY ON RAINY WHERE THE, THE ALLEY IS BECOMING ACTIVATED PEDESTRIAN SPACE, SO ENCOURAGEMENT TO DO SO FREE OF CHARGE.
OH, SO WHAT, WHAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE WORKING GROUP IS THAT THE DEVELOPER CONTROLS THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE ALLEY AS WELL.
THERE'S SOME SYNERGY THAT CAN HAPPEN THERE.
YES, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU SO MUCH RED.
GREEN IS A NO-GO UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND YOU PLEASE.
UM, WHAT IS INTUITIVE WAY FINDING? I THINK WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR IS, IS A WAY THAT, UH, THE BUILDING, THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING IS, IS LEGIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WHEN THE PUBLIC IS KIND OF VIEWING THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING, THERE'S A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE PUBLIC IS INTENDED TO BE.
I THINK ONE THING THAT, UM, CAN BE A CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY WITH DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS, IS THERE CAN BE A SENSE OF, UH, THERE, THERE CAN BE A CHALLENGE WITH THE PUBLIC FEELING, WELCOME TO PRIVATE SPACES AND CROSSING OVER THE PROPERTY LINE INTO A BUILDING THAT'S THAT'S LARGELY CONSIDERED PRIVATE.
AND SO I THINK THE HOPE HERE IS REALLY BY CREATING, UM, A LEGIBLE ARCHITECTURE ALONG WITH A REALLY INVITING LANDSCAPE STRATEGY THAT THAT INTEGRATES GARDENS AND, AND PUBLIC, UM, PUBLIC IMMUNIZATION ALONG THE, THE PERIMETER OF THE BUILDING, BUT ALSO TO THE INTERIOR THAT IT'S INTUITIVE FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A PLACE FOR THEM AND THEY ARE INVITED IN.
UM, IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IMAGES OF WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE INTUITIVE WAY FINDING, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY BROAD STROKE AND WE'VE SEEN MANY PROJECTS WHERE ACTUALLY ENTERING THE BUILDING, IT DOESN'T, YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT MAY BE INTUITIVE TO YOU MAY NOT BE TO OTHERS.
UM, I FELT ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT ON THE LANDSCAPE SIDE, THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE WAY FINDINGS FOR PEOPLE TO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN TERMS OF DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, BUT IT WOULD JUST BE A LOT MORE HELPFUL FROM A CIVILIAN PERSPECTIVE IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND THEN I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, WHERE EXACTLY IS GOING TO BE YOUR BIKE PARKING.
WHERE'S GOING TO BE YOUR SCOOTER PARKING, IS THE BIKE PARKING ONLY GOING TO BE ON THE STREET? UM, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE THIS IS JUST THE SHOT RIGHT DOWN FROM THAT BIKE.
UM, FROM THE TRAIN FROM THE RAIL, I RIDE THIRD STREET A LOT.
IT'S EXCITING THAT THIS IS NOW GOING TO ALL BE AT GROUND LEVEL.
AND THE REASON I ASK THAT IS I'M SURE THERE'S GOING TO BE BIKE PARKING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE AND SO FORTH.
BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS FOR THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO BE USING THE SPACE.
SO FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO THE BUILDING, THERE'S, THERE'S GOING TO BE AMPLE AMOUNTS OF BIKE PARKING.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LIKE STRUCTURE.
SO, I MEAN, FOR THE, FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO FOR THE PUBLIC AND BRETT CAN HELP ANSWER THIS TO YOU.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE BIKE PARKING ON THE SIDEWALK SO THAT WE'LL ALL BE THERE.
UM, IT'S JUST THE GREAT STREETS, BIKE PARKING THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLIC FOR THE PUBLIC.
AND DO YOU HAVE A PLAN AT ALL OF WHERE THE SCOOTERS POTENTIALLY ARE GOING TO GO? YOU KNOW, UM, THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BE RIDDLED ON THE SIDEWALK AND PAINT A REALLY NICE GRAPHIC TO LAND THEM THERE, BUT, UM,
[01:00:02]
IT'S HARD TO CONTROL THAT, RIGHT.UM, BUT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE OUR STRATEGY WOULD BE TO TRY TO ISOLATE OR TO TRY TO IDENTIFY A PLACE LIKE ON THE SIDEWALK WHERE THEY SHOULD BE LOCATED AND IT MAY REQUIRE BUILDING MAINTENANCE TO COME OUT AND KIND OF ORGANIZE THEM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S HARD TO MANAGE.
I AGREE THAT IT'S HARD TO MANAGE, AND THIS IS VERY EXCITING ABOUT HOW IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN, YOU KNOW, REMINDS ME OF THE SOUTH CONGRESS AND HOW THEY'RE BRINGING PEOPLE IN, BUT YOU COULD CERTAINLY SET PRECEDENT WHEN IT COMES TO SCOOTER PARKING AND SETTING AN EXAMPLE, WHICH I HATE TO SAY THAT COULD BE STRONG ARCHITECTURE OR STRONG DESIGN TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S SUCH AN ISSUE OF THE PEDESTRIAN REALM OF WALKING DOWNTOWN OF IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUSHING BABY STROLLERS AND SO FORTH, BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF RETAIL, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, BUT THEN THAT'S JUST IN TERMS OF THE FLOW.
ROLISON ALREADY TOUCHED ON ALL THE FAVORABLE ITEMS THAT I, UM, THAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION, BUT LIKE AT THE WORKING GROUP MEETING, MY, MY COMMENTS, STEEL HOSE, THIS BUILDING DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF, OF ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND THE PEDESTRIAN.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MUCH RETAIL AT THE GROUND AT THE STREET LEVEL AND TO HAVE THE BASEMENT WITH ALL YOUR FUNCTIONS, BUILDING FUNCTIONS DOWN THERE.
SO I WILL, I WILL MOVE TO, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THIS PROJECT LATER ON.
WELL THANK YOU, FISHER MINORS.
SO I'M ON MY PARKING SOAPBOX TODAY BECAUSE I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PROJECT EXCEPT FOR THE PARKING PODIUM IS THE ONLY AREA WHERE I HAVE A LITTLE CONCERN.
UM, HOW MANY STORIES OF PARKING IS IT AND WHAT IS THE, UM, MATERIAL USED TO CLAD IT? UM, IT IS A 16 LEVEL GARAGE, UM, AND THE MATERIAL THAT'S BEING USED TO QUIET, IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE UP IN THE TOWER.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE IT LOOK MORE OR MAKE IT A UNIFIED TOWER.
SO IT DOESN'T JUST LOOK, DOESN'T JUST LOOK LIKE SOMETHING SITTING ON TOP OF SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, WE'RE STILL FINE TUNING WHAT THOSE ACTUAL MATERIALS ARE, BUT YOU CAN SEE, WE WERE TRYING TO, UM, INCORPORATE THE SAME MATERIALITY FROM THE OFFICE LEVELS DOWN TO THE GARAGE LEVELS AS WELL AND INCORPORATING, UM, BY, YOU KNOW, UH, GREENERY.
SO THE WHOLE INTENT IS TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A HOMOGENOUS, UH, STRUCTURE.
AND THEN IS IT, UH, CONVERTIBLE TO OTHER USES THAT PARKING GRUDGE, UH, IN THE FUTURE OR WILL IT ALWAYS POTENTIALLY POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE OKAY.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING I'M THINKING OF TOO IS I USED TO WORK IN THAT AREA.
UH, AND SO I KNOW, UM, WHEN SOME OF THESE REALLY LARGE PARKING STRUCTURES WITH A BUILDING THAT HAS A SINGLE OCCUPANT, WHEN THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY ON THE SAME SCHEDULE, GIVE OR TAKE, YOU HAVE EVERYONE LEAVING AT THE SAME TIME AND CREATING A LOT OF, UH, CHALLENGES FOR, UH, NOT ONLY TRAFFIC, BUT ALSO FOR THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
SO I JUST WONDERED IF, UM, YOU ALL HAVE DONE RESEARCH INTO THE IMPACT ON PEDESTRIANS, ON TRAFFIC.
SO, UM, W WHERE WE LOCATED THE INGRESS AND EGRESS FOR THE GARAGE IS ON, ON SAND JACK.
AND SO, UM, IT MADE SENSE TO US BECAUSE IT WAS A ONE-WAY STREET.
SO IN AND OUT IS ALL ALWAYS IN ONE DIRECTION.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS WITH THAT TRAFFIC FLOW.
UM, AND WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE KEPT IT TO ONE INGRESS EGRESS, WHEREAS, UM, AND THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IS GOOD.
UM, WE THOUGHT ABOUT PUTTING A SECOND ONE, BUT I THINK PUTTING IT ON BRAZOS WOULD CREATE MUCH MORE OF A, UH, TRAFFIC IMPACT BECAUSE IT IS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT.
SO WHAT MADE THE MOST SENSE FOR THIS PROJECT WAS JUST ONE INGRESS EGRESS ON SAND JACK.
AND, UH, YOU MENTIONED PARKING, UH, BEING AVAILABLE FOR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE OFFICE COMPONENT, BUT WHAT ABOUT FOR THE RETAIL? YEAH, SO THERE'S GOING TO BE RETAIL PARKING IN THERE AS WELL.
SO THERE'S VISITOR PARKING, RETAIL PARKING.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE ALLEY, UM, AND THE, KIND OF, SOME OF THE PERSONAL IMAGES FOR THE PASEO ALLEY.
IT HAS THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE VERY PEDESTRIAN ONLY, UM, IMAGES SHOWN WILL THAT ALLIE HAVE, UH, THE ABILITY TO LIKE SHUT DOWN TO CARS OR WILL IT BE JUST LIKE A CAR SPACE? LIKE NO ACTUAL, UM, YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT WILL THE ACTUAL FUNCTIONALITY OF THE LEB YOU WANT TO TAKE IT? OR I CAN TAKE IT.
I MEAN, TO BE DETERMINED, I THINK,
[01:05:01]
UH, OUR, UH, WE WOULD LOVE IT IF THE ALLEY OR A PORTION OF IT BECAME PEDESTRIAN ONLY.I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THAT'S STILL A QUESTION OF IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE, UM, REALLY WORKED HARD TO DO IS MOVE ANY NECESSARY, UM, TRAFFIC PATTERNS OFF THE ALLEY.
SO TRASH LOADING, UH, ACCESS POINT FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY KIND OF SERVICE FUNCTIONS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN CAN BE SERVICED VIA THE BASEMENT.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO AND WOULD LOVE TO HAPPEN, BUT I CAN'T, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE CAN PROMISE THAT TODAY.
UH, I'M JUST GOING TO REITERATE ESSENTIALLY WHAT I SAID IN THE WORKING GROUP, WHICH WAS, I THINK THIS IS A FANTASTIC PROJECT.
I THINK IT CAN SET A LOT OF PRECEDENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR OFFICE BUILDING, CREATING SUCH A VIBRANT GROUND FLOOR.
YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT THRILLED ABOUT THE PARKING, BUT REALIZE THAT'S PART OF AN OFFICE BUILDING.
UH, BUT I APPRECIATE THE, THE ONE ACCESS POINT OFF OF SAN JACK, UM, THAT I THINK THAT'S HUGE IN THAT THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SAY THAT IT MEETS THE NEEDS.
ALL OF OUR STUFF, SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN SECOND.
SAY I THINK THAT'S UNANIMOUS ACCIDENT.
HOW ARE WE DOING ON TIME? SEVEN.
[1.i. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether 415 Colorado, located at 415 Colorado Street, complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the city of Austin; Michele Lynch Metcalfe Wolff Stuart and Williams, Axel Weisheit Ziegler Cooper Architects, Matt Klein TBG Partners.]
TO GO TO ITEM ONE.I DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER FOUR 15 COLORADO COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONERS MICHELLE LYNCH WITH METCALF WALL STREET AND WILLIAMS ON BEHALF OF THE PROJECT TONIGHT AT FOUR 15 COLORADO.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, AXEL VICE HEIGHTS WITH ZIEGLER COOPER ARCHITECTS HERE, MATT KLEIN WITH TBG, JONAH MEN.
KOWSKI WITH GARZA EMC AND WILL JENKINS ON BEHALF OF THE DEVELOPERS.
DON'T LIKE, AND NOW OWNERS DON'T LIKE PARTNERS.
UM, JUST BRIEFLY, I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT THE S UH, COMMISSION VOTED ON THE SITE FOR A DENSITY BONUS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOR A DIFFERENT PROJECT OFFICE ONLY WITH A VERY SMALL 0.5% RETAIL COMPONENT WITH NO RESIDENTS, NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUBSTANTIALLY MORE PARKING, 500 SPACES AND FIVE FLOORS, MORE OF PARKING.
SO YOU'LL SEE A DIFFERENT PROJECT TONIGHT THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT.
WE DID, UM, LOOK THROUGH THE GUIDELINES AND WENT TO THE COMMITTEE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY FELT WE DID NOT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY.
SO WE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE LAST MONTH TO MAKE SURE WE 110% SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY.
AND SO YOU'LL HEAR AND LEARN ABOUT THAT TONIGHT AS WELL.
MY NAME IS
NEXT NEXT, YOUR STONINGTON, NEXT GABLES REPUBLIC, SQUARE AND HOTEL ZAZA, AND NEXT, THE QUINCY NEXT AND GABLES PARK PLAZA.
NEXT TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT FOUR 15 COLORADO.
NEXT FOUR 15 COLORADO IS LOCATED ON A QUARTER OF A BLOCK ON THE CORNER OF FIFTH AND COLORADO STREET.
NEXT, THE PROJECT ADDS ABOUT A THOUSAND OCCUPANTS TO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN WHO WILL LIVE AND WORK IN THE BUILDING.
AND THIS WILL INCREASE THE PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY AROUND THE SITE AND WITHIN DOWNTOWN NEXT, THE LOCATION OF THE SITE OFFERS MANY OPTIONS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
NEXT, THERE ARE 11 BUS STOPS WITHIN A THREE BLOCK RADIUS.
NEXT DECIDE CURRENTLY HAS THREE, ONE AND TWO STORY BUILDINGS.
THE CURB IS CUT IN ALONG FIFTH STREET, CREATING A VERY NARROW SIDEWALK WITHOUT ANY STREET TREES.
NEXT, THIS IS WHAT THE EXISTING CONDITION LOOKS LIKE.
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CAN SEE THE ONE AND TWO STORY BUILDINGS IN THE FOREGROUND AND THE NEW FOUR OR FIVE COLORADO OFFICE BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND.NEXT, THE PROJECT IS LOCATED ON A QUARTER OF A BLOCK AND IS ACCESSED FROM COLORADO STREET THROUGH THE MOTOR COURT WITH ONLY ONE CURB CUT.
THE OFFICE LOBBY SHOWN IN BLUE IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE MOTOR QUARTER LONG COLORADO.
THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY IS SHOWN IN YELLOW AND LOCATED ALONG FIFTH STREET, RIGHT ADJACENT TO A STREET VENDOR AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER.
THE STREET VENDOR IS IN FRONT OF BACK OF HOUSE AREA, WHICH IN COMBINATION WITH THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY ACTIVATES 100% OF THE FIFTH STREET FRONTAGE.
THERE'S ALSO OUTDOOR SEATING, RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE STREET VENDOR, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, UM, RESIDENTIAL LOBBY.
I CAN GET THIS LASER POINTER TO WORK RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN ALSO RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, UH, OFFICE LOBBY CART STORAGE FOR THE STREET VENDOR WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE LOADING AREA.
AND WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING HOOKUPS FOR UTILITIES AT THE WALL RIGHT BEHIND THE STREET VENDOR.
THE PROJECT ALSO FEATURE FEATURES MANY WAYS TO INCORPORATE ARTWORK.
THERE IS A, UM, PERMANENT, UM, ART SCULPTURE AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER.
AND THEN THERE'S A ROTATING ART DISPLAY RIGHT BEHIND THE STREET VENDOR RIGHT HERE.
THE OFFICE IN RESIDENTIAL LOBBY IS ENCLOSED WITH A HIGHLY TRANSPARENT CABLE WALL SYSTEM, WHICH HE WROTE TO SEPARATION BETWEEN INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SPACE SO THAT THE LOBBY FEELS LIKE IT'S PART OF THE PEDESTRIAN REALM AND VICE VERSA.
THE ARTWORK THAT'S DISPLAYED IN THE LOBBIES WILL BE VISIBLE FROM THE PEDESTRIAN REALM AND WILL BE A LOT OF LOCAL ARTWORK.
BUILDING SERVICES LIKE LOADING BACK OF HOUSE AREAS.
AND VERTICAL CIRCULATION IS SHOWN IN GRAY WITH A SITE OF LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A BLOCK.
AND THREE USES RESIDENTIAL OFFERS AND STREET VENDOR.
A LARGE PORTION OF THE GROUND FLOOR IS TAKEN UP BY BUILDING SERVICES.
LOADING IS ACCESSED FROM THE ALLEY AND COMPLETELY SCREENED FROM STREET VIEW OR RESTROOM.
AND, UM, SHOWER FOR THE STAFF IN THE BUILDING IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING ENGINEER'S OFFICE.
TRASH IS INTERNAL TO THE BUILDING.
THE BIKE STORAGE ROOM CAN BE ACCESSED FROM THE MOTOR COURT AND FROM THE LOADING DOCK, PUBLIC BIKE RACKS ARE LOCATED ALONG THE STREET, AND THERE'S ALSO SOME BIKE STORAGE INSIDE THE, UM, BUILDING ONE TO POINT OUT THAT THE DESIGN GUIDELINES REQUIRE TWO USES ON A HALF OF A BLOCK.
AND THE PROJECT IS PROVIDING THREE USES ON A QUARTER OF A BLOCK, WHICH IS THREE TIMES AS MANY USES AS REQUIRED THE GROUND FLOW STEPS BAG, UM, AS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT TO CREATE AN ARCADE AND TO PROVIDE MORE SPACE FOR THE PEDESTRIAN REALM.
AND NOW I WANT TO HAND OVER TO OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
MATT KLEIN IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PEDESTRIAN REALM.
UH, I'M GOING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, SORRY, NEXT PLEASE.
UH, THE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER, UH, AS WE'VE SEE IT AS ABOUT THE MATERIALITY AND TEXTURE CHANGES THAT WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE HERE.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF MOVEMENT WITH THE HARDSCAPE PAVEMENT, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE HOW THAT TRANSLATES IN PLAN VIEW, BUT WE THINK THAT CREATES A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE PEDESTRIAN AND ALLOWS THE STREETSCAPE TO HAVE A UNIQUE CHARACTER FOR THIS QUARTER BLOCK.
THE INTRODUCTION OF LANDSCAPE, ALBEIT IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS IS GOING TO BE FOCUSED A LOT ON TEXTURAL CHANGES THAT WILL CONTRAST NICELY AGAINST THE MATERIAL OF THE BUILDING.
AND THEN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER THERE.
THE IDEA OF THE INTRODUCTION OF COLOR AND KEY MOMENTS, WHICH YOU'LL SEE HERE, UH, WHEN WE GET INTO A RENDERING OF THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE BUILDING NEXT, PLEASE, UH, THE STREETSCAPES, I WANT TO FOCUS ON REALLY TWO ELEMENTS HERE.
UH, ONE IS THE IDEA OF THIS POOR AUDACITY OF THE INDOOR AND EXTERIOR SPACES.
UH, FIFTH STREET, UH, WE'VE CREATED A MORE URBAN STREETSCAPE CONDITION.
THE TREES ARE IN A PAVER GREATS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO HAVE A WIDER PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION ZONE, GREAT STREETS REQUIREMENT OF 10 FEET.
MOST CASES WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE 12 TO 13 FEET OF PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION WHILE STILL PROVIDING THE LOCATIONS FOR ALL OF THE STREET REQUIRED STREET FURNISHINGS, THE BENCHES, THE TRASH CANS, THE PUBLIC BIKE RACKS, ET CETERA, ALONG COLORADO STREET.
UH, WE TRANSITIONED SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT HERE.
WE'VE HAD A WORKING SESSION WITH URBAN DESIGN TO WORK THROUGH THIS ENTIRE BLOCK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, OUR STREETLIGHTS ARE ABLE TO BE REGIMENTED ON CONSISTENT FOR THE ENTIRE BLOCK WHILE WE HAVE UNIQUE DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE CONDITIONS.
UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM TO, UH, EVEN OUT THAT SPACING.
[01:15:01]
UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF LIGHT.AS I SHOWED THROUGH THE CHARACTER IMAGERY THAT THE PAVING MATERIALS YOU SEE KIND OF A SLIGHTLY ART FORMS UP ALONG FIFTH STREET, WHICH IS, UH, YOU'LL SEE IT AS YOU LOOK AT ELEVATIONS OF THE BUILDING, THIS LIGHT CURVE FORM, AGAIN, CREATING SOME SUBTLE TEXTURE AND PATTERNING TO THE HARDSCAPE.
THAT IS A CONTINUATION OF SOME OF THE INTERIOR PATTERNING ALONG COLORADO STREET.
YOU SEE THE FORMS THAT REACH OUT FROM THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE BUILDING, THE OFFICE LOBBY AND THE RESIDENTIAL, WHICH REACHES OUT TO THE EDGE OF COLORADO STREET WHERE WE'RE, RE-ESTABLISHING THREE PARKING SPACES, WHICH EXISTED TODAY, UH, WITH THE SOUTHERN MOST LOCATION AND BEING THE, UH, INTENT TO BE, UH, A CAR SERVICE, UBER, YOU KNOW, UBER PICKUP, UH, OTHER DELIVERY SERVICES, AND THEN ONE OTHER, UH, THE OTHER ITEM OF ACTIVATION, WHICH ACTUALLY XCEL TALKED ABOUT.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE VENDOR AT THE NORTHEAST, THE ART AT THE NORTHWEST.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE HERE, UH, IN SOME OF THE ELEVATIONS, THE ACTIVATION OF THE MOTOR COURT, WHICH IS, WHICH CONTINUES THAT ACTIVATION, TURN IT BACK OVER NEXT.
THE PROJECT HAS 328 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE DOCKED STACKED ON TOP OF PARKING.
NEXT, THE PROJECT IS REQUESTING AN FAR OF 25, UM, WITH, UH, REQUESTED BONUS AREA OF ABOUT 375,000 SQUARE FEET.
UH, PROJECT CONTRIBUTES ABOUT $3.75 MILLION INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND.
NEXT, A HIGH-RISE BUILDING OF THIS SCALE, UM, IS DESIGNED, UH, FROM THREE VANTAGE POINTS, PRIMARILY ONE BEING THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AND THE HUMAN SCALE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING, TO THE VIEW FROM PEDESTRIANS AND CARS FROM ACROSS THE STREET AND A FEW BLOCKS AWAY.
AND THREE, THE VIEW THAT ESTABLISHES THE BUILDING'S IDENTITY IN THE SKYLINE.
