[CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]
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THIS IS A REGULAR MEETING OF DESIGN COMMISSION AT AUSTIN CITY HALL.
COULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS OXYMORONIC HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, URBAN DESIGN LIAISON, UH, CHAIR, CARL PRESENT, VICE CHAIR, RAWLINSON COMMISSIONER SELENA'S PRESENT COMMISSIONER FRANCO, RESIDENT COMMISSIONER MINORS HERE.
ROBLEDO YEAH, COMMISSIONER WEAVER, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, COMMISSIONER WATLEY, COMMISSIONER LUKIN AND COMMISSIONER ATTENDED GUCCI PRESENT.
AND JUST TO REMIND ALL COMMISSIONERS, YOUR CAMERA'S MUST BE ON AND YOU MUST HAVE AUDIO COMMUNICATION.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UH, HAD ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, MOSTLY.WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO NEW BUSINESS.
[1c. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether Block 150, located at 402 and 416 W. 12th St., complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the city of Austin. Applicant(s): Michael Whellan, Armbrust & Brown; and Kelly Somers, SCB,.]
JUMP AROUND A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT.WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM ONE C FIRST DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER BLOCK ONE 50 LOCATED AT 4 0 2 AND FOUR 16 WEST 12TH STREET COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, MICHAEL WHALEN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, I DIDN'T KNOW IF, UH, HOW YOU WANTED TO PROCEED.
IF YOU WANTED STAFF TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, IF THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, OTHERWISE WE'RE READY TO PROCEED.
UH, I'M GONNA SEND YOUR HONOR A CHAIR.
UM, MICHAEL WHALEN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT AND SITTING NEXT TO ME IS KELLY SUMMERS, UH, WHO IS ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS FROM SCB, AND SHE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, AS YOU KNOW, UH, WE DID MEET WITH THE WORKING GROUP AND WE HAVE MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE, UH, PLANS AND, UH, KELLY WILL, UH, FOCUS ON THOSE AS WE GO THROUGH STEP-BY-STEP.
BUT I THINK THAT'S REALLY, UH, ALL I HAVE FOR AN INTRODUCTION.
WE HAVE A WHOLE TEAM BEHIND ME, WHICH INCLUDES OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
UH, THE OWNER STRATUS HAS ITS REPRESENTATIVES HERE AS WELL.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO START, CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE SHORT ON, UH, TIME AND YOU HAVE, YOU JUST BARELY HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE'LL BEGIN IF THAT'S OKAY.
THE PROJECT SITS AT THE INTERSECTION OF 12TH AND SAN ANTONIO STREETS, JUST WEST OF THE CAPITOL IN BETWEEN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND THE UT CAMPUS.
IT LIES JUST OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITOL DOMINANCE OVERLAY AND THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR.
SO THE HEIGHT IS GOVERNED BY THE 400 FOOT MAX AND THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM MAP.
THE DEVELOPMENT CONSISTS OF TWO BUILDINGS ON TWO PARCELS, THE AOL WATSON HOUSE, WHICH IS AN EXISTING STRUCTURE, WHICH IS ZONED DMU DASH H AND THE BLOCK ONE 50 TOWER, WHICH IS ZONED DMU.
THE OVERALL PROJECT IS SEEKING A DENSITY BONUS FROM THE BASE STUFF.
THE TWO PARCELS ARE CONTRIBUTING APPROXIMATELY 448,000 SQUARE FEET OF FAR FOR DEVELOPMENT.
THE TOWER DESIGN HAS JUST OVER 445,000 SQUARE FEET OF FAR AREA IN AN OVERALL ENCLOSED GROSS SQUARE FOOTAGE OF 588,000 SQUARE FEET.
THE PROGRAM FOR THE TOWER INCLUDES 316 UNITS WITH A MIX OF STUDIO, ONE BED TO BED AND THREE BED HOMES TO ACCOMMODATE A VARIETY OF RESIDENTS.
THE RESIDENTIAL AMENITIES ARE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TOWER AND THE AOL WATSON HOUSE PUBLIC SPACES ARE PROVIDED THE GROUND FLOOR OF BOTH THE AOL WATSON HOUSE AND THE TOWER 340 SHARED PARKING SPACES ARE PROVIDED IN THE ABOVE-GRADE GARAGE, ALONG WITH 127 BIKE PARKING SPACES FOR BOTH RESIDENTS WITHIN THE BUILDING AND THE PUBLIC ALONG THE STREET.
LAST, THE PROJECT TEAM HAS MET WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND HAS A PLAN IN PLACE TO ACHIEVE AN AEB TWO STAR RATING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT IS SEEKING LEED SILVER CERTIFICATION.
AS WE JUMPED TO THE SITE PLAN, PLEASE NOTE THAT NORTH IS ORIENTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
SAN ANTONIO RUNS ALONG THE WEST SIDE, THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IN 12TH STREET, ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE, BOTH STREET FRONTAGE IS BE IMPROVED TO GREAT STREET STANDARDS AS SHOWN IN THIS PLAN,
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SHADE, TREES, SIDEWALK FURNISHINGS, AND A WIDENED PEDESTRIAN ZONE.OUR PROPOSED STREET PARKING HAS MAINTAINED ALONG 12TH STREET TO FURTHER BUFFER PEDESTRIANS FROM TRAFFIC.
THERE'S AN ALLEY THAT RUNS ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SITE.
AND THE TEAM HAS WORKED TO LOCATE ALL BACK OF HOUSE SERVICES, INCLUDING LOADING TRASH AND UTILITIES ALONG THE SPINE TO ALLOW AS MUCH ACTIVE USE AS POSSIBLE.
ALONG THE TWO MAIN STREET IN FRONT OF THIS, WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING AUSTIN ENERGY TO MOVE THEIR SERVICE STORES FROM THE STREET TO THE ALLEY SIDE.
AND IN DOING THAT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE CONTINUITY ALONG THE ENTIRE STREETSCAPE AT 12TH AND SAN ANTONIO STREETS.
THE RESIDENTIAL VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN ENTRANCES ARE LOCATED OFF OF SAN ANTONIO AND TO MINIMIZE TRAFFIC CONGESTION NEAR THE INTERSECTION, WE'VE CREATED A COVERED DROP-OFF AREA THAT CONNECTS THE PARKING RAMP UP TO THE GARAGE.
THIS DROP-OFF AREAS DESIGNED AS AN OUTDOOR ROOM WITH FEATURES THAT PRIORITIZE THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AND MINIMIZE CONFLICTS BETWEEN VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS.
THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING THE WORKING GROUP.
SO WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT WE ARE CREATING CONTINUOUS SPECIALTY PAVING ZONES AT THE, AT THE SIDEWALK ACROSS THE TWO DRIVEWAYS.
AND WE ARE ADDING LANDSCAPING IMPLANTERS TO CREATE ADDITIONAL BUFFERS BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS AND THE VEHICLES, BOTH INTERIOR TO THE COURT AND AT THE SIDEWALK.
SO ARRANGING THE PROGRAM USES THIS WAY, ALLOWS US TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC SPACE FRONTING 12TH STREET INDICATED HERE IN BLUE, THE AOL WATSON HOUSE, A HISTORIC BUILDING THAT IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY A PRIVATE LAW OFFICE IS RE-IMAGINED AS A RESTAURANT SPACE THAT WILL WELCOME THE PUBLIC INTO THE HOUSE TO ENGAGE WITH IT IN A WAY THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY POSSIBLE.
WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE AVAILABILITY OF OPEN SPACE FOR RESIDENTS BY TRANSFORMING A REAR PARKING LOT BEHIND THE HOUSE, INTO A PRIVATE POOL AREA, COMPLETE WITH CABANAS AND LANDSCAPING AND ACCESS TO THE RESTAURANT FOR FOOD SERVICE.
THE FRONT YARD FOR THE HOUSE WILL BECOME AN OUTDOOR DINING TERRACE FOR THE RESTAURANT, CREATING ACTIVITY ALONG THE PEDESTRIAN WAY AND MAKING THIS DEVELOPMENT A DESTINATION FOR THE PUBLIC.
THE TOWER PODIUM IS BUILT TO THE STREET FRONT FOR MOST OF ITS FRONTAGE, BUT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER, IT STEPS BACK TO RELATE TO THE SIDING OF THE AOL WATSON HOUSE.
THIS SOFTENS THE TRANSITION FROM THE HOUSE TO THE TOWER AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FIRST OF TWO PUBLIC ENTRANCES INTO THE PUBLIC SPACE, PROVIDED AT THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE TOWER, WHICH HAS PROPOSED TO BE A PUBLIC ART GALLERY.
ONE OF THE MAJOR DESIGN CHALLENGES FOR THIS PROJECT IS THE STEEP GRADE ALONG 12TH STREET.
AS THIS PRIMARY STREET FRONTAGE, WE KNEW THAT THE PUBLIC SPACE NEEDED TO BE LOCATED HERE, BUT THE GRADING MADE ACCESSING AND MAINTAINING VISIBILITY INTO THIS PUBLIC SPACE.
THIS ELEVATION VIEW SHOWS OUR SOLUTION TO THAT.
