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[CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]
EVERYBODY.WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED TONIGHT.
THIS IS A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 24TH, 2020 TO, UH, CITY HALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM.
COULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? YES.
UH, CHAIR CAROL PRESENT COMMISSION.
UM, COMMISSIONER SALINAS, PRESENT COMMISSIONER FRANCO PRESENT COMMISSIONER MINERS HERE.
COMMISSIONER ATTENDED GUCCI COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER WEAVER, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN HERE.
COMMISSIONER WATLEY, COMMISSIONER LOGINS.
UH, THE CITY ONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
YOU DO NOT HAVE ANYONE FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION NOW.
[1.a. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) Phase 2 project, located at 600 River Street, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin; Heidi Tse and Mari Boren City of Austin Public Works Department.]
THANK YOU.THEN WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO NEW BUSINESS ITEM ONE, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER THE M A S BARRIENTOS MEXICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER PHASE TWO PROJECT LOCATED AT 600 RED RIVER STREET COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS HEIDI C I'M WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
I'M THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE, UH, ESP MAC BASED TO, UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN HERE.
I HAVE MY, UH, CONSULTANT TEAM OF, UM, JOINT VENTURE OF AUSTIN'S ARCHITECTURE FIRM, NARROW RIVERA, ARCHITECTS, JOINT VENTURING WITH, UH, MEXICO ARCHITECTURE, FORUM, TATIA, TIANA BILBAO, TATIANA BILBAO STUDIO IS ONLINE.
UH, THEY WILL, UH, ASSIST IN SUPPORT, BUT I HAVE, UH, SPEAKERS HERE AND I HAVE, UM, OUR PRIME CONSULTANT, MIGUEL RIVERA, AND WE BRIAN WELLS WITH MWM OR CIVIL ENGINEER.
AND WE HAVE STEPHANIE SOLOMON WITH TONIGHT ARCHITECT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, AND WE HAVE ONE MORE BACK THERE AND HE'LL COME UP AND THAT IS A ONE MARROW WITH, UH, UH, NEURO RIVERA ARCHITECT.
AND THEN TO GET THE SLIDES GOING.
UH, I KNOW WE HAVE VERY LIMITED TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU WE'D BE WORKING FOR THE LAST YEAR ON, ON THE PHASE TWO OF THE MAC BUILDING OF YOU CAN SEE.
AND THE FIRST LIGHT IS TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY.
THE FIRST LADIES IS THE PHASE ONE THAT WAS BUILT ALREADY AND ALSO A LITTLE PIECE IN, UH, 20, UH, 10 WAS A PHASE ONE, EIGHT WAS ANOTHER PART OF, OF, OF THE BUILDING.
AND THEN WE HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED TO DO IS TO COMPLETE A PHASE TWO OF THE 2018 PLAN.
SO WE'VE BEEN, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE SLIDE.
THESE TWO WINGS, WE'RE LOOKING AT COMPLETING THE TWO WINGS OF THE , THE RENO ARCHITECT.
AND SO, UH, CHASE STRUCTURE IN THE SOKOLOW, UH, PHASE THREE IN THIS SLIDE THAT, UH, IS, IS THERE ANOTHER THEATER THAT WILL BE, UH, DONE, UH, IN THE FUTURE THEN THE SECOND SLIDE, UM, W WE, WE GET THAT, I THINK, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BUILDING WAS, UH, THIS HALF CIRCLE, UH, PART OF THE HALF SILK COLON AND RAINY STRAIGHT, OR THAT DISTRICT HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY, UH, OVER THE, UH, 10 LAST 10 YEARS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN REALLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO UNDERSTAND, UH, THE SITE CONDITIONS, BUT ALSO HOW YOU CAN MAKE A QUARTER ART CENTER, MORE CONNECTED TO THE SIRI AND TO AUSTIN TO PROVIDE MORE VISIBILITY AND PRESENCE, UM, UH, FOR THE CITY AND THE USERS AND HOW WE CAN ALSO WORK AND CONNECT IT TO THE, TO THE TRAIL.
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THAT WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE YOU WILL SEE WE HAD IN THE LAST YEAR, I CANNOT TELL HOW MANY METERS, BUT WE HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF, UM, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS FROM, FROM THE STAFF, UH, FROM THE YOUTH, THE USERS, THE COMMUNITY.AND, UM, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF COVID.
WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF SOON MEETINGS.
WE USE A MURAL BOARD TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THINGS AROUND WHEN COVID, UH, GOT BETTER.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS ANY MORE OR LESS HARSH OR SO WE HAD SOME, UH, IN-PERSON CHARIOT WITH THE MAC STAFF.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO WALK THE ROOMS AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE SLIDES THERE.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THAT WITH THE, UH, ADVISORY BOARD.
AND, UH, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT LED US NOW TO, UH, WE ARE, UH, TO COME TO YOU TODAY TO SHOW YOU THE FINDINGS, THE, UH, CONSENSUS THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE TASKS WE HAVE IS WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT THEY HAD IN 2018, BECAUSE THEY HAD THIS PLAN FOR 2018.
HOW HAVE THAT CHANGED FROM 2018 TO 2021 AND RESTARTED THE PRIORITIES OF THAT, UH, FOR THE NEXT ONE? YES.
AND ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT, UH, WE ALSO NEEDED TO DO THAT I MENTIONED IS THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE SITE, LIKE THE WATERLOO GATEWAY, WE HAVE MEETINGS, WE THEN THEY'RE COMING AFTER, AFTER US AT THE END, THEY'RE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY TOO.
AND ALSO IDEAS THAT THEY HAVE, UH, FOR THE TRAIL TO BE, UH, SOME OTHER PROJECTS IN THE, IN THE OTHER SIDE AND HOW OLD THIS, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE TWO PROJECTS HAPPENING NEXT TO US.
SO, UH, WE, THAT, I THINK THAT'S A SHORT INTRODUCTION.
WE HAVE A BIG TEAM OF EVERYBODY COMMITTED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE MORE, I THINK NEXT, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND THESE ARE LIVE, YOU WITH BRIAN, UH, IS THE CIVIL ENGINEER, LIKE HEIDI MENTIONED, AND WE CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ON THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE, UH, FROM BEING IN THE LOCATION.
UM, SO THIS IS A, THIS IS A CONSTRAINTS MAP THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AT THE BEGINNING.
DO I, DO I HOLD THIS DOWN OR JUST, I CAN LET GO OF IT.
UM, OH NO, DON'T GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE YET.
PLEASE STAY ON THE, THE KIND OF UGLY TECHNICAL SLIDE.
UM, THE, UH, SO THIS IS OUR CONSTRAINTS MAP THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT TO HELP THE DESIGN TEAM PLACE, THE BUILDING AND THE AMENITIES, UM, AROUND THE, THE REGULATORY AND, UM, UH, UM, CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE ON THE SITE.
UH, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE AND THE COLORS AREN'T GREAT, BUT I'M GOING TO WALK FROM, I'M GOING TO QUICKLY WALK FROM THE REGULATORY CONSTRAINTS CLOSEST TO THE BUILDING TOWARDS THE LAKE.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE SHAPE OF THE BUILDING UP AT THE TOP THAT, UH, UM, THEY WANT DESCRIBE MIGUEL DESCRIBED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE LAKE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM IS THE BLUE, THE ORANGY COLOR CLOSE TO THE TOP, UM, REPRESENTS THE 150 FOOT OFFSET FROM THE LAKE SHORELINE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAINY STREET SUBDISTRICT REQUIREMENTS ON THE WATERFRONT, OVER LAKE COMBINING DISTRICT.
SO THAT 150 FOOT PROHIBIT STRUCTURES WITHIN THAT, WITHIN THAT ZONE.
AND SO AGAIN, THIS EXHIBIT IS, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE, BUT, UM, BUT THE BUILDING IS CAREFULLY PLACED JUST OUTSIDE OF THAT 150 FOOT OFFSET WORKING OUR WAY DOWN, THE, UH, THE NEXT OFFSET LINE.
THAT'S KIND OF THAT PINKISH COLOR IS THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UM, AND OF COURSE IT, THE, THAT HAS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROHIBITIONS WITHIN IT.
UM, IN THIS CASE, WE ARE, UM, WE ARE, UH, CUTTING WITHIN THAT ZONE.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL REQUIRE A VARIANCE.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING CAREFULLY WITH, UH, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF TO, UM, TO GAIN STAFF SUPPORT FOR THAT WORK.
UM, THE NEXT LINE IS THAT THAT BRIGHT BLUE, UM, AND THAT ZONE IS, AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THESE ARE CUMULATIVE TOWARDS THE LAKE.
UM, THE NEXT ZONE IS THAT IN THAT IS THE BLUE IS A 50 FOOT OFFSET.
IT'S ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAINY DISTRICT, UH, RAINEY STREET DISTRICT, UH, OVERLOADING, WHICH DOES ALLOW PARK AMENITIES AND TRAILS BETWEEN THE 150 FOOT AND THE 50 FOOT OFFSET FROM THE LAKE.
AND SO ALL OF THE WORK IN THE PATIO AREA AND THE TRAIL REROUTE IS WITHIN THAT, UM, ZONE BETWEEN THE 50 AND 150 FOOT OFFSETS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY THE ORANGE, UH, ORANGE LINE IS THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN, WHICH WE
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HAVE NO, NO PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE FLOOD, PLAIN NORMAL, LOW THE FOOT, THE ELEVATION OF THE FLOOD, PLAIN.AND THEN LASTLY, THE BLUE IS THE, UM, I'M SORRY, THE BLUE IS THE, IS OF COURSE LADY BIRD LAKE, AND THEN OFF TO THE LEFT IS IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD HATCH ON IT, BUT THERE'S SOME RED OUTLINES AND THOSE ARE THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT THE TEAM'S ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT IDENTIFIED THEIR WETLANDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE, UM, UM, THE, UH, THE MOUTH OF A WALNUT CREEK AND LADY BIRD LAKE.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT, THAT THE, UM, FROM THE 150 FOOT OFFSET, THEY'RE THE ONLY, UM, WORK WITHIN THAT AREA IS THE TRAIL.
MY NAME IS MIDDLE NAME AND MIGUEL'S PARTNER.
AND, UH, I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF HOW WE HAD TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROGRAM AND, AND, UH, THE PREVIOUS, UH, STUDIES THAT HAD BEEN DONE.
SO FROM, FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, THE CHALLENGE WAS DEALING WITH AN EXISTING BUILDING BY AN ARCHITECT THAT WE RESPECT.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET AND VISITED HIM.
OFFICE OFFICE IS A GREAT MEXICAN ARCHITECT, NOT NECESSARILY AS FAMOUS AS LEVEL WRITER, BUT REALLY, REALLY FAMOUS IN MEXICO.
ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ARCHITECTS THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE RED IS THE EXISTING BUILDING AND HOW WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE DESIRE OF THAT BUILDING TO COMPLETE ITSELF.
SO YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
THE, THE, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAD IS THAT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE WAY WE UNDERSTOOD THE BUILDING, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO RESPECT THAT THE GALLERY THAT HE HAD FOR CIRCULATION, THAT YOU SEE IN YELLOW.
SO WE WANTED TO EXTEND THAT CIRCULATION AND COMPLETE THE, THE CRESCENT.
I MEAN, IN A WAY IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO TRY TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS BUILDING AND RESPECT THE MASSING OF THE BUILDING AS IT IS.
SO IT'S EXTENDING THE ARMS. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE BUILDING HAS BEEN MUTILATED THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE THE ARMS THAT COMPLETE THE SPACE AS A RESULT.
THE SOKOLOW IS ONE OF THE REALLY CLEAR SHORTCOMINGS OF THE BUILDING RIGHT NOW THAT LEFT A LOT OF VERY EFFECTIVE BECAUSE HE NEVER SAW THE BUILDING COMPLETE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS ARE THE YELLOW LINE, AND THEN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO WHEN WE WERE GETTING TOGETHER ALSO WITH THE MAC TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO THEM, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE BUILDING EXISTING, AND THEN THE, THE INITIAL APPROACH OF SAYING, OKAY, LET'S COMPLETE THAT SPACE.
WE DISCOVER ALSO THAT THERE WAS A VERY CLEAR DESIRE TO CONTROL THE SOKOLOW.
SO THE SOKOLOW THE SPACE, THE SOCCER IS THE WORD IN, IN SPANISH FOR THAT.
PLUS THE COURTYARD IS DEFINED BY THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETELY, IS COMPLETELY UNDEFINED RIGHT NOW.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE CLOSE IT, YOU KNOW, WE START CREATING THE SENSE OF SPACE.
AND ALSO WE HAVE ANOTHER IDEA THAT DEFINE THE EDGE THAT FACES THE LAKE BY EXCAVATING AND PROVIDING A THIRD LEVEL, BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT IN THE TWO WINGS THAT WE HAD COMPLETED, THE TWO WINGS, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO PUT ALL THE PROGRAMS. SO I'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO WHEN YOU SEE IN THIS, UH, ALL THEIR SLIDES, YOU CAN SEE THAT SO-CALLED UNDEFINED COMPLETELY, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS NOW.
SO THE SPACE FLOWS, THERE'S NO AWARENESS THAT YOU HAVE ARRIVED TO A SPACE, KEEP GOING THEN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO THE IDEA OF EXTENDING THAT SPACE AND THEN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE NOTION OF HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE PROGRAM AT THE LAKE LEVEL, BY CUTTING, YOU KNOW, AN EXCAVATING AND DEFINING A LOWER LEG LEVEL THAT PROVIDES AN EDGE TO THE SOKOLOW THAT TURNS IT IN A VERY EASY TO CONTROL SPACE.
THEN FOR THE MAC, YOU WERE SUPER CRITICAL THAT, SO ALL I ASSIGN THE SPACE OF THE SOKOLOW IS EASY TO CONTROL FOR THEM.
YOU HAVE A WAY OF ENTERING AND LEAVING SO THEY CAN CLOSE IT AT NIGHT.
THEY CANNOT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANYONE SLEEPING THERE AT NIGHT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT VERY CONCERNED TO HAVE ACTIVITIES ON ALL DAY, ALL TIMES.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO USE SOME CERTAIN SPACES BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S SAFE IN TERMS OF THE WAY THE SPACE IS DEFINED.
AND THEN FROM THE URBAN DESIGN POINT OF VIEW IS BASICALLY CREATING A SPACE THAT LOOKS INTO THE, INTO THE LAKE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME PERIOD IN AN EDGE STUDY BECOMES ALMOST THE WHOLE PLAZA BELVEDERE INTO THE, INTO THE, INTO THE SPACE.
SO HOW TO DO THIS, THE BASICALLY IT'S ESCALATING AND THEN CREATED A WINNING BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE BUILDING, BECAUSE OF THE TWO ARMS, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE LEG LEVEL IS CONNECTING THE TWO ARMS. SO THE TWO ARMS ARE NOW CONNECTED AT THE LOWER LEVEL IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN COMPLETE THE CIRCULATION, BUT WITHOUT REALLY OPENING, WITHOUT WE CAN CLOSE IN THIS SIDE OF THE SOCCER.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE LINE THERE ON THE LOWER LEVEL IS THE WAY THAT WE CONNECT THE TWO WINGS.
SO FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE DESIGN HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHT, LOWER LEG LEVEL IS CONNECTING THE TWO WINGS, THE TWO WINGS ARE A STANDARD.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SOKOLOV WITH A SHADE STRUCTURE THAT
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IS IN THE UPPER LEVEL, LOOKING DOWN TO THE LAKE AND THE TRAIL BASICALLY CONTINUES THE SAME PATH THAT HE DOES NOW IS ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME FOOTPRINT, BUT LOWER.SO WE LOWER IT AND ALLOW FOR THE BUILDING TO OPEN INTO THE, INTO THE LEG.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, HAVE A VERY DEFINED COURTYARD SOKOLOW ON THE UPPER LEVEL, GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
UH, I SAW, I THINK THAT, YES, I'M STILL IN THESE ONE.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING DURING THE SAME THING THAT I EXPLAINED, THE TWO WINGS, THE CUT AND THE CONNECTION WITH THE LEG, THE CONNECTION WITH THE LEG IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US.
THE LOCATIONS, YOU KNOW, CALLS FOR IT.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AND THESE DRAWINGS, EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE MORE.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE RAINY STREET SIDE, WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN THE GROUND.
ENTRADA IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THAT PRESENCE OF THE BUILDING IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THE TOWER THAT THE, THE FENCE OF THEIR, OF THEIR FACADE ARE VERY ICONIC FOR TOMORROW'S LANGUAGE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY DIFFERENTIAL TO THAT AND JUST COMPLETE THE BUILDING, CREATE THE SOKOLOW AND THEN CREATE THAT EDGE LEVEL, GO TO THE NEXT ONE, BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO SEE FROM THE OTHER ANGLE.
YOU CAN SEE HERE A LITTLE BIT THAT THAT CONCEPT, THAT TRAIL GOES DOWN AND THEN MEETS AGAIN TO WHERE IT IS NOW.