NEXT HERE, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE NORTH ELEVATION OF THE BUILDING WITH THE CROWN AND SOME, UH, BALCONY EXPRESSION.
IT'S A VERY UNIFIED MASSING NEXT IT'S THE EAST SIDE AND THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING NEXT, UH, THE BUILDING TOP WAS DESIGNED TO GIVE THIS BUILDING ITS IDENTITY AND THE SKYLINE.
IT ALSO SCREENS ALL THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT.
WE ALSO ADDED SOME MORE VISUAL INTEREST AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING BY VARYING THE BALCONY EXPRESSION.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT RIGHT HERE.
NEXT WE'RE ALSO PLANNING TO LIGHT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING.
SO IT WILL HOLD ITS GROUND AGAINST THE OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE SKYLINE.
NEXT, THIS SHOWS THE PODIUM OF THE BUILDING WITH THE GARAGE AT THE BOTTOM AND THE OFFICE ABOVE WE USED THE SAME DESIGN LANGUAGE AND HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS ON THE PARKING GARAGE THAT WE'RE USING ON THE OFFICE FLOORS.
WE'RE USING A SIMULATED ACID EDGE FILM ON THE BACK OF THE GARAGE, GLAZING TO SCREEN CARS AND HEADLIGHTS.
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, ALLOWING THE GARAGE TO GLOW AT NIGHT, THIS MAKES THE GARAGE PODIUM LOOK MORE ACTIVATED AT NIGHT AND NOT DEAD.
LIKE SOME GARAGES WERE SPANDREL GLAZING WOODLOCK BUILDINGS.
MASSING IS LIFTED OFF THE GROUND, WHICH ALLOWS THE GROUND FLOOR TO BE HIGHLY TRANSPARENT AND ACTIVE BUILDING FACADE IS LAYERED AT THE LOWER FLOORS TO RELATE TO ADJACENT BUILDING.
SO IT CAN INTEGRATE INTO THE URBAN FABRIC.
NEXT, YOU CAN SEE THESE DATA LINES HERE AT THE BOTTOM, THAT SHOW, UM, HOW TO BUILDING RELATES TO THE ADJACENT BUILDINGS.
HEY, THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS THE OFFICE BUILDING ACROSS COLORADO STREET AND B THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS THE ONE AND TWO STORY BUILDING RIGHT ACROSS THE ALLEY.
SO THE LOWER DATUM LINE ALIGNS RIGHT WITH THE TOP OF THE LOBBY SPACE.
AND THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL MORE DATA LINES THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY RESPOND TO THE MASSING AND HOW THE MASSING OF OUR BUILDING HAS BROKEN DOWN, UM, AT THE LOWER FLOORS, UM, TO INTEGRATE ITSELF INTO THE URBAN FABRIC NEXT, AND HERE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THESE LAYERS ARE EXPRESSED AS NIGHT.
THERE'S SOME LIGHTING THERE THEN THAT VISUALLY, UH, SEPARATES THEM FROM EACH OTHER.
SO THAT DISTINCTION IS STILL VISIBLE AT NIGHT NEXT.
AND HERE'S A VIEW OF THE, UM, COLORADO STREET ELEVATION THAT SHOWS HOW THE BUILDING A RESPONSE TO THE ADJACENT, UH, FRANK'S ONE STORY BUILDING.
AND THEN ALSO TO THE FOUR OR FIVE COLORADO BUILDING, UH, JUST SOUTH OF IT ALSO RESPONDS TO THE BUILDINGS ACROSS THE STREET AND SEE THERE'S A SECONDARY DATUM LINE THAT RESPONDS TO THE NORTH FACADE.
AND THEN IT'S PICKED UP BY SOME,
[01:20:01]
UH, SUNSHADE ELEMENTS ON THE WEST SIDE NEXT, UH, VIEW OF THE STREETSCAPE LEVEL HERE.NOW YOU CAN SEE ALONG FIFTH STREET, THE TREES AND THE PAPER GRADE.
SO OVER ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE IS THE VENDOR LOCATION.
AGAIN, THERE'S A BETTER RENDERING THAT LOOK, WHICH WE'LL GET TO IN A MOMENT HERE.
UH, BUT AGAIN, THAT, THAT PATTERNING, YOU SEE THE FORMS OF THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE CURVATURE.
WE'RE EXTENDING THAT DOWN INTO THE GROUND PLANE TO CREATE SOME UNIQUE PATTERNING AND MOVING, UH, MOVEMENT, UH, LOOKING OVER ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OVER TO COLORADO THERE, YOU SEE THE PARKING SPACES, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED BACK IN, I THINK, UH, AS THE PREVIOUS, UH, RENDERING SHOWED, WHICH, UH, OPENS UP THAT NORTHWEST CORNER RIGHT THERE, UH, THE PROMINENCE AT FIFTH AND COLORADO, I THINK YOU REALLY START TO SEE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT RELATIONSHIP OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR IS TO THIS PROJECT AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE STREETSCAPE, UH, REFLECTS THAT AS WELL NEXT, OR THE SAME VIEW OF THAT NORTHWEST CORNER.
AGAIN, HIGHLIGHTING THAT, UH, THE LOBBY RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU HERE WOULD BE THE LOCATION FOR THAT PUBLIC ART.
SO AGAIN, YOU KIND OF SEE THE PROMINENCE OF THAT VISIBILITY, AND WE'RE REALLY JUST STARTING TO HINT AT THE IDEA OF GROUND PLANE, TEXTURE, AND MOVEMENT, AND HOW THAT CAN ADD SOME RICHNESS AND CHARACTER TO THE DETAILING OF THE STREETSCAPE EX.
SO THIS IS AN ENLARGED VIEW OF THE STREET VENDOR LOCATION, RIGHT AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE SITE IN SEE THE SPACE BEHIND IT AND, UH, BACK-OF-HOUSE SPACE.
UM, SO THIS REALLY HELPS TO ACTIVATE THIS AREA, UH, THE CART IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE BLUE AND YELLOW UMBRELLA, THAT'S A STREET VENDOR AND THERE'S SEATING AROUND A STREET VENDOR, UH, AND THERE WILL ALSO BE SEATING, UH, IN FRONT OF THE LI LI UH, THE LOBBY AND ALSO IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE LOBBY.
NEXT, HERE'S A VIEW OF THE STREET VENDOR.
THIS IS WHAT THIS AREA COULD LOOK LIKE.
YOU CAN SEE THE ALLEY TO THE LEFT AND THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY TO THE RIGHT, UH, THE WALL BEHIND THE STREET VENDOR IS, UM, A PLACE WHERE WE COULD HAVE A ROTATING ART INSTALLATION.
THIS IS A METAL PANEL WALL, AND IT COULD GET, UM, VINYL GRAPHIC FROM A LOCAL ARTIST, UM, APPLY TO IT THAT, UM, GETS REPLACED EVERY SO OFTEN BY SOMETHING, FROM A DIFFERENT ARTIST.
AND IT REALLY HELPS TO ACTIVATE THIS CORNER NEXT BY PROVIDING, UM, COVERED ARCADE THE PROJECT, NOT ONLY PROTECTS PEDESTRIANS FROM THE ELEMENTS, BUT ALSO INCREASES THE SIZE OF THE PEDESTRIAN REALM.
WHEN YOU CAN LOOK AT, IN CEDAR, IN THIS IMAGE, THE OFFICE LOBBY, THE SIZE OF THE OFFICE LOBBY IS ALMOST, UM, UH, HALF OF THE SIZE OF THE PEDESTRIAN REALM FOR A FEW LOOK AT THE STREET, UH, TREES, AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO THE GLASS.
THERE'S A LARGE, UM, UH, PEDESTRIAN REALM THAT WE'RE PROVIDING HERE A MUCH LARGER THAN THE BUILDING INTERIOR LOBBY.
THIS SECTION ALSO SHOWS THE HUMAN SCALE OF THE GROUND FLOOR DESIGN, THAT GLASS WALL VISUAL VISUALLY DISAPPEARS AND BRINGS THE EXTERIOR INTO THE BUILDING AND THE INTERIOR OUT FURNISHINGS ARTWORK AND DETAILING OF THE LOBBY SPACES, BRING DOWN THIS 47 STORY BUILDING TO A VERY HUMAN AND RELATABLE SCALE.
NEXT, THE MAIN ENTRY OF THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY IS EMPHASIZED WITH A STAINLESS STEEL PORTAL FRAME AND SEE THAT TO THE RIGHT THERE.
UH, THIS IMAGE ALSO SHOWS HOW THE LOCAL ARTWORK CAN BE OBSERVED DIRECTLY FROM THE PEDESTRIAN REALM.
THIS IS A HIGHLY TRANSPARENT GLASS WALL WITH NO REFLECTIVE COATING ON IT.
SO YOU CAN SEE DIRECTLY INSIDE NEXT.
THE LOBBY IS DESIGNED WITH, UH, TAKING INSPIRATION FROM, UH, COLORADO RIVER WITH CURVED CEILING COVES AND LIGHT FIXTURES THAT ALSO CHANGE DIMENSION VERTICALLY, SIMILAR TO HOW OUR RIVER RUNS UP AND DOWN.
UM, THE STACKED STONE AND WOOD BATTENS EMULATE THE RIVER BANK AS A CARVES ITS WAY THROUGH ROCK AND WOODED AREAS.
NEXT HERE'S A VIEW OF THE MOTOR CORD.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING ABOUT 50 FEET MEASURED FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
SO IS THIS 10 FOOT MORE THAN WHAT'S REQUIRED? IT'S A GENEROUS AREA WHERE A CAR CAN PULL OFF ON THE SIDE AND THEN THE OTHER CAR CAN, UM, DRIVE BY.
THE MOTOR COURT IS DESIGNED TO BE PART OF THE LOBBY.
WE'RE EXTENDING THE LOBBY, FINISHES OUT INTO THE MOTOR
[01:25:01]
COURT TO MAKE THE LOBBY AND MOTOR COURT BLEND TOGETHER.THIS NOT ONLY CREATES A NICE EXPERIENCE FOR THE RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO GREATLY ENHANCES TO VIEWS FROM THE PEDESTRIAN ROW.
NEXT HERE'S A VIEW OF THE, UH, UH, OFFICE LOBBY INTERIOR.
YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHT FIXTURE AT THE TOP IS IN SORT OF A SIMILAR THEME AND THEN ARTWORK ON THE WALLS.
NEXT, THIS IS THE MEZZANINE FLOOR WHERE SEEKING POSTMASTER APPROVAL TO LOCATE THE MAIL AND PARCEL FUNCTIONS ONTO THE MEZZANINE FLOOR CAUSE THEY DON'T FIT ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
AND THESE ARE VERY UNACTIVE SPACES.
SO IT'S GOOD TO NOT HAVE THEM ON THE GROUND LEVEL NEXT HERE'S THE GARAGE FLOORS.
NEXT NEXT, THIS IS THE TYPICAL OFFICE FLOOR WITH A TERRORIST AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER HELPS TO SOFTEN THE EDGE A LITTLE BIT TO THE ADJACENT BUILDING.
THIS IS OUR, UM, OFFICE AMENITY FLOOR WITH OUR MECHANICAL LEVEL AND SOME OFFICE LEAVE SPACE AS WELL.
SO HERE WE WILL PROVIDE, UM, SHOWERS FOR THE OFFICE TENANTS AND A FITNESS AREA.
NEXT, THE EXISTING BUILDING ON THE SITE HAS SOME REALLY NEAT, UH, WOOD TRUSSES.
SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAY TO, UM, REUSE THESE TRUSSES AND INCORPORATE THEM INTO, UH, THE CURRENT DESIGN.
NEXT, THIS IS A VIEW OF THE FITNESS ROOM, UH, FOR ON THIS OFFICE LEVEL WE JUST SHOWED.
AND, UH, THESE BULKHEADS YOU SEE UP ABOVE, UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A 13 FOOT TALL CONCRETE, UH, TRANSFER GIRDERS BEHIND THEM, UH, TO TRANSFER THE RESIDENTIAL COLUMNS DOWN TO THE OFFICE COLUMNS, UM, DOWN AND OUT.
SO WE THOUGHT THIS WAS KIND OF A NEAT WAY OF HAVING THESE WOOD TRUSSES LIVE NEXT TO THEIR LARGER, UH, CONCRETE TRANSFER GIRDERS, UM, AND CONTINUE THEIR LIFE THERE.
NEXT, THIS IS A, UM, FLOW PLANE OF OUR RESIDENTIAL AMENITY SPACE.
YOU CAN SEE THE AMENITY ON THE NORTH, UM, ON THE EAST, ON THE SOUTH, WE HAVE FITNESS SHOWN IN YELLOW AND THEN THERE'S A DOG PARK ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER WITH A FITNESS LAWN.
UH, THE RESIDENTIAL LEASING IS LOCATED UP ON THIS LEVEL BECAUSE WE COULDN'T FIND A WAY TO FIT IT ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A COVERED GROTTO AND, UM, A POOL DECK NEXT, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK VIEWS OF THE EXTERIOR AMENITIES SPACE.
THIS IS AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE POOL DECK.
UH, AGAIN, WE'VE CREATED, UH, CABANA STRUCTURES ON THE SOUTH TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BUFFER AND PRIVACY FOR THE ADJACENT 4 0 5 BUILDING NEXT.
THE CABANAS ALSO ACT, UH, IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ARCHITECTURE TO CREATE, UH, A VISUAL BREAK IN A POINT OF INTEREST TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT, UH, ACTIVITY OR THAT INTERRUPTION OF THE BUILDING, UH, SO THAT THERE IS SOMETHING UNIQUE AND SPECIAL UP THERE.
NEXT COUPLE OF VIEWS OF THE COVERED OUTDOOR SPACES, UH, WHICH WILL HAVE, UH, VARIOUS FUNCTIONS NEXT.
THE PROJECT PROVIDES UNITS RANGING FROM A 550 SQUARE FOOT STUDIO ALL THE WAY TO A 2,500 SQUARE FOOT, THREE BEDROOM.
NEXT CAUSE IF YOU HAVE OUR, UM, SKY LOUNGE AREA ON THE 46TH FLOOR AS AN OUTDOOR TERRORIST, THAT IS, UM, AVAILABLE TO ALL RESIDENTS NEXT IS THIS HOW THE OUTDOOR TERRORISTS IN THE SKY LOUNGE IS EXPRESSED ON THE FACADE NEXT? AND HERE YOU CAN SEE A VIEW OF THE OUTDOOR TERRORISTS, UH, INTEGRATE VIEWS YOU GET FROM THERE DOWNTOWN NEXT.
AND THIS WAS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
AND NOW OPEN FOR QUESTIONS, KRISHA MINUS, GO AHEAD.
I THINK I HAVE A COMMENT MORE THAN A QUESTION.
UM, THE PREDECESSOR, UH, THAT WE VOTED ON, UM, ALREADY HAD LIMITATIONS WITH RETAIL ON THE GROUND FLOOR, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS TAKING A STEP BACKWARDS.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT IT WAS OFTEN REFERRED TO THAT THE, UM, LOBBY WAS GOING TO, UH, BE ACTIVATED.
UM, BUT I WOULD CHALLENGE ANYONE TO FIND AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE A RESIDENTIAL LOBBY HAS BEEN ACTIVATED DOWNTOWN.
UM, I CAN PROBABLY FIND FIVE WHERE THEY HAVE JUST A LOBBY, NO RETAIL COMPONENT, AND THEY CREATE COMPLETE DEAD ZONES.
UM, THIS ISN'T A REALLY VIBRANT AREA OF AUSTIN AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHO'S FROM
[01:30:01]
HERE, WHO'S NOT FROM HERE.UM, IT DOESN'T MATTER, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME THAT, UM, SOMETHING CHANGES PEOPLE SAY, OH, IT'S NOT AS GREAT AS IT USED TO BE.
WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS USED TO BE A VERY VIBRANT PART OF THE CITY.
I KNOW RIGHT NOW DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT'S NOT, BUT I COULDN'T SUPPORT THIS AND ITS CURRENT ITERATION.
ALTHOUGH I LOVE SOME OF THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
I LOVE, UM, THE FACT THAT YOU ARE INCORPORATING THE TRUST IS I THINK THE PODIUM, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT A HUGE PODIUM FAN, I THINK IT LOOKS FANTASTIC.
SO I THINK YOU'VE TAKEN A LOT OF CARE WITH SOME OF THESE DECISIONS, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, THIS WILL CREATE A DEAD ZONE AND TAKE AWAY FROM THE VIBRANCY OF A PART OF THE CITY WHERE I LIKE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN ANYONE ELSE.
MR. COLEMAN, UH, A QUESTION TO DO.
I LIKED THE IDEA OF THE VENDOR AND THE STREET VENDOR.
IS THAT NOT GOING TO BE, YOU DON'T CONSIDER THAT ACTIVATED? I KIND OF DID.
THAT'S WHY IT SURPRISED ME TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.
NO, I THINK FOR ME, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE STREET VENDOR, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME LIMITATIONS, OBVIOUSLY THAT MAY BE SOMEWHAT SEASONAL.
UM, AND IT DOES ACTIVATE ONE AREA, BUT I JUST DON'T SEE THAT IN ITS ENTIRETY.
THAT FOR, I MEAN, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG CHUNK.
UM, IF YOU WERE TO WALK ALONG THAT AREA RIGHT NOW, UH, WHERE LONESOME DOVE IS, UM, I BELIEVE CHINATOWN WAS THERE.
SO I FEEL LIKE JUST LITTLE BY LITTLE WE'RE CHIPPING AWAY AT THE VIBRANCY OF THAT AREA.
AND I JUST SEE THIS AS JUST ANOTHER STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY CLOSE TO OUR WAREHOUSE DISTRICT WHERE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT, UH, RETENTION OF A LOT OF THE LOCAL, UH, BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE, LGBTQ BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THRIVE IN THAT AREA.
SO I JUST, I THINK THAT, THAT THE FOOD TRUCK IS A GREAT STEP IN THAT DIRECTION, BUT YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IS THAT REALLY GOING TO ACTIVATE THE AREA? I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT'S A QUARTER BLOCK AND THAT'S WHAT THE OTHER PROJECT WAS DEALING WITH AS WELL.
UM, SO WE HA WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE GUIDELINES AND STREET VENDOR IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT'S RECOMMENDED FOR THIS IN LIEU OF STRICT RETAIL.
UM, I'M NOT GOING TO BE FOR MY CLIENT, BUT IF YOU HAD TO PUT RETAIL IN HERE, HE DIDN'T, WOULDN'T HAVE TO PICK SOMETHING THAT'S THAT YOU WOULD THINK IS VERY ACTIVE.
UM, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD TAKE AWAY THAT COMPONENT OF, OF THE, UH, FOOD VENDOR.
UM, BUT I JUST SEE ALREADY THAT YOU HAVE PLENTY OF SPACE FOR RESIDENTS TO ENJOY.
THEY HAVE THE SKY HOUSE, THEY HAVE WHATEVER ELSE.
AND FOR ME TO SAY THAT THIS OFFERS COMMUNITY COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
WHEN I SEE THAT IT'S CLEARLY TAKING AWAY FROM THE VIBRANCY OF THE AREA, UM, I JUST, I CAN'T SUPPORT IT, BUT I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE OTHER DETAILS.
SO I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ONE DETAIL WHERE I WISH YOU WOULD HAVE PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ENERGY.
OH, I'LL SAY TO COMMISSIONER MINERS' POINT, THE, THE MULTITENANT PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED GUIDELINE DOES FALL UNDER THE BUILDING GUIDELINE.
AND IN MY OPINION, A KIOSK, IT DOES NO IT'S NOT COMPLIANT WITH THAT, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT PART OF THE BUILDING THAT RELIES SOLELY ON PROGRAMMING, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN.
AND IN FACT, WE HAVE SUPPORTED A FEW PROJECTS THAT HAVE DONE THIS.
AND TODAY I CAN THINK OF AT LEAST TWO THAT HAVE NEVER PUT ANYTHING THERE.
IT'S JUST BEEN OPEN DEAD SPACE.
AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE IT'S A PROGRAMMING ISSUE.
AND IF IT'S NOT IN THE BUILDING, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO JUST LET THAT SPACE GO.
AND WE, WE DID, UH, COMMUNICATE WITH THE FOOD POLICY GROUP WITH THE CITY AND THEY WERE HELPING US WITH MAKING SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING HOOKUPS FOR UTILITIES AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE HELPING US FIND VENDORS, WHICH COULD BE EVERY SEASON OF THE YEAR.
I WOULD PROBABLY, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DENSITY THAT THIS PROJECT ADDS TO THE SITE.
UM, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE EXISTING RESTAURANT, THE LONESOME DOLLAR, THIS IS A ONE STORY BUILDING WHERE ADDING A THOUSAND PEOPLE TO A QUARTER OF A BLOCK, THOSE PEOPLE, THEY LIVE AND WORK THERE A DAY WILL ENTER AND EXIT THE BUILDING ON A DAILY BASIS.
THEY WILL COME TO WORK IN THE MORNING.
THEY WILL LEAVE WORK, THEY WILL GO FOR LUNCH.
THEY WILL GO, UH, FOR DINNER AFTERWARDS.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULDN'T UNDERESTIMATE, UH, JUST BY THE SHEER NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE'RE ADDING WITH THIS ONE TO 25 FAR.
UH, IT CREATES A LOT OF, UM, PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, CHRIS RICARDO FINISHED.
WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION IS I GET A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT US, ALWAYS WANTING A RETAIL COMPONENT ON EVERY SINGLE PROJECT.
WHEN WE SEE A LOT OF RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN, STRUGGLING TO STAY IN BUSINESS.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS, I WAS RATHER ENCOURAGED THAT WE HAD A VENDOR THAT COULD ANCHOR OUR QUARTER BLOCK AND LOTS OF EXTRA SEATING.
AND I, I KIND OF ENVISIONED THAT, THAT RESIDENTIAL LOBBY HAD A PATIO SITTING CITY
[01:35:01]
SEATING AREA OUTSIDE OF THAT, WHERE YOU COULD HAVE ROCKING CHAIRS AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE AND ENJOY THAT STREETSCAPE.I THOUGHT IT WAS ACTIVATED BY FOOD, FOOD, VENDOR, LANDSCAPE IN FRONT, AND THEN COMPLETELY WRAPPED AROUND WITH PLACES TO SEE SIT.
I, I SEE IT VERY ACTIVATED, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T HAVE A LEGITIMATE COFFEE SHOP, THEN AGAIN, I GET CONCERNED ABOUT REQUIRING THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME WHEN REALLY OUR GUIDELINES SAY ACTIVATED STREETSCAPE.
SO I'D LIKE TO ECHO, I MEAN, THIS IS A COMPLICATED DISCUSSION, RIGHT? UM, AND THERE'S A TON OF NUANCE IN IT AND THERE'S A TON OF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO, INTO EVERYTHING.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAT THIS GROUP LOVES TO DO THAN, UH, APPROVE A THOUSAND UNITS DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT, WE WANT DENSITY.