WE DECIDED TO CREATE A TWO-STORY PUBLIC ART GALLERY SPACE THAT PREVENTS THAT PREVENTS THE PUBLIC SPACE FOR BECOMING EITHER BURIED OR KIND OF FLOATING ABOVE THE PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALK OR ANCHORING THIS WITH TWO PUBLIC ENTRANCES AT EACH CORNER AT TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS.
AND WITHIN THE PUBLIC SPACE INTERIOR TO IT, THERE WILL BE A MONUMENTAL STAIR THAT WILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO CONNECT BETWEEN THE TWO LEVELS AT THE EXTERIOR.
WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN VISIBILITY INTO THIS SPACE THROUGH LARGE EXPANSES GLASS, THIS PLAN DIAGRAM ZOOMS IN ON THE PUBLIC SPACES AND ILLUSTRATES THE CIRCULATION PATH DOWN 12TH STREET WITH SIGHT LINES INTO THE PUBLIC GALLERY INDICATED IN YELLOW, A LOW LANDSCAPED ZONE BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND BUILDING MAINTAINS THOSE VIEWS, WHICH WAS ANOTHER COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVED DURING WORKING GROUP AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCULPTURES TO BE PLACED WITHIN THIS ZONE.
THESE LAYERS OF ART AND LANDSCAPE CREATE A DYNAMIC AND INVITING PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
SEATING GROUPS HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS PLAN AS WELL.
WE HAVE ONE LOCATED MID-BLOCK OF MIDWAY ALONG THE SIDEWALK AND ANOTHER ONE THAT'S LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST ENTRANCE AS PART OF A COMMEMORATIVE GARDEN WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING THE SECOND ENTRANCE INTO THE PUBLIC ART GALLERY.
THIS PATIO AND GARDEN PROVIDES SHADED GATHERING SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC, AND ALSO IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A COMMEMORATIVE STATUE, THE DR.
SO I'LL PAUSE HERE AND NOTE THAT THE PROJECT TEAM HAS CHRIS AND
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THIS PROJECT, THE ANTIBI IN HONOR OF DR.ANNIE WEBB BLANTON, WHO IS A UT PROFESSOR AND THE FIRST WOMAN ELECTED TO STATEWIDE OFFICE IN TEXAS.
SHE FOUND A DELTA KAPPA GAMMA AND HONOR SOCIETY THAT SUPPORTS PROMOTES WOMEN EDUCATORS WORLDWIDE.
AND THIS SITE HAS BEEN THE HOME OF THE DKG ORGANIZATION, HONORING DR.
BLANTON WITH THE STATUE AND THIS PUBLIC OUTDOOR SPACE PROVIDES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMEMORATION OF A KEY FIGURE IN AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
FROM THIS OUTDOOR GARDEN, YOU ENTERED INTO THE FIRST LEVEL OF THE GALLERY, WHICH PROVIDES 2200 SQUARE FEET OF INDOOR PUBLIC SPACE INDICATED IN BLUE AT THE EAST END, A STAIR TAKES YOU BACK UP TO THE SOUTHEAST ENTRANCE AT LEVEL 1.5.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PLAN, WHAT WE'RE CALLING LEVEL 1.5 OF THE GALLERY IS A WALKWAY WITH ART INSTALLATIONS ALONG THE WALL, WHICH ARE VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AT THE WEST END, THIS TERMINATES AT A PUBLIC TERRACE THAT OVER LOOKS THE COMMEMORATIVE GARDEN BELOW AT THE EAST END IS THE FIRST PUBLIC ENTRANCE ADJACENT TO THE AOL WATSON HOUSE.
ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED IN WORKING GROUP WAS TO CONSIDER A MORE DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RESTAURANT TERRACE AND THIS ENTRANCE INTO THE GALLERY IN REVIEWING WITH OUR LANDSCAPE TEAM, THERE IS A LARGE TRANSPLANTED BAROQUE, WHICH WE'VE MADE MORE CLEAR IN THIS PLAN AND DUE TO THE SIZE OF ITS ROOT BALL, IT'S GOING TO PRECLUDE US FROM ADDING ANY STEPS OR TERRACING DIRECTLY TO THAT ENTRANCE.
HOWEVER, YOU STILL HAVE THE CONNECTION ALONG THE SIDEWALK, AND WE'RE PROPOSING EXTENDING THE STATUE GARDEN THAT IS ALONG THE BLOCK.
ONE 50 TOWER UP TOWARDS THE OUTDOOR DINING TERRACE HERE AGAIN, IT'S THE 12TH STREET ELEVATION SHOWING THE VIEWS INTO THE PUBLIC GALLERY SPACE FROM THE PEDESTRIAN REALM AT THIS VIEW, OR STANDING AT THE SOUTH EAST CORNER WITH THE AOL WATSON HOUSE ON YOUR RIGHT.
AND THIS SHOWS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STEPPING BACK THE PODIUM TO RESPECT THE SITING OF THE AOL WATSON HOUSE.
ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN SEE HERE HOW WE'RE BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL WITH THE USE OF ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS.
WE'RE EMPLOYING THE USE OF BRICK METAL AND STONE TO RELATE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT AND TO HELP BREAK DOWN THE SCALE OF THIS PODIUM.
PERFORATED METAL SCREEN IS PROPOSED TO BLOCK SIGHT LINES INTO THE GARAGE AND ALLOW NATURAL VENTILATION.
WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING LAYERS OF LIGHTING, BOTH BUILDING MOUNTED AND AT THE STREET, SO THAT EVEN IF THE, EVEN AT NIGHT, WE HAVE A SAFE AND VIBRANT PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AT THE SOUTH WEST CORNER, YOU CAN SEE AS THE GRADE DROPS AWAY, THE TWO STORY VOLUME OF THE GALLERY SPACE EXPRESSES ITSELF.
BUT THE LEVEL OF 1.5 TERRORISTS CREATES KIND OF CANOPY OVER THAT DOOR, HELPING TO BREAK DOWN THE SCALE BACK TO THE HUMAN LEVEL AND CREATES A DYNAMIC EXTERIOR EXPRESSION OF THIS GALLERY SPACE AT THE CORNER.
THE SAN ANTONIO ELEVATION CONTINUES THE SAME RICH USE OF MATERIALS ALONG THIS ELEVATION, EVEN AS IT TRANSITIONS FROM MORE PUBLIC TO MORE PRIVATE PROGRAM PLANNERS AND DECORATIVE BRICK PATTERNING AT DEPTH AND TEXTURE TO THE FACADE, EVEN WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE IT OPAQUE DUE TO SCREENING SOME OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY AND UTILITY REQUIREMENTS AT THE ALLEY.
THIS BUILDING SECTION IS CUT NORTH SOUTH OF THE TOWER, LOOKING EAST AND SHOWS THE EIGHT FLOORS OF PARKING THERE ABOVE THE DOUBLE HEIGHT GALLERY SPACE, WHICH YOU CAN SEE AT THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND CORNER.
20 FLOORS OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS ARE ABOVE THE PARKING PODIUM.
AND AT THE TOP, WE HAVE AN ACTUAL MECHANICAL SPACE THAT IS SCREENED BY A GLASS SCREEN WALL AND KEEPING WITH THE DESIGN OF THE OVERALL TOWER IT'S GROUND FLOOR PLAN SHOWS THE SUPPORT SPACES LINING THE ALLEY.
RESIDENTIAL USES ON SAN ANTONIO AND PUBLIC USES ON 12TH STREET.
A TYPICAL PARKING PLAN SHOWS APPROXIMATELY 44 SPACES PER FLOOR FOR A TOTAL OF 340 IN THE BUILDING.
THE TEAM IS PLANNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THESE TO HAVE BV CHARGING CAPABILITIES, DIFFICULT FLOOR PLAN WITH A VARIETY OF UNIT LAYOUTS, MORE THAN HALF OF THEM OFFERING LARGE BALCONIES FOR OUTDOOR SPACE FOR RESIDENTS.
THE OVERALL TOWER DESIGN IS CLEAN AND SIMPLE MAXIMIZING REVIEWS AND PROVIDING BALCONIES FOR ADDITIONAL PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACE.
HIGH PERFORMING GLASS IS BEING PROPOSED TO CONTROL SOLAR HEAT
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GAIN AND HELP THE PROJECT MEET STRINGENT LEAD SILVER PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AT THE LOWER PARKING LEVELS.THE DESIGN SEEKS TO RELATE THE SCALE, THE DEVELOPMENT PACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY ARTICULATING THE FACADE INTO BAYS USING BRICK METAL AND STONE.
IN CONCLUSION, WE WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE PROJECT TEAM IS THRILLED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP THE HISTORIC AOL LOTS AND HOUSE TO THE PUBLIC AND WEAVE IT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN AUSTIN'S PAST AND FUTURE THE RESTAURANT, THE GALLERY, AND THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES THAT THIS PROJECT OFFERS WILL CREATE A VIBRANT, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, I GUESS I'LL START IT OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF TRYING TO CONNECT THE, THE OLD HOUSE TO THE ART GALLERY AND I'M KIND OF DISAPPOINTED.