SO THERE'S, UH, THERE'S A, UH, BASICALLY THE TRAIL IS DOWN NOW AND THEN IT GOES UP VERY SHARPLY.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO MAKE IT MORE GENTLE THE WAY HE CONNECTS WITH THE UPPER LOW, UH, PER PART.
AND YOU CAN SEE THERE THIS SOCCER LEVEL AND THE LATE LEVEL GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
I'M GOING TO LET STEPHANIE FROM THE LANDSCAPE TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF THE LANDSCAPE, WHICH IS VERY CRITICAL IN THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES NOT ONLY WAS TO HAVE THE BUILDING EMBRACE THE LAKE MORE, BUT WAS TO ALSO REALLY BRING THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE INTO THE BUILDING AND INTO THE ZOCALO AS WELL.
UM, SO ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES WAS REALLY TO PRESERVE THE PARK-LIKE SETTING THAT THE MAC ALREADY HAS, AND TO ENHANCE IT, UM, WITH MORE, WITH A RICHER PLANT PALETTE AND REALLY TO, UM, ENGAGE THOSE SPACES.
SO ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SITE, WE'VE CREATED A PLAY, AN OUTDOOR PLAY AREA THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH SOME YOUTH CLASSROOMS THAT ARE PART OF THE NEW PROGRAM ON THE SOUTH.
WE'VE GOT A HEALING COMMUNITY GARDEN THAT WILL BE UTILIZED BY THE MAC COMMUNITY FOR PLANTING VEGETABLES AND HERBS, UM, AND PERENNIALS THAT CAN BE USED IN CULINARY DEMONSTRATIONS AND OTHER PROGRAMMING, UM, FURTHER SOUTH, WHERE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST SOME TREE CANOPY AND LAWN, SOME REALLY LOVELY TREES AND OPEN LAWN AREA WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, MOVING SOME OF THE EXISTING SCULPTURES OF PUBLIC ART THAT THE MAC ALREADY HAS, AND THEN PROVIDING PLACES FOR NEW ACQUISITIONS AND CREATING A SCULPTURE TRAIL, A SCULPTURE WALK THERE.
SO THOSE WOULD JUST BE TRAILS UNDERNEATH THE TREE CANOPY, UM, WITH SOME ENHANCED PLANTING, NATIVE PLANTING UNDER THERE AS WELL WITHIN THE ZOCALO ITSELF, UH, THAT WILL BE A PAVED ZONE.
WE'VE GOT THIS EXISTING AMAZING THAT SNAKE PAVING PUBLIC ART PIECE WILL REMAIN.
AND, UM, WE WILL ENLARGE THE PLANTING AREAS WITHIN THE PAVING, KEEPING THE EXISTING TREES WITHIN THE ZOCALO AND ADDING MORE TO IT.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A VARIETY OF SEATING OPPORTUNITIES FROM FIXED SEATING, BENCHES AND MOVEABLE SEATING THAT WILL ALLOW FLEXIBILITY OF THAT SPACE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE EVENTS THERE UNDERNEATH THE SHADE STRUCTURE.
IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, THEN HERE AT THE LOWER LEVEL, WE'LL HAVE A, AN EVENT LINE THAT WILL CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH THOSE LOWER LEVELS GALLERY SPACES.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT THERE'S THREE OPEN AIR COURTYARDS AT THAT LOWER LEVEL THAT WILL BE OPEN TO THE ZOCALO LEVEL ABOVE, AND WE'LL HAVE TREES AND PLANTS GROWING UP.
AND THERE'LL BE A DIRECT CONNECTION FROM THE LAKE LEVEL TO THE UPPER LEVELS.
OKOLLOH THROUGH THOSE, ALTHOUGH THOSE THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED, UM, AS WELL AND CLOSED OFF WHEN, WHEN THE MAC IS CLOSED IN THE EVENINGS, THERE'LL BE THE SAME, UM, PAVING MATERIALITY LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE IN THE ZOCALO ABOVE SO THAT THE LOWER LEVEL WILL FEEL PART OF THE UPPER LEVEL AS WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME VEGETATED SWALES THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING RAIN WATER FROM THE BUILDING DOWN TOWARDS THE LAKE.
PEOPLE CAN INTERACT WITH, WITH THOSE PLANTINGS THOUGH THEIR SEAT WALLS, TO MAINTAIN THE CHANGING GRADE, THE REGRADING
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THAT WILL ALSO PROVIDE GATHERING OPPORTUNITIES.AND THERE'LL BE SOME RESTORATION ALONG THE LAKESIDE.
THE DIAGRAM ON THE LEFT SHOWS OUR PLANTING STRATEGY, WHERE WE'RE INCREASING, UH, BIODIVERSITY BY ADDING NATIVE PLANTING SHRUBS AND GRASSES AND PERENNIALS UNDERNEATH THE EXISTING TREE CANOPY OR MAINTAINING AREAS OF LAWN, UM, WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE HEAVY ACTIVITY.
AND WE'VE GOT RAIN GARDENS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR WATER QUALITY THAT WE'LL HAVE, UM, NATIVE PLANTINGS AND THOSE AS WELL.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, THE DIAGRAM IS SHOWING THAT OUR GOAL IS TO WHERE POSSIBLE, UM, RELOCATE SOME OF THE EXISTING LARGE TREES THAT ARE THERE ON THE SITE THAT WILL BE IMPACTED FROM THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'VE GOT THESE THREE COURTYARDS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SPECIMEN TREES COMING UP FROM THE LOWER LEVEL THROUGH TO THE UPPER LEVELS.
THIS SECTION JUST HELPS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT GRADE CHANGE BETWEEN THE EXISTING AND THE PROPOSED.
SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE, BUT THERE'S A RED DASH LINE THAT SHOWS WHAT THE EXISTING GRADE IS CURRENTLY DOING.
WE'RE CUTTING DOWN TO OPEN UP THAT LOWER LEVEL OUT TO THE LAKE.
IT ALLOWS FOR SOMEONE AT THE UPPER ZOCALO LEVEL TO LOOK OUT ACROSS THAT TREE, THAT MATURE TREE CANOPY, THERE'S THE PLAZA DOWN BELOW THAT CONNECTS TO THE LOWER LEVEL.
THERE'S A BUFFER BETWEEN THAT, UM, EVENT LAWN WITH SOME SEEDING AND PLANTING BETWEEN THE LAWN AND THE TRAIL.
AND THEN WE WILL DO SOME RESTORATION PLANTING BETWEEN THE TRAIL AND THE LAKE, AND THEN I WILL PASS IT TO MARIANNA IS NEXT IF SHE'S CALLING IN, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, YES, YES.
SO, HI, I'M MARIANA, I'M SPEAKING FROM MEXICO CITY FROM THE STUDIO AND, AND PART OF THE JV.
AND, UH, THIS IMAGE HERE TRIES TO SUM UP WHAT, UH, JUAN AND STEPHANIE WERE JUST MENTIONING THE CONCEPTUAL STRONG IDEA OF BRINGING THE LAKE INTO THE BUILDING AND INTEGRATING IT IN ITS NATURAL CONTEXT, WHICH WE THINK IS THE STRONGEST GESTURE OF THE, OF THE OVERALL PROPOSAL.
AND IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SO I CAN JUST WALK YOU THROUGH, UH, QUICKLY THE PLANS.
SO MANY OF WHAT WE HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS THE LOW FLEXIBILITY OF THE BUILDING AND ITS LACK OF CAPACITY THAT SOMEHOW THE COMMUNITY OUTGROW OUTGREW THE BUILDING ALREADY.
SO IN THE NEW WINGS, WE TRIED TO ADMINISTRATE THE PROGRAM ACCORDING TO NEEDS.
AND ACCORDING TO PRIORITIES, WHAT YOU SEE IN GRAY IS AREAS THAT WE'RE NOT TOUCHING FROM THE CURRENT BUILDING, BUT WE'RE ALSO DOING SOME RENOVATION ON THE AUDITORIUM.
WE'RE ADDING CITY SEATS, WE'RE DOING SOME RENOVATION ON SUPPORT SPACES, SUCH AS DRESSING ROOMS, BATHROOMS. WE'RE ALSO, UM, IN THE CENTER MAKING SOME INNOVATION ON THE RECEPTION AREA, MAKING IT MORE VISIBLE, LIKE LACK OF VISIBILITY IS ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HEARD MANY TIMES TRYING TO BRING BETTER SPACES FOR THE STAFF, A BREAK ROOM.
AND WE'RE ALSO ADDING, UH, ON THE NORTH WING, YOU CAN SEE THE YOUTH CLASSROOM WING.
THESE ARE FOUR CLASSROOMS FOR, UM, THE CHILDREN WERE CONNECTING IT TO AN OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND, AS STEPHANIE WAS JUST DESCRIBING.
IT CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF PROTECTION.
AND ON THE SOUTH WING, WE'RE DOING A WHOLE NEW WING THAT HAS A MUSIC ROOM THAT IS DIVIDED INTO THREE REHEARSAL ROOMS. THIS IS ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST NEEDS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ALSO, UH, DISTINGUISHED IN TWO GALLERIES, COMMUNITY GALLERY AND A PERMANENT GALLERY.
AND THERE'S A KITCHEN, UH, ALSO CONNECTED TO THIS OUTDOOR HEALING GARDEN THAT CAN BE USED FOR THEIR, UM, CULINARY CLASSES AND ALSO FOR EVENTS AND RECEPTIONS AT THE MAC.
DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT ONE? SO THIS IS JUST A CONCEPTUAL IMAGE FROM ONE OF THESE HALLWAYS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE YOUTH, UH, WING ON THE NORTH SIDE, WE WERE THINKING IT WAS, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THIS VISIBILITY AND BEING ABLE TO SEE THE ART THAT THE MAC IS PRODUCING AND THEY CAN LIKE EXPOSE IT ON THE WALLS.
BUT ALSO WHAT'S STRONG ABOUT THESE IMAGES, THIS IDEA THAT THE NATURE IS INVADING THE SOKOLOW AND IS ALWAYS PRESENT.
AND THESE PARTIES ARE NOT JUST, UH, ACCESSES TO THE PLAZA, BUT PART OF THE BUILDING AND PART OF, UM, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART THAT INTEGRATES THIS LOWER LEVER AND THE LAKE IN THE PROJECT GONNA MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE
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IS YES.UM, AND THIS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SECOND LEVEL, UH, ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE A SHELL SPACE.
THIS COULD BE A SMALL PAVILION FOR THEM TO GATHER, TO HAVE MEETINGS, EVEN FOR ARTISTS.
AND WE'RE THINKING OF DOING SMALL RENOVATION ON THE EXISTING GALLERY, WHICH IS THE ORANGE SPACE.
THIS SPACE WOULD BE OCCUPIED WITH SOME PARTITIONS THAT COULD BE LIKE ARTISTS STUDIOS AND ON THE CENTER ON, ON GREEN, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A, THIS IS THE EXISTING DANCE ROOM.
WE'RE THINKING OF HAVING A LIBRARY AND A SPECIOUS, UH, KIND OF A MEDIA CENTER WHERE THEY COULD, UH, LIVE BROADCAST THEIR EVENTS AND POETRY AND MUSIC.
AND NOW WITH KOBE, THIS SPACE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT.
AND ON THE, ON THE SOUTH WING, UH, WE HAVE THE ADULT EDUCATION WING, WHICH IS A WHOLE NEW WING FOR THEM AND PROGRAM OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE A MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM THAT FEEDS 80 PEOPLE, MANY TIMES THE MAC COMMUNITY NEEDS TO RENT OUT THESE SPACES TO HAVE THEIR EVENTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY IN THE EXISTING BUILDING.
AND THEN WE HAVE EXTRA CLASSROOMS AND SOME MORE OFFICE SPACE THAT IS ALSO VERY NEEDED.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT YES.
AND THIS IS JUST A, UH, AN OVER A WALKTHROUGH OF THAT OTHER HALLWAY ON THE ADULT EDUCATION WING, YOU SEE THAT THIS IS JUST A CONCEPTUAL IDEA THAT TRIES TO SHOW A BIT OF THE APPROACH ON, ON, ON THE FEELING OF BEING ON THIS HALLWAY, ON THIS GALLERY, BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THE SOKOLOW, BUT ALSO HAVING, UH, SOME GARDENS GARDEN CONNECTIONS ON THE RIGHT AND OPEN VIEWS FROM SOKOLOW TO THE PARK THAT THE, THE CURRENT BUILDING, UM, DOESN'T HAVE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO OPEN UP THIS SPACE WHILST KEEPING IT, UM, SECURE AND CONTROLLED OWNED BY THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THIS IS THE LAKE LEVEL PLAN.
STEPHANIE, UM, BEGAN TO DESCRIBE THESE SPACES SO CONNECTED TO THIS EVENT LAWN THERE THERE'S A NEW, UH, YOU CAN SEE IN, IN PURPLE COLOR, THIS IS A NEW BLACK BOX BECAUSE THEIR CURRENT ONE, AS IT HAS MANY DIFFICULTIES DIFFICULTIES FOR THEM TO USE IT.
SO YOU'RE PLANNING TO HAVE A NEW BLACK BOX THEATER.
WE'RE PLANNING OF A NEW GALLERY, WHICH IS THE ORANGE SPACE IN LIGHT ORANGE SPACE.
THIS COULD BE CONNECTED TO ONE OF THESE COURTYARDS, THE PATIOS AND THE PATIO IS ALWAYS, UH, ALSO SERVED TO GETTING NATURAL LIGHT INTO THESE SPACES AND CONNECT THEM TO THE, UM, UPPER LEVEL OF THE SOKOLOW.
SO YOU'D HAVE VISIBILITY OF AT ALL TIMES, WHO'S COMING UP, WHO'S COMING DOWN, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LOWER LOWER LEVEL AND REALLY MAKE IT MAKING IT PART OF THE PROJECT.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ON THE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE, ON THE, ON MY RIGHT SIDE, WE HAVE THE PREP ROOM.
THIS IS SOME PLACE FOR THEM TO SET UP THE EXPERT, THE EXHIBITIONS, AND WE HAVE AN ELEVATOR THAT CONNECTS IT TO THE KITCHEN.
AND SOMEHOW THIS ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE THESE BIG EVENTS ON THE LAKE LEVEL AND USE THE SPACE OF THE KITCHEN AND PREPARE RECEPTIONS AND THE STAIRS BE, UH, BECOME TWO ELEMENTS THAT SOMEHOW ARE ASYMMETRIC AND TRY TO CREATE DIFFERENT WAYS OF ENTERING THE SOKOLOW AND APPROACHING THE MAC AND MAKING THIS PLAZA REALLY GAIN A NEW PUBLIC DIMENSION AND WHILST BEING VERY DEFINED AND CONTROLLED.
YOU WANNA MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE? ISN'T I THINK, UH, WHEN THEY WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS IMAGE? UH, WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE'RE PROBABLY RUNNING OUT A LITTLE BIT OF OUT OF TOWN.
I THINK IT'S SELF-EXPLANATORY, YOU CAN SEE THE, WHAT MARIANA WAS EXPLAINING THAT WE THINK OF THIS AS STERILE.
SO AS A SPACE TO HANG OUT, TO BEING SO CONNECTING THE LEVEL LOWER LEVEL WITH UPPER LEVEL AND FULL OF VEGETATION.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN IDEA OF OUR STAIR THAT IS SERVING THE CONNECTION ASPECT.
SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
SAME THING WITH, I THINK THAT THESE, THIS IS ONE THAT ONE OF THE LAST IMAGES, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT I, I WANTED TO CONCLUDE BY, BY SAYING THAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE ARE SEEING HERE IS, IS JUST A SCHEMATIC DESIGN.
WE'RE NOT YET SURE OF THE MATERIALITY AND ALL THE COLORS AND ALL THAT IS STILL CONCEPTUAL, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS ALL THE THINGS THAT THE MAC HAS BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
WE HAVE WORKED VERY CAREFUL WITH THEM, WITH THE COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE PROGRAM AND THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE BUILDING.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THESE BUILDINGS, BECAUSE IT'S LOCATION, BECAUSE IT'S MEANING AND IMPORTANCE FOR THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, BY THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, IT HAS TO PLAY A PROMINENT ROLE TO IN THE, IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO WE, WE SEE THESE BUILDINGS AS THE NATURAL END OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY AND HAVING A VERY IMPORTANT PRESENCE THAT IS NOW NON-EXISTENT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK THAT THIS BUILDING IS CONNECTED TO
[00:30:01]
THE LAKE WHEN THEY GO THERE, THERE'S NO CIVIC PRESENCE OF THE BUILDING THERE.SO WE ARE, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE FUNCTIONALITY, MAKE THE BUILDING MORE VISIBLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING IT VERY CRITICAL PART OF THE CIVIC SPACES THAT ARE ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT OSTIUM HAS ALONG TOWN LAKE, AND THEY'RE ON THEIR WATERLOO GREENWAY.