UM, BUT I DEFINITELY SAW THIS LITTLE, IT'S NOT EVEN A FOOD TRUCK.
IT'S LIKE A LITTLE CUT TUCKED AWAY ON THE, WHAT SEEMS TO LOOK LIKE THE, THE LEAST WANTED CORNER OF THE BLOCK.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LEAST FAVORITE CORNER.
AND IT'S COMPLETELY SEPARATED BY LANDSCAPING AND THIS SIDEWALK FROM ALL YOUR LOBBY SPACE.
I JUST WONDER WHY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY NOT THE NORTHWEST CORNER WHERE YOU'VE GOT JUST A TON OF, UM, ALL THE SEATING, LIKE WHY PUT IT, WHY PUT IT THERE, WHY DISCONNECTED FROM YOUR BOTH LOBBIES? UM, AND WHAT, YEAH.
AND THEN I, I GUESS I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT I DETERMINED TO BE, UM, PEDESTRIAN AND POROSITY AND ENGAGING AND INVITING.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK I CAN THINK OF, I MEAN, UH, COMMISSIONER MINUS GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF ALL THE EMPTY RESIDENTIAL LOBBIES THAT WE HAVE AND HOW DISAPPOINTING THEY ARE, UM, TO WALK BY.
AND LIKE, I THINK WE CAN ALL THINK ABOUT THESE BRUTAL MODERNIST, MONUMENTAL ECHO-Y LOBBIES THAT THAT WERE BUILT THAT HAVE NO PEOPLE IN THEM.
AND I THINK WE JUST REALLY DON'T WANT THAT.
AND SO WHETHER IT'S, WHILE IT MIGHT BE SUPER TRANSPARENT AND IT MIGHT BE FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK, THAT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AUSTIN ENGAGING.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO SAY, SAY TO ME AS SOMEBODY WALKING BY THAT, I CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
UM, SO, OR THAT IT'S FOR ME, YOU KNOW? UM, SO I THINK WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF IS LESS OF THIS JUST SPACE AND, AND MORE OF LIKE SPACE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THE, WHERE ARE THE CHAIRS THAT ARE CLOSE, THE FOOD TRUCK THAT ARE ALSO CLOSE TO THE LOBBY? YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH SPACE AROUND YOUR RECEPTION DESK, BUT WHO'S SITTING THERE AND THEN YOU'VE GOT NO SPACE AROUND YOUR VENDOR.
AND THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY WILL WANT TO SIT.
SO WHY NOT INTEGRATE THAT MORE INSTEAD OF HAVING THIS BIG PLANTER, SEPARATE IT, WHY TALK IT AWAY IN THE CORNER WHEN IT COULD BE SOMETHING REALLY CENTRAL, THE FUNCTIONALITY WAS DUE TO THE ALLEY.
WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR SETUP AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A CART.
I THINK THAT WAS JUST A GRAPHIC THAT WE USED.
IT COULD BE ANY TYPE OF MOBILE FOOD VENDOR.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, THE GUIDELINES NOTE DIFFERENT KINDS.
SO IT WASN'T JUST HAPPENSTANCELY PLACED THERE.
UM, BUT, AND WE DID A FIGURE THAT PEOPLE WOULD EITHER STAY IN THAT CORNER IN THE SEATING THAT WAS PROVIDED OR MIGRATE AROUND TO OTHER POINTS OF THE BUILDING.
AND IF THEY WANT IT TO BE FURTHER AWAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE, FOR INSTANCE, UH, I'LL WEIGH IN WITH ONE OTHER, IF IT ACTUALLY WAS, IT'S NOT JUST THAT IT'S A LEFTOVER CORNER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND HAVE LUNCH OR A SNACK.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TRADITIONALLY NAMED MAYBE RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION, TRAFFIC NOISE, KIND OF HAMPERS CONVERSATION.
UH, SO BEING ABLE TO PLACE IT SOMEWHERE STRATEGICALLY, IT IS A FOUND LOCATION I'LL SAY.
UH, BUT I THINK PART OF THAT IS THE IDEA OF ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE TO OCCUPIED JUST THE PRESCRIBED SEATS.
THERE'S BENCHES THAT ARE PROVIDED ALONG ALL THE STREETSCAPES.
TRADITIONALLY, THOSE AREN'T VERY WELL UTILIZED, BUT IF THEY'RE, IF THEY GRAB A SNACK AND THAT'S FULL, THEN THEY GO USE THE BENCH, WHICH IS A GREAT WAY TO ENCOURAGE THAT ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY.
SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S SOME STRATEGY TO THAT TO BE ABLE TO ALSO ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, SOME ACTIVATION OF THE OTHER AREAS OF THE SITE AND THE OTHER SEATING.
THAT'S ACTUALLY AT THE CORNER RIGHT THERE THAT YOU CAN'T SEE IN THIS RENDERING IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THAT GLASS LINE THERE.
SO IT GIVES PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, JUST ADDITIONAL GO GRAB A SNACK, GO SIT UNDERCOVER.
IF IT'S A SUNNY AFTERNOON, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO BE OUT IN THE SUN.
SO IT GIVES YOU THAT POSSIBILITY TO GO SIT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
COULD YOU PUT THE SLIDE WITH THE, UH, WITH THE VENDOR? SO
[01:40:01]
WHEN THIS CAME TO THE WORKING GROUP, IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY RETAIL AT ALL.SO I GUESS THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T MAKE A DETERMINATION, WHETHER THIS MET THE SUBSTANCE THAT YOU COMPLIED WITH THE GUIDELINES, BECAUSE IT HAD NO RETAIL AT ALL.
IT HAD REALLY DIDN'T ENGAGE THE PEDESTRIAN MUCH AT ALL.
THE ONLY THING THAT Y'ALL MENTIONED WAS THE OTHER CORNER IN THE LOBBY.
AND I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE, THE LOBBY IS NOT ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.
IT'S JUST THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WHO'S GONNA, WHO'S GOING TO SIT THERE BY THE WINDOW, LIKE THE RENDERING SAY, AND BE LOOKING INSIDE THE LOBBY THAT HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE.
WELL, IT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY PEOPLE IN THE RENDERING.
SO I WOULD, I'D LOVE TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU THINK THIS WILL SEAT.
I WAS GONNA, I WAS LOOKING AT THE PLAN THAT SHOWED THE FORUM UMBRELLAS, BECAUSE THIS LOOKS A LOT SPACE, A LOT LARGER THAN THE PLAN.
DOES IT ITSELF, THE WAY THE PERSPECTIVE IS HERE, IT LOOKS MUCH LARGER THAN THE PLAN IT SAYS.
SO THIS ALSO SHOWS THE, UM, THE SIDEWALK AND THE TREES, UH, UH, AREA IN FRONT.
AND LIKE MATT SAID EARLIER, YOU NOTICED THE BENCHES THAT ARE OUT THERE COULD ALSO BE UTILIZED FOR SEATING OR SOME PLANNERS THERAPY.
PEOPLE CAN SIT ON A, IN TERMS OF ACTUAL SEATING, UH, WAS SHOWN, UM, UH, THREE TABLES THERE WITH, UH, WITH THESE UMBRELLAS.
UM, AND THAT'S, WHAT'S SHOWN IN PLAYING AS WELL.
AND THEN THERE'S A STREET VENDOR IN THE MIDDLE.
SO, UM, THAT'S, UH, I GUESS, LIMITED TO THREE PEOPLE, PLUS THE, UH, UH, UH, SEATING ON THE PLANNERS, PLUS THE, UM, SEATING ALONG THE BENCHES, UM, PLUS THE SEATING ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY AND THEN, UH, PLUS TO SEATING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE OFFICE LOBBY.
UM, BOTH OF THOSE ARE COVERED.
SO ARE YOU PROVIDING ANY RESTROOM FACILITIES FOR THIS AREA? SO CURRENTLY THERE'S A RESTROOM LOCATED, UM, IN THE LOADING DOCK, BUT IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THERE'S POSSIBLY A WAY TO, UM, PROVIDE A, A RESTROOM THERE AS WELL.
IT'S ON THE, IT WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE FROM THE ALLEY.
WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FOOD SERVICE, THAT DEFINITELY RECOMMEND YOU HAVE A RESTROOM OF SOME TYPE.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU, I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, THE LOBBIES, BOTH THE OFFICE AND THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE LOOKED AT AS FAR AS FURNISHINGS OR DESIGN LAYOUT, OR OTHER ELEMENTS THAT MAKE THESE KIND OF MORE STICKY SPOTS, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GREAT EXAMPLES OF, YOU KNOW, REALLY OPULENT LOOKING LOBBIES THAT SAYS I'M A WONDERFUL BUILDING, LOOK AT ME, BUT, AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF TOKEN CHAIRS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY, I DON'T THINK SOMETIMES MEANT TO BE SAT IN.
UM, THERE'S OTHER BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE SOME FAMILIARITY WITH JUST FROM MEETING AND RECENTLY THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST BUILDING.
AND I WOULDN'T SAY TO ME THAT BUILDING DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT REALLY ACTIVATES THE STREET A LOT, BUT THE LOBBY ITSELF HAS PRETTY ACTIVE.
I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE LOBBY AND THE FURNISHINGS THAT WERE USED IN THAT BUILDING.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, A DIVERSITY OF, UH, FURNISHINGS THERE'S PLACES TO KIND OF STAND UP AND HAVE COFFEE.
UH, THERE'S PLACES TO SIT DOWN AND KIND OF LOUNGE THERE'S PLACES TO, UH, MEET WITH SOMEBODY ALMOST FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN SPACE.
OF COURSE, THAT HELPS THAT IT, THERE IS A, YOU KNOW, FOOD VENDOR, THERE'S COFFEE RIGHT IN WITHIN THE LOBBY TOO.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, IT JUST STRIKES ME AS A PROJECT THAT HAS, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF SEATING AREAS AND IS PROGRAMMED REALLY TO SAY WE WANT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE DOING DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS IN OUR LOBBY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN PICTURES OF THE LOBBY AND KIND OF TRANSPARENCY, AND WE PRAY, I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT REALLY HOW YOU'RE SUPPORTING CERTAIN FUNCTIONS IN THE LOBBY AND WHAT ARE THOSE FUNCTIONS.
SO, UM, EACH LOBBY HAS, UM, UH, SEATING GROUPS WITHIN THE LOBBY THAT CAN BE USED FOR PEOPLE IF THEY WAIT FOR THE UBER OR, UM, TO JUST HANG OUT THERE.
UM, THERE'S, UM, A POSSIBILITY AF COFFEE IN THE LOBBY AS WELL.
THE COFFEE MACHINE KIND OF TUCKED AWAY BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS SORT OF A MESSY THING TO LOOK AT, BUT THERE'S THAT POSSIBILITY.
AND, UM, THERE'S ALSO SOME OUTDOOR SEATING IN FRONT OF THESE LOBBIES.
SO THE IDEA IS THAT HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE, UM, OFFICE TENANTS WILL YOU UTILIZE THAT AS WELL? UM, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE LUNCH AND THEY SIT OUTSIDE, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, IT'S, SO THERE'S COFFEE AVAILABLE FOR THE OFFICE TENANTS AT ANY TIME, AND IF THEY WANT TO COME DOWN AND BREAK AWAY FROM THEIR OFFICE
[01:45:01]
AND COME AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A PROJECT THEY'RE WORKING ON TOGETHER, THEY COULD COME DOWN AND HAVE COFFEE AND LAY OUT, YOU KNOW, THE DRAWINGS OF THEY'RE AN ARCHITECT, OR, YOU KNOW, BRING THEIR LAPTOPS IF THEY'RE PROGRAMMER AND SHARE SOME IDEAS.IS THAT, IS THAT, WHAT IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE MENTIONING? WELL, THE, THE OFFICE TENANTS, THEY HAVE, UM, A SPECIFIC AMENITY SPACE ON THE TOP FLOOR, UM, THAT THEY WOULD USE.
UM, BUT I'M SURE THIS CAN BE USED AS AN OVERFLOW, UH, SPACE, UM, FOR ANY ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF BEING IN THEIR OFFICES, RIGHT.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER OUTDOOR SPACES OR INDOOR SPACES TO GO TO.
SO I THINK COMMISSIONER, YOU'RE BRINGING UP A GOOD POINT.
A LOT OF US WORK IN BUILDINGS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE SPACES.
UM, AND SO I, YOU KNOW, A FOOD VENDOR WOULD BE, SOMEONE COULD WALK OUTSIDE AND EAT THERE AND THEN GO ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE PROPERTY TO EAT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE RELEGATED TO THIS LOCATION, BUT I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE GOAL HERE IS TO GET PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT, RIGHT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING WE'RE SEEING FROM COVID THAT I THINK PEOPLE THERE THERE'S A NEW APPRECIATION OR, OR DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR BREAKOUT SPACES, OUTDOOR SPACES.
UH, THE BUILDING HAS A LOT OF GREAT ONES, YOU KNOW, ON THE UPPER LEVELS.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, BUILDING AMENITY SPACES AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
AND SO KIND OF WITH THOSE SPACES ON THE UPPER LEVELS HAPPENING AND PROVIDING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF BREAK AWAY, HAVE THEIR LUNCH OR MEET, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IN A WAY THROUGH, YOU KNOW, FURNISHINGS OR THINGS THAT ARE PROVIDED AND FINISHES AND ACOUSTICS WITHIN THE MAIN LOBBY ON THE FIRST FLOOR, HOW CAN THAT BE JUST AS ATTRACTIVE AS THE UPPER LEVELS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M ASKING.
I JUST SEE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A CONFIDENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE BUILDING LIVED THERE AND WORKED THERE, YOU KNOW, OR ARE GONNA, AS THEY DO SEEK TO KIND OF GET OUT OF THEIR OFFICE OR THEIR UNIT AND SEEK THAT, THAT KIND OF BREAKOUT SPACE AND TO VISIT WITH FRIENDS OR COWORKERS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST FLOOR SPACE TO THEM IS JUST AS COMPELLING AS THE UPPER LEVEL, WHATEVER.
UM, I PROBABLY HAVE A CONTRADICTORY VIEWPOINTS TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS ON THIS PROJECT.
I DO LIVE IN A HIGH RISE DOWNTOWN, UM, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT MY LOBBY IS PRIVATE TO THE RESIDENTS OF MY BUILDING.
I WAS FOLLOWED IN PAST SECURITY TO THE ELEVATOR BANK, BY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LIVE IN MY BUILDING.
YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF A RESIDENCE IS FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE THAT LIVED THERE, NOT NECESSARILY TO BE VENDORS TO THE PUBLIC, UM, FOR THE COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT TRANSACTING FOR BUSINESS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT MAYBE VENDORS THERE, BUT THAT'S NOT IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
I THINK THERE COULD BE SOME MORE PERMANENT FIXTURES BUILT IN, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT START.
UM, AND I, I DO FIND THAT IT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES AS THEY ARE WRITTEN TO GIVE.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING SHADE AND SEATING FOR PEOPLE ALONG THE STREETSCAPE, BECAUSE THOUGH I DO UNDERSTAND THE LARGE LOBBY AND, YOU KNOW, LOOKING IN, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF BUILDINGS THAT DON'T EVEN PROVIDE A RESPITE FOR PEOPLE TO SIT NOR SHADE.
AND SO THEN THAT'S HELPING TO SET A PRECEDENT WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I'M CURIOUS WHEN YOU SAY RESIDENTIAL, HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY PEOPLE FOR LIVING.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 328 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND THEN ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE.
SO, UM, IF YOU TOLD THEM UP THERE PROBABLY BE ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING SPLIT BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE.
AND I JUST ALSO WANTED TO SUPPORT THAT.
I DO SEE HOW IT CAN SEEM A LITTLE STRANGE TO HAVE THIS VENDOR LOCATION IN THAT CORNER, BUT I LIKED THAT IT ISN'T IN THE INTERSECTION OF FIFTH AND COLORADO, WHICH IS FRIGHTENING.
IT JUST, IT'S NOT VERY HUMAN SCALED.
WHAT I ENCOURAGE IS WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ART ON THAT WALL, THAT SOMETHING HERE BECOMES VERY SPECIAL, THAT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE A HOTSPOT THAT YOU'RE REALLY MAKING IT A PLACEMAKING NODE, BECAUSE IF YOU DO HAVE 300 PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET COFFEE, OR THEY WANT TO GET A TACO OR SOMETHING, OR THAT AGAIN COULD HELP SET PRECEDENT OF THESE SMALL VENDOR NODES THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN, IF WE ACTUALLY GET MORE PEOPLE LIVING DOWN THERE.
AND THEN MY ONLY, UM, QUESTION WAS, WHICH IS JUST A DETAILED QUESTION WITH THE MOTOR COURT AND THE PAVING ALONG THE SIDEWALK WHEN YOU'RE ENTERING
[01:50:01]
AND EXITING THE MOTOR COURT, IS THAT PAVING GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE MOTOR COURT SO THAT YOU JUST HAVE THIS SIGNAL TO SLOW DOWN AS PEOPLE ARE WALKING ON, UM, NORTH TO SOUTH, I'LL SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THAT ONE.UH, CAN YOU GO BACK TO PLAN VIEW JUST REALLY THERE'S, I'LL SAY THAT THERE'S THREE PAVING INTERRUPTIONS, UH, SORRY TO KEEP GOING BACK TO, UH, SO THERE'S OKAY RIGHT HERE.
SO THERE'S REALLY A THREE PAVING STATEMENTS THAT HAPPEN HERE ALONG COLORADO.
THERE'S KIND OF THE EXTENSION OF THE CURVED AREAS OF THE ARCHITECTURE, THE INTERIOR SPACES THAT EXTEND OUT TO THE STREETSCAPE AND THAT SIDEWALK MATERIAL, BASICALLY NORTH OF THE MOTOR COURT IS ALL ONE PAVING MATERIAL TYPE, THE MOTOR COURT ITSELF.
AND THAT DRIVE IS A DIFFERENT COLORATION AND A DIFFERENT TEXTURE.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE TO THE SOUTH, WE'RE TRANSITIONING BACK TO THE SAME PAVING AS THE REST OF THE BLOCK, SO THAT THE PROJECT TRANSITION.
SO MY COMMENT TO THAT IS, IS THAT THE ACTUAL PAVING THAT IS ON THE SIDEWALK WHEN YOU ENTER AND EXIT THE MOTOR COURT, MY PREFERENCE IS THAT'S A DIFFERENT PAVING THAN THE ACTUAL MOTOR COURT ITSELF BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING THIS VEHICULAR LANGUAGE MORE THAN ANYTHING SPEED COMING IN AND OUT OF THERE WITH PEOPLE WALKING.
AND I ONLY SHARE THAT FOR MY EXPERIENCE OF WALKING DOWNTOWN, THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SUBTLE CHANGE IN TEXTURE AND COLOR, I MEAN, I'D HATE TO SAY I'D LIKE TO PUT A LITTLE SPEED BUMP OR SOMETHING, UM, JUST TO HELP WITH THAT BECAUSE WANT LIKE THREE DIFFERENT PAVINGS AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK IT'S AS BENEFICIAL AS AT THAT ONE SPOT.
I MISINTERPRETED WHICH DIRECTION IT IS DIFFERENT.
THERE IS A CHANGE FROM THE MOTOR COURT ITSELF TO THE SIDEWALKS ZONE, THE TRANSITIONS.
SO THAT DETAILED JUST WOULD HAVE BEEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH HELPFUL TO SEE.
I WANTED TO OFFER SOME THOUGHTS BASED UPON WHAT COMMISSIONER ROLLISON SAID AND OTHERS, I HAVE TO FORGIVE, PLEASE FORGIVE ME, BUT I DREW IT.
THIS IS WHY NO ONE IN MY OFFICE LIKES ME.
IF YOU CONTINUED YOUR CURVED PAVING IN THIS VENDOR AREA.
SO IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS LIKE THE REST OF THE STREETSCAPE AND MAYBE EVEN PUT A COUPLE OF NICHES IN THOSE LANDSCAPE AREAS SO THAT YOU ARE, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO NAVIGATE OVER TO WHERE THE OTHER SEATING IS.
AND THEN TINY, TINY THOUGHT IS WITH THAT CURVATURE, JUST CUT THAT CORNER AND USE YOUR PAVER LAYOUT THAT'S MINOR.
AND YOU COULD IGNORE THAT, BUT THAT HAPPENED, BUT WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING ACHIEVABLE WHERE I THINK IT WOULD REALLY SIGNAL THAT THEY'RE SEATING ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE FRONT, INCLUDING IN FRONT OF THE LOBBY.
PLEASE EMAIL, EXHIBIT A TO STAFF.
I THINK ONE OF OUR COMMENTS WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE CORNERS DOWNTOWN, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN TO WITH THE LOBBY AFTER, AFTER HOURS.
W WHAT DO YOU SEE GOING ON IN THERE? SO I THINK THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY WILL, WILL STILL BE ACTIVE.
UM, THE OFFICE LOBBY IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE LESS ACTIVE BECAUSE, UH, PEOPLE WON'T BE WORKING IN THE OFFICE BUILDING, BUT THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY BEING AT THE CORNER, WE'LL STILL BE ACTIVE WITH PEOPLE GOING OUT FOR DINNER, GOING OUT TO BARS, UM, AND JOINED IT DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND I THINK, UM, MOST OF THEM WILL LIKELY WALK TO WHEREVER THEY NEED TO GO BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE SO CLOSE TO EVERYTHING THAT TAKING A CAR JUST DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE OR THEY'LL WAIT FOR AN UBER THERE.
UH, THEY HAVE FRIENDS COME OVER, THEY WAIT FOR THEM THERE, THEY MEET THEIR FRIENDS.
SO I GUESS WE'RE JUST WORRIED THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AFTER HOURS.
NO, THE LIGHTS, THE LIGHTS WILL BE ON THE ENTIRE ENTIRE TIME.
I JUST WANT TO ASK, UH, BECAUSE, UH, SECURITY WAS REFERENCED, UM, BASED ON YOUR EXAMPLE, IS THERE A PLAN TO HAVE SECURITY BASED AT THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY AT ALL TIMES, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THE LEASING OFFICE WAS ON A DIFFERENT FLOOR ENTIRELY.
COMMISSIONER 24 HOURS A DAY, 24 HOURS A DAY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, I'M A PEDESTRIAN I DON'T DRIVE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I DID WORK DOWNTOWN, UM, AND LIVE CLOSE TO IT.
I WOULD ACTUALLY GO OUT OF MY WAY TO, UH,
[01:55:01]
WALK BY A BUILDING LIKE THIS, WHERE IT DIDN'T FEEL INVITING AND WHERE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SEE ME.SO I WOULDN'T JUST COUNTER THAT FROM A SECURITY PERSPECTIVE.