I WASN'T SURE THAT WE WERE TOLD ABOUT THAT TRANSPLANTED TREE EARLIER.
I'M WONDERING KIND OF WHERE THAT TREE CAME FROM ON THE SITE IN THE SECOND THING, UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ARE THOSE TWO CURB CUTS THAT ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER.
WE'VE SEEN ANOTHER PROJECT THAT HAS THE SAME, UH, THE SAME DESIGN CONCEPT ABOUT THE UBER DROP-OFF.
AND WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS IN THAT ILLUSTRATION, THE FLOOR PLAN, IT SHOWS THE CAR KIND OF TURNING INTO THAT, UH, THAT PORTICO SHARE.
BUT IF YOU'RE COMMITTED TO TURN THAT TURN, MAKE THAT TURN IN, THERE ARE PEDESTRIANS COMING ON THAT SIDEWALK, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S ENOUGH CUING SPACE TO WHERE THAT CAR CAN STOP BEFORE IT KIND OF CLOGS UP THE SIDEWALK THERE.
SO THOSE ARE MY TWO CONCERNS, UH, MICHAEL WAYLON AND HALF THE APPLICANT WITH REGARD TO THE TREE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, THAT'S MY BAD.
WE SHOULD'VE MADE THAT CLEAR ORIGINALLY.
THERE'S A, IT IS A HERITAGE TREE THAT'S ON THE SITE, UH, OF THE DKG HOUSE.
AND IT'S, UH, I THINK LEANING, LEANING TO THE WEST OF THE EAST IT'S WELL, IT'S, IT'S LEANING BADLY AND WHERE WE ARE MOVING IT, TRANSPLANTING IT TO, UH, IMPROVE ITS CONDITION.
LONG-TERM WE CAN HAVE OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WHO'S HERE.
OR WAS IT WHEN THIS IS GOING TO TALK TO IT WITH HER BAD BACK AT ALL? UH, GOOD EVENING, MELISSA NASLUND WAS STRATA'S PROPERTIES.
I COULD HAVE LET OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT COME UP, BUT WE WERE, UM, I'M ONE ANOTHER, THE TREE THAT WE ARE TRANSPLANTING, THE BAROQUE IS ACTUALLY NOT A HERITAGE TREE, BUT IT IS OF A SIGNIFICANT SIZE.
JOHN CAN TELL US THE SIZE, BUT IT HAS AN EXCELLENT HEALTH.
THERE ARE TWO EXISTING HERITAGE SIZE TREES ON THE AOL WATSON PROPERTY.
ONE IS LEANING SIGNIFICANTLY AS MICHAEL WAS MENTIONING.
UM, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE CITY ARBORIST OUT TO THE PROPERTY TO ASSESS ALL OF THE TREES EARLY ON.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE TWO HERITAGE TREES, THE ARBORIST SPECIFICALLY SAID, THESE NEED TO COME DOWN ASAP.
IF THERE WAS A BAD STORM, THIS COULD BE TREACHEROUS FOR PEDESTRIANS.
SO IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE THE VERY HEALTHY BURROW THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE TOWER, WE ARE MOVING IT TO TRANSPLANT AND THE LOCATION WHERE THE POOR HEALTH HERITAGE TREES CURRENTLY EXIST.
SO JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, UM, THAT'S, WHAT'S REFLECTED ON OUR SITE PLAN AND EFFORTS, BUT THAT'S IT THEN, IS IT NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A CONNECTION OVER THE ROOT ZONE FROM THE AOL WATSON TO THE GALLERY? UM, IT COULD BE POSSIBLE.
COULD YOU, COULD YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF PLEASE? YEAH.
I'M JOHN MOTT'S LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
UM, YEAH, SO IT'S, UH, THE BAROQUE IS 10 INCHES IN SIZE.
UM, IT, IT IS A MATURE SHADE TREE, SO IT'S, THE CANOPY IS UP AND OVER.
SO THERE WILL STILL BE SIGHT LINES UNDERNEATH THE CANOPY FROM THE, UM, FROM THE, UH, OUTDOOR DINING TERRACE.
UM, BUT THE ROOT BALL IS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 14 FOOT DIAMETER.
UM, THAT'S GONNA COME ALONG WITH THIS TREE, SO IT COULD BE POSSIBLE TO LOOK AT LIKE SOME DECKING OR, YOU KNOW, SOME, ANOTHER WAY TO GET OVER THIS ROOT BALL.
BUT WE WERE, WE WERE TRYING TO KIND OF MINIMIZE CONFLICT WITH THE, WITH THE ROOT BALL.
AND THEN, CAUSE SOMEBODY ADDRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT THE CARS QUEUING INTO THE, UH, SHARE, UH, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK THERE, THEY HAVE TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GO IN.
OTHERWISE THEY'D BE STICKING OUT IN THE STREET, MAYBE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN.
THE CONCERN IS OKAY IF THERE, IF THERE ARE OTHER CARS THAT ARE PARKED IN
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THAT RIDESHARE PICKUP AREA ALREADY, THE CAR COMES AND TURNS AND THEY SAID, TURN THERE AND CHANCE TO SEE THOSE CARS, THEN IT'S KIND OF BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK UNTIL THEY CAN QUEUE INTO THE, UH, INTO THE UBER KEEPING.WE'RE NOT PROVIDING, I MEAN, THE, WE CAN GO BACK TO, OH, WE CAN'T LOOK AT THE VIEW, BUT, UM, WE'RE KEEPING THE VIEWS INTO THE MOTOR COURT VERY OPEN SO THAT YOU DO, YOU CAN HAVE VISIBILITY TO ANY CARS THAT ARE VERY TEMPORARILY QUEUED, THEREFORE DROP-OFF, AND WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING ENOUGH WIDTH THAT A CAR CAN PASS ANYONE THAT IS PARKED AND MAKE THEIR WAY ON, UP INTO THE RAMP OR BACK OUT ONTO THE STREET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I AM SUPER, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS ART GALLERY AND TALK ABOUT ENGAGING WITH THE PEDESTRIANS AND AT A PEDESTRIAN SCALE, INCREDIBLY INCREDIBLY APPRECIATED.
AND I HOPE THAT THIS REALLY SETS PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE IDEAS OF INTEGRATING THE SAME DESIGN AND TO, UM, OUR BUILDINGS.
UH, MY MAIN QUESTION IS AROUND ME, THE ART GALLERY, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE ART GALLERY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR MORE ART SPACES IN SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS, EVEN JUST THE LOBBY SPACES AND THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT TOGETHER A FULL FLEDGED ART GALLERY IS, IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR SURE.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PROGRAMMING OF THE ART GALLERY THEN.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE OF IT? UM, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, ARE YOU REACHING OUT TO UNDERSERVED ARTISTS, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT NEED, UM, AMAZING SPACE LIKE THIS IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR RATHER IN THE, IN THE CITY, UH, MICHAEL WAY ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT COMMISSIONER FRANCO THAT'S, UH, THAT WOULD BE THE DESIRE.
IT WILL BE OWNED BY, UH, STRATUS.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN TO SOME OF THEIR OTHER BUILDINGS, BUT THEY ENJOY ART, WHICH IS WHY ART GALLERY BECAME A NATURAL FIT FOR THEM IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMING IT, UH, I THINK THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE LEFT UP TO, UH, UH, THE DECISION OF STRATOS AS THEY BEGIN TO DECIDE AND DEVELOP THE TYPE OF ART.
AND I THINK YOUR POINT IS, UH, VERY, UH, APPROPRIATE IN THIS CONTEXT WHERE WE SHOULD BE, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO CURE RATE APPROPRIATELY LOCAL, UH, ARTISTS AND, UH, LOCAL ARTISTS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD THE SAME CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR, UH, WORK HIGHLIGHTED AND, UH, UH, SEEN BY OTHERS.
SO I, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PART OF A CORE VALUE THAT STRATUS HAS.
I MEAN, I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD POINT OUT, WHICH YOU KNOW, IS THIS IS NOT, UM, AN OWNER FROM A DIFFERENT CITY.
THIS IS AN OWNER THAT HAS ITS OFFICES HERE.
IT'S A PUBLICLY, UH, IT'S A PUBLIC COMPANY, CORPORATE OFFICES HERE, BORN AND BRED HERE AND TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY, UH, UH, HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CURATE IN THAT SPACE.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINED, UH, A PROGRAM YET.
I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR APPROVAL IN ORDER TO EVEN DO THE ART GALLERY.
SO I THINK ONCE WE HAVE THAT, AND I THINK I'M OPEN TO WORKING WITH, UH, ANY COMMISSIONER THAT WOULD LIKE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING A SOLID POLICY TO CURATE IT APPROPRIATELY, I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION KIND OF SAID, THANK YOU.
AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS REGARDING, UM, THE, UM, ARE, ARE Y'ALL PAYING INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE FEE IN LIEU, UM, PROGRAM, OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? YEAH, UH, INDEED, UH, THE PRICE IS, YOU KNOW, JUST INCREASED, UH, AND 2.8, I THINK WE'RE AT TWO, APPROXIMATELY $2.8 MILLION INTO THE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
IT'S A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION, A MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT I THINK, UH, UH, I HOPE WILL BE USED TO, UH, UM, CREATE, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR NOT HAVING ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY LIKE THIS, I THINK IS, IS, UH, MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE COST OF BUILDING, UM, A STRUCTURE LIKE THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY AND THE $2.8 MILLION CAN GO A LOT FURTHER, FRANKLY, UM, IN, UH, IN OTHER PROPERTIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND, AND ALSO I THINK IN MORE TARGETED WAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
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UH, THERE'S OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE NOT, UM, PERFORMED AS WELL, IF YOU WILL, ACCORDING TO THE HOUSING WORKS, UH, UH, REPORT CARD.SO I'VE HEARD, SO I'VE HEARD FOR SURE.
I'VE HEARD THAT MANY TIMES AS FAR AS GETTING MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK AND OTHERS IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, AS OPPOSED TO BEING IN THE, IN THE ACTUAL, IN THIS ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT ITSELF.
UM, HOWEVER, I, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE THE ART, THE ART GALLERY THAT THE, UH, DESIGN COMMISSION PUSHED FOR KIND OF RE RETHINKING HOW WE USE THESE, THESE SPACES.
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING, UH, AN AMAZING PROJECT, LIKE, LIKE THIS ONE THAT HAS ART GALLERY IMMEDIATELY BUILT INTO IT, RIGHT? NO ONE HAD TO ASK FOR IT.
I THINK THAT, UM, THAT RETHINKING HOW, WHAT THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOOKS LIKE IN THIS SPACE IS A GOOD WAY FOR US TO PUSH THAT NEEDLE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND PARTNERING WITH DEVELOPERS, LIKE, LIKE, LIKE YOURSELF OR WITH STRATUS, UM, TO KIND OF RETHINK, RETHINK THAT OLD PARADIGM CHANGE, THAT PARADIGM SHIFT OF, WELL, IT'S JUST TOO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THESE PROPERTIES.
UM, I THINK IF WE DON'T START TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE WHERE WE DON'T START THINKING OF NEW SOLUTIONS TO IT, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO COME UP WITH THEM.
SO I PERSONALLY WOULD RATHER SEE SOME SORT OF WORK PRODUCT OR SOMETHING THAT SAYS WE'VE, WE'VE SCRATCHED OUR HEADS.
AND WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND EFFORT INTO GETTING A UNIT, TWO UNITS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE IN, IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
IT JUST SIMPLY DID NOT WORK OUT.
AND HERE'S, HERE'S WHY AS OPPOSED TO JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, HEARING THE EVER PRESENT, UM, UM, ARGUMENT OF NUMBERS DON'T WORK AND THE DOLLARS, OR GO FURTHER SOMEWHERE ELSE, JUST A QUICK.
AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY, COMMISSIONER IS YOU DID HAVE AN IMPACT BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT GALLERIES.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE QUOTE VOLUNTARILY DID IT, WE ALSO WERE DOING IT IN THE CONTEXT OF COMMENTS, UH, ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN READ AND COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THIS VERY COMMISSION AND THAT SPACE.
WE'RE NOT SEEKING ANY REDUCTION FOR THAT COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
SO THAT IS AN INVESTMENT THAT THIS OWNER IS MAKING, UH, OF THEIR OWN VOLITION.
I AGREE WITH THEIR OWN VOLITION, BUT IT IS A SPACE THAT COST SOMETHING, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A RESTAURANT THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE OTHER REVENUE GENERATING, UH, USE THERE.
WE HAVE, UM, PUBLIC SPACE AND MAKING IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, FOR FREE.
AND, UH, SO I WOULD ASK FOR CONSIDERATION OF THAT AS WELL, UH, IN THE CONTEXT.
AND, AND I ALSO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YEAH, THE COMMISSIONERS FOR SURE.
I CAN ADD ONTO THAT, BUT I GOT COMMISSIONER SALINAS AND THEN YOUR NEXT, OKAY, PERFECT.
AND I LIKE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH THE OUTDOOR SPACES AND CREATING THESE, UM, ALL THESE VARIOUS AREAS AND THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE TWO.
I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THE SAME CONCERNS THAT COMMISSIONER TANIGUCHI HAD WITH THE CURB CUTS.
AND SO MY CONCERN IS WITH THE EGRESS.
AND SO AS THESE CARS ARE PULLING OUT AND THAT SIDEWALK IS THERE, WHAT IS THERE TO AS FAR AS VISIBILITY OR, OR SIGHT LINES FOR THOSE VEHICLES TO SAFELY TRAVERSE THAT PEDESTRIAN AREA.
AND MOSTLY, YOU KNOW, AS WE KNOW, THESE SCOOTERS ARE, ARE COMING AROUND THAT THROUGH THERE PRETTY QUICK.
SO HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED AT THAT GREAT QUESTION? THE WORKING GROUP MENTIONED THAT, AND I'LL LET, UH, MS. SUMMERS RESPOND IN A MOMENT, BUT WE DID MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS AS A RESULT OF THAT VERY POINT TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS A DISTINCTION.
SHE MENTIONED THE PAVERS, BUT I'LL LET HER ANSWER.
UH, SO, SO DEFINITELY BY PRIORITIZING THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE BY MAINTAINING THE SPECIALTY PAVERS ACROSS THE DRIVEWAYS, WE ALSO DO HAVE, AS I NOTED PLANTERS THAT ARE CREATING ADDITIONAL BUFFERS, BUT WE'RE ALSO EXPLORING THE USE OF, OF THINGS SUCH AS AUDITORY, WARNING, OR MIRRORS THAT CAN BE INSTALLED.
IT CAN ALSO HELP VEHICLES AS THEY'RE COMING DOWN THE RAMP, SEE PEDESTRIANS, UM, IF THEY ARE CROSSING THAT WALK.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A RANGE OF THINGS THAT WE CAN EMPLOY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS WITHIN THIS AREA.
BUT WE DO THINK THAT THE, THE DROP-OFF ZONE IS CRITICAL TO KEEPING CONGESTION OFF OF THE STREET.
SO NEAR THE INTERSECTION HERE AND PROVIDING SOMEWHERE FOR RIDESHARE AND QUICK DELIVERIES TO POP OFF THE STREETS, VERY TEMPORARILY UNLOAD, AND THEN GET BACK ON TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT ANY LONG-TERM LOADING, UNLOADING AND UTILITY FOCUSED SERVICES ARE OFF OF THE ALLEY.
IT REALLY WAS A BIT OF A RUBIK'S CUBE BECAUSE
[00:30:01]
WE HAD THIS HUGE AUSTIN ENERGY CHALLENGE, UH, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY FACING 12TH STREET AND WOULD HAVE BEEN AWFUL THAT WE HAD TO, WITH THEIR GOOD WORK, CONVINCED THEM TO ALLOW US TO DO AN OVERHEAD DOOR ON THE, ON THE ALLEY, WHICH THEN GAVE US BETTER SPACE TO USE FROM A GREAT STREET'S PERSPECTIVE, BUT THEN IT TOOK AWAY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ACCESS OFF THE ALLEY.SO, I MEAN, WE WERE JUST KIND OF STRUGGLING WITH, AS MS. SUMMERS MENTIONED ALSO THE ABILITY TO GET CARS OFF THE STREET, WHERE THERE'S BIKE LANES THAT WE HAVE TO RESPECT, WE WANT TO RESPECT, UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO RESPECT AND THERE'S PLENTY OF BICYCLISTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE WANT TO BE, UH, ATTENTIVE TO AS WELL.
THAT IS DEFINITELY ON OUR COMMISSION MINERS.
I WANT TO ADD ON TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS CONNECTED TO THE GALLERY.
I THINK OVERALL THE PROJECT IS GREAT, BUT IN THINKING ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFIT, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL PUBLIC ACCESS TO THAT GALLERY.
UM, IF IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK BY AND EXPERIENCE VERSUS ACTUALLY GET IN, UH, ON A DAILY BASIS, THEN, YOU KNOW, THE UTILITY OBVIOUSLY DIMINISHES.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF BY CALLING IT A GALLERY, IS THAT GOING TO RESTRICT YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW FOR, YOU KNOW, AN ARTISAN'S MARKET OR A POP-UP RETAIL OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL BUSINESS? BECAUSE I SEE THAT THERE'S ALSO A NEED FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A HIGH-END GALLERY THAT IS VIEWED AS EXCLUSIVE BY THE COMMUNITY.
A GREAT QUESTION, MICHAEL, ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, UM, FIRST I THINK ONE REASON WE HAVE ALL THAT GLAZING IS SO PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY ENJOY IT 24 HOURS A DAY, EVEN IF THEY'RE WANDERING HOME FROM, UH, GOD FORBID THE CAPITOL, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
UH, SO I, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED WAS INTENTIONAL IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ACCESS AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY, UM, TO YOUR POINT, BECAUSE, UH, OF OUR ZONING, WE, WE HAVE LOTS OF PERMITTED USES AND, UM, THERE WASN'T ANY, UH, SENSE THAT IT WAS GOING TO BECOME A PRIVATE SPACE.
IT WAS AL WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING IT A PUBLIC SPACE.
SO HOURS OF OPERATION THOUGH, WOULD BE ANOTHER ITEM.