I THINK THAT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
MAYBE THIS IS THE LAST ONE NOW THAT'S SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE SEEING THAT THIS PROJECT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY BEYOND THE, THE, THE MAC AS A WAY TO ADDRESS ALL THE NEEDS OF THE MAG, BUT BRINGING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE BUILDINGS TO RAISE ITS PRESENCE AS A CIVIC INSTITUTION IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND WE THINK IT CAN BE AS IMPACTFUL AS THE LIBRARY WAS FOR THE CITY IN TERMS OF HOW THE VISIBILITY AND THE PUBLIC NATURE OF THESE SO-CALLED UNDER LOWERED LAND ALON EVENT CAN BRING A LEVEL OF ACTIVITY ON THE CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, THAT IS COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, TRANSFORMING WHAT THE MARKET VISIBILITY CAN BE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS FOR SURE.
I'LL OPEN IT UP SO YOU CAN TURN YOUR MIC ON.
SO THE, THE CUT WHERE THE, THE TRAIL IS GOING TO BE LOWERED.
WHAT IS THE DEEPEST THAT CUT IS? BECAUSE ON THAT SECTION ON 21 SLIDE 21, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S OVER 20 FEET.
THIS IS A LITTLE LESS THAN DARK, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S A, AND THEN WHEN Y'ALL DO THAT CUT, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EXISTING LANDSCAPE? OR ARE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT TREES OR ANYTHING THAT ARE GOOD THAT ARE IN THAT AREA AND ANALYSIS? OKAY.
WE'VE DONE AN ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING TREES IN THAT AREA.
WE STUDIED, UM, WE LOOKED AT THEM FOR HEALTH AND SPECIES.
UM, CAUSE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW INVASIVES ON THAT HILLSIDE AND WE INTENTIONALLY ADJUSTED THE GRADING TO, UM, AND WE DIDN'T INCLUDE A GRADING PLAN IN HERE, BUT BASICALLY IT'S LOWERED IN THE CENTER AND THEN IT STILL BERMS UP ON THE SIDE.
THAT'S WHY ON THE PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THEIR RETAINING WALLS ON EITHER SIDE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO KEEP AS MANY OF THE EXISTING TREES AS WE POSSIBLY COULD.
THERE ARE SOME TREES THAT WILL BE REMOVED AND THEY ARE QUITE A FEW OF THEM ARE INVASIVE.
THERE AREN'T ANY PROTECTED OR HERITAGE TREES IN THAT ZONE ALONG THE LAKE.
SO MY SECOND QUESTION IS, SINCE IT'S BEING LOWERED ABOUT 16 FEET, WHEN YOU IT INTO THE EXISTING BUTLER TRAIL, WHAT KIND OF A SLOPE ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE THERE? I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE ACCESSIBLE.
SO CURRENTLY IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE IT IT'S VERY STEEP COMING FROM THE NORTH, GOING TO THE SOUTH.
THERE'S A REALLY STEEP GRADE CHANGE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, UM, SINCE WE'RE LOWERING THAT IT ONLY, IT NEVER GOES ABOVE 5% FOR THAT WHOLE SECTION.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY SMOOTHING THAT OUT.
IT LOOKS VERY EXCITING FOR SURE.
IT'S A GREAT, GOTTA BE GREAT PROJECT NOW DOING WONDERFUL THINGS.
I WANTED TO REVIEW BECAUSE SO MUCH IS EVOLVING ON RAINY STREET.
LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THE PUBLIC REALM ALONG THE STREETSCAPE.
SO CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH HOW I ACCESS FROM, FROM RAINY STREET AND THEN HOW I ACCESS RAINY STREET FROM THE PARKLAND? YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THE CIRCULATION GO THROUGH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BUILDING IS CLOSED? YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, I'M GOING ALONG THE TRAIL AND I WANT TO GO TO RAINY STREET.
HOW DO I GET BACK UP TO THE RIGHT OF WAY? JUST THE OVERALL PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION IN AND AROUND THE BUILDING 24 7, NOT JUST WHEN THE BUILDINGS OPERATE.
YEAH, WELL, NO, BUT I THINK THAT MAYBE WE COULD, CAN WE, UH, WELL THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT.
I MEAN, I, WE HAVE THE IMAGES, MAYBE A LITTLE EASIER TO EXPLAIN, BUT BASICALLY WITH THE TRAIL, THE TRAIL WOULD CONTINUE IN, IN THE LOWER LEVEL.
SO IT WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE, FROM THE, FROM THE TRAIL.
YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE RAINY STREET, RIGHT? WHEN THE BUILDING IS CLOSED, YOU WILL NEED TO DO IT IN THE TRAIL.
THAT IS AT THE UPPER LEVEL, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL CONNECT WITH THE SIDEWALKS THAT ARE PART OF THE, WE'RE CREATING A NEW LOADING LOADING ZONE ON THE, UH, EH, FACING, UH, THE ACCESS FROM RAINY STREET.
BUT, UH, ON THE, ON THE PARKING SIDE, THERE'S OUR SIDEWALK THAT IS GOING TO CONNECT WITH THE, THE, THE WATERLOO GREENWAYS IS BUILDING AN ACCESSIBLE ACCESS FROM THEIR HAND TO THE END OF THE PARKING ON OUR SIDE.
SO THE TRAIL, SOMEONE IN THE TRAIL CAN CONNECT WITH THE PARKING AREA THROUGH THAT ACCESS THAT THE WATERLOO GREENWAY IS, IS BUILDING.
I THINK IT'S BUILDING NOW, RIGHT.
OR IS BEING APPROVED OR THEY, THEY HAD THE DESIGN ALREADY DONE.
THE DESIGN IS A HUNDRED PERCENT, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
[00:35:03]
SO, SO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION, BUT BASICALLY THERE'S A WAY TO CONNECT FROM THE NORTH SIDE TO THE PARKING AREA OF ON THE AUTOMATIC I'M FROM THE SOUTH SIDE, BASICALLY WE WERE CONNECTING THE AREA THAT IS, UH, UM, WHERE THE, UH, THE GARDENS THAT STEPHANIE WAS DESCRIBING ON THE, ON THE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE.SO THERE'S A WAY TO GO AROUND.
CAN YOU GO TO YOUR SITE PLAN, STEPHANIE? MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
LET ME PULL BACK UP ONE OF THE SLIDES.
UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THE BUILDING IS NOT, YOU CAN'T PENETRATE THE BUILDING WHEN THE BUILDING'S NOT OPEN.
THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING, I THINK.
I UNDERSTAND SOME ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
AND IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO, MAYBE I WANT TO SAY IT'S LIKE SLIDE 15 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR ANY OF THE PLAN, UM, ON THE SOUTH SIDE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, SORRY, CAN YOU GO BACK A FEW MORE? IT NEEDS TO BE ONE OF THE ZOOMED OUT.
SO THERE ARE TRAIL CONNECTIONS THERE FROM, FROM THE TRAIL.
SO IT BASICALLY IS MEETING BACK UP WITH EXISTING GRADE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
HOW DO I GET TO RAINY STREET? CAUSE IT'S COMING TO HERE, LET'S DO THIS.
THAT CONNECTS TO THE SITE, TO THE SIDEWALK.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE THIS TRAIL TO THAT WALKWAY.
CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING INTO THE BUILDING.
MAYBE I KNOW IT'S A SCHEMATIC SCHEMATIC.
I MEAN, IT'S ALSO THERE'S LAWN THERE SO YOU COULD WALK ACROSS.
UM, BUT YES, WE COULD CREATE A MORE DIRECT CONNECTION THERE FROM THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH ACTIVITY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU THAT IF I WANT TO GO OVER TO THE LAKE, FLATO BUILDING, THAT'S BEEN DESIGNED, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO THAT WAY.
AND THEN OVER HERE, HOW DOES IT WORK IN THIS SIDE? THERE'S THE PARKING LOT, RIGHT? NO, THAT'S NOT.
THAT'S JUST AN OPEN LAWN AREA.
YOU DON'T SEE IT IN THIS PLAN, BUT WHAT JUAN WAS DESCRIBING WAS YEAH, FURTHER NORTH, THERE'S A CORRECT CONNECTION.
THAT'S BEING MADE DIRECTLY FROM THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL PART OF THIS ANYMORE, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT LIKE AN OVERLOOK.
I THINK THAT'S A, THERE'S A QUESTION EMBEDDED IN THERE SOMEWHERE, WHICH IS THE KIND OF ACTIVITY TO THAT ACTIVE PART OF RAINY.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION ALSO ON THAT THE, THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE MAP.
RIGHT? SO THEY, THEY PRECISELY, THEY DON'T WANT THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK INTO THE BUILDING AT ANY TIME WHENEVER THEY WANT.
SO THEY HAVE TO, THEY'RE THEY'RE HAVING CONTROL, BUT UH, YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A COLLISION FLOW.
SO THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS NOT VISIBLE, BUT IT'S VERY WELL RESOLVED.
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT YOU'RE RIGHT.
THAT WE ARE, WE NEED TO SHOW THAT TRAIL THAT CONNECTS WITH THE SIDEWALK.
SO YOU CAN GO INTO RAYMOND STREET FROM THERE AND BACK FROM BRANDON STREET TO THE PARK, YOU'RE ENTIRELY, THE BACKYARD IS KIND OF DISCONNECTED FROM RAINY.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO ARTICULATE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CIRCLE THAT ROSE ON THAT AS YOU GO TO THE RIGHT THERE, THAT'S RED RIVER ON THE TOP, THAT CIRCLE, YOU GO DOWN, THERE'S A FIRE, THERE'S A FIRE RIGHT THERE.
AND WE WOULD MAKE AN ANNOYING DOG INTO THE VILLAGE AND THEY KEPT FOR CONCERTS AROUND LIKE BRING THE EQUIPMENT AND EYES AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE FOR THE SOCCER.
AND IF YOU TOLD ME THAT RED RIVER RIGHT THERE, THAT THEY SERVE IS THE TRASH AND SERVICE ALL THESE BUILDINGS BACK THERE.
SO OUR INTENT IS, AND THERE'S A LITTLE BEAUTIFUL TREES OR THAT AREA, THAT TRIANGLE , THEY JUST GO THROUGH THERE TO THE POINT, WHICH IS THE MIND RIGHT NOW, MY PERSONAL OPINION.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE STRONGER.
THEN WHAT'S THAT? AND THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION.
IT SAYS, MAN, THAT'S A RAIN RAIN GARDEN.
SO I WAS GOING TO ASK, HOW IS THE WATER QUALITY BEING IMPROVED? BECAUSE WE WENT OVER THE SETBACKS AND EVERYTHING IS THAT THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF.
IS THAT RAIN GARDEN, YOUR WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR YOUR NEW IMPERVIOUS COVER AND CONSTRUCT.
AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A RAIN GARDEN ON PROPOSED ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WHICH IS THE ONE SHOWN THERE.
AND THERE'S A SMALLER ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE, UM, UP BY CLOSER TO THE PARKING LOT.
I'M PRETTY SURE MINORS IS NEXT.
UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
AND UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY OWN EXPERIENCES WITH THE MAC THUS FAR.
UM, THE FIRST TIME THAT I DISCOVERED IT, IT WAS FROM THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
AND SO I THINK I SHARE COMMISSIONER COLEMAN'S CONCERNS AS WELL.
I USED IT AS A THREE-WAY TO GET TO THERE ANY STREET DISTRICT.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET TO RAINEY STREET, BUT I THINK THAT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE TRAVELING OR NEW TO THE CITY, THAT MIGHT BE THE ONE WAY WHERE
[00:40:01]
THEY EXPERIENCE IT.SO I THINK IF YOU CLOSE OFF THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO EXPLORE, UM, THEY'RE NOT REALLY GONNA KNOW WHAT IT IS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REALLY INTERACT WITH THE BUILDING AS MUCH.
SO I SECOND THAT CONCERN, UM, I'VE ALSO ATTENDED, UH, SOME OF THE GALLERY EVENTS, WHICH WERE GREAT.
UM, AND I WANT TO SAY IT WAS A DIA DE LOS MUERTOS IN, UH, IN THE ZOCALO.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT WAS A PROGRAMMING THAT YOU DO OUTSIDE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WITH AN EVENT LIKE THAT, YOU WOULD WANT TO CLOSE OFF THE SPACE AND CONTROL IT.
UM, I DO THINK THOUGH THAT IN GENERAL IT WOULD BE NICE IF THAT UPPER LEVEL OF THE ZOCALO, IF YOU COULD, UM, OPEN THAT UP TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT YOU HAVE A, UH, TRAINING KITCHEN OR A, SOME SORT OF, UM, EX EXPLORATORY CULINARY KITCHEN.
I THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONCESSIONS THAT EXTEND BEYOND THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THE GREAT MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL CENTERS THAT YOU MAY HAVE VISITED IN THE PAST, THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF CONCESSIONS AND THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THAT PLAZA OUTSIDE OF YOUR STANDARD PROGRAMMING.
UM, SO I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK RIGHT NOW IT SERVES AS A VERY OPEN PUBLIC SPACE AND, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE UNDER UTILIZED, I THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING FROM MAYBE ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, FINDING WAYS TO BRING PEOPLE IN OUTSIDE OF YOUR PROGRAMMING WOULD BE GREAT.
THE INTENT IS FOR THESE TO BE OPEN 99% OF THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE GO THROUGH AND AT SOME POINT AT 10:00 PM OR SOMETHING THEY CLOSE.
AND, AND THE IDEA IS THAT WHEN THEY HAVE THE OTHER MORTARS OR THEY HAVE CHILDREN CAMPS, OR THEY HAVE THE OTHER VENT, THEY HAVE A JAZZ FESTIVAL THAT THEY NEED TO CONTROL TICKETS AND ALL THAT RIGHT NOW, THE RENT FENCES.
THEY CANNOT REALLY CONTROL IT.
SO THE INTENT, THAT'S WHAT WE MAKE IN THOSE STAIRS, VERY INVITING, VERY OPEN.
AND WE WANT THE NEIGHBORS PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY HAVE CHILDREN IN THERE.
THEY HAVE LIKE HOMELESS OR PEOPLE IN THEIR BATHROOMS. SO THEY'RE MAKING US PUT MORE BATHROOMS IN OTHER AREAS TOO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO, UH, THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IS, IS A WAY WE, WE HAD IN THE, IN THE PLAN TO HAVE A KITCHEN, LIKE A CAFE, BUT THE CITY DOESN'T ALLOW TO HAVE TYPE OF MONETARY BUSINESS TYPE OF THING FOR CONCESSIONS LIKE THAT.
SO WE WANTED TO HAVE, BUT IT'S ALSO DID THAT, UH, COME HERE, HEIDI IS THE PROJECT MANAGER.
SHE KNOWS MORE ALL THOSE RULES THAT IT'S NOT THAT EASY TO HAVE, UH, THE INTENT, WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW SOME AREAS TO HAVE A TRAILER FOOD TRUCKS THAT WHEN THEY HAVE THOSE MORTARS, THEY CAN CONNECT WATER POWER, BUT, UH, CANNOT REALLY HAVE A OKAY.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO ADD IS I KNOW WE HAD A DEVELOPER COME TO ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, WHERE THEY WERE SHOWING HOW THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO CREATE UP A SALE, UH, WITH TWO BUNGALOWS AND THEN THEIR TOWER.
AND I JUST WONDERED, YOU KNOW, LIKE HOW YOUR CAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ANSWERED SOME OF THAT WITH, UH, AND GOING OVER THE, UH, SCHEMATIC THERE.
BUT I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAD THAT AWARENESS AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO KIND OF HAVE SOME SORT OF CONVERGENCE WITH THAT PASEO.
IS THAT A PROJECT THAT, I MEAN, IT'S, IT WAS 80 RAINY STREET THAT IS REFERRING TO YEAH.
I MEAN, WE SEE THAT ALL ACTIVITIES GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN RAIN STREET.
I THINK THAT HERE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE WITH THE ABILITY FOR THE BUILDING TO BE VERY PERMEABLE.
YOU CAN SEE, LIKE THE L SAID, THE STAIRS ARE MONUMENTAL IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHEN YOU ARE, WHEN YOU ARE IN THAT LOWER LEVEL AND YOU SEE THOSE STAIRS, THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO GO.
BUT WE WANTED THE MAC TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY IT'S 10 O'CLOCK WE'RE CLOSING.
WE DON'T WANT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO IN THE STREET TO COME BACK HERE AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND IN THE, IN THE BUILDING.
SO IT'S GIVING THEM THAT SENSE OF CONTROL.
BUT THE IDEA IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT YOU CAN SEE THOSE, THE CIRCLE, BASICALLY, IT'S BRINGING PEOPLE UP ON BOTH SIDES UP TO THE SO-CALLED ON, ACROSS THEIR GRAND TYLER.
SO THE CONNECTION IS THE MAIN IDEA, BUT THIS CONTROL.
SO THERE'S, THEY'RE BASICALLY GATES THAT THEY CAN CLOSE AT NIGHT AND THEN THEY CAN OPEN IN THE MORNING KNOWING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FIND THINGS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO DO A BUILDING THAT IS VERY FLEXIBLE FOR THE EVER-CHANGING NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR THE MAC.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT ON WELCOME THE RAINY STREET, BUT THE ENVIRONMENT, THE RAINY STREET IS NOT THE ENVIRONMENT THEY HAVE IN THERE.
SO, UH, TRY TO PEOPLE FROM RAINY TODAY.
THEY TAKE THEIR PARKING WHEN THEY HAVE ACTIVITIES.