I'D BE INCLINED TO GO SOMEWHERE THAT'S ACTIVATED AND NOT TO A DEAD ZONE, ESPECIALLY LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THERE'S NO OFFICE EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEN THERE'S A MINIMAL, UH, RESIDENTIAL, UH, ENGAGEMENT.
SO THAT'S MY 2 CENTS ON THE SECURITY PIECE THING.
I UNDERSTAND I WORKED ACROSS THIS, I WORK ACROSS THE STREET AND I FREQUENTLY WALKED DOWNTOWN TO CITY HALL, WHICH FEELS EVERY YEAR, LESS AND LESS SAFE.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS.
UM, SO I DO AVOID DEAD BLOCKS.
UH, THIS IS NOT ONE THAT I WOULD SEE AS A DEAD BLOCK, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN FOR THAT EXHIBIT.
I HAD IT WRITTEN DOWN HERE, BUT YOU BEAT ME TO IT TO PUT SEATING POCKETS BETWEEN THOSE COLUMNS, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST PLANTERS AGAIN, TO CONNECT, UM, AND HELP ENCOURAGE THAT FLOW FROM THE, FROM THE VENDOR TO THE LOBBY SPACES, UM, WANT TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND WANTING TO PUSH BACK ON THE, THE IDEA THAT A CAFE SPACE MIGHT BE MESSY.
I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF WAYS IN A LOBBY FOR A CAFE SPACE OR A COFFEE, COFFEE STOP TO BE, UM, ECHO, CELEBRATED, LITTLE HUB FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR POINT ABOUT, UM, UH, RESIDENTIAL LOBBY WANTING TO FEEL SECURE.
BUT MY, MY BIG PROBLEM WITH, WITH IT IS, AS IT IS, IS JUST THAT IT'S SO HUGE.
LIKE, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF SPACE FOR SOMEBODY TO JUST WALK THROUGH TO THEIR ELEVATOR.
UM, AND, AND MAYBE, MAYBE SIT FOR A BIT WITH SOMEBODY, BUT I, I NEVER EVER SAT IN MY RESIDENTIAL LOBBY.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY I REALLY CARE ABOUT HAVING IT BE CONNECTED TO EITHER A CO COFFEE SPOT OR, UM, HAVE THAT FLOW TO THE SEATING TO THE VENDOR SPOT OR JUST SOMETHING TO, UM, YEAH.
ACT ACTIVATE AS I SAID, BUT THAT THAT'S ALL FROM ME.
I MEAN, THOSE ARE CERTAINLY THINGS WE COULD ADD IN.
UM, I THINK, UM, YEAH, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S, WHAT'S GETTING EVERYBODY OVER THE HUMP IS HAVING SOMETHING INDOORS, LIKE A KIOSK, NOT A BRICK AND MORTAR KIND OF RETAIL, THEN I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DEFINITELY AGREE TO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OH, I'M SORRY.
MY LAST COMMENT, YOU KNOW, WE DID LOOK WELL BEFORE WE CAME TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, WE FELT LIKE WE MET 25 OF THE 31 ITEMS, WHICH WAS 80% OF THE GUIDELINES.
UM, AND I WAS DOING MY MATH ADMITTED AGO.
THE PROJECT YOU JUST APPROVED WAS 31 TO 42, WHICH IS ONLY 74%.
SO I THINK EVEN WHEN, BEFORE WE MADE CHANGES, WE WERE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT AND JUST MY MATH, MAYBE I'M NOT GREAT AT MATH, BUT WE'RE JUST A PASSIONATE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT GET HUNG UP ON CERTAIN.
NO, I KNOW, I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? THIS PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SO I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION IF THAT MOTION IS, UH, IF YOU CAN, WOULD INCLUDE, UH, CONSIDER INCLUDING THE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE AND COMMISSIONER RAULSON ABOUT THE, UH, HAVING A, UH, A PLACE COFFEE OR SOMETHING SERVICES IN THE LOBBY AND THEN CONNECTING, UH, THE SEATING BETTER TO, UH, THE, UH, THE FOOD SERVICE VENDOR ON THE CORNERS.
YOU MENTIONED, OH, I'M IN MY MOTION THAT THIS PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WITH THE ADDITION OF THE PAVEMENT DESIGN EXTENDING UNDER THE FOOD COURT AREA AND THE, UH, POCKETS OF BETWEEN THE COLUMNS FOR ADDITIONAL SEATING AND PUBLIC RESTROOM ACCESS.
AND THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING, CA COFFEE, THE COFFEE KIOSK IN THE LOBBY, MISSIONARY WEAVER.
JUST TRYING TO GET ALL THIS DOWN.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION OR THE AMENDMENT? JUST A REMINDER.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, YOU MAKE SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS ABOUT THE PREVIOUS PROJECT THAT WAS PRESENTED.
I THINK FOR US, WE SEE THAT ON, UH, THE PORTION THAT'S GOING TO BE MOST VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT TO BRING THE PUBLIC.
TO ME, IT FEELS LIKE THE OPPOSITE.
[02:00:01]
YOU KNOW, JUST GIVEN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, WE'RE REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO SEE THESE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR.
SO IT'S NOT JUST US TO BE CURMUDGEONY IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TOMORROW READING REVIEWS ON THIS AND SEEING THAT EVERYONE WAS COMPLAINING THAT WE WERE CONTRIBUTING TO PUTTING ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF THE VIBRANCY OF AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE THAN JUST A NINE TO FIVE CITY WHERE EVERYTHING CLOSES AT 5:00 PM.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, THAT I SEE THAT, UH, MAY NOT HAVE A VOICE.
SO, UM, THAT'S, UH, WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM FOR ME.
THEN WE'LL PUT IT TO A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR THAT WAS AGAINST, AND I AM GOING TO ABSTAIN THAT MOTION FAILS.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TONIGHT TO TERRIFY ME.
STAFF WOULD APPRECIATE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION AS TO, AS TO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ACHIEVE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
EVEN IF THE COMMISSION IS NOT REACHING A RECOMMENDATION BY COLORED, WE ARE REQUIRED TO CONSIDER YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE NOT, NOT HAVING YOUR RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD.
YOU MAY RECONSIDER YOUR MOTION OR ENTERTAIN A DIFFERENT MOTION CHAIR IF YOU'D LIKE.
UH, WELL, I DUNNO, COMMISSIONER MINERS OR FINISHER TAN GUCCI.
DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE THOUGHTS THAT YOU WANT TO EXPRESS THAT CHANGE YOUR MOOD? WELL, MINE IS, MAY NEED THE LOBBY IN THE LACK OF RETAIL WITHIN THE BUILDING.
IF IT COULD BE SOFTENED SOMEHOW IN THE FIELD, A LOT MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BY ADDING WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO ADD IN THERE, BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TOO HARSH.
I THINK THAT THIS IS A NICE BUILDING FOR THE RESIDENTS, BUT I WANT TO SEE A BUILDING FOR THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
AND IF I COULD CLARIFY WITH STAFF, TECHNICALLY, IF THEY DO NOT CHANGE, I CAN'T SEE YOU.
IF THEY DO NOT CHANGE OR MAKE A DIFFERENT MOTION, I GUESS TONIGHT, ARE WE TECHNICALLY APPEALING THAT TO THE STAFF, THE DIRECTOR, IT'S NOT SORRY.
I'M STILL A NAGGING YOU IN THE WAY I'M TAKING OFF MY MASK.
UH, IT, IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE APPEALING ANYTHING TO THE STAFF UNDER CODE.
WE ARE TO CONSIDER THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION ON SUBSTANTIAL COMPLAINTS WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, LACK OF A RECOMMENDATION JUST PUTS, PUTS IT ON STAFF SOLELY TO ARRIVE AT A DETERMINATION OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE OR NOT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE PARTNER WITH THE COMMISSION TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT IF POSSIBLE, AND TO REITERATE CHAIR AND STAFF AND COMMISSION, IS THAT IF YOU UNABLE TO REACH A FINDING THAT THIS PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE EUROPEAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, THAT STAFF WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE ON WHAT YOU WOULD THINK WOULD BE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THAT SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
THAT'S THE KIND OF GUIDANCE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE AND WORK WITH THE DESIGN TEAM TO ARRIVE AT SOME OF THE VERY SAME ISSUES THAT YOU'VE DISCUSSED THIS EVENING FOR CONSIDERATION INTO THE PROJECT ITSELF.
SO THAT STAFF HAS SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO ARRIVE AT THAT.
SO, SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE THE CAVEATS.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO KNOW THAT THOSE CAVEATS ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED? ARE WE GOING TO SEE THIS AGAIN, OR NO, YOU HAVE OUR WORD THAT WE WON'T COMMIT TO ADDING THOSE END COMMISSIONER AND THEY WILL BE IN THE FINAL VERSION THAT WE PROVIDE TO STAFF.
SO, SO IF I MADE CHAIR TO ADDRESS THAT STAFF THEN WOULD REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL RENDERINGS DRAWINGS, FLOOR PLANS, TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION'S CONCERNS THAT WERE DISCUSSED THIS EVENING, IN ORDER TO REFLECT THE CONVERSATION YOU'VE HAD.
AND JUST IN THE INTEREST OF FULL DISCLOSURE CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE
[02:05:01]
NOT HAD AN ISSUE ON THESE KINDS OF MATTERS BEFORE WE'VE WORKED WITH DESIGN TEAMS, THEY HAVE AN EXCELLENT DESIGN TEAM.WE KNOW THIS DESIGN TEAM AS WELL.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES OF NOT SHOWING THE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT YOU'VE DISCUSSED THIS EVENING.
SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE DESIGN TEAM WITH SPECIFIC DIRECTION FROM THE COMMISSION AS TO WHAT YOU WISH TO SEE.
SO IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO ENUMERATE, UH, FOR THE STAFF AND THE DESIGN TEAM AS WELL, THE ITEMS AND ELEMENTS YOU WISH TO SEE, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH THE DESIGN TEAM TO ARRIVE AT THAT.
COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, WHICH DOES THIS PROJECT.
YOU'RE NOT ON THE MICROPHONE COMMISSIONER.
YOU'RE NOT ON MY, THERE IT GOES.
TWO QUESTIONS, WHICH ITEMS AND THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES DOES THIS NOT COMPLY WITH FOR, FOR MY EDIFICATION.
AND THEN SECONDLY, I'M GOING TO RESTATE WHAT I STATED EARLIER.
ARE WE GOING TO START REQUIRING THAT EVERY PROJECT HAVE RETAIL TO BE ACTIVATED? SO IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT.
I MEAN, THE REQUIREMENT IS TO SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE GUIDELINES.
AND SO THAT IS ALL OF THE GUIDELINES.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE IS SOME SUBJECTIVITY AMONG COMMISSIONERS TO WHICH GUIDELINES THEY FEEL MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
CAN I ASK COMMISSIONER 10, A GUCCI, UM, GIVEN THAT THIS DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SORT OF TALKED ABOUT LIKE, IF YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE LISTED OUT, UM, RESTROOMS, SEATING, POCKETS, INTEGRATED, UM, CAFE OR COFFEE, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, REALLY BEING A CELEBRATED, UM, ELEMENT IN THE LOBBIES.
AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? I GOT RESTROOMS, COFFEE, UM, SEATING.
I THINK IT MIGHT'VE JUST BEEN THREE, BUT I THINK HE MIGHT'VE MENTIONED, OH, THE PAVER PATTERN.
GIVEN THAT THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN ASSURED AND, UH, HER HAS SAID THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO ISSUES IN THE PAST WITH FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
WOULD, DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE TO APPROVE THIS OR WAS THAT YOU'RE HUNG UP ON JUST NOT ON GETTING TO SEE IT AGAIN, NEVER REALLY SEEING THE PROJECT COME BACK TO US WITH THE SKETCHES OR ANYTHING.
HAVE WE CHAIR SEEN, SEEN THAT BEFORE? THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO COME BACK? YEAH.
SO I WOULD JUST BE TAKING THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I, THE QUESTION IS THIS IN GOOD FAITH OR WHAT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE CHANGES INCORPORATED I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PATHWAY FORWARD FOR THAT.
IT'S EITHER THAT WE DON'T RECOMMEND AND THEN STAFF JUST IT'S ON THEIR SHOULDERS OR WE DO RECOMMEND WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS.
SO WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T YOU RATHER, WOULD YOU RATHER RECOMMEND THAT WHAT THESE, WHAT THESE, I WAS JUST GETTING, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY COMMISSIONER, THAT JORGE GENEROUSLY CAME OVER TO, TO SAY THE SAME THING TO ME THAT WE ARE, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATED MEMO.
UM, THAT SHOWS THAT COMPLIANCE ALONG WITH THE, WITH THE ACTUAL EXHIBIT CHANGES.
I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU FOR, TO EVERYONE.
I COULD ACCEPT THAT I HAVEN'T EVER SEEN IT BEFORE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
WE CAN ALWAYS ASK FOR AN UPDATE.
ANOTHER CLARIFICATION COMMISSIONER MINE IS, IS THAT LIKE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? WHAT IS IT MISSING? THAT, WHAT THAT, ASIDE FROM THIS BEING LIKE A, UH, HAVING A NIGHTLIFE COMPONENT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU DESPERATELY WANT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN ASK FOR THAT FROM EVERY PROJECT AS COMMISSIONER COLEMAN SAYING, SO WHAT WHAT'S HOLDING.
YOU KNOW, I'LL NOTE THAT I VOTED FOR THE PLAN THAT WAS TO GO INTO THIS SPACE PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE IT HAD RETAIL INCORPORATED INTO THE BUILDING.
I MEAN, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S NOT, UM, UM, IT FEELS LIKE A, LIKE AN AFTERTHOUGHT, YOU KNOW? SO IF IT WERE CLOSER TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT I HAD INITIALLY SUPPORTED, THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WOULD GARNER MY SUPPORT FOR THIS AS WELL, JUST BASED ON PRECEDENT ALONE.
SO MY QUESTION IS THIS IS THAT WHEN I THINK ABOUT IF THERE'S A RETAIL COMPONENT AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A RETAIL COMPONENT THAT CAN CLOSE AT 5:00 PM THAT CAN CLOSE AT 7:00 PM, THAT'S NOT A NIGHT ACTIVATION.
I CAN ALSO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THESE DEAD LOBBIES THAT ARE ALL GLASS.
AND THEN I THINK THAT'S WHERE EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE DO THINGS, THE COFFEE CART INSIDE, EVEN IF IT IS JUST FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, OR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE, SEEING SOME SORT OF ACTIVITY
[02:10:01]
IN THE LOBBY, LIKE LITERALLY SEEING HUMAN BEINGS WANT TO BE IN THE LOBBY.THAT MAY BE A MUCH THAT COULD JUST FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY EXAMPLES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS LIKE LIVE DOWN HERE OR NOT OF WHERE THAT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL DURING THE DAY.
SO IF IT'S A ROTATION, BECAUSE THEN MAYBE IF IT'S WHERE IT'S A COFFEE CART AND THAT'S GIVING DIFFERENT PEOPLE AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR FOOD OUT THERE AND BANANAS OR WHAT THAT MAY BE.
AND THAT MAY, AGAIN, HELP AS AN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A PROGRAMMING ELEMENT AS AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS, BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE OTHER SIDE TOO, IF I'M LIVING THERE, I MIGHT WANT TO HAVE MY OWN SPACE.
THAT'S A BREATH WHERE I FEEL SAFE AND I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE, OR YOU DON'T NECESSARILY, BUT LIKE IN YOUR HOMES, YOU MAY HAVE THAT WITH YOUR YARD, WITH YOUR DRIVEWAY OR WHATNOT.
SO, UM, IT'S A PROGRAM SEEING PEOPLE IN THE LOBBY AND I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE CONCEPT OF THE MATERIALITY AND SO FORTH AND THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE GOING THERE WITH.
UM, WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL? WELL, MEANING LIKE, JUST IF WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE IN THE LOVEY, I THINK JUST LOOKING AT THE AMENITIES FOR THE RESIDENTS, I MEAN, THEY HAVE A LOT OF AMENITIES IN THIS BUILDING, SO I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING THEM AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE PROJECT.
I DON'T THINK THE LOBBY NECESSARILY HAS TO BE SHARED.
I JUST QUESTIONED THE NECESSITY FOR SUCH A LARGE LOBBY WHEN IT COULD BE REALLOCATED AKIN TO THE PREVIOUS, UH, PROPOSAL, UH, WITH A RETAIL ELEMENT.
UM, SO THAT COULD BE STANDALONE, YOU KNOW, I LIKED THE IDEA TOO, OF KIND OF, UH, IN OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, INDOOR, OUTDOOR HYBRID, UH, APPROACH TO YOUR FOOD OFFERING.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S MY HANGUP IS I, UH, PART OF IT IS THE LOBBY.
I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE, UM, UH, BETTER ALIGNED WITH, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE APPROVED IN THE PAST.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A PATH FORWARD HERE.
IF YOU WANT TO, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WITH THE FOLLOWING CAVEATS, THAT THE PAVING PATTERN IS EXTENDED UNDER THE OUTDOOR, UM, KIOSK AREA.
AND THAT TWO NICHES POCKET AREAS ARE ADDED BETWEEN THE COLUMNS ALONG THE STREETSCAPE FOR OUTDOOR SITTING AND DINING TO ENCOURAGE MORE CONTINUITY OF THAT USE ALONG THE STREETSCAPE ACCESS TO PUBLIC RESTROOMS THROUGH THE LOBBY AND A COFFEE KIOSK IN THE LOBBY TO ENCOURAGE ACTIVATION BY RESIDENTS DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY WITH A FOLLOW-UP MEMO WITH A FOLLOW UP MINNOW, I'LL SAY, IS THERE A SECOND? YES, I SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? YOU KNOW, I, I THINK AS FAR AS THE COFFEE CART, I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE SO PRESCRIPTIVE, YOU KNOW, JUST AN OFFERING, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET WRAPPED UP IN THE LANGUAGE OF IT HAS TO HAVE A COFFEE CART.
OR SIMILAR COFFEE CAUGHT OR SIMILAR.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION WE'LL PUT TO A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
AND THOSE AGAINST WHERE YOU AND I ABSTAIN OKAY.
THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND WORKING WITH US ON ALL OF THIS.
UH, WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY WE TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
IF EVERYONE COULD BE BACK HERE AT 8 26, PLEASE.
AND GET BACK YEAH, WE'VE GOT SIX THOUGH.
SO I THINK WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET BACK GOING HERE.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO JUMP AROUND, UH, A COUPLE ITEMS HERE.
[2.b. Discussion and Possible action on the 2022 Design Commission Schedule]
NEXT TIME I WANT TO DO IS ITEM TWO B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE[02:15:01]
ACTION ON THE 2022 DESIGN COMMISSION SCHEDULE.HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT SCHEDULE.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 20, 22 SCHEDULE AS WRITTEN IN THE AGENDA SECOND.
[2.d. Appointment of Commission Member to the Downtown Commission]
TO DO ITEM TWO D APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSION MEMBER TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, AND OURAND, UH, COMMISSIONER WEAVER HAS VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE THAT POSITION.
SO I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER WEAVER FOR THAT POSITION AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PUT JEN WEAVER IN AS DESIGN CHAIR.
NO, AND VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WEAVER? YES.
NOW WE WILL JUMP BACK TO ITEM ONE C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER CITY OF AUSTIN CENTRAL EMS FIRE STATION LOCATED AT 4 0 1 EAST FIFTH STREET, COMPLIES WITH CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.
WELL, IT IS P A L AND THEN I'M PRESENTING THREE.
I MISSED, UH, ONE B DISCUSSION
[1.b. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether City of Austin New EMS/Fire Station, located at the intersection of Lop 360 and Westlake Drive, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin; Cris Ruebush PGAL]
OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CITY OF AUSTIN EMS FIRE STATION LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF LOOP 360 IN WESTLAKE DRIVE COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS ROOD BUSH WITH PGA ARCHITECTS.
UH, WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT THE DEVONPORT, UH, RANCH FIRE EMS STATION.
THIS IS THE THIRD STATION OF A, UM, FIVE STATION PROGRAM.
UH, WE'VE SHOWN THE FIRST TWO IN THE PAST.
AND, UM, THERE'LL BE TWO MORE AFTER THIS ONE.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU EVERYBODY.
THE FIRST TWO, THE FIRST ONE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT, COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER OF 2020 AS THE DEL VALLEY, UH, FIRE EMS STATION, AND THEN THE ONE BOTTOM RIGHT.
OPENED, UM, THIS SUMMER AND IS THE TRAVIS COUNTRY FIRE STATION ALONG WITH KIND OF 2 90 71.
UH, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS ONE IS ON A LOOP 360 IN THE WEST PART OF AUSTIN.
UH, THE DAVENPORT RANCH AREA, UH, PROGRAMMATICALLY SIMILAR TO THE FIRST TWO, UM, WITH, UH, 30,500 SQUARE FEET AND FOUR APPARATUS BAY AND ALL THE SORT OF, UH, SUPPORT AND, UH, DORM SPACES FOR FIRE EMS. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE CITY STRUGGLED TO FIND PROPERTY, TO PUT A FIRE STATION EMS STATION IN THIS LOCATION.
UH, SO LOOKING AT THE SITE, THIS IS IN THE END, UH, BEING GOING TO BE BUILT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE PRIVATE SCHOOL ST.
UH, IT IS NOT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND, UH, THE SITE ITSELF IS VERY CHALLENGING IN RELATION TO, UH, TYPOGRAPHY, UM, VEGETATION AND THINGS.
UH, SO IT'S BASICALLY GOING TO USE 1.6 ACRES OF ST.
STEPHENS, UH, KIND OF OPEN PROPERTY.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, I'VE GOT A SERIES OF IMAGES ON THE SITE ITSELF AND IN THE DEVELOPABILITY OF THE SITE, IT REALLY WAS CONFINED TO THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE PROPERTY BASED ON A, KIND OF A NATURAL SLOPE, UM, OF THE PROPERTY IN, IN RELATION TO THE GRADE OF THE ROAD AND, UH, THE ABILITY TO BUILD.
UH, SO THE SITE IS THAT 1.6 ACRES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THIS, WHERE YOU SEE IT LABELED SITE, UH, NEXT SLIDE, I'VE GOT A SERIES OF SITE VIEWS.
UM, THERE, YOU CAN SORT OF SEE WHERE THE VEGETATION HAS KIND OF STOPPED AND THERE'S A BIT OF A RIDGE.
AND SO BASICALLY THE FIRE STATION IS GOING TO TRY TO USE THIS, UH, EDGE OF THE SITE TO, UH, DO SOME EXCAVATION AND SLIDE THE FIERY MS STATION RIGHT IN THIS AREA OF THE SITE.
[02:20:01]
UH, NEXT SLIDE, I JUST GOT A SERIES OF VIEWS FROM WESTLAKE DRIVE.UM, LOOKING, YOU CAN SORT OF GET A FEEL FOR THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE VEGETATION OF THE SITE ALONG WEST LAKE DRIVE.