I THINK THAT, UH, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER FRANCO COMMISSIONER, UH, ALSO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, UM, PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE AS EXCITED ABOUT BEING THERE AT 7:00 AM, BUT MIGHT BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT WANDERING IN AFTER A DINNER, FOR EXAMPLE, OR AFTER A WORK.
SO IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO SHIFT THE HOURS.
AND AGAIN, I THINK AS IT EVOLVES, WE WILL WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US WITH THOSE PARAMETERS.
THE ONLY OTHER, UH, COMMENT THAT I WOULD ADD IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, UNDERSERVED, UH, ARTISTS OR WHOEVER TO MAKE, UH, MONEY OR DISPLAY THEIR ARTISTS.
UM, MUSICIANS, UH, ARE ALSO STRUGGLING IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WE START TO SEE OUR VENUES DISAPPEAR.
UM, SO HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATING A PLACE FOR MUSICIANS EITHER WITHIN THE GALLERY OR WITHIN THE RESTAURANT SPACE? UM, WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, STRATASYS OBVIOUSLY BUILT, UH, A, A TRULY MIXED USE BUILDING AT THE W WITH, WHICH HAS AN AUDITORIUM IN IT FOR MUSIC.
THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED TO MUSIC.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER THIS CAN, UH, BE A SPACE THAT WORKS ACOUSTICALLY FOR MUSIC.
I THINK THERE'S, THEY, UH, BALCONY IS WE IDENTIFIED THAT OVER.
THAT'S A PUBLIC GALLERY, EXCUSE ME, PUBLIC BALCONY, CONNECTED TO THE GALLERY, PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY AND THE LITTLE PLAZA AREA AT THE CORNER AS WELL, UH, PROVIDES A BIT OF AN OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSICIANS.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT ENDS UP GETTING CURATED, UH, ONCE IT'S OPEN, UH, BY THE OPERATIONS TEAM.
AND AGAIN, SOMETHING GIVEN HOW COMMITTED STRATASYS TO THE ARTS AND, UH, THIS COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, THAT IS THE ARTIST COMMUNITY, THE MUSICIAN, THE MUSIC COMMUNITY, I THINK, UH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD, UM, A GOOD MARRIAGE IF YOU WILL, UH, TO HAVE, AND TO HAVE A START WITH THIS COMMITTED AS A PUBLIC ART SPACE FOR ARTISTS, WHETHER THEY'RE MUSICIANS OR, UM, UH, PAINTERS OR SCULPTORS, I THINK IS A GOOD START.
AND THIS IS GREAT FEEDBACK FOR US TO CONSIDER AS IT EVOLVES, FRANKLY.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR LOCAL ARTISTS, UH, BOTH MUSICIANS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER FORMATS ALIKE WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAXIMIZE THE SPACE.
[00:35:02]
OKAY.UH, FIRST OF ALL, GREAT PROJECTS, I'M DEFINITELY A PIONEER FOR THIS CORNER OF DOWNTOWN, REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD.
UH, QUICK QUESTION ON MATERIALITY.
UM, THE ORIGINAL TKG HOUSE HAS THE MARBLE FINISH, UH, MARBLE SLABS.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION AND IT WASN'T IN THE WORKING GROUP.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT RECYCLING OR USING THOSE IT'S BEEN, UH, YES, IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED A LOT AND, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A MATTER OF, UH, UH, HOW WELL SOME OF THOSE COMPONENTS ARE REMOVABLE, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT, UM, WE HAVE A SITE PLAN IN OBVIOUSLY, UH, INCLUDES A DEMOLITION PERMIT AND IT'S GOING TO TRULY BE A MATTER OF, UH, HOW WELL SOME OF THOSE, UH, SOME OF THE MATERIAL CAN BE REMOVED.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE, CORRECT.
WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT CAN BE, WHAT CAN BE SALVAGED AFTER DEMOLITION.
UH, WELL, IN THE CASE THAT IT WAS A COMMITMENT OF THE COLOR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FURNITURE INSTALLATIONS OR THINGS THAT ARE LESS PERMANENT.
AND I THINK THEY'RE REALLY FANTASTIC SLABS.
AND I'LL JUST ADD, I DO APPRECIATE THE ADDITION OF THE SCULPTURE GARDEN AND THE DISCUSSION ON THE SIGHT LINES ALONG 12TH STREET.
UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE COMMEMORATIVE SPACE ON THAT, UH, SOUTHWESTERN CORNER THERE BY THE, BY THE TERRACE.
UM, I DO THINK IT, I DO WISH THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A, UH, PHYSICAL CONNECTION THAN JUST THE VISUAL CONNECTION, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT SAID YOU DO HAVE THAT, I BELIEVE WITH THE OUTDOOR SEATING IN FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT.
AND SO KIND OF THE MIX OF THE TWO CAN, CAN WORK WELL TOGETHER.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR, FOR LOOKING AT THOSE, UH, COMMENTS.
SO, UM, DID ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AND SHARE? I WOULD SAY WE, AS JOHN SAID, WE WILL GO BACK AND, UH, AND, UH, EVAN, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER, WE WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT A DECK OR DG TO TRY AND AT LEAST DRAW PEOPLE'S EYE IN THAT DIRECTION, IN ADDITION TO BEING ON THE OUTDOOR SEATING.
SO THAT THERE'S, UH, SO LONG AS THE ROOT BALL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF.
I MEAN, WE, AGAIN, IT'S A RUBIK'S CUBE.
WE GOTTA MANAGE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESPECTING THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE AS WELL.
BUT I THINK WE CAN GO BACK AND ADD THAT AS ANOTHER WAY TO PHYSICALLY AND VISUALLY CONNECT.
AND THANKS FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS PROJECT? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT IT SIGNIFICANTLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT CHRIS FRANCO? YEAH.
YEAH, I DO AGREE THAT IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, BUT GIVEN THE, THE, AND AS, AS MICHAEL RIGHTLY SAID THAT THE PUBLIC GALLERY IS AN EXTREMELY HUGE COMMUNITY BENEFIT TO THIS.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A, IT SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR A REQUEST.
AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT SUBJECT TO, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME SORT OF BASIC PROGRAMMING PLAN THAT COMMITS THE APPLICANT TO, TO PRESERVING THE SPACE AS A PUBLIC ART GALLERY, PRIORITIZING UNDERSERVED ARTISTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I WOULD ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, IF THAT'S THE PROPOSAL.
UM, DID YOU ACCEPT THAT AS WELL? I SHALL ACCEPT.
UH, COMMISSIONER NOW WE'RE BLADER PASS.
MISSIONARY TAN OF GUCCI COMMISSIONER FRANCO.
[00:40:01]
MINERS.NOW WE CAN GET BACK ON TRACK HERE.
[1a. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether the Rainey Street Trailhead project, located at 36 East Ave., complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards, for the City of Austin.]
WE'LL GO WITH ITEM ONE, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER THE RAINY STREET TRAILHEAD PROJECT LOCATED AT 36 EAST AVENUE COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS ONE.
IS IT APPLICANT HERE? ARE THEY REMOTE? OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE, HI, THIS IS CHARLOTTE TANZER WITH THE TRAIL FOUNDATION AND WE'VE GOT, UM, BITEY ANDERSON IS OUR CEO.
SHE WAS GOING TO BE LEADING US OFF HERE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SHE MAY HAVE A CONNECTION PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE'VE ALSO GOT NICK BLOCK.
UM, SHE'S SAYING THAT THEY, SHE CANNOT GET IN AND THEY NEED TO LET HER IN.
YOU COULD LET HEIDI ANDERSON IN.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT NICK BLOCH WHO IS A PROJECT MANAGER, A CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGER WITH THE TRAWL FOUNDATION AS WELL.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING TO YOU ABOUT RAINEY STREET TRAILHEAD TODAY.
UM, I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
UM, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS AND CHAIR CAROL FOR HAVING US.
I'M THE CEO OF THE TRAIL FOUNDATION.
UH, I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A REALLY VERY QUICK ONE MINUTE OVERVIEW OF OUR WORK AND THEN MY TEAM CHARLOTTE, THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING YOU AND NICK ARE EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE DETAILS OF THE RAINY TRAILHEAD.
THE TRAIL FOUNDATION IS NINE, 10 YEARS OLD NOW, AND OUR WORK HAS BEEN REALLY DEDICATED INTO TWO DIFFERENT BUCKETS OR KINDS OF WORK PLACEMAKING PROJECTS.
AND THEN ALSO ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION WORK.
AND WE STARTED VERY SMALL AND HAVE GROWN TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE AND PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS LIKE THE BRIDGE UNDER CONGRESS AVENUE, WHICH HAS THE BAT OBSERVATION DECK.
AND OF COURSE THE BOARDWALK, WHICH WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY ON SEVERAL YEARS AGO, FOUR YEARS AGO, WE REALLY DECIDED WE NEEDED TO UP OUR GAME.
SO WE RELEASED 15 PROJECTS THAT, UH, WERE MEANT TO BE KIND OF OUR NORTH STAR FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO HELP US KEEP UP WITH THE GROWING NEED OF THIS VERY SPECIAL SPACE.