THEY NOT, THE TRAFFIC THAT COMES WITH AND ALL THAT.
SO, UH, RAINI, WHEN HE, YOU KNOW, THE MAG WAS BEFORE RAINY, WHAT IS TODAY? SO THEY WERE TRYING TO HAVE BY THE CAFE AND ALL THAT FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FOOD, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO ALCOHOL AND SO ON FOR THE CHILDREN, BUT WE'RE NOT EVER.
SO WE NEED TO BALANCE THAT CONNECTION.
NOW, ALSO WITH ALL THIS TOWER GRIND, THERE, THERE IS ALL THESE PEOPLE WALKING, THEIR DOGS, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
[00:45:01]
PLUS THE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.SO WE'RE TRYING TO CON GET ALL THIS BUILDING THAT IS FLEXIBLE, THAT THOSE FEW TIMES A YEAR THAT THEY NEED TO CLOSE, THEY CAN, BUT THE IDEAS THAT IS MORE OPEN FOR THEM, BUT THERE'S A CONCERN, DIFFERENT CONCERNS.
UH, PIGGYBACK ON, ON COMMISSIONER COLEMAN'S QUESTION, AND THIS MAY HAVE, I'M SURE IT'S OUT OF YOUR SCOPE, BUT JUST ONE OF YOU GUYS LOOKED AT IT.
WHAT IS THE CONNECTION? UM, OR HOW DOES, HOW DOES THIS INTERACT WITH THE NEW LIGHT RAIL STOP? UM, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY, BUT WHEN YOU GOT, I'M SURE YOU GUYS TOOK THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
AND HOW DO YOU DRAW PEOPLE IN? WELL, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT, WHY DID YOU SAY IT'S A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OUR SCOPE IN THE SENSE THAT BASICALLY WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE A PHASE THREE WHERE WE'RE HOPING THERE'S A PIECE OF LAND THAT IS NEXT TO RAINY STREET.
THAT IS PART OF THE MACK THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DEVELOP EVENTUALLY.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE ACCESS TO THE PARKING FROM THE PARKING LOT, FROM THE, FROM THE RAINY STREET, THE SIDEWALKS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS BASICALLY BEYOND OUR PROPERTY LINE.
THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO TO GO TO THE, TO THE, TO THE, AT SOME POINT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT THERE WAS A, UH, AN IDEA OF EXTENDING, YOU KNOW, UH, RED RIVER THROUGH OUR PROPERTY AND, UH, THAT, THAT ONLY HAS BEEN POSTPONED OR CANCELED.
SO THERE, THERE, THE ACCESS FROM ALL THE AREAS AROUND IS SOMETHING THAT AT SOME POINT WE DON'T CONTROL.
I GUESS IF YOU GUYS, DURING YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH ATP OR ANYBODY, AND IF THERE WAS ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE, UH, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE WAY TO GET FROM A LIGHT RAIL STOP TO THIS? IS IT THROUGH THE TRAIL? IS THAT, I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WHAT IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAY TO GET FROM THE NEW LIGHT RAIL STOP TO THIS BUILDING? IF YOU GUYS HAVE LOOKED AT THAT AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, IT'S FINE.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF PERHAPS YOU HAD, UM, AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO THE SOCCER LAW, UM, I THINK IT'S AMAZING AND THESE BEAUTIFUL, I LOVE THE CONCEPT OF THE SOCCER CLUB, BUT CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW I WAS TRYING TO COMPARE THE AERIALS WITH LIKE, WHATEVER TREES ARE THERE RIGHT NOW.
AND I SEE YOU PUT A LOT MORE TREES IN THERE, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
WE ALL NEED SHADE STRUCTURES, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT THE MAC, UM, AND ITS CURRENT SOCCER LAW, THE WAY IT IS, IS THERE'S SO MUCH SPACE FOR EVENTS.
I'VE BEEN TO MULTIPLE CONCERTS THERE IN MULTIPLE OUTDOOR PUBLIC EVENTS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ENGAGED.
DO YOU SEE THIS KIND OF REDUCING THAT CAPACITY OR, OR IS IT IN LINE WITH THE CAPACITY THAT THAT OCCURRED HAS AS FAR AS THE, THE SILK I LOOK CONCEPT WELL AS THE SOKOLOW IS OBVIOUSLY NOW BECAUSE IT'S UNDEFINED, IT COULD, YOU COULD, YOU COULD BE, YOU KNOW, DEPENDENT ON WHERE THEY PUT THE FENCE.
IT COULD BE BIGGER THAN WHAT IT IS NOW IN THE PROPOSAL WHERE WE ARE HAVING A MORE CLEAR, DEFINED EDGE, THE PRESENCE OF THE TREES.
THIS IS STILL A MATTER OF DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.
WHEN, WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING THESE WITH THE, WITH THE MAG DEPENDENT OF THE VAN, SOME PEOPLE PREFER NOT TO HAVE THREE YEARS.
SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO HAVE THREE YEARS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT POTENTIAL EVENTS, BUT WE HAVE A SHADE STRUCTURE THAT JUST, AS YOU SEE THE ROUND STRUCTURE THAT YOU SEE THERE CAN KIND OF HAVE 400 SEATS ON THEIR KNEES THAT'S SHADE STRUCTURE.
SO THE CAPACITY OF THE, OF THE CIRCLE IS VERY LARGE, BUT IT'S MORE LIMITED.
IT'S LIMITED IN THE SENSE THAT NOW, BECAUSE IT'S UNDEFINED, IT CAN BE EXPANDED BEYOND THE, THE, BASICALLY THE LIMIT THAT WE HAVE NOW, BUT WE SEE THE SPACE TO BE VERY, VERY, VERY FLEXIBLE FOR MULTIPLE EVENTS.
BUT THE TREES IS SOMETHING THAT WE KEEP HEARING ALL THE TIME THAT THEY WANT SHADE.
SO THE TREES SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, MOST PEOPLE AGREE THAT IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE.
NO, NO, I'M NOT SAYING I'M NOT, I'M NOT ADVOCATING TO REMOVE TREES.
I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION OF WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FROM A CAPACITY PERSPECTIVE? YEAH.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT I'M NOT ABOUT THE TREES.
I SAY I WANT TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR I'M ABOUT THE TREES, THE TREES THEY'RE ON BOARD AND PUT IT TOGETHER EVENTS.
THEY PREFER NOT TO HAVE TREES.
WE HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT, UM, FROM A SUBARU, THE DESIRE OF THE BUILDING TO COMPLETE ITSELF.
I THINK THE PROPOSED ADDITION, IT'S VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE INITIAL DESIGN AND REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AREA.
I THINK ONE THING THAT COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IS A CONTEXT MAP, REALLY ADDRESSING ALL THE ACCESSIBILITY QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY INCLUDING THE WORK FOR THE RAINY TRAILHEAD, WHICH IS, UM, WAS REVIEWED AT DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
UM, THE WATERLOO GREENWAY DELTA PROJECTS PROJECT CONNECTS THE PROPOSED STOP.
AND THEN ALSO THE PASEO AT ED RAINEY.
I'M REALLY LOOKING AT HOW PEOPLE ARE INFLOWING INTO THE SITE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, AS THE CITY TRANSITIONS TO BE MORE CAR-FREE HOW ARE PEOPLE GETTING THERE? AND I THINK THAT WOULD PRETTY MUCH COVER MOST OF THE DESIGN COMMISSIONS, UM, CONCERNS, BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
[00:50:03]
UH, YES, ECHOING A LOT OF THE PRAISE THAT EVERYBODY SAID.I THINK THIS, THIS SCHEMATIC DESIGN KIND OF TAKES MY BREATH AWAY IN A LOT OF WAYS.
UM, I THINK IT'S HONORING THE EXISTING BUILDING IN A REALLY POETIC WAY, UM, WITH THE FORMAL GESTURES AND THE WAY IN THE ZOCALO, HOW YOU'VE GOT THE, THE LOOKOUT AND THE SHADE STRUCTURE THAT COMES DOWN AND TOUCHES THE, THOSE BEAUTIFUL MONUMENTAL STAIR THAT INVITES YOU UP, LIKE ALL THESE GESTURES JUST BACK AND PEOPLE FROM THE TRAIL COME AND EXPERIENCE THIS SPACE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL.
UM, AND, AND WITH THE TREES, I THINK, UH, IT'S CREATING LIKE THIS LOVELY OASIS UP THERE TO BE ENJOYED.
AND I THINK PERHAPS IF THE TREES THAT ARE UP THERE ARE TALLER WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING THE SIGHT LINES TO GO PASS, THEN THE EVENTS MIGHT NOT BE TOO, UM, INHIBITED BY THEIR CANOPY.
IT MIGHT BE A WAY TO GET BOTH A GOOD EVENT SPACE AND GOOD SHADE COVER.
UM, BUT GENERALLY I JUST WANTED TO SAY REALLY, I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, ONE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN YOUR POWER OR, YOU KNOW, THE POWER OF THE CITY.
IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING THAT THERE'S VERY LIMITED FREE PARKING AT THE BACK AND THAT'S EVEN STATED ON THEIR WEBSITE.
SO IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORT FOR YOU GUYS TO SAY IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR EQUITY FOR THESE PEOPLE TO COME THAT THERE'S MORE FREE PARKING FOR EVENTS THAT ARE DIRECTLY MAC RELATED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY COULD HAVE A PRINTED PASS FROM THEIR TICKET OR SET UP SOMETHING, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S DEFINITELY OFF-PUTTING THANK YOU FOR ADDING THE SHADE STRUCTURE AND THE ZOCALO COMPLETELY.
NOW MY QUESTIONS COME INTO, I, UM, I DON'T SEE ANY SEATING IN THE LAWN AREA.
AM I MISSING THAT? OR EVEN ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE LAWN IN ANY WAY, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE LOWER LEVEL, THE LOWER LAWN? YES.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE CONTOUR LINES, SO THE GRADES ARE COMING DOWN FROM THE SIDES AS WELL.
AND THAT ALSO HAS A SEAT WALL TO ALLOW FOR SEATING.
AND THEN FINALLY, THIS IS, UM, MY PERSPECTIVE OF CIRCULATION IS MY RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAC IS OFF OF THE BUTLER TRAIL.
AND THOUGH I REALLY LOVE THIS FLOW AND THIS LANGUAGE I'M, I PERSONALLY AM CONCERNED WITH FORM VERSUS FUNCTION WHERE I, I KNOW IT'S A 14 FOOT TRAIL AND I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.
IF THE PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION COULD BE SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL CIRCULATION WHERE IT'S BIKES, STROLLERS.
I TYPICALLY GO THROUGH ON A BIKE SLOWLY BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE.
BUT AS I LOOK AT THIS SPACE IS OF COURSE FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, I WOULDN'T WANT IT TO BE PIECEMEALED, BUT IF THIS WORKED, IT COULD REALLY SERVE AS A PRECEDENT FOR THE LAWN, THE LARGER BUTLER TRAIL ISSUE OF THIS RELATIONSHIP OF WHEELS VERSUS WALKING.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I, I, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE HOW THE, THE FORM COMPLETES THE CIRCLE, BUT IN TERMS OF FUNCTION THAT IS PRESENT DAY CHAOS ON THAT DECOMPOSED GRANITE PATH RIGHT NOW.
AND I SEE THAT INCREASING EVEN MORE DUE TO MORE PEOPLE COMING IN FINDING THEIR WAY.
AND IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY AND I DON'T KNOW ANY PRECEDENT OF MAYBE WHERE THE WHEELED PART IS ACTUALLY PAVED AND HAS PAINTING ON IT, MAYBE IN SOME BEAUTIFUL WAY OF STROLLERS OR BICYCLES THAT IN THAT SPOT THAT, THAT COULD MAYBE SERVE AS A SUCCESS THAT COULD BE CARRIED THROUGH, UM, OR IT MAY NOT WORK, BUT I'M, AND THEN FINALLY, WHEN I'M ROLLING UP ON MY BICYCLE, AGAIN, I HAVE NO IDEA CURRENTLY HOW TO GET FROM THAT BUTLER TRAIL TO THE MAC, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO CARRY MY BIKE UP THOSE STAIRS AND JUST ZEROING IN ON THAT, ON THAT CIRCULATION.
UM, BECAUSE I AGREE THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S LOVELY, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO CUT THROUGH RAINY TO THE TRAIL.
AND I LOVE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, VERY CURVILINEAR AND YOU HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE FACT THAT NIGHT THAT I'M GOING TO BE SCARED TO DEATH AS A FEMALE.
AND MY EYES ARE GOING TO BE WIDE OPEN, AND I'M JUST GOING TO BE LIKE THIS, LIKE I'M GOING TO, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT ENTIRELY.
[00:55:01]
THROUGH BOTH OF THOSE, THANK YOU.THERE IS A CONNECTION WITH WATERLOO.
THERE IS A CONNECTION WITH WATERLOO GREENWAY.
SO TO THE, UM, NORTH SIDE OF OUR SITE, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE BECAUSE, UH, THROUGH OUR COORDINATION, WHEN WE'VE BEEN MEETING REGULARLY, THEY'VE COORDINATED AND, UM, BECAUSE THEY NEEDED OUR SITE AND WE'RE COORDINATING OUR TIMING OF IT.
UM, AS A, UH, SORT OF A GIVE AND TAKE, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO DO A VERY SIGN EWAS CONNECTION, A TRAIL FROM THE PARKING LOT DOWN.
AND WHEN YOU, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRESENTING RIGHT AFTER US, AND YOU COULD ASK THEM ABOUT THAT.
I I'M NOT PUTTING THEM ON THE SPOT, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE WORKED VERY, VERY CAREFULLY ON AND ASSIGN US.
CAUSE WE HAVE A REAL, YOU KNOW, STEEP, GRAY CHANGE, BUT THEY'VE MANAGED TO MAKE IT A VERY SIGN US TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAINTAIN THAT ASSESSABILITY.
SO IT IS ON THE NORTH SIDE FOR SITE, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THEIR WORK.
IT'S NOT ON OUR DRAWINGS, BUT WE DO HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE, UM, INCLUDED THAT BACKGROUND ON ANY OF THIS PRESENTATION, BUT IT IS ON OUR DRAWINGS.
NOT ONLY TO SEE THAT AS, AS THEY SAID BEFORE, BUT WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS OF THESE DIFFERENT TERM I'M ASSUMING RIGHT NOW THAT CURRENTLY IS A 14 FOOT DECOMPOSED GRANITE TRAIL THAT'S CARRYING THROUGH, THROUGH THE BUTLER.
IT'S GOING TO BE A CONCRETE TRAIL, 14 STATE, BUT CONCRETE TRAIL.
BECAUSE THERE I WAS, I WAS JUST ASSUMING, DUE TO THE LANGUAGE THAT I KNOW THAT EXISTS ALREADY, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH, UM, THE TRAILS FOUNDATION TRAIL HAD TO COORDINATE THIS.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS WE DEVELOP THESE INTO DDS, JEREMY, I ADD ONTO THE QUESTION OF ACCESSIBILITY, HEIDI.
SO IF I AM AT THE EVENT LAWN AND I'M DIFFERENTLY ABLED IN A WHEELCHAIR, HOW DO I GET TO THE SO-CALLED? THERE IS AN ELEVATOR.
UM, IT'S WHERE YOU SAW THE TOWER EARLIER.
AND ONE OF THE SMILE ELEVATOR, IT'S AN INDOOR ELEVATOR.
WELL, IT'S INSIDE THE BUILDING.
I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING FROM THE OUTSIDE.
AND THEN, THEN YOU EMERGE IN THE GALLERY UPSTAIRS.
UM, TWO-SIDED DOORS THAT OPEN DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
SO IF I'M A PEDESTRIAN AND I WANT TO GO TO RAINY STREET AND I GET IT, I GO UP THE STAIRS AND I'M IN THE ZOCALO CIRCLE.
I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BUILDING.
YOU WILL BE IN THE OUTSIDE GALLERY.
THE ELEVATOR OPENS INTO THE OUTSIDE GALLERY.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION TO PAY BACK THERE.
SO IF THE BUILDING IS CLOSED AT NIGHT AND YOU'RE DIFFERENTLY ABLED, YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND TO THE, TO THE, TO THE TRAILHEAD AT, FOR THE RAINY STREET TRAILER.
SO YOU COULD DO THAT OR YOU COULD USE THAT WATERLOO GREENWAY TRAILS THAT CONNECT FROM THE PARKING LOT DOWN TO THE TRAILS.
IT'S CLOSER TO THAT BRIDGE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SITE.
BUT THERE'S NO WAY THROUGH THAT.
THOSE ARE THE TWO CLOSEST WEIGHTS.
YOU JUST DON'T GO THROUGH THE PLAZA.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS MYSELF.
UH, IN THE PRESENTATION, YOU MENTIONED THERE'S SOME HERITAGE TREES THAT ARE BEING RELOCATED.
WHERE ARE THOSE BEING RELOCATED TO THERE ARE SOME HERITAGE PECAN TREES THAT CURRENTLY WE ARE HOPING TO TAKE THEM FROM THEIR CURRENT LOCATION AND JUST DROP THEM DOWN INTO THAT EVENT LAWN DIRECTLY BELOW THEIR EXISTING LOCATION.
SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY IN THE SAME SPOT IT'S JUST BEING LOWERED.
UH, NEXT QUESTION IS, SO YOU SAID YOU'RE LOWERING THE TRAIL 12, 14 FEET.
IS IT NOW GOING TO BE IN THE FLOOD PLAIN? NO.
WE'RE STILL S THE, UM, RIGHT NOW, EVERY EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT'S IS, IS A CONSIDERABLY ABOVE THE FLOOD, PLAIN ELEVATION, BUT THAT'S ALL STILL IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
SOME OF THE WORK IS IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY DOWN.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR CHARGE IS TO LOOK AT YOUR, UM, PROPOSALS AND THERE REALLY WASN'T MUCH TALK ON THAT TONIGHT.
COULD YOU TELL US HOW YOU'RE GOING TO MEET YOUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS ON THIS PROJECT? WELL, WE ARE TARGETING, WE'RE ACTUALLY TRACKING BOTH DUAL SYSTEM, BOTH THE THREE-STAR, UH, THE AEG
[01:00:01]
B3 THREE-STAR, AND ALSO LEAD SILVER OR 0.1.UH, WE MIGHT AT SOME POINT DECIDE TO JUST GO WITH ONE TRACK BECAUSE MY CONSULTANTS ARE ACTUALLY, UM, THEY'RE ONLY CONTRACTED TO DO ONE TRACK.
AND SO BY REQUIREMENT, WE NEED TO MEET SILVER.
WE'RE GOING TO STRIVE FOR A HIGHER RATING, BUT WE ARE TRACKING BOTH RIGHT NOW.
ARE THERE ANY FEATURES THAT, YOU KNOW, SOLAR POWER, RAINWATER HARVESTING, ANYTHING YOU CAN ELABORATE ON HOW YOU'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE THOSE WRITINGS? YEAH, I THINK IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT FOR, FOR YOU TO KNOW THERE IS, UH, IN THE PARKING LOT.
THERE'S ALREADY A SERVICE BUILDING THERE, IF YOU ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT IN THE PARKING THAT'S HOUSING, CURRENTLY TWO CHILLERS AND THERE'S SPACE FOR ANOTHER CHILLER AND WHAT THE CITY DECIDED TO DO, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST YEAR IS THEY'RE GOING TO SWITCH TO AUSTIN ENERGY, YOUR WATER SYSTEM.
SO THOSE SHEILA'S WILL BE ELIMINATED, AND WHICH IS A GOOD THING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING NOISE AND SO ON.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A SUBSTANTIAL, BETTER MECHANICAL SYSTEM FOR THE BUILDING TERM.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.
AND SO ON SINCE THE BUILDING WAS DONE SO LONG AGO, IT'S VERY HARD TO GO BACK AND RETROFIT.
SO THE INTENT RIGHT NOW IS TO DO SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE ADDITION OF THE BUILDING, NOT THE OLD PART, A ONE PART, ONE A, THE PHASE ONE ADD LATER THAT GOT, UM, CERTIFICATION FOR LATE CERTIFICATION.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND DO THE WHOLE, UH, BUILDING IF THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT THAT ALSO AN ENERGY ALONE IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR THE, FOR THE MC.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS.
UM, I THINK WE DID HAVE A MEMBER OF THE MAC ADVISORY BOARD THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
WELL, WHAT THEY'RE GETTING, I THINK I JUST WANT TO PICK UP ANY OF THE TIME.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY CHALLENGING, UH, PROJECT.
IT COULD BE A VERY EASY WAY TO JUST NOT DO ALL THIS MANEUVERING WITH THE SOIL AND THE CONNECTION OF ALL THE IS EASY FOR US.
UH, BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THE CITY HAS TO MAKE THESE INCREDIBLE, NOT JUST FOR THE MAC, BUT FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THERE IS A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DEAL WITH, UH, FROM CRITICAL WA YOU KNOW, ALL THESE ISSUES, THAT MANY CODES AND ALL THAT CONTRADICT EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK ALL THE HELP THAT WE CAN GET FROM EVERYBODY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, IT WILL BE A WELCOME ONE LITTLE OBSTACLE CAN RUIN THE WHOLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS.
I MEAN, SOMETHING AS NO, YOU CAN NOT MOVE THAT TREE DOWN.
WELL, UH, ONE THING WE SAY TO EVERYBODY, WE DIDN'T COME UP WITH THIS BUILDING LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS STILL, THE ONLY BUILDING IN THE U S THAT HE'S DONE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DESIGN STANDARDS.
SO HOW CAN WE TAKE THAT? UH, WE ARE ALMOST FORCED TO CONTINUE THE SOKOLOW AND THEREFORE ENCROACHING, SOMEHOW WE'RE PUSHING BACK WITH THE SETBACK OR RAINY STREET THAT CAME AFTER THE BUILDING WAS THE, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ARE IN A SITUATION THAT WE NEED EVERYBODY'S HELP TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES SAY, WELL, IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, THE VIRUS WE NEED TO DO THIS VIRUS OR THIS OTHER VIRUS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND AS A PROJECT MANAGER RUNNING THE JOB IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO GET 22 CONSULTANTS MOVING FORWARD, WAITING FOR ONE SINGLE THING TO HAPPEN.
AND IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, EVERYTHING WE GO FOR A YEAR OR TWO GOES TO THE TRASH AND IT'S VERY HARD.
SO THAT LADY OVER THERE IS PUSHING ME EVERY DAY TO GET DONE, BUT I CAN NOT GET DONE WITHOUT CERTAIN APPROVALS AND, YOU KNOW, AND HELP TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND WE TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING, UH, FOR THE CITY AND REALLY WELCOME ALL THESE COMMENTS THAT WILL HELP US MAKE IT BETTER OR ORIENTATION IS TO DO THE BEST FOR THE CITY AT THE LEVEL.
AND THIS IS WHAT I BE SAYING TO ALL THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THIS HAS TO BE AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE CITY HALL LEVEL.
IT WAS FOR DESIGN AS THE LIBRARY.
[01:05:01]
THIS MEXICAN-AMERICAN, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BELOW THAT LEVEL.AND EVEN THE ECONOMIC PART OF THAT IS A CHALLENGE.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST YEAR ALONE FROM ESTIMATE THE INFLATION AND THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION HAS GONE OVER 30% UP, WHICH IS TAKEN AWAY FROM, FROM OUR BUDGET AND THIS TOWN LAKE TRAIL, YOU KNOW, THIS CONNECTION, THEREFORE SOME PEOPLE IN THE MAC RIGHT THERE ARE NOT VERY HAPPY BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT'S THE SIRI, THAT'S THE TRAIL.
THAT'S NOT THE MAC, YOU TAKING MONEY FROM A BOND TO FIX THIS OTHER ISSUE.
SO IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING TIME, BUT WE THINK THAT THE FULL VISION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I THINK ANYTHING YOU CAN DO AND EVERYTHING ANYBODY CAN DO TO HELP US TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A MEMBER'S NOT AVAILABLE.
WELL THEN, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS PROJECT? FOR SURE.
FRANCO I'LL MOVE TO THE PROJECT, SOME STEPS YOU COMPLIANT WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES TO BE CLEAR.
UM, IS THAT WHAT THEY WERE ASKING? I'M SORRY.
THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS DO, BUT MAYBE I WAS WRONG BECAUSE THE CITY DESIGN STANDARD COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS, THE SECOND FROM VICE-CHAIR ALISON, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT SHOULD COLEMAN, ARE YOU OPEN TO AN AMENDMENT THAT IT'S, THAT WE SUPPORT THAT IT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BUTLER TRAIL AND RAINY STREET IS STRONGER AND DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BUILDING OR SO-CALLED OPEN THAT I'M OPENING, I'M OPEN TO SECONDING THAT, BUT I ALSO, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO AT 10:00 PM CLOSE OFF THOSE COLOR, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CLEAR AND STRONG AROUND IT.
I DIDN'T RE NOT REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH.
AND WE'LL PUT IT TO A VOTE FOR SURE.
NOW WE'RE BLEEDER COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
AND I AM A YES, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PROJECT.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME WE'VE HAD 11 PEOPLE HERE?
[01:11:21]
OKAY.I THINK WE'LL GET STARTED HERE.
[1.b. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether the Waterloo Greenway – Creek Delta project, located at Waller Creek, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin; Melissa Ayala and Chris Perkes Waterloo Greenway, Diana Wang City of Austin Waller Creek District Program.]
WE'LL GO TO ITEM ONE, B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CREEK DELTA PROJECT LOCATED AT WALLER CREEK COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH Y'ALL THIS EVENING AND GOOD TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES.
UM, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, AND I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
I'M THE CAPITAL PRODUCTS MANAGER AT WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO CONSERVANCY FOR THE CREEK DELTA PROJECT? UM, DIANA WANG.
I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE CREEK DELTA NOW KNOWN AS THE CONFLUENCE PROJECT FOR THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE CAN GO TO OUR NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SHARE AN UPDATE WITH YOU ALL ABOUT OUR PROGRAM.
UM, TALK ABOUT THE CREEK DELTA PROJECT, WHICH IS OUR PHASE TWO AND ALSO, UM, REQUESTS POSSIBLE ACTION, UM, AND POTENTIALLY A VOTE OF SUPPORT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN DOING TO HELP US AS A PART OF OUR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT PROCESS, UM, AND HELP US KIND OF LEAD INTO OUR CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, ALTHOUGH WE WERE HERE ABOUT LAST YEAR TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL, UM, WATERLOO GREENWAY, UM, AS A PROJECT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OUR SPONSORING DEPARTMENT'S PART AND WATERSHED AND WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, THE NONPROFIT PARTNER, UM, AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE THEM HERE WITH US TODAY TO DEMONSTRATE THIS PARTNERSHIP.
SO WHAT ARE THE GREENWAY CONSERVANCY? LIKE I MENTIONED, WE ARE A NONPROFIT.
UM, WE HAVE RECENTLY OPENED WATERLOO PARK AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT, UM, REALLY DEMONSTRATE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS CREATING A SPACE THAT'S FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL AND TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY WITH NATURE, BUT ALSO ACTIVATE OUR SPACES.
SO OUR COMMUNITY CAN COME OUT AND ENJOY THEM THROUGH PROGRAMMING, EDUCATION, FAMILY, FRIENDLY AMENITIES, A OF DIFFERENT THINGS FOR, UM, AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, NOT ONLY FOR FOLKS LIVING IN DOWNTOWN, BUT FOR OUR ENTIRE REGION.
SO LIKE I MENTIONED, COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING IS HUGE SINCE WE OPENED WATERLOO PARK.
UM, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN OPERATING UNDER THE PANDEMIC AND TRYING TO PROMOTE SAFE GATHERINGS.
UM, BUT IT'S GREAT TO HAVE AN OUTDOOR SPACE, UM, THAT ALLOWS US TO DO A LOT OF THINGS.
SO THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF PICTURES TO SHOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SINCE WE OPENED WATERLOO PARK IN AUGUST.
UM, WE HAVE OUR PLAYGROUND IN THE TOP LEFT.
IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO ADD SOME NEW SPACES THAT ARE FAMILY-FRIENDLY IN DOWNTOWN, UM, BUT ALSO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO USE THE PARK AS A RESOURCE.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE OUR DANCE CLASSES
[01:15:01]
THAT WE DID IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A SKIN OF TANGO WELLNESS CLASSES.UM, WE HAD A BREAK DANCING GROUP FOR KIDDOS.
UM, WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT LOCAL NONPROFITS, UM, AND HAVE ACCESS TO THE SPACE.
SO FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY DOING GREAT THINGS IN TOWN, GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO FEATURE THOSE IN THE PARK AND THEN HAVE FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING FOR AUSTINITES TO ENJOY NEXT SLIDE.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE HERE TO TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT OUR PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THE CREEK DELTA OR THE CONFLUENCE.
UM, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO PREPARE OUR FINAL DESIGN AND REALLY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND IN PARTICULAR, OUR ADJACENT NEIGHBORS.
SO ON THIS MAP, YOU'LL SEE AN OVERVIEW OF THAT PROJECT AREA.
WE'RE AT THE CENTER OF A LOT WE'RE NEIGHBORS TO THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM, THERE IS A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE, YOU KNOW, CATTY-CORNER TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO OUR INTENTION FOR THIS SPACE IS TO REALLY CELEBRATE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO USE OUR PARK SPACE AND OUR TRAIL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT FOLKS TO THOSE DIFFERENT SPACES AND REALLY ENHANCE THOSE CONNECTIONS TO OUR DIFFERENT CULTURAL ASSETS.
SO BECAUSE OF OUR LOCATION AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ASPIRE TO BE IN THIS SECTION OF THE PROJECT, UM, AND OVERALL ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN REALLY CRITICAL.
UM, AND WE HAVE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS TO TRY TO HEAR FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, REALLY BUILD OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAC, WITH THE STAFF, WITH THE BOARD, UM, WITH THEIR GUESTS, BECAUSE IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, WE CAN BRING MORE PEOPLE TO THE MAC AND HELP PEOPLE GET AROUND EASIER IN THE AREA, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S CHALLENGING.
UM, SO WITH OUR PROJECT, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE ARE JUST, IT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE OUTREACH THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, AND A LOT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MAT NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE WATERLOO GREENWAY PROJECT.
UM, SO ON THE FAR, RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE WATERLOO PARK HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE.
AND THEN ON THE LEFT SIDE, WE HAVE THE SECTION OF OUR PROJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING WITH YOU ALL ABOUT TODAY AND YELLOW.
SO WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE DETAILS AND YOU'LL SEE SOME RENDERINGS.
AND THEN FINALLY, OUR PHASE THREE, YOU WILL LINK BOTH OF THOSE.
AND ULTIMATELY WE'LL HAVE ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF OF TRAIL FROM WATERLOO PARK CONNECTING DOWN TO THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
SO NOW I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
SO MELISSA MENTIONED, UH, OUR PROJECT AREA AND JUST ZOOMING IN ON THAT A LITTLE MORE.
UM, WE DO, UH, SPAN THE WALLET, THE EXISTING WALLER CREEK FROM FOURTH STREET DOWN TO LADY BIRD LAKE.
SO THE AREA THAT YOU SEE KIND OF SHADED GREEN IS GENERALLY OUR PROJECT AREA.
I DO WANT TO NOTE, THERE'S A LITTLE HATCH AT THE BOTTOM WHERE THE, UH, CURRENT PALM PARK IS PALM PARK IS NOT BEING DEVELOPED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
IT WILL BE A FUTURE PHASE, ALTHOUGH WHERE WE ARE KIND OF DEVELOPING THAT ADJACENCY AND, UH, TAKING SOME CONSTRUCTION ACCESS IN THAT AREA.
UM, SO AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THE PROJECT AND, AND HOW WE SET SOME OVER DESIGN GOALS, THIS, UM, THE FRAMEWORK FOR THIS PROJECT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL APPROVED WALLER CREEK, UH, DESIGN PLAN.
UM, THE, THE, THE AREA THAT WE'LL BE COVERING IS IT'S ABOUT A 10 ACRE PROJECT AREA.
UM, AND AS MELISSA MENTIONED, UM, IT'S A LITTLE OVER A MILE OF TRAILS AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES THAT WE'LL BE ADDING.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A BIG COMPONENT IS GOING TO BE STREAM RESTORATION OF, UH, OF WALLER CREEK, UH, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, AS FAR AS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROJECT, UH, WE DID COMPLETE 100% CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, UM, AND, AND THE TEAM IS ADDRESSING SOME OF THE FINAL COMMENTS.
SO, UM, UH, W W WE ARE PRETTY FAR ALONG IN DESIGN.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT, WHAT, UH, THIS SECTION OF WALLER CREEK LOOKS LIKE, UH, THIS, THIS PORTION OF THE CREEK IS PRETTY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONDITIONS.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, THIS IS, UH, FACING THIRD STREET, BUT, UM, THERE'S CONCRETE SLOUGHING OFF, YOU KNOW, THE BRIDGE ABUTMENTS THERE'S EXPOSED PIPES, AND, UH, THE SLOPES ARE HIGHLY, UH, BANKS ARE HIGHLY DEGRADED.
UM, WATERSHED DOES, YOU KNOW, KIND OF EVALUATE THE CONDITION OF THE CREEKS AROUND THE CITY AND, UM, KIND OF GIVES A GRADE FOR, FOR THE LEVEL OF EROSION.
[01:20:01]
THIS IS IN THE TOP FIVE KIND OF WORST OR EROSION SITES IN THE CITY.UM, SO AS WE KIND OF COMPLICATED, UH, CONTEMPLATED HOW WE WERE GOING TO APPROACH THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS VERY MUCH A DESIRE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO KIND OF MOVE AWAY FROM MORE OF THE TRADITIONAL ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, WHERE YOU'RE LINING THE CREEK WITH CONCRETE AND JUST TRYING TO MOVE WATER, AND REALLY ONLY THINKING ABOUT KIND OF FLOOD FLOOD SAFETY, WHICH IS OF COURSE A VERY BIG CONCERN.