UM, SAME THING YOU CAN SEE THAT KIND OF BIG GRAY CHANGE CLIMB PRETTY QUICKLY, UH, RIGHT OFF THE WESTLAKE DRIVE, UH, ROAD.
UH, AGAIN, UH, LOOKING NORTH ALONG WEST LAKE DRIVE, UH, NEXT SLIDE, UH, ST STEPHEN'S ITSELF, UM, CONTEXTUALLY, UH, PRETTY, UH, CLEAN ARCHITECTURE, UH, NATURAL STONE VENEERS, UM, PRETTY PLANAR, UM, A LOT OF OVERHANGS ON THE CAMPUS.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECT ITSELF A BIT IN OUR ARCHITECTURE.
UH, NEXT LINE, UH, THIS IS A SITE PLAN LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN ON THE SITE, BASICALLY SEEING THAT WE'RE KIND OF JUST TRYING TO WORK FROM THAT TOP PROPERTY LINE INWARD.
UH, SO REALLY TWO MAIN DRIVE AISLES, THE FIRST, THE TOP ONE FOR THE STAFF, UM, AND A LITTLE VISITOR PARKING AREA.
AND THEN THAT STEP PARKING KIND OF TRYING TO WORK WITH THE TERRAIN BY GOING BEHIND WHERE THE RIDGE KIND OF TAPERS OFF SOME, AND THEN THE, UH, APPARATUS BAY PULL OFF, UH, AND THE FIRE STATION, UH, KIND OF AGAINST A, UH, A WORD THAT TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SITE IS, UH, NEXT SLIDE, A FLOOR PLAN.
THE, UH, THE RIGHT HALF IS THE APPARATUS BAY FOR BACK IN APPARATUS BAYS.
AND THEN THE LEFT HALF OF THE STATION IS A TWO STORY, UH, BUILDING WITH THE LOWER LEVEL, BEING THE SUPPORT SPACES, DAY ROOMS, KITCHENS, UH, OFFICE STORAGE SPACES, THE GYMS GYM, AND THEN, UM, UPSTAIRS FROM THAT, WHICH IS ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, ALL THE SLEEPING ROOMS, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF FIRE SLEEPING ROOMS AND EMS LIVING ROOMS. UH, NEXT SLIDE.
FIRST LOOK AT THE ARCHITECTURE, UH, VERY SIMPLE PLANES, UH, SIMILAR TO THOSE, UM, ST STEPHENS, UH, PROJECTS.
UM, IT'S A BLEND OF, UH, STONE METAL PANEL, UM, AND A PRETTY SIMPLE ROOF WITH, UH, SOME OVERHANGS, UH, NEXT SLIDE, UH, LOOKING AT A HIGH LEVEL VIEW, UH, WITH A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE APPARATUS BAY, UH, TO HELP WITH THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE STATION AND LIGHT AT NIGHT.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE STONE, UM, AND SOME OF THE METAL PANEL, UM, WHICH THIS VIEW IS FROM THAT, UH, EMPLOYEE OR STAFF DRIVE ALONG THE STATION.
UH, NEXT LINE, UH, STRAIGHT ELEVATION FROM THE NORTH, UM, THE SORT OF PUBLIC ENTRY, UM, INTO LITTLE PUBLIC LOBBIES ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE QUITE A BIT OF OVERHANGING AND A PRETTY SIMPLE COMPOSITION.
I DO HAVE, UH, ILSA FRANK AND DAN WITH STUDIO BELL KONAS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE.
UM, SO THIS IS THE MOST COMPACT SITE OF ALL THE FIRE STATIONS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THE FIRE STATION IS TO MINIMIZE MAINTENANCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UH, THERE IS NO LAWN TO BE MOWED ON THIS SITE.
UM, WE, UM, HAVE SHALLOW SOILS, SO WE HAD A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH THAT AND TREE PLANTING.
UM, BUT OVERALL, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE AN INVITING, UH, BUILDING ENTRANCE FOR ANY VISITORS TO THE BUILDING.
UM, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SEATING AT THE ENTRANCE AND, UM, JUST CLEARLY ALLOWING FOR GOOD SIGHT LINES AND, UM, VISIBILITY, UH, FOR THE SITE.
UH, NEXT, I THINK IT'S EASIEST TO SEE IT WITH THE RENDERINGS.
UM, WE HAVE A LOW MONUMENT SIGN.
UM, WE HAVE A FLAG POLE AND THEN, UM, YEAH, BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN GRADE, UM, WE, WE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT HOW, UM, THAT THE TRUCKS EXIT, UM, AND ENTER THE SITE AND WITH IT BEING ON A CURVES, UH, SLOPING STREET, UM, NEXT, UM, TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE SITE, UM, WE HAVE, UM, AND THE BACKGROUND ON THE RIGHT THERE'S A ARTIFICIAL TURF AREA FOR, UM, EXERCISE, UM, SOME SEATING FOR HANGING OUT AND EATING OUTSIDE TOGETHER.
AND THEN WE TRIED TO GIVE THIS, UM, THIS AREA, UM, AS MUCH GREEN AS POSSIBLE TO, UM, BE RELAXING FOR OUR HARDWORKING FIRST RESPONDERS.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, UH, SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, WE WILL BE SEEKING LEED SILVER CERTIFICATION.
UH, JUST A QUICK RECAP WITH THE FIRST
[02:25:01]
TWO, THE FIRST DEL VALLEY STATION, UH, WAS AGB CERTIFIED AND THAT'S, UH, GOING TO BE THREE STAR AND THEN THE TRAVIS, UH, COUNTRY FIRE, IT WILL IS LEAD SILVER.AND SO SIMILARLY LEAD 4.0, CERTAINLY HAS ITS CHALLENGES IN RELATION TO WHERE YOUR SITE IS.
UH, SO IT'S INHERENTLY DIFFICULT TO SCORE IN THE LOCATION AND TRANSPORTATION SECTION.
UH, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE A LOT OF HEADWAY IN, UH, ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE.
UM, AND SO IN THE MODELING, UM, WE'RE SCORING REALLY THE BULK OF OUR POINTS THERE, UM, NOTEWORTHY THAT, UH, WE WERE IN THE, UH, PLANNING ON DOING A SOLAR ARRAY ON THE PROJECT, UH, TO GET THREE POINTS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE ENERGY OF THAT ATMOSPHERE, UH, CATEGORY.
UM, AND SO, UH, THE, UH, GOAL AND, AND THE SORT OF CURRENT SCORE CHART, UH, HAS US WORKING TOWARDS LEED SILVER, UM, OKAY.
THAT IS, UH, OUR PRESENTATION AND, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? YES, VICE-CHAIR RAWLINSON.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY ELEGANT DESIGN.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NICE TO LOOK AT NICE SPACES, UM, BOTH ARCHITECTURAL AND LANDSCAPE, UM, THE ROUTE, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THE SOLAR ON THE ROOF OR UNKNOWN YET? UM, WHETHER IT'D BE ROOF OR DOWN ON THE SITE? UM, PROBABLY WITH THE MINI TIGHT SITE, UH, PROBABLY FOR THE QUANTITY OF SILVER, WE MAY LOOK TOWARD TO DO IT, UH, PROBABLY BE THE ROOF AND THE ROOF ALSO LOOKS GREAT FOR RAINWATER CAPTURE.
UH, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE NOT TRIGGERED TO DO IT.
UH, THE, UH, UM, THE, UH, AMOUNT OF HVC TRIGGERING CONDENSATE COLLECTION.
UH, SO WE HAVEN'T HAD REAL IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, WATER COLLECTION.
GOT IT COULD BE A COOL STORY FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS.
CAN YOU GO TO THE VIEW FROM WESTLAKE DRIVE MY ONLY RESPONSE OR A RENDERING? OKAY.
UH, WHICH ONE YOU WANT AND YOU WANT TO GO? UH, I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS IF WE CAN SEE THE FRONT DOOR FROM WESTLAKE DRIVE COMING IN, KEEP GOING DOWN, GO ONE MORE, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING, GIVE YOU ON ONE MORE.
NOT REAL WELL, YOU KNOW, THE BAYS ARE THE FIRST HALF AND THE FRONT DOORS, YOU KNOW, TUCKED ALONG THE, THAT SORT OF OPAQUE, MORE BROWN COLORED METAL PANEL THAT WRAPS THE, UM, UH, STAIR UP AND DOWN.
AND THEN THE ENTRANCE IS TO THE RIGHT.
THERE'S A GOOD ONE MORE FORWARD.
THERE IT IS ON THE BOTTOM, RIGHT OF THAT RENDERING.
SO NOT EXTREMELY VISIBLE, I THINK FROM WESTLAKE DRIVE, CAN WE BRAND IT ON EITHER OF THOSE PANELS, THE SILVER ONE, OR THE WOODEN LOOKING ONE? BECAUSE I THINK SEEING THE FRONT DOOR ISN'T THAT ONE OF OUR GUIDELINES, I MIGHT BE CONFUSING TO BOARDS THAT I SIT ON.
I DON'T THINK THAT PART OF SUBJECT THREE APPLIES TO THIS SITE BASED ON ITS ROAD CLASSIFICATION.
JUST KNOWING WHERE THE ENTRY IS TO MAKE IT MAYBE YOU'RE CORRECT.
BUT I THINK MAYBE JUST A COMMENT MIGHT BE THAT, IS THERE A WAY TO SHOW UP VISITOR WHERE THE FRONT DOOR IS GOOD WAYFINDING AND BRANDING? GOOD.
PUT SOME SIGNAGE KIND OF LIKE ALMOST AS A FIN, UM, PROJECTING OUT TO THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THAT BROWN ELEMENT.
AND JUST ON THE TRAVIS COUNTRY FIRE, YOU HAD ONE COMMENT ABOUT, UH, KIND OF A SIDEWALK LOCATION THAT WE DID DO.
AND, UH, SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT, GREG.
I DO, UH, UM, WE COULD LOOK AT IT A LITTLE FIN WALL OR SOMETHING TO HELP FOCUS THAT ENTRANCE.
MINUS I JUST HAVE A BROAD QUESTION CAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A LOT OF THESE TONIGHT AND I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED AT, UH, SIMILAR PROJECTS IN THE PAST.
UM, HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE EQUITABILITY FROM ONE STATION TO ANOTHER AND ACROSS THE CITY? YOU KNOW, IS IT PRETTY, EVEN AS FAR AS FUNDING IS CONCERNED, IS THAT BASED ON LIKE, HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE IT? THE, THE PATTERN THAT I'M WORKING ON IS WITH JAYDEN DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACT CONTRACTOR AND IS GOING TO BE FIVE.
AND SO THE WORK, THE, THIS ONE BEING THE THIRD, I'D SAY THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE EMS HAS BEEN VERY COHESIVE AND CONSISTENT.
SO I THINK BETWEEN OUR THREE STATIONS, THEIR, UH, PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY SIMILAR AND THERE FOR,
[02:30:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, CARRYING THROUGH SOME OF THE LESSONS FROM THE FIRST ONE TO THE SECOND TO THE THIRD, I THINK WHY CAN'T ANSWER IS, UM, THE THREE THAT COME AND THE OTHER SORT OF BEING DONE BY ANOTHER TEAM, HOW MUCH, UM, COHESION THERE HAS BEEN FROM THE CITY MANAGEMENT AND THE FIRE EMS KIND OF TRYING TO MARRY THOSE TWO.BUT I THINK WE'VE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT IN OUR PACKAGE OF FIRE EMS STATIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THESE, UM, JUST ARCHITECTURAL AND LANDSCAPE FEATS WHEN IT COMES TO A CELEBRATION OF THIS PUBLIC SERVICE THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR, UM, EMS AND JUST, THEY'RE JUST A JOY.
I THINK THAT WITH THIS BEING THE THIRD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FOURTH AND THE FIFTH, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'VE GOT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FIRE EMS HAD BEEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE ACROSS THE BOARD, I'VE HAD A PRETTY MODERN AESTHETIC SLASH NOT MAYBE BRINGING MORE TRADITIONAL, UH, ARCHITECTURAL PREFERENCES.
UM, AND YEAH, IT'S BEEN PRETTY EXCITING FOR SURE.
I DON'T WANT TO CUT OFF ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, BUT, UH, NO KNOWING THE PROJECT LOOKS REALLY GOOD AND SEEMS FAVORABLY RECEIVED AND WE GOT MORE, I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, WE SUPPORT THE PROJECT, UH, AS IT APPLIES TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, MOSTLY CURIOSITY, I GUESS ONE IS THERE'S ONLY ONE NON ADA PARKING SPACE FOR VISITORS HAS HISTORY SHOWN THAT THAT'S SUFFICIENT ALL OF THE, THE STATIONS ALL THUS FAR.
I'VE HAD, UM, SOME OF THAT SMALL GROUP OF VISITOR PARKING.
AND I THINK THE REALITY IS THEY VERY, VERY RARELY GET ANY PUBLIC VISITORS TO THE STATION.
UH, AND SO I HAVEN'T THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE FIRST TWO BEING COMPLETE, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY COMMENT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAMMATIC IDEA THAT THERE WOULD BE JUST THAT LIMITED VISITOR PARKING.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE STREET, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH ALL ALONG WEST LAKE DRIVE WHERE IT'S DEVELOPED THERE'S TREES ALL ALONG THE SIDEWALK, BUT YOU'RE NOT SHOWING ANY TREES ON THIS PROJECT.
I GO BACK A FEW NOW GO FORWARD, UH, JUST TO THE LANDSCAPE SIDE.
UM, REALLY THE, OUR SITE IS SO NARROW WITH WHAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.
IT DOES GET GOBBLED UP BY THE STAFF DRIVE, VISITOR DRIVE, AND THEN THE APPARATUS BASE, YOU KNOW, FOR, UH, VEHICLE WIDE CURB CUT.
SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY FURNITURE REALLY, YOU KNOW, PUT, PUT NEW TREES.
AND SO ALL OF OUR PLANTINGS ARE INTERNAL TO THE SITE.
I FORGOT ABOUT THIS, BUT MOST OF THE FIRE STATION PROJECTS WE'VE SEEN, THEY'VE HAD AN OUTDOOR ACTIVITY AREA FOR THE FOLKS THERE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL HAD DESCRIBED EARLIER? HE HAD REAL QUICK, THE, YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE GREEN SPOT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT SITE PLAN AND RIGHT ABOVE THAT POINTER IS THE GYM AND IT HAS A OVERHEAD DOOR AND PEDESTRIAN DOOR TO GO FLOW IN AND OUT FROM THE GYM TO THAT KIND OF WIDENED SPACE BETWEEN THE, UH, RETAINING WALL THAT HOLDS BACK THE EARTH AND CREATES THAT, UH, SORT OF, UH, EMPLOYEE AREA THAT CAN FLOW OUT FROM THE WORKOUT SPACE.
IT'S A VERY HANDSOME BUILDING BY THE WAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER WATLEY MADE A MOTION AND SORRY, WHO SECONDED THAT MR. ROLLISON? WAS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? OKAY.
WE WILL PUT IT TO A VOTE, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[1.c. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether City of Austin Central EMS Fire EMS Station, located at 401 E. 5th Street, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin; Rob Robbins West East Design Group.]
GO TO ITEM ONE C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER CITY OF AUSTIN EMS FIRE STATION LOCATED AT 4 0 1 EAST FIFTH STREET COMPLIES WITH CITY DESIGN, A SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS CHAIR, BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM THE NEXT THREE PRESENTATIONS.AND AFTER HOW DIFFICULT YOU WERE ON THE LAST ONE, UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
[02:35:01]
THE STUDIO DIRECTOR AT WEST EAST DESIGN GROUP AND SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.I'LL BE PRESENTING THE NEXT THREE FIRE STATIONS.
AND, UH, WE ARE IN A JOINT VENTURE WITH FLINT CO WHO IS OUR GENERAL CONTRACTOR PARTNER.
AND WE WERE WORKING WITH MICHELLE NORIEGA WITH THE CITY ON THESE PROJECTS.
WE ARE NOT TRAVELING BACK IN TIME.
THAT IS, UH, WE USE THE SAME SLIDES THAT WE WERE READY TO PRESENT LAST MONTH.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.
THIS GOES BACK TO ACTUALLY OUR FIRST PRESENTATION TONIGHT, WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT THE PASEO, HAVING A CONNECTION TO THE BRUSH SQUARE PROJECT.
AND THIS PROJECT IS ON A BLOCK THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY, WHICH IS PART OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, DIVISIONS, UH, WORK THAT IS GOING ON FOR THE BRUSH SQUARE PROJECT.
IT ALSO HOUSES THE HENRY MUSEUM AND THE BUILDING THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, INTACT, STREAMLINED MODERN BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
SO IT IS A, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, DEAL WITH THIS BUILDING AND TOUCH IT AND ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE TO IT.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW, UH, THIS WAS PART OF THE PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS A CHRYSLER IN BROOKS BUILDING FROM 1938.
IT WAS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 2000, IT WAS ADDED TO BY NOTED ARCHITECT, EUGENE WU CACHE IN 1962, WITH THE ANNEX THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THE LEFT.
UNFORTUNATELY THE 1980S WERE NOT GOOD TO MANY OF US, INCLUDING THIS BUILDING, WHICH GOT ALL OF ITS HISTORIC WINDOWS REMOVED.
THERE ARE A FEW HISTORIC WINDOWS THAT ARE STILL INTACT IN THE BUILDING, AND WE WILL BE KEEPING THOSE.
THIS IS A STREAMLINED MODERN STYLE.
THE SIMPLICITY OF ORNAMENTATION IS ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF THAT STYLE USE OF BUILDING MATERIALS AS DECORATION, SUBTLE PATTERNING, BRICK, COURSING, SYMBOLIC TOWERS, AND NICKEL FINISHED LIGHTS.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE DESIGN.
IT WAS A, IT WAS RADICAL FOR 1938 AND IT WAS THE IDEA THAT A BUILDING WOULD ADDRESS A CORNER RATHER THAN ONTO THE STREET.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE PROMINENCE, NOT ONLY OF THE CURVED PORTICO TOWARDS THE CORNER, BUT ALSO HOW THE ASYMMETRICAL MASSING BECOMES SYMMETRICAL IN THAT PARTICULAR VIEW, GIVING A PEDESTRIAN AN EXPERIENCE THAT CHANGES AS YOU MOVE AROUND THE BUILDING, YOU CAN SEE THAT EVERYTHING IS VERY MUCH LAYERED AND THE MASSING PLAYS THE ASYMMETRY OFF OF THE CEMETERY.
PART OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IS PRESERVING THE BUILDING THAT IS THERE, BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN JUST PRESERVING THE BRICKS.
WE THINK THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT IT BE PRESERVED IN ITS ORIGINAL INTENDED USE AS A FIRE STATION.
THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING WITH THE WINDOWS, GOING FROM THE ORIGINAL TO THE CURRENT TWO ENERGY EFFICIENT VERSIONS OF THE STEEL ORIGINALS.
THIS SHOWS SOME OF THE BRICK REPOINTING AND CLEANING, AND ALSO SOME OF THE SOFFIT REPAIR THAT WILL BE GOING ON ALONG WITH THE REFURBISHING OF THOSE LIGHTS.
SO WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ON THE EXTREMELY SMALL AMOUNT OF DEMOLITION THAT IS INVOLVED IN THIS, AND WE'LL BE GIVING OVER THE EXTENT OF THAT.
AND ALSO THE ADDITION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, WE DID GET A FAVORABLE, UH, RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM.
WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE DOCUMENTATION PROCESS.
AND ONCE THAT DOCUMENTATION IS FILED, UH, WITH AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, WE ARE THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS WITH THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
SO THE MAJOR PART OF THE PROGRAM IS TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS OF THE MODERN FIRE STATION, INCLUDING VEHICLE SIZES, AND ALSO TO DEAL WITH THE SLEEPING QUARTERS.
AND THE FACT THAT THE MODERN FIRE DEPARTMENT IS A VERY GENDER DIVERSE ENTITY, AS OPPOSED TO IN 1938, WHEN IT WAS ALL MALE.
UH, ONE OF THE POINTS THAT WAS MADE IN THE LAST FIRE STATION IS CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVING US IN EMERGENCY SERVICES.
AND CURRENTLY OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN STATION ONE, UH, SLEEP IN A DORMITORY THAT IS NOT AS NICE AS THE HOMELESS SHELTER A BLOCK AWAY.
SO THIS STATION IS IN DIRE NEED
[02:40:01]
OF BEING UPGRADED.PART OF THE PROGRAM IS TO MEET NOT ONLY, UH, ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS, BUT TO ENSURE THAT THE POSITION ON THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER IS PRESERVED.
THE PLAN CHANGES, UH, YOU CAN SEE GRAPHICALLY HERE, THE GREEN IS WHAT'S CHANGED AND THE BLUE IS WHAT'S ADDED, AND WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO CHANGE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND TO ADD AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT A ROOF TERRACE IS BEING ENCLOSED ALONG WITH THE STAIR AND ELEVATOR TOWER THAT IS GIVING US OUR ADA COMPLIANCE, UM, TO ACTUALLY ADD TO THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE SPACE, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 4.6%.
THESE ARE THE HISTORIC FACADES THAT ARE THE MAIN CONCERN, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE BUILDING.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN CHANGES THAT ARE MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLES.
AND THEN THE BLUE BEING THE ADDITION, SAME THING ON THE TRINITY STREET SIDE, A SMALL DEMOLITION FOR THE LARGER, UH, VEHICLES.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IN THE BLUE, THE MASSING OF THE ADDITION.
SO THE ADDITION WAS PUT ON THE BACK SO THAT THE MAJOR FACADES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING COULD BE PRESERVED MOSTLY INTACT.
AND THE BACK OF THE BUILDING WAS PRETTY MUCH A THROWAWAY THAT WAS ESPECIALLY TRUE, UNFORTUNATELY, OF THE ANNEX WHERE IT IS LITERALLY JUST A BRICK BOX.
AND SO THE IDEA WAS TO MINIMIZE THE INTERVENTION, BUT TO USE THAT INTERVENTION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS FACADE SOMETHING NEW AND CELEBRATED AND NOT A THROW AWAY AT ALL.
SO PART OF IT WAS KEEPING IT SMALL.
THE OTHER PART WAS TO KEEP IT SEPARATE.
THERE'S A VERY CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT IS NEW AND WHAT IS OLD.
THERE IS A VERY CLEAR DELINEATION BETWEEN THE MASSING OF THOSE AND WHAT IS SYMPATHETIC.
AND THIS IS NOT THAT IT LOOKS THE SAME, BUT THAT THE MASSING AND THE COMPOSITION PULLS THE ANNEX AND THE ORIGINAL BUILDING TOGETHER ON THIS FACADE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WAS KEEPING IT DEFERENTIAL TO WHAT MADE THE ORIGINAL BUILDING SO SPECIAL.