UH, WE KNOW NOW THAT THE TRAIL SEES ALMOST 5 MILLION VISITS EVERY YEAR, AND THAT IS GROWING SUBSTANTIALLY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE QUICKLY REALIZED, AND IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE NEEDED TO INCREASE NOT JUST OUR PROJECT AND PLACEMAKING WORK, BUT ALSO OUR CONSERVATION WORK.
AND WE ALSO REALIZED THAT AS WE STARTED TO INCREASE OUR PLACEMAKING WORK, THAT WORK WAS BECOMING AN INCREASED STRAIN TO OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHO IS ALREADY UNDER A LOT OF BURDEN AT THIS TIME.
SO FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, WE'RE IN THE FINAL NEGOTIATIONS OF WHAT WE CALL OUR POMA.
IT'S A PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, WHICH ONCE COMPLETE, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE'LL BEGIN TRANSFERRING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE 200 ACRES OF PARKLAND ALONG TOWN LAKE, UH, ON WHICH THE TRAIL SETS OVER TO THE TRAIL FOUNDATION FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PLANNING OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AND ARE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION TO START THIS TRANSITION.
OUR FIRST FULL PARK PROJECT WHILE OUR PLACEMAKING HAS IN THE PAST BEEN ONE RESTROOM FACILITY OR ONE WATER ACCESS POINT.
THIS TRAILHEAD IS OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WORKING IN A FULL PARK ENHANCEMENT.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT OUR FIRST, IS IT OUR FIRST FULL PARK PROJECT, BUT IT WILL ALSO BE THE FIRST PROJECT THAT WE END UP MAINTAINING FULLY.
SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND, UH, I WILL PASS IT OFF TO CHARLOTTE AND NICK TO SHARE WITH YOU THE DETAILS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US.
AND, UH, AS HEIDI SAID, THIS IS OUR FIRST MAJOR PARK PROJECT.
SO, UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK CHARLES MAYBERRY, OUR HARD PROJECT MANAGER AND THE REST OF THE TEAM
[00:45:01]
OVER AT PARKS AND REC REC DEPARTMENT.UM, JUST REALLY HELPING US GET THIS PROJECT TO WHERE IT IS TODAY AND ON THE REST OF THIS PAGE HERE, YOU SEE THE REST OF OUR TEAM THERE.
I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY, BUT, UH, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT TEAM, UM, INCLUDING A ECOLOGIST AND MAJOR PLAY, UH, CONSULTANT THAT YOU'LL SEE LATER ON AS WELL.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REALLY WELL-ROUNDED TEAM TO MAKE THIS PROJECT A REALITY GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO FIRST WE WANTED TO ORIENT EVERYONE TO THE PROJECT AND ITS BOUNDARIES.
SO ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN HERE, YOU'LL SEE KIND OF THE GREEN BOUNDARY IS THE LIMIT OF CONSTRUCTION FOR OUR SITE.
HERE WE HAVE ABOUT TWO ACRES TO WORK WITH.
AND IN THAT AREA IS ALSO THE MURROW RIVERA RESTROOM, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH AT THE END OF RAINY STREET THERE.
UH, SO REALLY WE'RE WE'RE THIS WHOLE PROJECT IS, UM, HELPING KIND OF TIE THAT GREAT PROJECT DONE A WHILE BACK INTO KIND OF A, AN ENHANCED ART AREA AS WELL.
UH, IN TERMS OF PROXIMITY, WE'RE ON COMING STREET TO THE NORTH EAST, TO THE EAST THERE, UH, AND ALONG AND ON THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARIES, THE TRAIL OF COURSE, AND THE LAKE.
IF YOU WALK TO THE NORTH WEST ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, HE'LL GET TO THE WATERLOO, UM, CREEK DELTA PROJECT.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'LL PASS BY THE, UH, THE MAC, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVEN'T HAD SOME PRESENTATIONS ON THE LESS, A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
AND THEN IF YOU WALK THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON THE TRAIL, UH, IF YOU GO UNDER 35, YOU'LL GET TO THE FESTIVAL BEACH PARK.
SO IN ABOUT THE SAME FIVE MINUTE PROXIMITY, THE SITE, AS IT STANDS TODAY IS, HAS SOME REALLY FANTASTIC TREE CANOPY COVERAGE.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGE ON THE TOP RIGHT THERE.
UH, BUT THE REST OF THE, THE GROUNDS ARE REALLY JUST KIND OF A UNDERUTILIZED, UM, MIX OF, OF WEEDS AND BERMUDA TURF.
IT'S JUST KIND OF HIGH MAINTENANCE FOR PARD, UH, AND IT REALLY FUNCTIONS AS A BIT OF A KIND OF DOG RUN AND, AND KIND OF UNDER UTILIZED PARK IN ITSELF.
SO GOING FROM THERE, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE SET UP THREE IN-PERSON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, AND THESE WERE, UH, FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO DO THESE IN-PERSON BACK IN 2019 OR EVERYTHING MOVED REMOTE.
SO THE FIRST SESSION REALLY WAS TO FOCUS ON HOW DO PEOPLE SEE THIS PARK, UH, AS IT STANDS, WHAT DO THEY USE IT AS? UM, AND THEN WE CAN SEE, AND THEN IT INCLUDED A SURVEY AS WELL, WHICH YOU COULD TAKE THAT FEEDBACK AND KIND OF START TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHERE WE WOULD MOVE OR TO IN DESIGN.
AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE SEEING HERE ON THIS GRAPHIC ARE, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY LOOKING FOR IN THIS PARK? AND THE PRIMARY PIECES OF IT WERE ADDITIONAL SHADE, UM, SHORELINE RESTORATION, AND THEN JUST CREATING A BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND CONNECTIONS TO THE TRAIL AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
YOU'LL SEE, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LOOKING FOR.
UM, ONE OF THE, A FEW OF THE KEY PIECES HERE WERE, WERE ADDITIONAL NATIVE PLANTING IN YOU'LL NOTICE BACK IN THE EXIST IN THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
THE SITE IS REALLY BERMUDA AND WEEDS.
AND SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF NATIVE MATERIAL EXCEPT FOR RIGHT ALONG THE SHORELINE AND THEN ENHANCING THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
UM, AND THEN THE NUMBER THREE AND FOUR HERE, UH, OR A WATER ACCESS POINT TO THE LAKE, AND THEN A NATURE PLAY COMPONENT, WHICH YOU'LL SEE COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE FROM ALL OF THE INITIAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE WENT TO CREATE TWO CONCEPTS THAT WE COULD PRESENT AGAIN TO THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS THE FIRST CONCEPT, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMALLY ORGANIZED.
UM, THE SPACES WERE KIND OF AROUND THIS CENTRAL, UM, CIRCULAR GREEN OR LAWN, AND ALL THE REST OF THE SPACES WERE VERY, UM, KIND OF GEOMETRICALLY ARRANGED AROUND IT.
AND THIS ONE, THIS CONCEPT, UH, IN THE SECOND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSION WAS, WAS NOT AS WELL RECEIVED, WAS BEAT OUT NARROWLY BY THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN INFORMAL, UH, DESIGN.
UM, BUT YOU'LL SEE ALL THESE COMPONENTS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS IN COMMUNITY WAS ASKING FOR IN TERMS OF A,
[00:50:01]
UH, NATURE PLAY AREA, UH, WATER ACCESS POINT, UM, LOTS MORE NATIVE RESTORATION AND PLANTING, UH, TO MITIGATE STORMWATER AND JUST PROVIDE A BETTER, A BETTER SPACE TO BE IN.AND SO THIS, WE PROVIDED ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AFTER WE PRESENTED THESE TWO DESIGNS AND THAT ALL LED TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS THE MORE FORMALIZED, UH, SITE PLAN THAT WE ARE WORKING FROM.
SO TO ORIENT YOU, NORTH IS A LITTLE BIT UP INTO THE LEFT.
SO YOU'LL SEE COMING STREET, UM, UM, UPPER LEFT THERE AND THEN EAST AV.
SO JUST TO ORIENT YOU ALL ON, UH, ACROSS COMING STREET IS ALSO THE NEW 44 EAST TOWER, WHICH IS NEARING COMPLETION.
AND SO WORKING RIGHT ACROSS FROM THAT IS KIND OF THE MAIN ENTRY TO THE PARK WHERE THERE'S A ENHANCED SEATING AREA.
UH, THIS SEATING AREA WILL ALSO FUNCTION TO, UM, ALLOW KIND OF BREAKOUT, UH, EATING OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE CAFE ACROSS THE STREET, IN THE NEW 44 EAST PROJECT.
AND THEN JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THAT IS THE, THE NEW NATURE PLAY AREA.
AND WE'LL GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THAT COMING UP.
SO I WON'T GO INTO TOO MUCH OF IT HERE.
AND THAT'S ALL SURROUNDED BY REALLY NICE DENSE UNDERSTORY PLANTING AND ADDITIONAL SHADE TREES.
AND WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD LAWN, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DEFINED THAN THE EXISTING KIND OF EVERYTHING'S LAWN.