UM, BUT, BUT THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A HEALTHY CREEK IS THE ECOSYSTEM.
SO REALLY KIND OF FOCUSING IN ON, UH, SOFTER ENGINEERING APPROACHES WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BRINGING IN, UH, VEGETATION AND TRYING TO USE MORE NATURAL MATERIALS TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME GOALS.
UM, SO AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE DEFINE, DEFINE THESE GOALS AND HOW DID WE MEASURE THEM? UH, ONE MAJOR PIECE OF THIS WAS, UH, WHAT'S CALLED THE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS A REGULATORY TOOL.
THAT'S PART OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
UM, BUT WHAT WE DID AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER, UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T GO THROUGH EVERY ITEM, BUT BASICALLY WE, WE TOOK THE, THE CODE AND THE DESIGN TEAM WORKED REALLY HARD TO KIND OF TRANSLATE THAT TO A TOOLBOX OF DESIGN, UM, ELEMENTS THAT WE COULD INTEGRATE, UH, INTO THE CREEK.
SO, YOU KNOW, TAKING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT WE WERE TRYING TO MEET AND THEN SAYING, OKAY, WHAT ARE THESE DESIGN FEATURES THAT WE CAN, THAT WE CAN ADD THAT ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS? AND HOW CAN WE MEASURE THIS? UM, UH, ANOTHER THING THAT, THAT WE ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF WHAT THIS PROJECT IS A BIG BUILDING BLOCK FOR A HEALTHY CREEK IS WATER QUALITY, AND YOU RARELY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE BIG WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST LIMITED SPACE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER ON CONVERTING ONE OF THEIR EXISTING PONDS AND REALLY INCREASING THE TREATMENT, UH, OF THAT POND AND CONVERTING IT TO A BIOFILTRATION POND.
UM, SO MORE OF A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, TREES OF COURSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, THE, THE TREES THAT WE CAN PRESERVE THAT AREN'T ALONG THOSE UNSTABLE, UH, BANKS, THERE'S, UH, KIND OF ENHANCED, UH, PROTECTION ZONE.
SO THAT'S THE VEGETATION AND SOIL PROTECTION ZONES ARE VSP DISEASE.
UM, AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING MORE TREE MITIGATION THAN IS ACTUALLY REQUIRED BY CODE.
UM, AND ANOTHER BIG PIECE OF THE PROJECT IS, UH, WE ARE, UM, UH, WE HAVE SUBMITTED FOR SUSTAINABLE SITE CERTIFICATION.
SO WHAT SITES IS, IS IT'S A RATING SYSTEM THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS, UH, LANDSCAPE IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
SO IT'S, IT'S SIMILAR TO, YOU KNOW, LEAD AND OTHER GREEN BUILDING, UM, INITIATIVES, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR LANDSCAPES.
AND SO KIND OF IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, BRINGING, UH, UH, WILDLIFE AND, AND, UH, VEGETATION BACK TO THE CREEK, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS EFFORT IS REALLY GONNA BRING PEOPLE TO THE CREEK AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS AREA IS EXTREMELY DENSE AND, AND EVER-CHANGING, SO THERE IS A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT, UH, HAPPENING AROUND US, AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS THAT SURROUND US.
SO A BIG CONSIDERATION WAS NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW ARE WE KIND OF MOVING PEOPLE ALONG THE CREEK, BUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CONNECTION POINTS, UM, ADJACENT TO US.
SO I WANT TO SAY THERE'S, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 10 AND 20 NEW KIND OF CONNECTIONS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY AND TO THESE OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND US, UH, AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT ON TO CHRIS.
SO NOW WE WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A QUICK WALKTHROUGH OR A TOUR DIGITAL TOUR OF THE DIFFERENT SPACES.
UM, THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PROPOSED IN OUR PROJECTS.
UM, AND SO WE'LL START WITH, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE ON THIS KIND OF QUICK DIAGRAM, UM, THE DIFFERENT BRIDGES AND ELEVATED WALKWAY THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, UM, AND WE'LL KIND OF ZOOM INTO WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE, BUT THERE ARE THREE LATTICE BRIDGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED AS EAST WEST CONNECTIONS, UM, FROM, YOU KNOW, THE WEST BANK, UH, AREA WHERE THE EXISTING BOAT HOUSES TO THE EAST BANK AND CONNECTING INTO THREE, ANY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, MEXICAN NARCAN, CULTURAL CENTER, ET CETERA.
UH, THE WALKWAY ITSELF BEGINS JUST SOUTH OF CESAR CHAVEZ, UM, AND SPANS THROUGH THE CREEK ITSELF, UM,
[01:25:01]
AND PUTS YOU INTO PALM PARK.SO THERE WILL BE AN IMPROVED TRAIL CONNECTION ALONG THE EAST BANK UPON PARK, UM, WHERE YOU EVENTUALLY CAN CONNECT TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY, UH, EXISTING DOWNTOWN, UH, STATION, UH, FOR TRANSIT, UM, AND FURTHER ALONG, DOWN INTO DOWNTOWN.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LATTICE BRIDGE WILL LOOK LIKE.
UM, THERE WERE PRETTY METICULOUSLY DESIGNED AND KIND OF TUNED TO, UH, AN AESTHETIC THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR, UM, KIND OF MODELING AFTER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE TRADITIONAL TRUST BRIDGE STYLE.
SO AGAIN, THERE WILL BE THREE OF THESE LABS BRIDGES INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT.
THIS IS A VIEW NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, SO FOR CONTEXT, LET US THE EXISTING CANOPY WALK OVERHEAD AND DOWN BELOW IS THE PROPOSED, UH, KIND OF BOARDWALK OR ELEVATED WALKWAY.
UH, WHAT'S, WHAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING AND UNIQUE ABOUT THIS WALKWAYS AT DIFFERENT POINTS WHILE YOU'RE ON IT, YOU'LL HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF ELEVATION AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
SO AT THIS WHERE YOU'RE NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER, YOU'RE VERY CLOSE TO THE WATER.
UM, YOU'LL KIND OF SEE AND FEEL KIND OF WHAT THAT WALLER CREEK EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY IS.
WHEREAS IF YOU'RE CLOSER TO CESAR CHAVEZ, YOU'LL BE UP ACTUALLY IN THE VEGETATION.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE TREES, THE DIFFERENT CANOPIES, UM, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM, UH, FOURTH STREET, SO RIGHT WHERE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY IS CURRENTLY EXISTING, UH, THAT KIND OF A BRIDGE AREA.
UH, SO THE BRIDGE, THE ARCH RIDGE YOU'RE SEEING IS PROPOSED AND WILL SPAN OF COURSE, FROM THE WEST SIDE, WHICH IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN TO THE EAST SIDE.
UM, AND WE'LL ACTUALLY PUT YOU UNDERNEATH THE EXISTING KIND OF THIRD STREET BRIDGE THERE.
SO IT'D BE KIND OF A UNIQUE MOMENT, UM, WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE SOME OF THE NATIVE LANDSCAPE, UH, IT'S CALLED THE CYPRESS GROVE.
SO KIND OF A REGIONAL NATIVE PLANTING IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.
UH, SO NOW WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON A FEW DIFFERENT COMMUNITY, UH, SPACES AND PLAZAS THAT ARE ALSO INTRODUCED IN THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO WE'LL KIND OF MOVE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH GETTING WITH WHAT'S CALLED THE LAGOON OVERLOOK.
AND THIS IS LOCATED JUST NEAR THE KIND OF TUNNEL OUTTAKE STRUCTURE.
UM, THIS IS AN IMPROVED KIND OF CLEANED UP AREA WHERE WE'RE ENVISIONING NOW MAYBE SMALL OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, SUMMER CAMPS, WHERE CHILDREN CAN KIND OF GET UP AND CREPT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE WATER, WITH THE NATIVE LANDSCAPE AND VEGETATION.
AND WHAT'D YOU SEE KIND OF IN THE BACKGROUND THERE AND THE HORIZON IS THAT LATTICE BRIDGE, UH, IN THE, IN THE VERY, VERY FAR BACK, THE OVERDECK OR OVERHANGING YOU SEE THERE IS ACTUALLY A PRESERVED PIECE TO THE EXISTING PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
AND SO THAT IS BEING TURNED INTO A SMALL KIND OF LEAF SHAPE DECK AREA WHERE YOU CAN HAVE AN OVERLOOK AGAIN OF THE CREEK ITSELF.
THE NEXT SPACE JUST DIRECTLY NORTH OF THAT, UM, IS THE LIKE FEW TERRACE.
THIS IS A VIEW LOOKING FROM WEST TO EAST, TOWARDS THE RAINY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO KIND OF NEAR WHERE THE EXISTING TUNNEL OUTTAKE STRUCTURE IS ON THE RIGHT.
UM, AND WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF SEEING IS A KIND OF A GENTLE SLOPED LAWN LEADING UP TO A, WHAT WERE KIND OF LIKE THE TERRORISTS KIND OF IN THE HORIZON.
UH, THIS IS A SLIGHTLY LARGER SPACE THAN THAT LEAPED LIKE THOSE GROUPS OF SOLUTIONS OR ENVISIONING.
NOW THEY'D BE SMALL FOOD CARTS, SMALL COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, UH, KIND OF A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO PULL OFF OF THE MAIN TRAIL TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TAKE A BREATH, LOOK OVER, UH, LADY BIRD LAKE, UM, JUST KIND OF A MOMENT FOR RESPITE AND PAUSE AND KIND OF TEASED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS THE ENTRANCE TO WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE EXPLORERS GARDEN.
THIS IS A KIND OF A NATURALIZED, MORE PASSIVE SPACE.
UM, AND IT ALSO HAS A WATER FEATURE THAT, UH, KIND OF MIMICS THE CREEK ECOLOGY.
UM, SO IT IS ALSO AN ACTIVE STORM WATER FEATURE.
SO IT'S KIND OF AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS, UM, KIND OF A FAMILY FRIENDLY PLAY EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE MOVING NORTH TO, UH, NEAR THE PUMP PARK ENTRANCE IS WHAT'S CALLED THE SPRING.
THIS IS A KIND OF THE ENDING PORTION OF THE ELEVATED WALKWAY.
SO KIND OF THE OPPOSITE VIEW, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF A MOMENT OF TRANSITION FROM THE WALKWAY BACK TO THE TRAIL ALONG WALLER CREEK ITSELF.
UH, SO KIND OF IN THE BACKGROUND IS PALM PARK, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY BE IMPROVED IN FUTURE PHASES, UH, BUT REALLY YOUR, YOUR CHOICES TO KIND OF GO EAST KIND OF INTO THE PARK OR CONTINUED NORTH ALONG THE TRAIL.
UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET FURTHER INTO DOWNTOWN AND KIND OF, UH, WHAT'S, YOU'RE SEEING IN THE MIDDLE, THERE IS KIND OF A STORM WATER FEATURE TURNED INTO PUBLIC AMENITY.
UM, IT PROBABLY WON'T BE AS ACCESSIBLE AS THAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF AN APPROVED LANDSCAPE AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, JUST THAT KIND OF WRAPS UP THE DIGITAL TOUR PORTION, BUT JUST KIND OF REMINDER OF WHY WE'RE PRESENTING TO THE COMMISSION TONIGHT AND WHAT WE'RE SEEKING.
UM, WE WERE LOOKING FOR CONDITIONAL USE FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC LAND ZONING OR THE P ZONING IS REQUIRED OF ALL SITE
[01:30:01]
DEVELOPMENT TOURNAMENTS OF A PRODUCTS THAT ARE OVER ONE ACRE.UM, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS KIND OF THIS COMMISSION SUPPORT, UM, AS WE GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE KIND OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR ANY SORT OF ALCOHOL SALES.
AND WHEN DID WRAP UP WITH JUST KIND OF OUR NEXT STEPS AND KIND OF SCHEDULE, UM, THIS IS A BIT OUTDATED, BUT IT'S STILL USEFUL.
I THINK TO LOOK AT THE DESIGN PHASE IS WRAPPING UP, UH, FAIRLY RAPIDLY HERE.
UM, SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING, UH, GETTING OUR SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, UM, IN THE COMING WEEKS AND KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE, THERE IS, UH, DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING TO, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PROJECT, UM, WITH WE ARE, I BELIEVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSIONING AGENDA IN EARLY FEBRUARY, AND THEN WE'RE ANTICIPATING MOVING DIRECTLY INTO BIDDING, UH, KIND OF SPRING OF THIS YEAR, UH, WITH THE INTENT OF GOING IN GROUNDBREAKING AND BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL.
SO THAT'S THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, CRUSHER, MINERS.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I RECENTLY WENT TO THE WATERLOO PARK, UM, AFTER, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN REDUNDANT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, UM, AND ACTUALLY WENT ON A PRETTY UNSEASONABLY HOT DAY ON, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS NEW YEAR'S EVE, NEW YEAR'S DAY.
UM, AND YOU CAN'T TELL NOW, BUT I INJURED MY ANKLE OR MY, UH, MY KNEE RATHER, SORRY, I HAVE A BAD ANKLE TOO, BUT, UM, I WAS WALKING AND IT WAS REALLY HOT.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I OBSERVED ABOUT THE PARK IS THAT YES, IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
YES, IT HAS GREAT LANDSCAPING, BUT THERE WERE VERY FEW TREES THAT WERE ALONGSIDE THE SIDEWALK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NERVOUS THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE, UH, COULD REOCCUR WITH THIS, UH, SECTION OF THE TRAIL AS WELL.
SO I JUST WONDER, IS THAT A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO KEEP THE TREE SO FAR AWAY FROM THE SIDEWALK THAT THEY DON'T OFFER A SHADE, UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND KIND OF WHERE IT BENDS NEXT TO THE CREEK? IS THAT FOR SAFETY OR IS THAT AN OVERSIGHT? I'M JUST CURIOUS THERE, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LIVE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND IT'S AUGUST, UH, PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO WANT TO BE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT ON THESE TRAILS.
WELL, I'M GLAD YOU VISITED THE PARK AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD AN INCIDENT.
UM, SO THE SECTION OF THE CREEK, UM, IN WATERLOO PARK IS STILL IN THE FLOOD PLAIN.
SO ONE OF THE EXPERIENCES IN THE PARK IS THAT WE SHARE THE PUBLIC PARK SPACE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FACILITY FOR THE, UM, WALNUT CREEK TUNNEL, UM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE FOUNDATION FOR HOW WE'RE ABLE TO DO OUR PROJECT BECAUSE OF THAT STORM WATER MANAGEMENT UNDERGROUND.
UM, AND FOLKS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE FUNCTION OF THE TUNNEL AND WHY WE NEED IT AND WHAT IT DOES WHILE THEY'RE AT THE PARK.
UM, BUT AT THE POINT WHERE THE TUNNEL STARTS IS WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO REMOVE SOME OF THAT OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN LEADING UP TO THAT, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR A MAJOR STORM EVENT.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE KIND OF, UM, HARDER SURFACES LEADING UP TO THAT TUNNEL INTAKE POINT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE PARK.
UM, ONE OF OUR MAJOR PRIORITIES WAS TO MAKE THE PARK ACCESSIBLE AND HAVE SPACES THAT COULD SUPPORT PROGRAMMING.
UM, SO BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE MORE PATHS THAN THE PREVIOUS WATERLOO PARK, UM, TO HELP US MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BE FULLY ADA ACCESSIBLE, UM, ACROSS THE WHOLE PARK AND THE SKYWAY ALSO THAT HELPS US WITH THE MAJOR ELEVATION CHANGE THAT YOU SEE FROM RED RIVER, UM, TO TRINITY.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE OUR LANDSCAPE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SOME OF THOSE PATHS THAT YOU HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.
I WANTED TO, UH, ENSURE THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK THAT I INJURED MY KNEE ON THE TRAIL.
I HAD AN INJURED KNEE, AND SO I WAS WALKING VERY SLOWLY IN THE SIGN ON THE TRAIL WITH NO TREES.
SO, UM, WITH THAT THOUGH, I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST A CONSIDERATION THAT, UM, TREES OBVIOUSLY ARE BEAUTIFUL.
THEY PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SOME, UM, CARBON NEUTRALITY, BUT, UH, WE REALLY NEED SHADE AND THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, A STRONG CONSIDERATION.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD ONE MORE NOTE AND IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS SOMETHING TO ADD, UM, ONE OF OUR, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO IN WATERLOO PARK WAS RELOCATE SOME SIGNIFICANT, UM, HERITAGE LIVE OAKS TO THE PARK FROM EXTERNAL SITES.
SO WE DID, UM, PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE TO RELOCATE ONE OF THEIR 150 YEAR OLD TREES FROM THE CAPITAL COMPLEX, UM, THAT WAS AFFECTED BY THEIR CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE WORKED WITH THE UNIVERSITY, UM, TO RELOCATE TWO MAJOR TREES FROM THE ERWIN CENTER SITE, UM, AND WORKED WITH THE PRIVATE DEVELOPER.
SO EYE SHADE IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HOT IN TEXAS.