SO THERE IS A NEW ENTRY TO THE BUILDING, WHICH IS MAINLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES COMING OFF OF THE PARKING LOT AND ALSO THE ADA ACCESS.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THE ENTRY IS LOWER, IT'S DARKER, IT'S RECESSED.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SIGNAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS EXTREMELY DIMINUTIVE.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT THIS DOES ACT AS A FUNCTIONAL ENTRY, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY DEFERENTIAL AND NOT TAKING AWAY FROM THE CORNER PORTICO ENTRY THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE CHRYSLER IN BROOKS BUILDING.
SO PART OF THIS IS BRIDGING THE MASSING BETWEEN THE TWO, AND THAT'S WHY THE FORMS WERE SEPARATED BETWEEN THE SMALLER DARKER FORM AND THE LARGER WHITE BOX.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO IS AS YOU WERE APPROACHING THE BUILDING TO HAVE IT, SEE THE MODERN AND SEE A LENS THROUGH THE MODERN TO THE CENTURY BEFORE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE INCREASED THE TRANSPARENCY SO THAT AS YOU APPROACH THE NEW, THE OLD WAS ALWAYS THERE AND VISIBLE THROUGH.
AND IT WAS SEEING AS A LENS TO THE PAST.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE BUILDING WAS THAT IT WAS COMMITTED TO AUSTIN BEING A PROGRESSIVE AND MODERN CITY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ART IS INTEGRATED IN WITH THE DESIGN AND CONTINUES THAT TRADITION OF BEING A MODERN AND PROGRESSIVE SPACE FOR DOWNTOWN, JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A FAKE JOEL SHAPIRO.
THAT PIECE OF ART WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE IT WAS EASY TO RENDER AND REVVIT, THAT IS NOT THE ART THAT IS GOING TO GO THERE.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD A MEET AND GREET WITH THE ARTIST WHO'S BEEN CHOSEN BY ART IN PUBLIC PLACES.
HER WORK IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.
WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH HER AND SEEING HOW WE CAN MAKE HER WORK AND THIS BUILDING REALLY SING FOR THE CITY.
AND THAT'S THE PRESENTATION ON THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION.
[02:45:02]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.DO YOU, I NOTICED THERE ISN'T A SITE PLAN OF THE BUILDING AND THE PERIMETER, BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING THAT WHEN YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, THAT IS WHAT'S FACING BRUSH SQUARE.
UM, ACTUALLY, IF WE CAN GO TO THIS, THE FIRST SLOT GO UP.
SO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING IS, UM, TO THE PARKING LOT.
SO THIS IS THE CORNER WITH THE HIGH IMPORTANCE FOR HISTORIC LOW RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS THE ANNEX HERE, AND THIS IS LITERALLY THE BACK OF THE THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE CALLED AND THE GRASS AND THE PARKING LOT ON THE FRONT IS THE BRUSH SQUARE PROJECT.
SO THEY ARE TRYING TO CLEAN UP THAT FACADE A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE IT WORK TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER PROJECTS.
THERE'S EVEN SOME INTEGRATION.
IT'S VERY SLIGHT WITH THE HENRY, UH, MUSEUM HERE, BUT THE IDEA IS FOR THIS TO BE A COHESIVE, UH, OASIS OF THE CONTINUOUS, THE PARK, UH, PROGRAM THAT'S GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN THIS WORK TOGETHER.
SO IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO SEE THE PROPOSED BUILDING FOOTPRINT WITH THE PROPOSED BRUSHED SQUARE DESIGN, WHICH WE'VE SEEN EARLIER.
UM, AT THAT TIME WE HAD HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FIRE STATION PARKING LOT ITSELF.
SO IT WOULD JUST BE VERY HELPFUL FOR ME TO KNOW HOW ALL OF THESE ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER.
DO YOU MIND USING THE SPEAKER SO WE CAN.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE EXTREMELY CLEAR.
THE PARKING LOT IS ACTUALLY NOT A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, THE PARKING LOT IS ACTUALLY A PART OF THE BRUSH SQUARE PROJECT.
SO, UM, THAT IS, UH, A WEIRD SORT OF LEFT-HAND RIGHT-HAND ISSUE BETWEEN THE CITY, BUT WE ARE NOT, OUR PROJECT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PARKING LOT, WHICH IS, EH, I, I, I SEE YOUR EXPRESSION AND IT'S TOTALLY UNDER THE, OF SQUARE THAT THE PARKING LOT, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS NOT IN THEIR SCOPE, BUT MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MULTIPLE PHASES.
SO THEN EVENTUALLY IT WILL BE OKAY.
BUT, BUT YOUR POINT THAT FACADE IS GOING TO OPEN OUT ONTO THE PARKING LOT.
IT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL TO SEE ALL, NOT THIS ONE, BUT THE, BUT THE ONE WITH THE NEW ADDITION DOES OPEN TO THE PARKING LOT.
IT'S YOUR MIND? UM, YEAH, KIND OF ON THAT SAME, UH, LINE OF THOUGHT, UH, IS THERE A FENCE, A PERIMETER FENCE THAT'S PART, IS THAT THE PARK'S FENCE OR IS IT, UH, THE FIRE STATIONS FENCE? BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH BRUSHY CREEK BRUSHY PARK IN THE BRUSH SQUARE PROJECT.
THE PARKING LOT THAT THEY ARE BUILDING IS AN ENCLOSED PARKING LOT WITH AN OPERABLE GATE.
I LOVE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO USE IT FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.
I THINK HAVING THAT PROXIMITY TO THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH ALL THE EVENTS GOING ON THERE WITH SIXTH STREET, IT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I LOVE TO, I WAS KIND OF LOOKING AT THIS ROOFTOP, UH, WHERE LET'S SEE HERE.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE JUST, IS IT LIKE A LOUNGE AREA? IT IS.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ASKED, UH, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER TANIGUCHI ASKED IN THE LAST PROJECT WAS ABOUT OUTDOOR SPACE AND THAT IS A PREMIUM FOR THE, UH, FOR BOTH EMS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVE, THE LAST PROJECT HAD SITE CONSTRAINTS.
WE HAD A BUILDING CONSTRAINTS.
THIS IS IN MY CAREER, THE GREATEST EXAMPLE OF PUTTING 11 POUNDS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT INTO A FIVE POUND BAG I'VE EVER HAD TO WORK ON.
UM, EVERY QUARTER OF AN INCH OF THE SQUARE FOOT OF THESE PLANS ACTUALLY MATTERS, UM, BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF PROGRAM THAT IT TAKES TO BRING
[02:50:01]
THIS FIRE, BUILDING UP TO THE CODE AND, AND THE STANDARDS OF THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY HIGH, UM, IT TOOK A LOT.SO WE DO NOT HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF OUTDOOR SPACE.
SO THAT ROOF TERRACE IS WHAT'S BEING USED FOR THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE GYM AND THE WAY THAT THE PREVIOUS PROJECT WAS, YOU'LL SEE HOW THAT EVOLVES IN THE NEXT PROJECT.
THE REASON I ASKED IT JUST SEEMED LIKE POTENTIALLY, AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONSTRAINTS ARE IF THE ROOF HAS BEEN REINFORCED OR WHAT NOT, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN CREATE SOME GREEN SPACE ON THE ROOF ADJACENT TO THE PATIO, WHICH I KNOW IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WAS A CONSIDERATION BEFORE IS HAVING SPACE.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAS GONE ON, ON THAT ROOF.
WE'VE HAD TO A REINFORCE IT BE, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE CORRECT SLOPE.
AND, UM, SO YEAH, TH THIS, THIS, UM, THIS HAS DEFINITELY BEEN PUTTING HUMPTY DUMPTY BACK TOGETHER, AGAIN, AS FAR AS THAT REEF DECK GOES.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, DUE TO THE WAY THE BUILDING IS, UM, HAS EXITING, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT YOU CAN DO ON THAT ROOF DECK FROM AN OCCUPIABLE SPACE PERSPECTIVE BEFORE YOU EXCEED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ALLOWED, UH, BY CODE.
AND SO, UM, THERE, THERE IS A VERY, VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT OF LANDSCAPING ON THIS PROJECT.
AND IT'S, UH, BASICALLY WHERE THAT FRONT PART IS.
UH, AND AS A COMMISSIONER COLE COLEMAN, UM, MENTIONED SHE HAD TO RECUSE HERSELF BECAUSE HER FIRM IS ACTUALLY DOING THAT.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
UM, THE LANDSCAPING THAT YOU SAW TONIGHT IS NOT HER WORK THAT IS LIKE THE JOEL SHAPIRO, WHAT WAS AVAILABLE IN REVVIT AND PUT IN VERY QUICKLY, VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING IS GOING THERE, BUT WE'RE NOT FINALIZING THE LANDSCAPING UNTIL THE CONTRACT WITH ART AND PUBLIC PLACES IS COMPLETED BECAUSE THE IDEA OF THAT BIG WHITE BACKDROP IS THAT IT CREATES THIS SORT OF CANVAS FOR ART TO HAPPEN.
AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT THE ARCHITECTURE, THE ART, THE LANDSCAPE AND THE LIGHTING WILL ALL WORK TOGETHER.
SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ONE OF THOSE THINGS, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE INTEGRATION OF DISCIPLINES AND, AND THE WAY IN WHICH THE PUBLIC IS ENGAGED THROUGH NOT ONLY DAY, BUT ALSO WITH LIGHTING THROUGH NIGHT.
AND THE FINAL COMMENT OR QUESTION, I GUESS I HAVE IS JUST WITH REGARD TO THE WINDOWS, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A FIRE PERSON, BUT I CAN IMAGINE THAT THEIR SCHEDULES ARE CRAZY AND THEY WANT TO ASLEEP AT SOME POINT.
UM, ARE THOSE WINDOWS INSULATED? IS IT GOING TO BE SOUNDPROOF? OKAY.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE READING THE FIREFIGHTERS MIND QUITE WELL.
THEY HATE WINDOWS, THEY WOULD JUST ASSUME BRICK THEM ALL UP.
UM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE DOING THAT, UM, SIMPLY, UH, BECAUSE, UM, I WOULD NOT LIKE FOR THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO HUNT ME DOWN.
UM, AND, BUT THERE WILL BE BLACKOUT SHADES.
UH, FOR THOSE, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS WE ARE HAVING TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN HISTORIC ACCURACY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE NOT 100% REPLICATING THE HISTORIC, UH, STEEL WINDOWS.
THEY COME FROM GERMANY, THERE ARE ABOUT $30,000 A POP.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE NOT SPENDING THE TAX MONEY.
WHAT WE ARE DOING THOUGH, IS WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL COLOR.
WE'RE GOING TO A MUCH THINNER PROFILE, AND WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE GRILL PATTERNS ARE ACTUALLY BASED ON THE HISTORIC IN OUR CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
OUR WINDOW SCHEDULE ACTUALLY HAS A HISTORIC PHOTO NEXT TO EACH OF THE WINDOWS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ASKED US TO DO FOR THEIR STAFF REVIEW.
AND WE HAVE ACCOMMODATED THAT, UH, AND THEY ARE INSULATED.
SO WE ARE MEETING THE ENERGY MODELING FOR LEAD SILVER ON THIS BUILDING AND WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS MEETING LEAD, SILVER IS QUITE THE HERCULEAN TASK.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD THE COMMENT THAT THE PROJECT'S VERY WELL DONE.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY SENSITIVE TO THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE, THE ART PIECE WHERE THE SCULPTURE COULD GO AND THE MASS SEEN ON THE REAR OF THE BUILDING.
CAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT AS YOU PRESENTED IT.
AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ART TO BE NOT REALLY AN AFTERTHOUGHT AND KIND OF CHECKING A BOX IS I THINK WE'VE SEEN SOMETIMES ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, BUT IT REALLY DOES SEEM VERY COMPELLING AND HOW IT'S PART OF NOT ONLY THE PR THIS PROJECT, BUT WILL RELATE TO, UH,
[02:55:01]
THE PARK SPACE.AND I THINK THE MASS SCENE OF THE BUILDING KIND OF CREATING THAT CANVAS AS A BACKDROP WILL REALLY HELP THAT ART PIECE POP.
SO I THINK IT, AND THE ARTIST IS PHENOMENAL.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HER WORK.
MY DEGREE WAS IN ARCHITECTURE, ART AND ART HISTORY.
AND SO I I'M AN ART COLLECTOR MYSELF.
AND SO THE ART COMPONENT OF THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE POINT OF PERSONAL PRIDE FOR ME.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE HOW IT ENHANCES THE RIGHT.
I WOULD AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER WALLY, THAT, THAT, THAT SELF ELEVATION AS IT EXISTS TODAY IS A COMPLETE MESS.
AND IT'S, IT'S AMAZING WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE WITH THIS RENDERING.
IT'S, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BUILDING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR, UH, WE VOTE? I ALSO THINK IT'S LOVELY.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDE.
AND I'LL SECOND THAT MAN, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.
AND I'LL SECOND THAT ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
WE'LL PUT IT TO A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
UH, AND THAT IS ALL, BUT ONE ABSTAINED AND ACCUSED.
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME TO MOVE ON
[1.d. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether City of Austin Fire Station 22 EMS 12, located at 5309 E. Riverside Drive, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin: Rob Robbins West East Design Group.]
TO THE NEXT ONE.AND AS I SAY, IN MONTY PYTHON AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
SO THE, SO OF THE THREE THAT I'M GOING TO BE SHARING TONIGHT, TWO OF THEM ARE HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
THIS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS A GROUND UP STRUCTURE.
AND TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE CONTEXT, THIS IS ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE AT THE INTERSECTION OF FARROW DRIVE, THERE IS AN EXISTING NON HISTORIC STATION, UH, THAT IS SLATED TO BE DEMOLISHED.
AND THIS IS BETWEEN THE TOKYO ELECTRON HEADQUARTERS AND THE COLORADO RIVER.
THE SITE HAS A CELL TOWER AT THE BACK AND A SIGNIFICANT GROVE OF TREES ALONG, UM, RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS ENTIRE DESIGN STATEMENT TO YOU, BUT I'M GOING TO TALK YOU THROUGH THE CONCEPT.
AND THAT IS, I GREW UP IN AUSTIN.
I SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE THERE.
I MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2011, BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE OLD TIME AUSTINITES WE REMEMBER WHEN TECH MEANT MCC AND MOTOROLA, NOT TESLA, BUT YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A KID GROWING UP HERE, YOU REALLY SAW THE TECH INDUSTRY AS BEING A POINT OF PRIDE.
BUT YOU ALSO SAW THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY HAD TO CLOSE DOWN BARTON SPRINGS, THE ENTIRE CITY HAD A MENTAL MELTDOWN.
AND SO YOU REALLY SAW THAT THIS IDEA OF NATURE WAS A POINT OF PRIDE, BUT ALSO THIS IDEA OF TECHNOLOGY BEING A MAJOR POINT OF PRIDE FOR THE CITY.
WHEN WE TALKED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR STATION, THIS STATION HAS AN IMMENSE ELEMENT OF PRIDE FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO WHEN WE STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THE DESIGN, IT WAS ABOUT WHAT ARE ELEMENTS OF PRIDE AND AUSTIN AND TECHNOLOGY AND NATURE CERTAINLY, UH, CAME TO MIND IN THAT.
AND WE FOUND THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION WAS PARTICULARLY SUITED TO THAT DUALITY BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION BETWEEN THE COLORADO RIVER AND THE TOKYO ELECTRON HEADQUARTERS.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE LAYERING OF THE IDEA WITH THE CITY BEING THE TECH HUB IN BARTON SPRINGS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEING TOKYO ELECTRON AND THE COLORADO RIVER, THE SITE BEING THE CELL TOWER AND THE GROVE OF TREES, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE BUILDING ITSELF WHERE THE CARS AND THE PARKING AND THE INDIVIDUAL AND STEEL BEING MORE OF THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE AND THEN MOVING OVER MORE TOWARDS THE WOOD AND THE COLLECTIVE AND THE LIVING AND THE HEALING SPACES, BEING MORE ON THE NORTH SIDE, WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY NATURE AND THE TREES.
SO THIS IS KIND OF THE DIAGRAM OF HOW WE'RE RELATING THE DESIGN TO THE POINTS OF PRIDE FOR AUSTIN.
THIS IS HOW IT MANIFESTED ITSELF IN THE SITE.
YOU CAN SEE THE SIGNIFICANT GROVE OF TREES THAT ARE ALONG, UH, EAST RIVERSIDE.
YOU CAN SEE THE CELL TOWER IN THE LOWER LEFT-HAND CORNER.
AND THEN THE IDEA OF GOING FROM MACHINE TO PURPOSE IN THE MIDDLE, LIVING AND RELAXING
[03:00:01]
AND HEALING, UH, UP IN THE LIVING QUARTERS.AND THEN EVEN BEYOND THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME LITTLE MEDITATION PATIOS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED LOOKING ONTO THAT GROVE OF TREES.
THIS IS THE SITE NOW NORTH IS TO THE RIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE THE PARKING LOT AND RETENTION PONDS AND ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN WE LEFT THE, UH, NORTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, MOSTLY UNTOUCHED BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE MOST OF THE TREES WERE.
AND WE FELT THAT THAT WAS AN ENORMOUS PART OF THE SITE THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO DISTURB.
THIS IS THE PLAN YOU CAN SEE ONCE AGAIN, MACHINES AND APPARATUS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE LEFT PURPOSE, IN THE MIDDLE RELAXATION, LIVING, HEALING, EATING, GATHERING ON THE RIGHT, IN ADDITION TO THAT, ALSO SLEEPING AND RECHARGING AND STUDYING ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
SO THIS SITE WAS NOT CONSTRAINED LIKE THE, UH, THE ONE AT DAVENPORT RANCH, AND THERE IS A PROMINENT CORNER AT RIVERSIDE AND PHARAOH.
THIS IS NOT A HUGE PEDESTRIAN AREA, BUT IT IS A HIGHLY TRAFFICKED STREET.
AND SO THIS CORNER IS GOING TO HAVE A VERY, UM, VISIBLE PRESENCE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THE CORNER WAS ADDRESSED VERY BOLDLY, NOT ONLY BY THE ARCHITECTURE, BUT ALSO BY THE SIGNAGE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THIS IS THE FRONT ON THE PHARAOH WITH THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE BAYS.
SO THAT THE ACTIVITY OF WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE IS TRANSPARENT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SERVED.
I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS, CAN YOU SEE THE FRONT DOOR? THIS IS ABOUT THE FRONT DOOR BEING RIGHT IN YOUR FACE WITH A BIG, HUGE SIGN OVER IT.
YOU'LL SEE LATER THAT SIGN IS NOT ONLY BIG.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT YOU SEE IN THIS GOES BACK TO THIS IDEA OF TRANSPARENCY IS THAT ENTRY TO THE PUBLIC GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BUILDING, TO THE ENTRY FOR THE, THE, UH, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS, UH, PEOPLE.
AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO IS WE WANTED TO CREATE A TRANSITION BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE COLLECTIVE BETWEEN THE TECHNOLOGY OF BEING IN YOUR CAR AND KIND OF BEING IN THIS GROVE OF TREES.
AND SO WE THOUGHT THAT THIS TRANSITION FROM THE PARKING LOT TO GETTING INTO THE BUILDING WAS, UH, SOMEWHAT OF A DECOMPRESSION AS THEY LEAVE AND SOMEWHAT OF A PREPARATION FOR THE DAY AS THEY ARRIVE.
AND IT ALSO CREATES A PUBLIC FRONT, WHICH IS ABOUT BEING EXPOSED AND THIS BEING MORE ABOUT A PRIVATE SITUATION THAT IS REALLY GEARED MOSTLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE HOW THESE AREAS OPEN UP TO THE FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE APPARATUS BAY AND THE, UH, GYM.
THIS CREATES A CONNECTION TO THE OUTSIDE.
THERE'S ONE THING THAT THIS IS VERY DECEPTIVE.
WE CUT DOWN ALL THE TREES FOR THE RENDERING, SO YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDING, BUT THIS IS AN ENORMOUSLY SHADED AREA.
AND I THINK THERE'S A SLIDE THAT SHOWS HOW THE TREES IN WESTERN SUN COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS A VERY DYNAMIC SPACE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUTDOOR LIVING.
SO THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THE WESTERN SUN AND THAT AMAZING AMOUNT OF TREES AND HOW THAT KIND OF OPENS UP AND CREATES THIS OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE WITH CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
THIS IS THE FRONT ONTO A RIVERSIDE, AND THIS IS A 24 HOUR FACILITY.
SO WE TOOK A GREAT CARE AND LOOKING AT HOW THE BUILDING WOULD APPEAR AT NIGHT.
AND THIS IS MEANT TO BE KIND OF A LANTERN AND A BEACON OF SAFETY AND SECURITY, UH, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WOULD OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS SO THAT, SO THAT TREE IS GOING TO REMAIN THAT EXISTING TREE THERE ON PHARAOH STREET.
YES, IT SEEMS TO UP HERE THAT IS ACTUALLY A MEMORIAL TREE.
AND THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS YES, FOR NOW.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR OVERLAY THAT, UH, MEANS THAT, UH, WHEN PHARAOH IS ACTUALLY EXPANDED,
[03:05:02]
THAT TREE WILL PROBABLY BE LOST.SO WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER TREE THAT I BELIEVE IS RE MEMORIALIZED TO THE FALLEN, UH, FIREFIGHTER SUCH THAT THAT MEMORIAL WILL MEET WILL REMAIN, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, 5, 7, 10, WHO KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS WHEN THEY EXPAND THE STREET, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT TREE IS WITHIN THAT PLANNED EXPANSION AND THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD NOT CHANGE THAT TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
SO IS ANY OF THE EXISTING BEING REUSED, THE EXISTING BUILDING? YEAH, NO.
UM, I COULD GO BACK AND SHOW YOU THE PICTURES, BUT, UM, UH, IT IS NOT IN GOOD SHAPE.
IT, UH, IT HAS HAD A LOT OF FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES WHICH HAS CAUSED CRACKING AND WATER INFILTRATION.
AND, UH, IT IS NOT, IT IS NOT A BUILDING THAT IS WORTH SAVING AND IT'S NOT A BUILDING THAT'S IN A CONDITION THAT QUITE FRANKLY COULD BE SAVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, WHAT'S YOUR MINUS? YEAH, JUST WITH THE IMPENDING, UH, TRANS OVERLAY.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL CAN DO TO KIND OF MITIGATE THAT WITH LOSING THAT TREE? WELL, I MEAN, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO MITIGATE IT ARE BASED ON THE LANDSCAPING THAT THAT'S BEING DONE.
AND ALSO THE FACT THAT WE'RE PRESERVING AS MANY OF THE TREES AS POSSIBLE, WHICH KIND OF SCREENS IT FROM, UM, RIVERSIDE, BUT BASED ON THE ANGLE AND THE APPROACH.