SO NOW WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTAINED AND DEFINED LAWN, UM, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO USE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING MOREAU RIVERA RESTROOM.
ALL OF THAT PROVIDES, UH, OR IS, IS CONNECTED BY THESE ADDITIONAL SIDEWALKS THAT WILL PROVIDE BETTER CONNECTIONS FROM THE STREET EXISTING STREETSCAPES DOWN TO THE TRAIL.
AND YOU'LL SEE THIS S SHAPED SIDEWALK HERE.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF EXISTING GRADE WE'RE KIND OF WORKING AROUND.
SO THAT'S CREATING A, UH, NDA CONNECTION DOWN TO, UH, THE TRAIL AND SEATING AREA DOWN HERE WHERE WE HAVE THE WATER ACCESS POINT.
AND THIS IS REALLY DESIGNED TO PROVIDE REALLY ANY KIND OF WATER ACCESS, WHETHER IT'S, YOU'RE LAUNCHING YOUR CANOE OR KAYAK, UH, BUT ALSO A POINT FOR PEOPLE TO FISH AND, UM, JUST A, A PLACE TO, TO BE ON THE WATER, UM, FROM PEDESTRIAN STANDPOINT.
AND ALL OF THIS IS KIND OF CONTAINED IN THIS, UH, REALLY ENHANCED NATIVE RESTORATION SEEDING AND, UH, PLANTING AND IN ADDITIONAL SHADE TREES.
WE GO, THE NEXT SLIDE, THESE ARE TWO VIEWS, AND I'LL START WITH THE BOTTOM VIEW HERE.
THIS IS IN KIND OF STANDING OUT THE NORTH END OF THE NATURE, PLAY, LOOKING ACROSS THE SEATING AREA, ACROSS CUMMINGS ADS, AND THEN ULTIMATELY IN THE BACKGROUND, THAT'S THE 44 EAST PROJECT.
AND THEN THE UPPER VIEW HERE IS LOOKING MORE OR LESS FROM THE MOREAU RIVERA RESTROOM, LOOKING EAST, YOU HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LAWN TO THE LEFT AND THE LAKE TO THE RIGHT.
YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
WE WANTED TO GET INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE NATURE PLACE.
SO THE CITY, IF YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR, THE CITY HAS A REALLY GREAT NATURE PLAY AND CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE INITIATIVE THAT THEY'RE A PART OF.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR NATURE PLAY CONSULTANT TO REALLY, UH, ALIGN OURSELVES WITH ALL OF THOSE GREAT GOALS AND INITIATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN LAID OUT.
AND SO HERE WE HAVE KIND OF A MIX OF THE DIFFERENT PLAY TYPES, UM, ALL VERY NON-TRADITIONAL PLAY TYPES.
SO WE HAVE, UH, THINGS LIKE LOOSE PARTS TO BUILD FORTS AND STUMPS, TO MOVE AROUND, UM, LOTS OF MAJOR COMPONENTS IN TERMS OF, UH, PLANTING AND, UM, SAND EGGS, AND THEN PLANTING, UH, GRASS MAZES FOR KIDS TO KIND OF GET DOWN INTO THE DIRT AND, AND EXPLORE, UH, AT THE GROUND LEVEL.
YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL START TO SEE HOW WE ORGANIZE THE SPACE INTO, UH, THE DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS IN DIFFERENT, UM, AREAS, BUT THEN ALSO WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT, UH, USES THAT KIDS ARE GETTING OUT OF IT IN TERMS OF WHAT'S THEIR DIFFERENT, UM, GROSS MOTOR FINE MOTOR VERSUS KIND OF INDIVIDUAL AND, AND GETTING TO SECLUDE THEMSELVES IN SOME OF THESE, UH, MORE PLANTED, DENSELY PLANTED AREAS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL HAVE, THIS IS WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER, UM, TO KIND OF ORGANIZE THAT SPACE, STILL SEE ON THE
[00:55:01]
TOP.AND THEN THERE'S THE ENTRANCE, THE NATURE PLAY WITH SOME OF THE LARGER LOG PLAY ELEMENTS, UH, AND SOME OF THESE SMALLER AREAS TUCKED BACK INTO THE PLANTING WITH BOULDERS AND ALL OF THIS IS UNDER SOME REALLY GREAT EXISTING SHADE TREES TO, UM, PROVIDE A GREAT, UH, SHADE CANOPY.
AND THEN, UM, THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE IS A SAND PLAY BOTTOM LEFT SKEWS ME AS THE SAND PLAY.
UH, AND THAT ALL KIND OF GOES BACK DOWN TO THE, UH, NATIVE PLANTING ALL TO THE SOUTH.
THERE YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS A QUICK EXHIBIT TO SHOW THE, THE WATER ACCESS POINT.
UM, WE ARE DESIGNING IT TO, UH, REALLY WORK FOR BOATS AND KAYAKS.
LIKE WE WERE SAYING EARLIER, IT IS DESIGNED TO NOT ONLY WORK FOR, UM, A BOAT LAUNCH, BUT ALSO A FISHING AND, UM, KIND OF PLACE TO JUST ACCESS THE WATER ITSELF, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE WANTED TO QUICKLY ADDRESS THE EXISTING TREE CANOPY.
UM, AS YOU SAW IN THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GREAT SHADE CANOPY, WHICH WE'RE PRESERVING, UM, AS WELL AS EXPANDING ON WITH LOTS OF OTHER, UH, SMALLER UNDERSTORY TREES AND, UM, SHADE TREES.
THERE ARE THREE TREES REALLY THAT WE'RE REMOVING.
UM, THE BIGGEST ONE IS THIS 43 INCH BALD CYPRESS, RIGHT BY THE WATER AND THE WATER ACCESS POINT.
THAT IS, UH, COMPLETELY DEAD THOUGH.
AND THE EXCITING THING IS WE'RE ABLE TO REMOVE THAT AND REUSE THE, THE WOOD THAT WE PULLED OUT OF THAT TO ACTUALLY CREATE A LOT OF THE COMPONENTS IN THE NATURE PLAY.
UM, SO WE'RE GETTING TO KIND OF RECYCLE A LOT OF THOSE PIECES, AS WELL AS SOME OF THESE OTHER, UM, TREE PIECES HERE.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THIS LAST PIECE HERE, WE WANTED TO JUST ADDRESS, UH, THIS IS ALIGNING WITH SOME OF THE SAFETY AND MOBILITY GOALS THAT WE HAVE OF MAKE SHAPE, MAKING SURE THIS IS A SAFE SPACE.
UM, WE'RE IMPROVING CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE SPACE, THEN ALSO IMPROVING IT, UH, AT ALL HOURS.
SO WE HAVE SOME LIGHTING, UM, THE THREE, THE FOUR BIGGER LIGHTS ON THE TOP LEFT HERE ARE POLE LIGHTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME SMALLER BALL BOLLARD LIGHTS THAT ARE KIND OF REDUCING IN SCALE AND, UM, BRIGHTNESS, AND THEN DOWN TO SOME OF THE DOCK LIGHTING WE HAVE THERE.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THAT IS WHERE WE'RE AT FOR TODAY, AND SO LOVE TO HEAR ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK YOU HAVE, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER HANAUER BLADE.
UM, CHARLOTTE AND NICK, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS I'M STARTING WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHO WAS AT WHO'S THE COMMUNITY AT THAT ENGAGEMENT.
WAS IT PEOPLE THAT JUST LIVED ON WAYNE RAINEY STREET? WAS IT PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE ON RAINEY STREET? DO YOU KNOW? UM, YEAH.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THIS WAS, THIS WAS BACK IN, IN 19.
SO WE ADVERTISE SOCIAL MEDIA EMAIL LIST.
WE HAD PEOPLE THAT HEARD ABOUT IT.
I CAME TO IT, WE HAD PEOPLE ON THE TRAIL THAT JUST CAME UP TO IT, BUT WE DID HAVE RESIDENTS FROM THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND WE HAD RESIDENTS FROM EAST OF 35 THAT CAME OVER AS WELL.
SO WE, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THE DIFFERENT FEEDBACK WE KIND OF GOT FROM DIFFERENT USERS, UM, ALONG THE TRAIL.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT AS AN OVERALL IS IT SEEMS, UM, THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LAWN IS TALKING TO THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? AND THE SEATING AREA, YOU KNOW, TO COMING STREET AND THE NATURE PLAY.
I, I'M CURIOUS WHY THE NATURE PLAY ISN'T POOLED CLOSER TO THE TRAIL TO BE WITH A NATURE VERSUS ADJACENT TO THAT EAST AVENUE.
IT, I DID AN ATTEND THE MEETINGS, BUT THIS SEEMS THAT IT'S A PART OF AN EXTENSION OF THE TOWERS OF RAINY VERSUS INTEGRATED CLOSER TO THE TRAIL ITSELF IN TERMS OF LIKE THE PROGRAMMING
[01:00:01]
AND THE DESIGN.UM, YEAH, IT'S A GREAT, GREAT QUESTION.
UM, YEAH, WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS AN EXHIBIT THAT SHOWED REALLY THE, THE SETBACKS AND REALLY THE FLOOD PLAIN.