[01:35:01]
IT'S GREAT FEEDBACK.AND WE HAVE TRIED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT MORE POSSIBLE THROUGH SOME OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS WHERE WE BRING IN MATURE TREES AS OPPOSED TO HAVING ALL SAPLINGS IN THE PARK OR IN OUR PROJECT.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FISHER TEND TO GUCCI? YEAH.
THIS CAME UP IN THE LAST PROJECT.
UM, DID Y'ALL GIVE ANY THOUGHT TO TRAFFIC CONTROL ON THE, ON THE PATHS ON THE PATHWAYS, THE TRAILS? SURE.
IS THAT DURING CONSTRUCTION OR DO YOU JUST MEAN FOR THE, I MEAN AFTERWARDS, LIKE WE WERE TALKING LIKE WALKERS IN THE STROLLERS AND ALL THAT.
UM, SO, AND, AND YOU GUYS CAN FEEL FREE TO ADD TO THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE WATERLOO GREENWAY TRAIL WAS FIRST CONCEIVED, I THINK THE MAIN PURPOSE WAS MORE RECREATIONAL.
AND SO YOU MIGHT NOT SEE KIND OF THE, UH, QUITE AS WIDE OF TRAILS AS, UH, AS THE URBAN TRAIL GUIDELINES, UM, DICTATE AND, AND TRAILS THAT ARE DESIGNED KIND OF EXCLUSIVELY FOR MOBILITY.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, ATTENTION TO HOW, UH, BOTH OUR TRAIL IS DESIGNED AND HOW IT CONNECTS TO, YOU KNOW, MAJOR JUNCTIONS LIKE BUTLER TRAIL.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TRAIL FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE MAC WHERE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH HOW THE MACK PARKING LOT CONNECTS TO, UH, LADY BIRD LAKE IT'S, IT'S LIKE A DIRT CAL PASS, BASICALLY.
SO WE, WE BROUGHT IN ADDITIONAL SCOPE TO MAKE SURE THOSE CONNECTIONS WERE THERE.
BUT, UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT TRAFFIC, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, AGAIN, AT THOSE MAJOR JUNCTION POINTS, UM, KIND OF NEAR WHERE THE EXISTING BUTLER TRAIL BRIDGES.
SO THERE'S BEEN SOME CONSIDERATION ON, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW THOSE ALIGN AND ON THE NORTH END OF OUR PRO UH, PROJECT AT FOURTH STREET, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY AND WITH DOWNTOWN STATION, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION TO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A PLAZA WHERE ALL THESE THINGS ARE CONVERGING AND AGAIN, WHERE THESE DECISION POINTS ARE HAPPENING, THAT WE'RE GIVING PEOPLE SPACE.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD, UM, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF OUR DESIGN WITH MULTIPLE BRIDGES CROSSING OVER THE CREEK IS THAT FOLKS CAN PEEL OFF AND TAKE ANOTHER BRIDGE.
UM, RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST THE ONE CROSSING AT THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
SO BY ADDING A COUPLE BRIDGES, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT IT TO STAND AND LOOK DOWN AT THE TURTLES OR LOOK AT THE DUCKS, YOU HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IT'S GREAT THAT THE TRAIL IS, IS SO BUSY AND FOLKS LOVE IT SO MUCH.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD ONTO THAT TO HELP WITH THE EXPERIENCE.
NOW, ROBERTA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.
UM, I, AGAIN, AM GOING TO PIGGY BACK OFF OF COMMISSIONER TENA.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE A STRIPE THAT SHOWS WALKERS AND BIKERS, BUT MAN, IT'S NICE TO HAVE THAT STRIPE TOO.
AND I KNOW PEOPLE WILL DO WHAT THEY WILL DO, BUT MAN, IF THERE'S A PRETTY WAY TO DO IT JUST IN CASE, UM, MY ONLY TWO DIRECT COMMENTS IS ONE WITH THE CYPRESS GROVE AND TRAIL HEAD PLAZA.
UM, I ADORE THAT YOU'RE SHOWING ALL OF THE BIKERS JUST FOR MY EXPERIENCE AND I'M A BIKER, BUT I'M KIND OF A NOVICE BIKER IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THESE TIGHTER RADIUS, THE RADIUS THERE AS YOU'RE YOU SEE THE BIKER AND THEY COULD ACTUALLY TURN TO GO DOWN THE TRAIL.
IF THOSE COULD BE POTENTIALLY AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY YOU'RE GOING TO BE NAVIGATING A LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING IN THIS AREA BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE SO POPULAR.
I TYPICALLY JUST GET OFF MY BIKE AND WALK IT BECAUSE I'M NOT A PRO THAT'S JUST THE RADIUS.
AND THEN IS THERE GOING TO BE LIGHTING ON THIS TRAIL? AND THERE IS THERE GOING TO BE EMERGENCY CALL BUTTONS ON THE TRAIL FOR SAFETY? UM, SO WE WILL HAVE LIGHTING.
UM, SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE BEEN AT THE WATERLOO PARK, UM, WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIGHTING AND THAT'S OUR ASPIRATION.
AND IN ALL OF THE PHASES OF OUR PROJECT IS THAT WE'LL HAVE LIGHTING FOR SAFETY PURPOSES WHERE YOU HAVE MORE LIGHTING.
UM, BUT ALL, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE LIGHTING.
THAT'S ALSO DARK SKY FRIENDLY.
UM, SO NOTHING TOO INTRUSIVE TO THE NATURAL EXPERIENCE OR HABITATS, UM, IN WATERLOO PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SOME, WE CALL THEM FIREFLY KIND OF BOLLARD LANTERNS, UM, THAT HELP LIGHT UP THE IMMEDIATE PATH, UM, BUT ALSO CREATE, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AMBIENCE, JUST VERY NICE IN THE PARK.
WELL, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
[01:40:01]
THAT, UM, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO ATTEND THE GARY CLARK JR.THE FIRST CONCERT AND I WALKED THE 12TH STREET TO GET TO MY BIKE AT EIGHT 30 AT NIGHT.
AND I WAS COMPLETELY FRIGHTENED BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH LIGHTING ALONG 12TH STREET.
AND THEN I REALIZED IF I WOULD'VE NEVER HAVE GONE THERE AT NIGHT, I HAVE NOT KNOWN ANOTHER REASON THAT IT MADE ME VERY HESITANT AS I ADORE THE LUSH LANDSCAPE, BUT VISUALLY I WAS VERY, VERY NERVOUS.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO LIGHTING, IF, IF WHOEVER REVIEWS THE LIGHTING THAT IS SYMBOL AND VERY CONCERNED WALKING AT NIGHT BY THEMSELVES, VERSUS IT JUST BEING DESIGNED FOR DESIGN, BECAUSE THIS WILL BE AN INCREDIBLE WAY TO GET NORTH TO SOUTH.
BUT, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE LIGHT HAS TO BE BRIGHT, IT CAN BE DARK SKY COMPLIANT, BUT IF YOU'RE STILL FRIGHTENED AT NIGHT, IT JUST PLEASE BE SENSITIVE TO THAT.
UM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND LIKE ALL THINGS, WATER, THE GREENWAY, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
UM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, MAYBE THIS IS TOO IN THE WEEDS OR MAYBE FOR IN THE FUTURE, BUT, UM, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OR WHAT ARE THE THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC ART AND WHATNOT BEING DISPLAYED HERE? OH, IS IT BACK TO YOUR QUESTION? 201? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PARTS OF OUR PROGRAMMING THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL SINCE, BEFORE WE HAD WATERLOO PARK WAS OUR ART PROGRAM AND CREEK SHOW, WHICH, UM, TYPICALLY IS HOW WE CONNECT WITH FOLKS FOR THE FIRST TIME IS COMING OUT TO THAT WHERE WE WORK WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND COMMISSION, UM, THEIR TIME FOR, UM, CREATING LIGHT-BASED ART INSTALLATION.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF OUR FIRST MAJOR PROJECT.
AND FROM THERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ITERATE AND ADD ONTO OUR ART PROGRAM.
SO AT WATERLOO PARK, WE HAVE AN ART MURAL, UM, WITH AN ARTIST NAMED .
SO HE MADE A MURAL, UM, TO TAKE INSPIRATION FROM THE WALNUT CREEK TUNNEL, UM, AND SERVE AS A POINT OF EDUCATION FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF THE FACILITY.
UM, WE ALSO W YOU KNOW, HAVE PERFORMANCE ART AND ALL KINDS OF ART IN THE PARK, IN OUR PROGRAMMING.
UM, BUT FOR THIS PHASE SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT NEW SPACES TO WORK FROM AND THE MAC THAT'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO IS WORK WITH MAC ARTISTS, UM, IN ALL OF THEIR SPECIALTIES.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AND WE HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT ART IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
UM, BUT I THINK WITH THE THEMES OF NATURE IN THIS PART OF THE PROJECT AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN PROGRAM AND HAVE PHYSICAL ART.
UM, PREVIOUSLY WE DID A COLLABORATION WITH THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM TO HAVE ART PIECES IN THAT OPEN GRASSY AREA.
THAT'S AT THE CREEK DELTA CONFLUENCE WHERE WE HAD FOREVER BICYCLES, UM, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A YEAR THAT WE HAD IT OUT THERE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO TRY NEW THINGS AND WORK WITH THE SPACE.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THESE RENDERINGS ARE BEAUTIFUL RENDERINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS LOOKING AT THE LAKEVIEW TERRACE IN PARTICULAR, UM, AND THEN IT HIT ME, NONE OF THOSE TREES EXIST TODAY, RIGHT.
AND THOSE RENDERINGS IT'S, IT'S COMPLETELY BLANK LANDSCAPE THERE.
UH, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO THERE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT SPACE IS WHERE THEY HAD THAT BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC ART PIECE WITH THE BICYCLES THAT WERE REALLY LONG-TERM ART PIECE VERSUS THE CREEK SHOW, WHICH IS LIKE A WEEK OR SOMETHING.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE SPACES FOR MORE PERMANENT ART PIECES FOR THE PUBLIC THEN THAN JUST TEMPORARY THINGS.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO, UH, TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER WEAVER? UH, GREAT PRESENTATION.
I REALLY ENJOYED, UM, KIND OF ADDING WHERE WE ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE APPROVAL PROCESS.
UM, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR AWHILE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH DESIGN, BUT I, I WANTED TO BRING IT UP, UM, AS A POTENTIAL CONCERN.
UM, I WAS PREPARING TO SUBMIT A DESIGN FOR THE CREEK SHOW ONE YEAR AND WALKING THE CREEK WITH A FRIEND.
SO WE HAD TWO OF US, WE WEREN'T ALONE.
UM, BUT THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS THROWING ROCKS
[01:45:01]
FROM A BRIDGE AT OUR HEADS, LIKE LARGE ROCKS.UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH DESIGN, BUT THERE CERTAINLY ARE A LOT OF OVERPASSES AND UNDERPASSES AND, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE RESOLVED WITH DENSITY, BUT JUST ADDING THAT IN THE MIX OF CONVERSATION, ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.
UH, WAS THE, HAS THE MAC MEMBER SHOWED UP AND WE WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE TOO? NO.
UH, WELL, DID ANYONE MAKE, WANT TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THIS PROJECT? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND COMMISSIONER WALLY, HE'S GOING TO SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? CAN WE MAKE AN AMENDMENT JUST THAT THEY LOOK INTO THE SAFETY CONCERNS AND YOU KNOW, THE SHADE, SO IT'S BETTER MAPPED OUT, MAYBE IN FUTURE PRESENTATIONS LOOKS AT THAT, UM, SPECIFICALLY SAFETY BEING THE LIGHTING.
WHAT COMMISSIONER ROBATA MENTIONED.
ROBLEDO SORRY, ALEX, AT THAT WE ACCEPT THAT COMMISSIONER WATLEY.
IS YOU SINCE YOU SECONDED? YES.
AND WE'LL PUT IT TO A VOTE COMMISSIONER, TANA, GUCCI, I, UH, KRISHA CORNELL ROBLEDO FISHER COLEMAN.
AND I AM A YES, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TO GROUP HERE.
CAN I JUST, CAN I JUST ASK THE QUESTION REAL QUICK? WHO'S THE NEW GUY WE'LL GET TO THAT.
I THOUGHT WE HAD FORGOTTEN TO GET TO THAT.
I WAS LIKE, WHO IS THIS GUY? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
QUICKLY GET THROUGH THE REST OF THIS YEAR.
[2.a. Approval of the December 13th meeting minutes]
TWO, A APPROVAL OF DECEMBER 13TH, MINI MINUTES, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.IS THERE A SECOND TENANT? SHE, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
UH, LET'S JUST DO RES ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
AND THAT'S UNANIMOUS TIRE MEETING UNANIMOUS.
[2.b. Discussion and Possible Action on recent Council approval to update the Urban Design Guidelines ]
OKAY.ITEM TWO B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECENT COUNCIL APPROVAL TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, BUT, UM, JUST WANT TO GET BACK IN FRONT OF EVERYONE THAT WE NEED TO PUSH THIS FORWARD.
UM, AND WE'RE CREATING A STEERING COMMITTEE THAT'S GOING TO HELP OVERSEE THIS PROJECT AND KIND OF IMMEDIATELY GET GOING ON IT.
AND AS NO AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, 12 TO 18 MONTH PROJECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING.
AND SO WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP.
THERE'S GOING TO BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
UM, INCLUDING BEING ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE TO LIMIT THAT TO FIVE PEOPLE, I GUESS.
UM, BUT THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE WORKING GROUPS THAT EVERYBODY CAN, CAN CONTRIBUTE ON.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF HAD ANYTHING TO ADD ON THIS ITEM.
I MADE SURE JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE A STEERING COMMITTEE TO WORKING GROUP, ACTUALLY YOU CAN CALL IT A STEERING COMMITTEE YES.
AMONGST FRIENDS, BUT IT WOULD TECHNICALLY BE A, THE WORKING GROUP OF THE COMMISSION COMPRISED OF NO MORE THAN FIVE MEMBERS, STAFF WOULD BE READY TO PROVIDE STAFF SUPPORT ON SPECIFIC ITEMS AND WOULD BE BRINGING FORTH RECOMMENDATIONS ON
[01:50:01]
A STRUCTURE AS TO HOW TO COMMENCE THE UPDATE TO THE GUIDELINES BASED ON THE DOCUMENT THAT THIS COMMISSION FORWARDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.SO THE INTENT FROM STAFF IS NOT TO REINVENT THE PROCESS, BUT TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE SPECIFIC TARGETED MILESTONES AND KEEP US ON SCHEDULE, WE NEED YOUR FULL COOPERATION ON THAT CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON SCHEDULE.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERSECT WITH A DIFFERENT INITIATIVE AND UPDATE TO THE GREEN STREETS PLAN AND EVENTUAL STANDARDS.
AND I WILL LET MY COLLEAGUE, MS. KEENAN ADMIRE BRINGING YOU UP TO SPEED ON.
I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN YOU GUYS IN PERSON YET.
SO CAITLIN ADMIRE NICE TO SEE YOUR FACES OR HALF YOUR FACES.
SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE TWO PROCESSES, BUT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, UPDATES, AND THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE.
UM, THERE'S, UH, QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO PROCESSES.
THE MAIN ONE BEING THAT THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDE UPDATE COMES FROM A DIRECTIVE FROM COUNCIL, FROM YOU GUYS.
AND THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE IS A STAFF LED INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE KIND OF BRINGING UP RIGHT VERSUS COMING DOWN.
SO THEY ARE A BIT DIFFERENT IN THE PROCESS.
AND I'M WORKING THROUGH GETTING THIS, THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE APPROVED SO WE CAN KICK OFF AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, BUT WE REALLY SEE THESE TWO PROCESSES BEING VERY PARALLEL AND THEN INTERSECTING AT CERTAIN POINTS WHERE IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO INTERCEPT, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE GUIDELINES KIND OF BEING THE BIGGER OVERALL KIND OF VISION FOR DOWNTOWN, AND THEN THE GRADE STREETS COMING IN WITH SOME OF THE MORE DETAILED MATERIALITIES AND STANDARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE OUR HEADS ARE AT RIGHT NOW.
ERIN, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? WE SHOULD DO SOME WORK ON THIS, RIGHT? UH, YEAH.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THE SAME GROUP THAT WE HAD AND THEN KIND OF JUST MOVE FORWARD.
I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT WE DID AT ALL.
[2.c. Discussion and Possible Action related to the current Urban Design Guidelines Working Group]
IT REALLY TIES INTO THE NEXT ITEM, UH, WHICH IS TO SEE THE URBAN DESIGN LINE GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP.SO, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, ONE OF THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS THAT STAFF IS WANTING TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMISSION IS THE CREATION OF A NARRATIVE FOR THIS INITIATIVE, HOW WE ARE GOING TO TELL THE STORY TO THE POLICYMAKERS, THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, TO THIS COMMISSION, TO CITY STAFF, AS WE BUILD CONSENSUS AROUND THE NEED TO COLLABORATE AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS GOES BACK TO THE PREMISE OF YOUR PILLARS.