I MEAN, MOST OF THE PEOPLE GOING BY THIS ARE GOING TO BE GOING BY AT ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
THAT'S ALSO WHY I THINK THAT THERE'S A SORT OF DELICACY TO THE FORM OF THE PEDESTRIAN NATURE OF, OF CENTRAL THE CENTRAL STATION.
AND IT'S MEANT TO BE A 45 MILE AN HOUR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THING.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE, UH, VERY NICE SIDEWALKS.
THERE'S LOTS OF TREES AND THERE'S LOTS OF LANDSCAPING.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S NOT AS IF THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE IS IGNORED.
IT'S JUST, THIS IS NOT A HIGH PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY AREA, BUT WE'RE MAKING IT SUCH THAT IF IT WERE TO BECOME SUCH, I MEAN, IT'S CERTAINLY GEARED TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
BUT THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING WAS, WAS, WAS NOT APPROACHED AS LIKE A DOWNTOWN PEDESTRIAN AREA.
IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SCALE AND, AND SENSE OF DETAILING TO IT.
MAYBE I MISSED OUT, BUT, UH, THE RENDERING THAT SHOWS THE DOWNSPOUTS IN THE CISTERNS, WELL, WHAT ARE THOSE GREEN ELEMENTS, UH, BY THOSE DOWNSPOUTS, I'LL BE VERY BLUNT.
THOSE GREEN ELEMENTS ARE, UH, WHAT WE CALL AN ARCHITECTURE, UM, VALUE ENGINEERING.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE GONE, POOF.
WHAT WERE THEY, WHAT THEY WERE, WAS A, UH, KIND OF STEEL CAGE WITH VINES GROWING UP, UH, WITHIN THEM THAT WERE GOING TO BE INTERNALLY LIT.
THEY WOULD'VE BEEN QUITE COOL, BUT, UM, UH, THERE, AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE WINDOWS AND, UH, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY OF TAXPAYER MONEY, UH, THIS, UH, WE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHOICES AND WE THOUGHT THAT THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE OF THE WORKERS GOING FROM THE PARKING LOT INTO THE BUILDING AND HOW THAT TOOK THAT BACK FACADE, AND REALLY ACTIVATED THAT WITH THE, THE TREES, THE, UH, WHEN, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE VIII CHOPPING BLOCK THAT WAS DOING SOMETHING FOR PEOPLE AND THOSE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE STEEL BOXES, WHICH WERE KIND OF NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, UM, WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE.
AND SO WE CHOSE PEOPLE OVER ROB'S LITTLE FUFU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PHONE? I HAVE A COMMENT.
UM, IT'S REALLY APPRECIATE THE INDOOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY ACTIVATION THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE LIVING EXPERIENCE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS.
I SEE THAT BEING REALLY USED AND REALLY APPRECIATED, UH, THERE, UH, WE, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.
THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS VERY ACTIVE IN, IN THE DESIGN OF THESE I'M SURE.
ALSO WITH THE PGAL, UM, PROJECTS, IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE A CLIENT THAT GENUINELY PARTICIPATES IN THE PROCESS.
AND I'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT FIREFIGHTING THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WOULD KNOW IN MY LIFETIME.
SO IT'S BEEN, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
[03:10:03]
OKAY.I'M JUST GOING TO SAY ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I LOVE IT.
AND SO Y'ALL NAILED IT, LIKE, ABSOLUTELY.
LIKE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FRONT DOOR IS.
I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO GO INTO THAT BUILDING OF IF SOMETHING HAPPENED AND PHARAOH AND RIVERSIDE IS A PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL STATION, AND THIS IS, THIS IS VERY EXCITING.
WE'RE HAPPY TO BE BRINGING IT TO YOU.
SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS? I KNOW I CAN DO IT COMPLIES WITH OUR STUFF.
UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IS THERE A SECOND SHUT TANA, GUCCI.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? I THINK FOR I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS, JUST BASED ON YOUR AWARENESS OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS LOCATED AND, UH, THE TRANSIT, UH, PLAN.
DO YOU SEE ANY, ANYTHING THAT WE'RE MISSING AS FAR AS LIKE PREPARING FOR TRANSIT? NO, I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL BECAUSE TO ME IT IS PEDESTRIAN WELCOMING VERSUS WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT CURRENTLY IS.
AND IN TERMS OF FUNCTION, I APPRECIATE TRUCKS ARE GOING IN AND OUT, BUT IF I NEED TO RUN SCARED, I KNOW WHERE THE DOOR IS.
I'M RUNNING THERE AND THEN ILLUMINATED AT NIGHT, JUST THAT NICE GLOW.
IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE, UM, AN ASSET TO, AND AS RIVERSIDE, ESPECIALLY AS THE RIVERSIDE EXPANDS AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE BIKE LANES AND SO FORTH.
SO THIS IS YEAH, EXCRUCIATING MULTIPLE MEETINGS BETWEEN, UH, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, UH, CIVIL ENGINEERING AND THE CITY TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND SO, UH, EVERY CURB CUT EVERY, UH, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN, UH, DISCUSSED BEYOND ANY NORMAL AMOUNT OF EXPECTED DISCUSSION THAT THE, THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION PORTION OF THIS HAS BEEN, WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER, A LARGER CONSIDERATION THAN WE EVER DREAMED.
IT WOULD BE WHEN WE STARTED THE PROJECT.
BUT WE, WE MANAGED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY AND, AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WORKED.
WE HAVE A MOTION WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
[1.e. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether City of Austin Fire Station 3, located at 201 W. 30th Street, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin; Rob Robbins West East Design Group.]
ALL RIGHT.WELL, I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE A STATUTORY CUTOFF IN 32 MINUTES, SO I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN MAKE THIS VERY QUICKLY.
THIS IS A MUCH SMALLER STATION.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE EMS, AND THIS IS ONLY THE APPARATUS BAY.
NUMBER THREE, IT'S LOCATED AT 2 0 1 WEST 30TH STREET.
CURRENTLY ALL OF THE FIRE TRUCKS ARE BEING PARKED OUTSIDE OF THE APPARATUS BAY AND RECENT CHANGES TO THE FLOOD.
PLAIN HAVE CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE SITE TO BE CLASSIFIED.
AS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN, THIS WAS BUILT IN 1957.
ROY THOMAS IS A BIG DEAL IN AUSTIN.
HE DESIGNED THE STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HOTEL.
THE ENTIRETY OF HIS ARCHIVES ARE HOUSED AT BATTLE HALL AT THE ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
AND AT THIS TIME THERE ARE NO LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS AND IT IS ADJACENT TO, BUT NOT WITHIN THE ALDRICH PLACE, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SURVEY WHEN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED.
THIS BUILDING WAS IDENTIFIED IN THAT SURVEY, AND IT IS CLASSIFIED AS CONTRIBUTING FABRIC TO THE ADJACENT HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION AND THE REASONING WAS THAT THE BUILDING POSSESSES INTEGRITY AND SIGNIFICANCE AND POST-WAR INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION, WE DID ENGAGE WITH BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE ALDRIDGE PLACE, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE HAD THOSE MEETINGS THROUGH ZOOM AND WE FOLLOWED UP WITH THEIR QUESTIONS THROUGH EMAIL, AND WE DID RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE DID ENGAGE WITH THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE.
WE WENT THROUGH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND THEN WE WENT THROUGH THE FULL COMMISSION HEARING ON, IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, THE COMMISSION WAS IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION OF THE DAMAGED APPARATUS BAY AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DESIGN
[03:15:01]
AS PRESENTED WHEN YOU'RE TEARING DOWN HALF OF A ROY THOMAS BUILDING, AND YOU'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, IT IS A VERY NERVE WRACKING THING TO DO.AND ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS NEARLY MADE ME CRY.
HE SAID, PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS ARE TO BE CELEBRATED.
SO I CAN PUT ON MY RESUME THAT PEOPLE CELEBRATED ME TEARING DOWN HALF OF A ROY THOMAS BUILDING.
I CONSIDER THAT QUITE A PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.
SO HERE'S THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE.
THE BUILDING IS IN TWO PARTS, THE APPARATUS BAY AND THE LIVING QUARTERS BOTH HAVE, UH, SUFFERED GREATLY JUST DUE TO AGE AND WEAR OVER TIME.
BUT THE APPARATUS BAY HAS SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DEGRADATION DUE TO THE PARKING OF LARGER, HEAVIER APPARATUS, UH, EQUIPMENT OVER TIME.
AND SO THE LIVING QUARTERS ARE DAMAGED, BUT IN A REPAIRABLE STATE, THE APPARATUS BAY IS NOT IN A REPAIRABLE STATE.
SO OUR PLAN IS TO SHORE UP AND PRESERVE WHAT CAN BE PRESERVED.
AND THEN THE IDEA IS TO DEMOLISH AND REPLACE WHAT CANNOT BE KEPT.
THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, TIME AND EFFORT SPENT BY THE CITY TO ANALYZE THIS WITH MULTIPLE STRUCTURAL, UH, STUDIES, INCLUDING A FEASIBILITY STUDY, FINAL DESIGNATION FROM THE CITY, UH, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, AND ALSO A GEO-TECHNICAL REPORT.
WE WENT THROUGH EVERY SINGLE POSSIBILITY OF SAVING THIS, AND IT IS NOT CAPABLE OF BEING SAVED.
THE OTHER QUESTION THAT CAME UP IN, UH, THE HISTORIC, UH, UH, LANDMARK COMMISSION WAS, CAN YOU JUST PUT THE APPARATUS BASED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IN RED IS THE BUILDABLE AREA THAT'S LEFT OF THE SITE.
AND SO THE ANSWER IS THERE IS NO ROOM FOR AN APPARATUS BAY WITHOUT TEARING DOWN THE ONE THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WHAT WAS ON THE RIGHT AND RED IS BEING INCORPORATED TO INCLUDE THE NEW FUNCTIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE MODERN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE ALSO RECONFIGURING THE SITE TO MEET ADA AND ALSO TO HAVE SOME INCREASED SAFETY, THREE LIGHTING AND CONVENIENCE.
SO THE DESIGN IS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
OUR PART OF THE DESIGN IS JUST THE PART ON THE LEFT.
AND THE PART ON THE RIGHT IS THE EXISTING BUILDING.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE CARRIED THROUGH THE THEMES OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING WITH THE PROMINENCE OF THE ROOF LINE.
WE ALSO KEPT SOME OF THE MATERIALITY WITH THE BRICK, BUT WENT WITH A DIFFERENT BLEND SO THAT IT'S EXTREMELY CLEAR.
THE ONLY REAL REUSE WAS THE ACTUAL SIGNAGE IS TAKEN OFF OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING AND REUSED IN A NEW WAY FOR THE NEW STRUCTURE.
SO THIS HAS COMPATIBLE MASSING HAS PERIOD APPROPRIATE DETAILING.
AND AT THE REQUEST OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY WANTED A LITTLE BIT OF NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE TINY LITTLE TOUCHES OF BURNT ORANGE, UM, ON THE BUILDING TO KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE IT IS FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD PERSPECTIVE.
SO THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE THAT WE'VE GOT FASTER OPERATING DOORS TO IMPROVE RE UH, RESPONSE TIMES, UH, THERE'S ADDITIONAL SPACES THAT MAKE THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MORE PRODUCTIVE, SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER STRUCTURE, SO THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS INTO THE FUTURE, SLIGHTLY HIGHER APPARATUS BAY FOR THE NEW EQUIPMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE AREA REQUIRED FOR IT.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THE ADA AND LIGHTING FOR THE SITE.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU, UH, A CLEAR VIEW OF WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING, THIS IS THE BUILDING ON THE DAY THAT IT OPENED, THIS IS THE BUILDING TODAY, AND THIS IS THE PROPOSED BUILDING.
IF THIS LOOKS VERY, VERY ODD TO YOU, IT IS BECAUSE THIS IS A NINE BY 16 SLIDE THAT IS NOT SHOWING A NINE BY 16 SITUATION.
SO IF THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY TOOK IT FROM BOTH ENDS AND JUST WENT, THAT IS, UM, UH, UNFORTUNATE DISTORTION, BUT IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER THAN THAT.
SO THIS GIVES YOU THE KIND OF, I THINK THE BEST VIEW OF WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE ACTUAL BUILDING LOOKS LIKE.
SO THIS GIVES YOU KIND OF THE ORIGINAL AND THE PROPOSED.
UM, SO, UH, I SEE THIS REALLY BEAUTIFUL OLD STREETLIGHT.
I'M GUESSING THAT THAT WAS, UH, SPECIFIC TO THE ENTIRE AREA, NOT JUST THE FIRE STATION.
[03:20:01]
THERE.SO, UM, FOR THE LIGHTING THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, UM, I GUESS I'M NOT SURE IS THERE LIKE A RENDERING OF THAT, MAYBE I MISSED IT.
WE DO NOT HAVE A NIGHT RENDERING OF THIS, BUT THE LIGHTING IS I'LL GO BACK.
YOU SEE THESE SHADOWS, THOSE ARE LIGHTING.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A PARK BEHIND THERE, AND PEOPLE DO TEND TO CUT THROUGH THERE TO GET TO THAT PARK.
AND SO THIS GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHTING.
THERE'S ALSO THIS BACK PORCH HERE.
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, WE WERE VERY SUBTLE ABOUT IT, BUT THERE'S LIGHTING THAT LIGHTS UP THAT SIGN AND THAT, UM, UH, VARIEGATED BRICK PATTERN.
SO YOU GET THE SORT OF LIGHT AND SHADOW THAT'S HAPPENING AT NIGHT.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE, UH, LIGHTING WAS JUST KEPT IN TAT ACCORDING TO THE HISTORIC, UM, UH, PRECEDENT THAT ALSO THE, THE OTHER THING IS IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SEE HIM.
THIS, THE BACK WALL IS PAINTED BURNT ORANGE.
AND SO THE LIGHTS AND THE, UM, IN THE BAY WILL GENERALLY BE ON.
SO IT NIGHT THE, THE GLASS DOORS WILL KIND OF BE A LANTERN TO BV, I THINK IS A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT, UM, AT POWER IN YEARS PAST I POWER WALKS BY THE STATION A LOT, AND THE GUYS ARE ALWAYS WORKING OUT.
AND THE BAYS WITH THE DOORS OPEN, YOU HAVE HAD SUCH THOUGHTFUL PROGRAMMING ON THE KIND OF A WORKOUT SPACES ON THE OTHER PROJECTS.
DO YOU IMAGINE THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD BE, OR IS THERE LIKE AN ENGAGEMENT OF THE CREEK AREA? HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? UM, SO WE MAXED OUT WHAT WE COULD DO ON THE SITE.
THERE IS SOME CAPACITY TO, UM, TO WORK OUT ON THE BACK PORCH, BUT THAT IS EXTREMELY LIMITED, TO BE HONEST, THE WAY THAT THE APPARATUS BAY HAS BEEN DESIGNED, IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO, UM, COLLECTIVE CLASSES AND THINGS OF THAT SORT THEY'LL MOVE THE APPARATUS, UH, THE MOVE, THE TRUCKS OUT OF THE APPARATUS BAY.
AND THERE, UH, THERE IS A VIDEO AND A, UH, MONITOR, UH, FOR TRAINING AND FOR THINGS OF THAT SORT, AND THEN ALSO A BIG ASS FAN IN THAT AREA TO MAKE THAT MORE, UM, MORE ACCOMMODATING AS A GYM, BUT THIS IS NOT AN EMS STATION.
IT'S JUST A VERY SMALL FIRE STATION.
AND THE AMENITY LEVEL OF A SMALL FIRE STATION IS SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN WHAT YOU WERE SEEING AT, UM, THE THREE BAY ONE THAT JUST W WHICH WE JUST SAW, WHICH IS 22 OR EVEN THE FOUR BAY ONE, WHICH WE SAW EARLIER FROM THE PREVIOUS ARCHITECT WITH THE DAVENPORT RANCH ONE, AND IT'S A CONSTRAINT SITE, IT'S A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD STATION.
AND, UM, THE OTHER THING IS THEY DON'T SEEM TO MIND WORKING OUT IN THE APPARATUS BAY.
AND, UM, SO IF YOU WANT TO POWER WALK BY IF YOU'RE FOND OF, UM, WATCHING FIREFIGHTERS WORK OUT, UM, YOU'RE WELCOME.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT THE CITY IS PRESERVING THESE HISTORICAL GYMS, RIGHT? THIS IS ONE AND THE OTHER ONE YOU'RE WORKING ON DOWNTOWN.
I HAPPEN TO LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THIS ONE, AND I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO IT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOTTEN DILAPIDATED.
AND I THINK THIS IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT OVER WHAT'S THERE NOW.
THANK YOU, MR. MINERS, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? UM, SO I JUST, I WAS LOOKING AT THE BIKE IN ONE OF THESE RENDERINGS AND IT KINDA GOT ME THINKING WE DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT, UH, ALTERNATIVE USES OF TRANSIT.
I KNOW THAT THIS AREA LIKELY HAS MORE BICYCLE TRAFFIC, IS THAT A CONSIDERATION TO ADD BY FACILITIES PARKING AT LEAST? SO THERE IS A PARKING LOT THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT A PART OF THE PROJECT.
IT IS ACTUALLY ON A DIFFERENT PIECE OF PROPERTY ACROSS A ALLEY.
AND SO THERE, THERE IS A PARKING LOT.
SUPPOSEDLY MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BIKE TO WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BRING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT WITH THEM, WHICH IS NOT FEASIBLE FOR BIKE TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A LEED COMPLIANT BUILDING, BUT UNLIKE THE OTHER TWO STATIONS, THIS PROJECT DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE CITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LEAD, UM, REGISTRATION.
SO WE ARE DOING THE SCORECARD, BUT WE'RE NOT PAYING US GBC A LOT OF MONEY ON THIS STATION.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS CONSIDERED MORE OF A REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH IT IS, UH, AN ADDITION TO AN EXISTING BUILDING
[03:25:02]
BECAUSE WE ARE, WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING NO SCOPE IN THE, UH, LIVING QUARTERS WHATSOEVER.THE REASON THIS PROJECT WENT FORWARD IS BECAUSE, UM, TRUCKS THAT COST MORE THAN THE BUILDING ARE SITTING OUTSIDE AND THE WEATHER, AND THEY WANT TO PROTECT, THEY WANT TO PROTECT THOSE TRUCKS BECAUSE THEY'RE AN ENORMOUS INVESTMENT OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY DOESN'T WANT TO SEE THE TRUCKS OUTSIDE OF THE APPARATUS BAY.
AND CURRENTLY THEY ARE ALL SITTING OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
SO BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CITY WANT TO GET THOSE VERY EXPENSIVE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT INSIDE A GARAGE.
THERE'S A MENTION OF WHOSE FIRESTATION IS WHOSE, AND THIS IS MY FIRE STATION, SO, BUT NO, UH, YEAH, I'VE BEEN BY IT MANY TIMES.
I HAVEN'T POWER WALKED BY, BUT I'VE RIDDEN MY BIKE.
AND, UH, SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE BUILDING AND I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE PROBLEMS THAT THE BUILDING HAS, THIS IS A VERY THOUGHTFUL SOLUTION.
SO, UM, AND YEAH, I ECHO TO WHAT COMMISSIONER TANNER GUCCI SAID.
I THINK OVERALL ALL THESE FIRE STATION PROJECTS IN LAW, THE ONES THAT ARE ENDEAVORING TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE EXISTING BUILDINGS, UM, IS REALLY GOOD AND THE PROGRAM AND ALL THE ARCHITECTS OF TIME BY AND LARGE, VERY GOOD JOB.
BASED ON THE INTRODUCTION OR THE PREVIOUS ARCHITECTURE, Y'ALL HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN SIX FIRE STATIONS TONIGHT, AND IT'S AN EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE, UH, WE, WE DO FIRE STATIONS FOR OTHER CITIES WHERE THE VARIETY IS NOT AS PRONOUNCED AND AS ORIGINAL AND IS KEYED INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND CONTEXT AS THEY ARE IN AUSTIN.
AND IT'S A REAL HONOR TO WORK WITH A CITY THAT WANTS TO SEE UNIQUE ONE-OFF BUILDINGS THAT REALLY REPRESENT THE AREAS THAT THEY ARE SERVING ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
I'LL MOVE FOR APPROVAL SECOND.
EMOTION THAT COMPLIES WITH CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS, ANY DISCUSSION.
I PUT IT TO A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
ANANYMOUS FOR THE ONE RECUSED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WHAT IS THE RIVERSIDE ONE? OH, WE'LL SEE IF THAT HAPPENS, BUT JUST PRAY FOR SUPPLY CHAINS TO MOVE.
ITEM ONE F UH, WE ARE GOING TO POSTPONE TO DECEMBER AND THAT LEAVES US WITH ONE ITEM.
THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN HERE ALL NIGHT, AND SO I WANT TO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE VIEW THEM.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY GO AHEAD AND VOTE TO GO PAST 10.
WE'LL JUST DO THIS ONE ITEM AND THEN WE'LL CALL IT AFTER THAT.
I JUST RAN TO THE BATHROOM QUICK.
WELL, LET'S LET'S WE NEED TO VOTE, RIGHT.
SO DO YOU NEED A MOTION, A MOTION TO GO PAST 10 O'CLOCK I STILL MOVE.
IS THERE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
[1.g. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether the Zilker Metro Park - Barton Springs Bathhouse Rehabilitation located at 2100 Barton Springs Drive, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin; Ellen Colfax City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department; Laurie Limbacher Limebacher Godfrey Architects]
ONE G DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER THE ZILKER METRO PARK, UH, BARTON SPRINGS BETH HOUSE REHABILITATION LOCATED AT 2100 BARTON SPRINGS DRIVE COMPLIES WITH CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE TONIGHT.
HI, I'M ELLEN COLFAX FROM PARKS AND RECREATION PARK DEVELOPMENT.
AND I'M HERE WITH LAURIE LINNBAKER.
I HAD TO GET ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT AND RILEY TRIGS WHO'S AT THE FRONT THERE HE'S PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR AT P PUBLIC WORKS, AND HE'LL BE PRESENTING THE PROJECT AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR STAYING LATE AND LETTING US PRESENT REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
UH, SO THIS IS THE BARTON SPRINGS BATH HOUSE, UH, REHABILITATION
[03:30:01]
PROJECT.UM, THE, UH, THE BATH HOUSE IS A MUCH BELOVED, UH, STRUCTURE AND THE SPRINGS ARE A MUCH BELOVED, UH, AMENITY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, UH, WE'RE WORKING OFF OF, UH, SOME BOND MONEY, UH, THAT CAME THROUGH 2016 IN ORDER, OR YOU'RE NOT HEARING ME.
I JUST NEED TO GET CLOSER TO IT.
IS THAT OKAY? I WILL LEAN OVER.
AND THEN, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THE ORIGINAL BATH HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1947.
UH, ANOTHER, UH, KIND OF LATE EXAMPLE OF THE MODERN STYLE.
UM, IT DOES CARRY CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL HISTORIC, UH, HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS.