IF YOU RECALL, COMMISSIONER, LIEUTENANT GUCCI, THAT THE BASIS OF YOUR DESIGN MANTRA OR DESIGN AND GUIDANCE THAT HOW YOU WANT TO SHAPE AND RESHAPE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WILL BE A KEY FACTOR FOR US TO START TO PUT DOWN ON PAPER, IF YOU ALLOW THE TERM OR THE EXPRESSION SO THAT WE CAN BUILD THESE TALKING POINTS AROUND RALLYING STAFF, UH, PEER DEPARTMENTS TO COME JOIN AND PROVIDE YOU TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ON THE VARIOUS AREAS THAT YOU WISH TO EXPLORE WITH THE CAVEAT THAT THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF GOOD STUFF IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES NOW.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO SET THE EXPECTATION THAT YOU HAVE TO DO A COMPLETE OVERHAUL BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PRETTY GOOD STUFF IN THERE.
HOWEVER, THERE'S ELEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED OBVIOUSLY BASED ON, ON MANY ISSUES.
AND SO JUST TO SET, BEGIN TO SET THE EXPECTATION THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH YOU ON CREATING THAT NARRATIVE SO WE CAN BRING THAT TO THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO IT'S THE INTENTION THAT THE, THAT OUR URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP IS THEN WHAT IS, IS USED TO BE THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE PROJECT, IN ADDITION TO OTHER MEMBERS, INCLUDING STAFF MEMBERS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE PART OF THE, UH, AND THEN UNDERNEATH THAT STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE PROJECT, THERE'LL BE NEW GROUPS FORMED FOR SUBJECT MATTERS AND WE'LL NEED LEADERS FOR EACH OF THOSE GROUPS.
SO THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO AREN'T ON THAT, UM, TOP GROUP TO BE INVOLVED.
SO CURRENTLY OUR EXISTING URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP IS MYSELF, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, COMMISSIONER MINORS, VICE-CHAIR ROLLISON AND COMMISSIONER TAN OF GUCCI.
CAN I ELABORATE ON THAT? UM, JUST WANT TO REINFORCE THE POINT THAT FOR THOSE COMMISSIONERS
[01:55:01]
THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND ARE PERHAPS GOING TO NEED TO STEP DOWN IN THE COMING TIMES, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY GET INVOLVED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE EITHER IN THE WORKING GROUP OR THE OTHER SUB WORKING GROUPS, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF YOUR, UM, WISDOM FROM YEARS AND YEARS OF SERVING IS AS UTILIZED AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.AND THEN FOR NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE JOINING, UM, THAT YOU ALSO GET REALLY INVOLVED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, SO THAT WE HAVE FRESH ENERGY BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY LONG PROCESS.
WE SPEND A TON OF HOW MANY MONTHS NOW, LIKE IT FEELS LIKE WE SPEND A REALLY LONG TIME JUST UP WITH A PROPOSAL TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE NARRATIVE IS ALREADY DEAD.
WE JUST NEED TO DRAW FROM THAT, UM, ALL THAT WORK WE'VE ALREADY DONE SO THAT WE CAN REALLY GET THIS ROCKING AND ROLLING.
AND, AND, AND THE OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FORMED WILL NOT BE OFFICIAL DESIGN COMMISSION, WORKING GROUPS, SO THEY CAN INVOLVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, WHICH MEANS THAT, UH, MANY OF YOU LIKE MYSELF, YOU KNOW, ARE ON THEIR LAST TERM, BUT, UH, WE COULD STAY WORKING ON THIS AS PUBLIC CITIZENS INVOLVED.
UM, I HAVE RECENTLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN HOUSTON AND IN DALLAS, AND I REALLY STARTED TO FORCE MYSELF TO PAY DETAILED ATTENTION TO THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE IN THOSE AREAS.
AND THAT'S HOW I WAS MY MOST RECENT ONE.
WHEN I SAW THE ELTON JOHN CONCERT ON SATURDAY NIGHT WAS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AROUND TOYOTA CENTER ON THEIR, UM, THEIR CONVENTION CENTER.
GREEN IS PROBABLY IN ITS 15TH YEAR.
I WOULD GUESS MAYBE 20, IF I'M GOING TO GO WITH 15, WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FIVE YEARS.
SO I'M GOING WITH 15 AND, UH, IT'S AGED.
WELL, IT HASN'T BEEN WITHOUT ITS GROWING PAINS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S OVER LOVED, BUT EVEN ON A DREARY, YOU KNOW, WINTRY DAY, YOU KNOW, THAT PLACE WAS SO VIBRANT, SO ACTIVATED, BUT AS I WAS WALKING THE STREET SCAPE, AND THERE'S MANY THAT ARE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW, AND THE HOUSTON HAS HISTORICALLY HAD THE, WE DON'T WANT TO BE HOUSTON, YOU KNOW, BUT NOW THAT WE, THEY EVOLVED AS A CITY AND YOU COMPARE WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND YOU LOOK AT WHAT HOUSTON IS DOING.
IN MY OPINION, I LOVE THIS CITY, BUT WE'RE BEHIND APRIL.
THE, IT'S NOT JUST WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT'S THE INVESTMENT MONETARILY TO NOT CUT CORNERS.
THEY HAVE LARGE SWATHS OF SWATH CONTINUITY.
IT'S NOT ALL THE SAME THING, BUT IT'S NOT PIECEMEAL.
THEY HAVE DESIGNATED PAVING PATTERNS THAT SHOW BIKE LANES NOW.
AND WHEN STROLLER LANES CAUSE WHEELS VERSUS PEDESTRIANS, THE CROSS WALKS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED.
IT IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I, I'M CHALLENGING US TO THINK OUTSIDE OF OUR AUSTIN BOX, NOT TO BE SOMEONE ELSE, BUT TO COMPETE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE, OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS, NOT FOR OUR EGOS, BUT OUR CITIZENS DESERVE A FRESH LOOK AT HOW WE ARE NOW.
WE ARE NO LONGER THAT TINY POPULATION THAT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON ZILKER THAT DOESN'T DESTROY IT.
OUR, OUR PARKS ARE BECOMING URBAN PARKS, WHERE THEY WERE JUST COMMUNITY PARKS.
SO I KNOW THAT'S A LONG-WINDED THING, BUT I IT'S JUST STRUCK ME SO HARD, BUT WE NEED TO QUIT THINKING SMALL, VERY WELL, PUT, BE AMBITIOUS.
AND JUST REAL QUICK, FIRST, I ECHO EVERYONE IN YOUR CENTER MINUTES.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE CRITICAL THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WITH REGARDS TO THE UPDATE TO THE DESIGN GUIDELINES WAS EXPANDING THE GUIDELINES OUTSIDE OF ITS CURRENT DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT.
SO WHEN FRAMING THAT NARRATIVE, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT IS EMPHASIZED THAT THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IS LOOKING TO EXPAND BEYOND THE DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BECOME VERY USEFUL WHEN FRAMING THAT NARRATIVE, THOSE IN COMMUNITIES, THEY WANT TO WANT TO KNOW WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO ME? HOW IS IT GOING TO IMPACT ME? AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL THAT STORY AT A PEOPLE LEVEL RATHER THAN A POLICY LEVEL.
SO AS WE'RE GOING ON TO ITEM TWO C, I MENTIONED THOSE MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THE CURRENT WORKING GROUP, DO THOSE MEMBERS WISH TO REMAIN ON THE WORKING GROUP? THAT'S GOING TO TAKE ON THIS LARGER ROLE? UH, THERE'S AN ELECTION TOMORROW FOR DISTRICT
[02:00:01]
FOUR.I DON'T KNOW MY FATE, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT I HAVE A FEW MONTHS LEFT, UH, AS AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION.
HOPEFULLY IT'S EXTENDED BY, UH, THE NEXT PERSON THAT COMES IN.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO OFFER SUPPORT WHERE I CAN, BUT JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT MY TIME HERE MIGHT BE LIMITED TO IF I MAY, YES, PLEASE.
DISTINGUISHED COMMISSIONER WILL SERVE UNTIL REPLACE BY ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE TRYING TO ALLEVIATE COMMISSIONING.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'LL KEEP THAT WORKING GROUP AS IT IS.
AND, UH, I DID TELL YOU SOMETHING IN MY TIMELINE AT THIS LITTLE TIMELINE.
WE'LL JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU NEED TO REPLACE YOU, BUT YOU'LL SERVE UNTIL THE CANCER TEMPORARY.
YOU'VE GOT CONFUSION ON THIS INTO THE TABLE.
ONE BALLET HAD ONE YESTERDAY JUST HAD ONE YESTERDAY.
NO, I HAVE NEVER HAD NEVER HAD ONE.
IT'S A GIRL OR BOY, I'M GONNA TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME.
SO, UH, AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MEAN THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WON'T HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE.
WELL, WE'LL KEEP THE COMMISSION INFORMED AS WE'RE MOVING ALONG.
[2.d. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting]
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.TWO D UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING LAST MEETING AS COMMISSIONER WEAVER.
I FINALLY ATTENDED MY FIRST MEETING.
I THINK THE PAPERWORK PROCESS, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE.
UM, SO IT WAS A PRESENTATION BY BRIAN BLOCK OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO THOSE CRUX THAT WE REALLY TALKED ABOUT THE MOST, UM, WAS KIND OF THE IDEA OF PROGRAMMING FOR THE PEOPLE ON SIXTH STREET THAT AREN'T GOING TO BARS, UM, WHICH BROUGHT UP A LOT OF CONCERNS.
SO THE IDEA WAS IF PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING TO DO A CENTRAL ACTIVITY, THEN THEY'RE NOT JUST KIND OF CAUSING CHAOS, WALKING AROUND.
UM, BUT THEN IT ALSO BROUGHT UP LIKE, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO THE BATHROOM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S VERY EARLY PHASES.
LIKE IT COULD BE VERY EXCITING.
UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT.
UM, THEY'RE CREATING A DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, SAFER STREET WORKING GROUP.
UM, WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE RAINY STREET TRAIL HEAD, UM, WITH, UH, ONE ROSE BATHROOM ON IT.
UM, AND THAT IMPROVEMENT AND THEN THE HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY FOR ALL THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, SO THAT WAS A PRETTY LONG PROCESS THAT WAS KIND OF CODIFYING, UM, WHAT COULD BE CALM HISTORIC AND OWNER.
SO THAT'S THE NORTHWEST DISTRICT, UM, PRESENTATION BY ANDREW RICE AND ELIZABETH FROM IT.
ASSUMING THERE'S NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT.
[2.e. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability committee regarding last meeting]
E UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING THE LAST MEETING THAT'S MYSELF.SHE LAUGHS EVERY TIME, UH, THE TWO BIG ITEMS WHERE WE GOT AN UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UM, MOSTLY GOOD NEWS, BUT DEFINITELY SOME BAD NEWS, UM, WITH, UM, TRYING TO REACH SOME OF OUR, UH, EMISSIONS GOALS, UM, LCRA, AS SOME OF YOU MIGHT HEARD, UH, SORT OF BLOCKING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN ENERGY FROM SHUTTING DOWN, UH, THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT PIECE THAT THEY OWN.
UM, SO THAT'S, I GUESS STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS AND MAYBE THEY STOPPED AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT WAS A MAJOR PART OF US REDUCING OUR MISSIONS TO MEET OUR GOALS.
IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 20% OR SOMETHING.
IT'S A REALLY LARGE PERCENTAGE.
SO WITHOUT THAT, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO STRUGGLE.
SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S A SOLUTION THERE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON.
[02:05:01]
NEWS, WE ALSO GOT AN UPDATE ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FLEET ELECTRIFICATION, UM, AND SOME REALLY GOOD NUMBERS.AND IN FACT, WE SEEM TO BE ONE OF THE LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY ON REALLY CONVERTING OUR FLEET TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, IT'S REALLY SURPRISING, UH, INCLUDING CHARGING STATIONS AND THINGS.
SO, UM, GOOD NEWS ON THAT FRONT, UM, QUESTION.
IS THERE ANY UPDATES ON THE MOVES FOR RESILIENCE FROM THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY? THEY ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE PLANS FOR THE RESILIENCY HUBS.
UM, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
THERE'S SORT OF INTERIM PLANS FOR THE MOST IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
UM, BUT THEY'RE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO UNDERSTAND NOW THAT WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, FREEZES TO THINK ABOUT WHICH WE DIDN'T BEFORE.
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT? DO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT MASSIVE HAILSTORMS AND MASSIVE WINDSTORMS? AND SO THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET A HOLISTIC VIEW OF WHAT THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH IN THE FUTURE, MOVING FORWARD, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THEN HOW CAN WE BEST RESPOND TO THEM? SO, UM, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG TASK.
[2.f. Update from representative on the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board]
TWO F UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.UM, WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING THIS MONTH.
UM, CAUSE THERE WAS NO NEW, REALLY NEW A BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO EXCEPT, YOU KNOW, JUST IN GENERAL, I'M SURE AS ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE ALL YOU GUYS ARE AWARE, THERE'S A TERRORIST COMING FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
THAT IS, UM, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'LL BE MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE FUNDING STREAM FOR, UM, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT TAX TO GET IMPLEMENTED.
SO LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENS THERE, UM, THE SOUTH, THE STATESMEN SITE 3 0 5 SOUTH CONGRESS IS COMING UP.
UM, THAT'S BEEN MOVING ALONG QUITE, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME TIME NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION SOMETIME VERY, VERY SOON.
CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE OR I'M CONFUSING DATES.
I DON'T WANT TO THROW IT OUT THERE, BUT IT'S SOMETIME VERY, VERY SOON THEY'VE ASKED ME TO SHOW UP TO A, UH, A PLANNING COMMISSION WORKING GROUP MEETING ON THE 25TH, UH, AS THE CHAIR, JUST TO GIVE SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS THEY MAKE DISCUSSION OR AS THEY HAVE DISCUSSIONS THE, THE 3 0 5 SOUTH CONGRESS SITE.
AND, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, NO, NO OTHER UPDATES.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM ON THAT? ALL RIGHT.
[3.a. Chair Announcements;]
ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.UH, MY ONLY ANNOUNCEMENT IS JUST TO WELCOME OUR NEW COMMISSIONER THIS TONIGHT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO EVERYONE.
UH, I'VE BEEN LONG TIME AUSTIN RESIDENTS SINCE PROBABLY THE LATE, LATE NINETIES.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN DISTRICT TWO FOR 15 YEARS.
UM, AND SO THIS IS MY FIRST COMMISSION TO EVER BEYOND, UH, IN MY FIRST MEETING.
AND SO, UH, GOOD TO SEE HOW IT'S RUN AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WITH QUESTIONS EVERYONE'S ASKING AND KIND OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS HERE.
SO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ME? LET ME KNOW, ASK HIM RIGHT NOW.
WHAT KIND OF ARCHITECTURE DO I ENJOY DOING OR? YEAH, OF COURSE.
UM, SO WE DO, UH, MULTI-FAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, UM, WE ALSO DO COMMERCIAL SMALL SCALE, A LITTLE SMALLER SCALE COMMERCIAL, UM, AND SOME SINGLE FAMILY, BUT NOT, NOT TOO MUCH SINGLE FAMILY.
[3.b. Items from Commission Members;]
ALL RIGHT.ITEM THREE, B ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS, MR. MINORS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SHARE, UH, SOME FOLLOW-UP TO THE FOUR 15 COLORADO PROJECT THAT WE, UH, DISCUSSED AND I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT HAD, UH, THE SUGGESTION FOR THEM TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY HAD INITIALLY PRESENTED.
UM, SO I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT, UM, IN THE, UH, LOCAL MEDIA, UH, THEY REPORTED THAT STONE LAKE ACTUALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR RECOMMENDATION AND INCLUDED RETAIL ON THE CORNER OF, UH, FIFTH AND COLORADO WITH OUTDOOR SPACE.
SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY PUSHED FOR SOMETHING AND, YOU KNOW, THEY EXCEEDED, UH, WHAT, WHAT I WAS EVEN
[02:10:01]
EXPECTING THEM TO COME UP WITH.I JUST APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND ADVOCATE FOR SOME OF THOSE WHO, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT BE AS ENGAGED AS WE ARE, BUT STILL HAVE THEIR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN OUR CITY CHAIR.
IF I MAY JUST TO REMIND THE COMMISSION TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, BECAUSE YOU MIGHT JUST GET IT COOL.
[3.c. Items from City Staff;]
FROM CITY STAFF, DON'T SAY YOU'RE LEAVING.AH, HOW DID THE WORD GET UP? YEAH.
JORGE REMINDED ME TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT, SO THIS WILL BE MY LAST COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, I REALLY ENJOY MY TIME WITH EVERYONE OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF IT WAS SPENT REMOTE VIRTUAL, WE RUN ABOUT, YEAH, I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THIS ROOM AND ALMOST TOOK IT TWO YEARS ACTUALLY.
UM, BUT I WILL BE A PROJECT MANAGER IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PROJECT.
I'LL PROBABLY BE SEEING A LOT OF YOU IN THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT YOU MIGHT EVEN BE SEEING ME IN THE FUTURE ON THE OTHER SIDE, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR, UH, THE TIME AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE.
AND, UH, YOU WON'T HEAR THE LAST FROM ME, BUT THANK YOU.
IT IS UH, 8:12 PM AND WE'RE ADJOURNED.