UH, AND AS PART OF THAT, WE ARE DEALING WITH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION AND ALSO THE LOCAL LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UM, CURRENTLY IT HAS BATHHOUSE AQUATIC OFFICES AND A, UH, INTERPRETIVE SPLASH EXHIBIT THAT IS PART OF A TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT GRANT, UH, REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO, UH, BE ABLE TO USE THE SPRINGS FOR A RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
SO, UH, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE USING A 2012 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TO FUND THIS AS LONG AS WELL AS WITH SOME HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDS.
UH, BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY HAS DONATED QUITE A BIT OF MONEY FOR THIS, AS WELL AS THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT GRANT.
NEXT SLIDE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ROUNDS, UH, ON NOT ONLY THE, THE BATHHOUSE, BUT THE EXHIBIT AS WELL.
THAT'S BEING REDONE IN THE ROTUNDA AREA.
UM, WE HAVE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY, UM, ET CETERA, ET CETERA FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO OUR SCOPE IS, UH, GENERALLY AND MOSTLY ABOUT, UH, THE BUILDING.
UH, WE ARE RENOVATING, UH, BOTH SIDES OF, UH, THE, THE SHOWER ROOMS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BUILDING, UH, OPENING UP THE, THE ROTUNDA TO, UH, MORE TRAFFIC FOR, UH, ENTERING THE POOL, UH, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF LITTLE, UH, ADDITIONS TO, UH, EITHER SIDE TO, UH, TO MAKE THE TRAFFIC FLOW FOR PEDESTRIANS IN AND OUT OF THE POOL, BETTER THERE, BUT AS PART OF THAT, UH, WE ARE HAVING TO TOUCH THE SITES, UM, UM, BECAUSE OF, UH, EXTENSIVE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON THE, THE WASTEWATER LINES AND ALSO THE, UH, PUTTING IN A NEW FIRE HYDRANT LOOP.
UH, WE ARE HAVING TO, UM, GO INTO THE PARKING LOT HERE.
SO WE'LL BE, UH, REPAIRING THAT, UH, AFTER DOING WORK THERE, UH, AND ALSO RE STRIPING, UH, TO THIS PARALLEL, UM, CONFIGURATION VERSUS THE SLANT IN TO GET SOME MORE SPACES IN THERE WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
UH, WE ALSO, UH, HAVE TRIGGERED SOME WATER QUALITY, UH, UP HERE THAT, UH, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A DETENTION POND.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE, UH, SWALES, UH, FOR, UM, UH, COMING OFF OF THE, THE PARKING LOT UP TOP.
AND THEN ALSO DOWN BELOW, UH, WE'RE HAVING TO ADD A FIRE LANE TO BRING UP, UM, THINGS TO CODE IN THAT WAY.
SO ON THE INTERIOR, UM, STARTING WITH THE ROTUNDA, WE ARE BRINGING BACK THE HISTORICAL CONFIGURATION OF THAT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, ENTRANCE TO THE POOL THROUGH THERE.
UH, RIGHT NOW THE, THE ENTRANCE IS, IS MAINLY OVER ON THIS SIDE, UH, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES, UM, SOME 1980S RENOVATIONS, YOU KNOW, NOTHING GOOD HAPPENED IN THE 1980S ARCHITECTURALLY WISE.
UH, SOME ADA RAMPS WERE PUT IN HERE AND CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE SPECTATOR GALLERY.
SO AS PART OF THIS, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE TAKING THIS, THIS PART BACK TO THE ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION, UH, OF THE BUILDING, UH, ON EITHER SIDE, WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, THE PLUMBING QUITE EXTENSIVELY IN THE SHOWER AREAS, AND ALSO ON THE MEN'S SIDE, UH, THERE'S, UH, QUITE A BIT OF STRUCTURAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS WELL AS THE ADDITION OF SOME OTHER AMENITIES, AGAIN, TO BRING THINGS UP TO CODE THE, UH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME INTERIOR STRUCTURAL ISSUES HAPPENING HERE IN THE SPLASH, UH, EXHIBIT AREA.
SO, UM, SO THIS, AGAIN, THIS EXHIBIT IS GOING TO BE REDUNDANT THE SAME TIME.
THERE'S SOME MECHANICAL, UM, CHANGES GOING ON, UM, AND SOME RECONFIGURATION OF THE INTERIOR SPACES.
SO STARTING WITH THE SHOWER, UM, AREAS, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN THERE,
[03:35:01]
I HOPE YOU HAVE BEEN, UM, THE EXTRA LAYER SHOWERS ARE AN AMAZING AMENITY.UH, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE HISTORIC, UH, CONFIGURATION AND SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST DON'T SEE, UM, AT ALL.
UM, BUT PART OF THIS, UM, IS REDOING A LOT OF THE PLUMBING IN HERE.
THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THE WATER AND WASTEWATER, UM, LINES, UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, FIXTURES AND, AND, UH, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, HAVING TO DO WITH THE PLUMBING, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
BUT THIS IS REALLY THE, THE MAJOR ISSUE IS THAT THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS WITH, UH, NOT ONLY THE TILE WORK, BUT, UM, AS YOU'LL SEE IN A SECOND, SOME OF THE, UH, THE CONCRETE SHADING DEVICES, SO A LOT'S GOING TO BE GOING ON IN HERE STRUCTURALLY NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, JUST AN INDICATION OF KIND OF THE, THE DETERIORATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, THESE ARE THE, THE CONCRETE SHADE STRUCTURES, UH, SOME REBARS BEING EXPOSED THERE, UM, ISSUES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE COLUMNS, UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE OVERHEAD AWNING SPACES.
UH, SO A LOT OF THE, UM, THE WORK IN THIS AREA IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY JUST TRYING TO RESTORE AND REPAIR THINGS THAT, UM, HAVE JUST GOTTEN OLD OVER THE YEARS.
UH, THIS IS THE, THE WOMEN'S SIDE.
UM, APPARENTLY THERE, UH, THIS, THIS AREA IS BEING USED FOR TICKET TAKING AND MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE ENTER, UM, THE POOL AREA TO BUY TICKETS AND TO ENTER, UH, THE POOL ITSELF.
THIS IS BEING TAKEN BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION TAKING OUT, UM, THE ADA THAT'S KIND OF ELEVATED WALKWAY THERE.
UM, AND, UH, AS PART OF THAT, THERE'S A RECONFIGURATION OF THE SHOWERS BEHIND THAT.
UH, THERE ARE SOME, SOME LITTLE MECHANICAL ROOMS BACK HERE, UH, THAT ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED WITH, UH, MORE USABLE SEATING AREAS.
YOU CAN SEE DOWN HERE, UH, WORK DONE TO, UH, THE, UH, RESTROOMS, UM, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE PLUMBING IS GOING TO BE TOUCHED IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, UH, NEW MAIN SERVICE LINES, UH, BEING REPLACED ON THIS SIDE AND IN THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UH, MOVING OVER INTO, UM, KIND OF THE CENTRAL AREA OF THE BUILDING.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE ADDING SOME, UH, FAMILY RESTROOMS, UH, BOTH HERE AND ON THE MEN'S SIDE TO BRING THINGS UP TO PLUMBING CODE AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FIXTURES AND, UH, ENOUGH OF THOSE SORTS OF FAMILY, UH, FAMILY ROOM, UH, RESTROOMS, UH, IN HERE, WE ARE REDOING THE, THE LIFEGUARD AREA, UH, HAVING PROPER CHANGING ROOM AND SHOWERS AND RESTROOM IN THERE, UH, ADDING A NEW SUPPORT AREA FOR MECHANICAL AND STORAGE USES.
UH, AND THEN THE ROTUNDA IS, UH, BEING, UM, PULLED BACK TO ITS HISTORIC CONFIGURATION, UH, ALLOWING FOR THIS TO BE THE MAIN ENTRY AGAIN, AND MOVING OUT INTO THE POOL, UH, THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROTUNDA, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, YOU KNOW, ENTRYWAY IS GOING TO BE ON THE RIGHT OOPS ENTRY, RIGHT? ENTRYWAY IS GOING TO BE, UH, OVER HERE THROUGH DOUBLE DOORS, UH, ENTERING INTO THE ROTUNDA SPACE.
AND WE'RE ALSO DOING SOME ADA WORKOUT HERE TO MAKE THIS MORE ACCESSIBLE.
SO THAT CAN BE THE MAIN ENTRANCE FOR THE POOL.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, OVER ON THE MEN'S AREA, UH, MOST OF THE WORK IS HAPPENING ON, ON THE WEST SIDE.
UM, ADDING A COUPLE OF FAMILY RESTROOMS OVER HERE, UM, AS WELL AS SOME STORAGE FOR, UM, PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE SOME, UM, SOME SHORING UP OF THE STRUCTURE, UH, TO RESIST FLOODING THAT HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME IN THIS AREA.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S A CODE ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THERE AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE ADDING A LITTLE ENTRANCE EXIT, UH, PAVILION ON THE WEST SIDE.
UM, THIS IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BUYING TICKETS FROM A LITTLE TICKET KIOSK, UH, KIND OF LIKE YOU GET A PARKING TICKET, YOU JUST GET A LITTLE TICKET TO COME IN, UH, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ENTER THAT WAY TO HELP WITH THE CIRCULATION AND DIVIDE UP SOME OF THE FOOT TRAFFIC THAT COMES THROUGH THERE.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, OVER AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE, UH, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS WHERE THE, THE TICKET WINDOW WAS.
UH, WE'RE TAKING THAT BACK TO THE HISTORICAL CONFIGURATION, UM, AND, UH, REDOING THIS AREA A LITTLE BIT TO, UH, TO CLEAN IT UP AND TO STILL PROVIDE EXIT OUT TO THIS SIDE.
[03:40:01]
THIS IS THE, THE, THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WERE MADE THE ADA, UH, LIFTING UP TO THE, THE, THE HEIGHT OF THE WINDOW, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, SPILLING OUT INTO THE, UH, SPECTATOR'S GALLERY FOR A RAMP DOWN TO THE POOL.ALL OF THIS IS COMING OUT AND WE'RE RESTORING IT TO THE ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION, UH, NEXT SLIDE.
SO MAINLY IT IS, YOU KNOW, INTERIOR RENOVATION, UH, LEAD WISE, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, INTERIOR COMMERCIAL, UH, LEAD SILVER, IF POSSIBLE.
WE'RE KIND OF GETTING CLOSE TO THAT.
UM, WE'RE DOING SOME BACKFLIPS AND WHATNOT TRYING TO GET THAT RATING.
UM, AND, UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUR PROJECT.
QUESTIONED CURRENT MR. COLEMAN, VERY EXCITING, LONG OVERDUE FOR ALL OF US.
SO THRILLED THAT IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
UH, ONE MINOR QUESTION ON ALL THE UTILITY WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
DID YOU HAVE TO IMPACT ANY OF THE TREES IN THAT AREA? IT LOOKED LIKE SOME OF THE UTILITIES WERE COMING CLOSE TO EXISTING TREES.
LORI, DO YOU WANT TO, THERE'S A BUTTON SOMEWHERE.
UM, NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING VERY HARD TO AVOID ALL OF THE, THE HALF CRITICAL ROOT ZONES OF THE TREES.
SO, BUT SOME, SOME OF THE LINES DO EXIST AND THEY RUN THROUGH THEM ALREADY.
AND, UH, THERE'S A BIT OF A MYSTERY IN THE LINES WE HAD THE LINES SMOKED, SO WE HAVE A BETTER SENSE FOR WHERE THEY ARE AND HOW THEY RUN, AND WE'VE TAKEN SOME, UH, ELEVATIONS AND, UH, I'M SURE WE'LL BE SURPRISED WHEN WE GET UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD TO AVOID ISSUES, UH, AND COMPROMISING THE HEALTH OF THE TREES.
SO I'M JUST AMAZED BEING ABLE TO THINK ABOUT BEING ABLE TO ENTER THROUGH THE ROTUNDA, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED AT SOME VERY EXCITING, UM, UM, I'M WONDERING IF, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THAT SPACE AND NOT HAVING BEEN IN THE ROTUNDA.
WAS THAT CONDITIONED ORIGINALLY, OR ARE YOU ADDING AIR CONDITIONING TO AREAS OR I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I THINK ORIGINALLY THERE WAS NO CONDITIONING.
SO, UM, HISTORICALLY BATH HOUSES WERE USED WHEN PEOPLE WERE MORE PROPER AND MORE FORMAL AND YOU WOULD COME, YOU WOULD GO IN, THERE WAS A ROOM YOU'D ACTUALLY CHANGE OUT OF YOUR STREET CLOTHES INTO YOUR SWIMMING CLOTHES.
AND THAT'S THE WAY THIS BATH HOUSE WAS DESIGNED TO.
SO EVERYONE WOULD COME TO THAT SEMI-CIRCULAR WINDOW, GET THEIR TICKET.
AND THEN THE MEN WOULD GO ONE WAY, THE WOMEN WOULD GO THE OTHER WAY TO THEIR RESPECTIVE BASKET ROOMS AND THEN CHANGE.
AND NOBODY LITERALLY WENT THROUGH THE ROTUNDA.
YOU WENT AROUND THE ROTUNDA OVER THE YEARS.
UM, BASKET ROOMS FELL BY THE WAYSIDE.
PEOPLE JUST GO, UM, IN THEIR SWIMMING WERE MOSTLY, AND, UH, DON'T HAVE A NEED FOR BASKET ROOMS. AND SO BASKET ROOMS WERE CONVERTED TO DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OVER TIME.
AND, UH, IT WAS THE U S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WHEN THE ENDANGERED SPECIES WAS IDENTIFIED AT THE SITE THAT REQUIRED THE INSTALLATION OF THE EXHIBIT TO ALLOW THE ONGOING USE OF THE POOL AS A RECREATIONAL FACILITY, WHILE IT'S INHABITED BY THE SALAMANDERS WHO LIVED THERE.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, HALF OF OUR, THE MEN'S BASKET ROOM WAS CONVERTED TO AN EXHIBIT SPACE.
UM, AND PEOPLE THEN BEGAN TO COME INTO THE ROTUNDA, UH, TO SEE THE EXHIBIT, BUT THEY DIDN'T COME INTO THE ROTUNDA TO GO SWIMMING THAT TRAFFIC IN THE 1960S WAS DIVERTED.
AND A PORTION OF THE WOMEN'S DRESSING AREA WAS, UM, OVERTAKEN BY THE INSERTION OF THAT, UH, UH, OFFICE AND CASHIER STATION THERE.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO BRING PEOPLE BACK THROUGH FOR BOTH FUNCTIONS FOR THE EXHIBIT AND THE SWIMMING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE PRIMARY GOALS OF THE PROJECT WAS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO, AND I BET, HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN IN TO SEE THE SPLASH EXHIBIT? DO YOU GO, DO YOU GO SWIMMING THERE? I GO SWIMMING, BUT I'VE NEVER GONE TO SEE THE EXHIBIT.
WELL, THEY WERE DELIBERATE IN SEPARATING THE TRAFFIC, GOING TO THE, YOU KNOW, EITHER THE SWIMMING POOL OR THE EXHIBIT.
AND SO NOW IT'LL BE CO-MINGLED, WHICH I THINK WILL BE KIND OF EXCITING.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO MISS IT LIKE I DID, BECAUSE I WENT AROUND THE BACK WAY.
AND THE INNER THERE'S YOUR MIND, UH, AS FAR AS THE LAWN WITHIN, UH, THE AREAS WHERE YOU'RE CHANGING IS HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT IS, DOES HAVE A SPRINKLER SYSTEM OR, UH, IT DOES NOT, AND IT SEEMS TO THRIVE.
[03:45:01]
WATERED AND, UM, THERE'S A DEDICATED GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO TAKE CARE OF THE BANANA TREES AND THE LAWN, BUT I THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY, UH, IS CHARGED WITH MOWING IT AND PROBABLY IT'S THE LIFEGUARDS WHO DID THAT.I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY LIKE WATER RECLAMATION THAT COULD HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, BUT, UM, UM, WELL THAT IS AN INTERESTING THOUGHT.
WE'LL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
SO, AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK IS, UH, DRINKING FOUNTAINS OR THEY'RE DRINKING FOUNTAINS CURRENTLY, AND DO THIS HAVE TO BE UPGRADED.
THERE ARE EXISTING DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
UH, I THINK SOME ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING AND THERE ARE ALSO IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, SOME ON THE INTERIOR, THE BUILDING, AND THEY WOULD ALL NEED TO BE IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, SO.
ANYONE ELSE CAN HAVE GUCCI? YEAH.
LAURIE, IS ANY OF THIS BEING COORDINATED WITH THE ZILKER PARK VISIONING PLAN, ESPECIALLY LIKE THE PARKING AND ALL THAT, IS THAT GOING TO BE AFFECTED AT ALL? UM, IT IS, IT IS, ALTHOUGH THIS, THIS PROJECT PRECEDED THE VISION PLAN PROJECT AND IT IS FOUNDED ON A MASTER PLAN THAT WAS PRODUCED IN, UH, I THINK IT WAS COMPLETED AND WENT TO COUNCIL IN 2007.
THEN THERE WAS A FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT RILEY SPOKE ABOUT IN 2016.
UM, AND THEN THE VISION PLAN IS UNDERWAY NOW.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE ASKED TO STUDY AND OUR SCOPE OF WORK WAS PARKING AND THE WHOLE NOTION OF REDUCING IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND SO WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
WE'VE SUGGESTED SHIFTING A CURB LINE IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING TO, UH, HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS IMPERVIOUS COVER AND TO CREATE, UH, A LITTLE MORE MANEUVERING ROOM FOR ALL THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC THAT, UH, CROSSES THAT WAY.
CAUSE WE HAVE A TRAIL CONNECTION.
WE HAVE THE PARKING, WE HAVE BUSES OF PEOPLE BEING BUSLOADS OF PEOPLE BEING DROPPED OFF THERE.
AND SO WE'VE JUST MOVED ONE CURB, UH, AND WE STUDIED AND WENT THROUGH OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS NOTION OF MAYBE, UM, RECONSIDERING, THE PARKING MORE ROBUSTLY AND THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE POOL, UM, FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE POOL SHOULD REMAIN JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONVENIENCE THAT IT OFFERS.
AND SO WE ARE DOING, UH, ONE THING AND IT WILL REQUIRE A VARIANCE WHERE WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THE PARKING.
OUR OBSERVATION WAS THAT THE PARKING, BECAUSE IT FLOWS ONE WAY, UH, IN AND OUT AND BUSES WITH CHILDREN COME AND THE CHILDREN HAVE TO CROSS THE PARKING LOT TO GET TO THE BATHHOUSE IN THE POOL.
SO WE STUDIED THE POSSIBILITY OF EITHER REVERSING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC OR HAVING TWO-WAY TRAFFIC SO THAT THERE COULD BE MORE SAFETY FOR PEOPLE BEING DROPPED OFF AT THE BATHHOUSE.
SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO WALK ACROSS THE PARKING LOT, BUT THAT GOT REALLY COMPLICATED WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND THE REST OF THE PARK.
AND SO WE WERE ASKED TO, UH, REALLY NOT TAKE ACTION ON THAT IN OUR PROJECT AND LET THE VISION PLAN, PROVIDE THE VISION FOR THAT.
WE ARE THOUGH, I'M GOING TO CHANGE THE PARKING FROM ANGLE PARKING TO 90 DEGREE PARKING, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD TO ADD A FIRE LANE, WHICH TOOK AWAY SOME OF THE PARKING.
AND SO THAT ALLOWS US TO KEEP THE SAME AMOUNT OF PARKING AND IT ALLOWS THE FLEXIBILITY.
SHOULD THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC BE CHANGED IN THE FUTURE? IT'LL WORK THAT WAY.
THE PARKING IS WHAT TRIGGERED MY QUESTION.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE PECULIAR QUESTION ABOUT AT THE NEW WEST GATE IS THIS TURNSTILE TYPE OF GATE, THE ONLY OPTION OF GETTING IN AND OUT.
UM, I ONLY ASK BECAUSE WHEN IT'S IN THE RENDERING, RIGHT.
AND I THINK ABOUT, WELL, ONE IT'S CREEPY, LIKE GOING IN AND OUT OF THERE, AND THAT MIGHT TRIGGER SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE BUT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SIZES, OR IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A BARRIER.
AND I JUST DIDN'T, I DON'T KNOW, GATES.
AND IF THERE'S POTENTIALLY A DIFFERENT, MY OPTION MYERS, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PREFERS THE TURNSTILE BECAUSE THEY, UM, AND IT IS AN EXTRA LARGE TURNSTILE AND IT HAS AN ADJACENT GATE NEXT TO IT.
THAT IS JUST A SWING GATE THAT CAN BE USED FOR EMERGENCIES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR, UM, SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NEED TO BE TAKEN OUT ON A GURNEY OR, UH, OTHER PEOPLE WHO NEED MORE ROOM GETTING THROUGH
[03:50:01]
THOSE.SO, BUT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS AN INTEREST IN USING THE TURNSTILE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE, UH, GO OUT AND DON'T SNEAK BACK IN THROUGH THOSE GATES.
SO YEAH, THAT'S ACTUALLY AN EXIT GATE.
SO THAT'S AN, THAT'S AN EXIT GATE, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH.
THE TURNSTILE IS SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
THAT'S SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS, WHO HASN'T GONE TONIGHT? IS THAT, IS THAT A MOTION, UM, EMOTION THAT IT SAYS, UH, THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.
UH, WE'LL PROBABLY START CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR SOMETIME.
AND UM, NO, THE PLAN IS THE POOL STAYS IN OPERATION AND WE'RE, UH, STUDYING, UH, KEEPING ONE WING IN USE AT A TIME.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TAKE 30 SECONDS TO CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE AUGUST MEETING? SURE.
[2.a. Approval of the August 23rd meeting minutes]
TWO, A APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 23RD MEETING MINUTES.ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, SORRY GUYS.
UM, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION IN THIS MEETING ABOUT TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS, AND I DID NOT THINK IT WAS DIRECTED TOWARD ME OR THINGS THAT I HAD SAID, BUT I THINK THAT IT WAS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT I DO NOT SUPPORT AND I HAVE NOT MENTIONED TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS.
I HAVE DISCUSSED HOW FEES INCREASING FEES AFFECTS DSCR DEBT, SERVICE, DEBT, SERVICE, COVERAGE RATIO.
SO WHEN WE RAISE THE FEES AND WE DON'T INCREASE THE ABILITY TO RAISE THE INCOME, THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECTS BANK FINANCING.
AND THAT, THAT IS A COMMON I'VE SAID REPEATEDLY.
BUT THEN THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY THING I'VE SAID ABOUT ECONOMICS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A FINANCE CALCULATION.
I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE NAME.
IT'S NOT IN THE MEETING MINUTES.
IT JUST WAS AT OUR LAST CONVERSATION IN AUGUST.
DID ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
IT'S 10:09 PM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.