AND WE TALKED TO HARD AND HARD PART, YOU KNOW, DOES NOT REALLY WANT TO PUT PLAYGROUNDS, PLAY AREAS, EVEN NATURE PLAY WITHIN THE FLOOD PLAIN.
SO WE MOVED THOSE FEATURES, WHICH ENDED UP IN THE CORNER OF THE COMINGS IN THE EAST AVENUE CORNER TO GET THOSE OUT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN.
AND THEN IF THERE IS AT ALL, ANY WAY TO INTEGRATE SOME OF THAT NATURE PLAY WITHIN THE FLOOD PLAIN TO WHERE IT CAN FLOOD.
UM, I, I JUST SEE THIS SO ON THE EDGES AND NOT WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE TRAIL AND, AND MAYBE IT COULD BE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES SOME THINGS ARE GONNA, YOU KNOW, FLOOD PROGRAMMATICALLY, IF THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND THEN I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE SITE VERY WELL IN TERMS OF GRADE AND SO FORTH AND ACCESSING.
AND WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS WITH THIS WATER ACCESS IS PEOPLE CARRYING THEIR FISHING GEAR, THEIR CANOES, THEIR STANDUP PADDLEBOARDS.
MY CONCERN IS I DON'T THIS ZIGZAG TO GET DOWN THERE FORMERLY I DON'T SEE IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
IF I'M ON EAST AVENUE, I'M CUTTING STRAIGHT THROUGH BECAUSE THAT STUFF IS SO HEAVY.
NUMBER TWO, I CAN'T REALLY TELL THE SCALE OF THAT SEATING AREA.
IT SEEMS THAT THAT SEATING AREA, WITHOUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE SCALE, IT FEELS LIKE IT MIGHT BE SMALL ONLY BECAUSE THEN WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THAT GEAR, THAT PLACE IS GOING TO BE GEARED OUT WITH PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARRANGING OR JUST, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF THAT STUFF.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IS THE ACCESS OF I'M GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, DOING A DESIRE LINE RIGHT THROUGH THAT LAWN.
LIKE THAT'S JUST GOING TO HAPPEN AND THAT'LL HAPPEN IF IT HAPPENS THE SCALE OF THE SEATING AREA, I'M JUST, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A SENSE OF IT.
IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD HELP TO SEE PEOPLE ACTUALLY OUT THERE WITH A STANDUP PADDLEBOARD THAT'S BLOWN UP, YOU KNOW, SOME RENDERINGS OR SO FORTH TO REALLY GET A SENSE OF THAT.
AND DOES THAT WATER ACCESS A LADDER? SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT WITH THESE WATER ACCESSES THAT DO NOT HAVE A LADDER, AND YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO LIKE FLOP UP ONTO THAT THING OR, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE FALL OUT.
SO THAT'S IT FOR MY QUESTIONS.
SO I HEARD FOUR AND THEN COME BACK AND TELL ME IF I DIDN'T HIT ALL OF THEM.
UM, THE FIRST IS, SO THERE ACTUALLY WAS, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, THERE USED TO BE A PLAYGROUND DOWN RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE WATER ACCESS ACROSS THE TRAIL.
THERE'S AN EXISTING LIKE LIMESTONE RETAINING WALL AND A BUNCH OF PEA GRAVEL.
SO THAT WAS, UH, A PLAY STRUCTURE THAT PART REMOVED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS SEVEN, 10 YEARS AGO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK, I CAN'T REMEMBER ON THE PLAN GRAPHIC, WE, WE HAD THAT CONCERN.
WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT NOT WANTING TO HAVE CONGESTION ON THE TRAIL, NOT WANTING TO HAVE ACCIDENTS ON THE TRAIL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING THAT SPACE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.
WE'RE UTILIZING SOME OF THE WALL AND WE'RE PULLING IN SOME PLANTING TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT, UH, UH, SMALLER.
SO IT DOESN'T JUST LOOK LIKE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GATHER.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO USE DESIGN SOLUTIONS THERE.
UM, WE REALLY HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT A LADDER ON THE WATER ACCESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SWIM AND IT'S REALLY NOT SAFE TO SWIM, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT OPTIONS TO MAKE BOAT ACCESS, UM, EASIER.
UM, YOUR COMMENT ON THE ZIG ZIGZAG WALK.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DETAILED CONVERSATIONS.
WE HAVE A, UH, PROJECTS COMMITTEE OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
WE'VE TALKED TO THEM AT LENGTH.
WE HAD A STRAIGHT CONNECTION THAT HAD, WE HAD STAIRS.
AND THEN WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T ACCESSIBLE.
AND WE FELT WE WANTED THE WHOLE SITE TO BE ACCESSIBLE, WHICH MADE US DO A SWITCH BACK RAMP.
WE KNOW THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START CUTTING IN THOSE PATHS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING SOME MULCH PATHS, BUT WE'VE ALSO, SINCE WE'RE DOING THIS NATIVE RESTORATION, WE KIND OF DO WANT TO SEE HOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY USING IT.
AND WE'RE TOTALLY READY TO PIVOT TO MAKE THOSE MULCHED PATHS OR, YOU KNOW, DO ANY, I ADD SOME STONES.
SO WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO USE IT, BUT, UM, WE'RE READY.
WE'RE READY TO KIND OF WATCH IT AND LEARN ON THAT.
UH, THE FOURTH, I THINK, WAS THE SEATING AREA.
AND SO THAT WAS THE ONE UP AT THE CORNER OF EAST AND COMING THE ONE THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE WATER ACCESS.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE SOME PLANTING AND YEAH, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT AND WE'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY.
[01:05:01]
UM, TO, TO REDESIGN THAT A LITTLE BIT NEXT.SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE PLAN THAT WE SHOWED.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER IN SCALE AND WE'VE PULLED THE WALK BACK A LITTLE BIT.
SO IT JUST, IF, IF WE GET TO SEE THIS AGAIN, PLEASE INCORPORATE, UM, ENTOURAGE OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE WITH ACTUAL PEOPLE STANDING IN THAT SEATING AREA AND HOLDING ALL OF THIS GEAR TO, TO REALLY GET A SENSE OF THAT.
AND I THINK A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT IS NEXT TO AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE THEY HAVE THE ONE LITTLE LAUNCH AND IT'S JUST MADNESS AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WORK THROUGH IT.
UM, AND THEN WITH THE WATER ACCESS, ABSOLUTELY A LADDER, IT, IT JUST PEOPLE WILL SWIM OR THEY'LL FALL IN OR NOT, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET IN AND OUT.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING, MR. FRANCO.
YEAH, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON, ON WHAT COMMISSIONER ROBO SAID, UM, I'M A KAYAKER MYSELF AND I HAVE NOT ADOPTED, UH, THE BLOG KAYAK TREND YET BECAUSE I HAVEN'T THE OLD HEARTS, HARD SIGN KAYAK.
UM, AND SO I, THIS IS PROBABLY NOT WITHIN Y'ALL'S PURVIEW, MOST LIKELY, BUT I, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, THOSE KAYAKS ARE, ARE PRETTY CLUNKY SOMETIMES AND THEY'RE PRETTY HEAVY.
UM, WHAT ABOUT PARKING? JUST MAYBE LIKE AN, LIKE A, UH, AN ACTIVE LOADING AND UNLOADING SPACE.
LIKE I SAID, I KNOW IT'S NOT WITHIN Y'ALL'S Y'ALL'S PURVIEW FOR THE TRAIL HEAD, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, DEDICATED SPACE WHERE YOU CAN JUST GET YOUR KAYAK OFF, BRING IT DOWN, GO PARK YOUR CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE EASY ACCESS TO GET, TO GET BACK ONTO YOUR CAR.
HAVE YOU, ARE YOU ALL IN TALKS WITH ATD AT ALL TO MAYBE HAVE A COUPLE OF SPACES THERE FOR DOES ACTIVE LOADING AND UNLOADING? UH, WE ARE NOT.
UM, I KNOW THERE IS ONE SPACE ON EAST NEC THAT'S KIND OF A INSET, RIGHT.
I S I SAW SOMETHING AS A PARKING SPACE.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT EASE DEV PRETTY MUCH FROM THE CORNER OF CUMMINGS ALL THE WAY DOWN IS ALL PARKING.
SO IN TERMS OF, UH, PARKING THERE, THERE'S AMPLE PARKING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, KIND OF PROXIMITY PARKING.
I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
IT'S JUST, IF I GET, CAUSE I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT TOO.
I WAS LIKE, WELL, THERE'S ALL PARKING ON THAT STREET, YOU KNOW, BUT THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A PARKING SPOT 300 YARDS DOWN AND YOU'RE DRAGGING YOUR KAYAK 300 YARDS, IT GETS A LITTLE CLUNKY AND IT KIND OF TUCKED HER IN, YOU KNOW, SO A NICE ACTIVE UNLOADING LOADING FOR JUST KAYAKS OR, YOU KNOW, OR EVEN FOR YOUR ICE CHEST, IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO BE ON THE GRASS FOR A WHILE OR WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN CHIME IN, UM, WE HAVE HAD SOME SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS TO THIS TOPIC WITH, UH, TRANSPORTATION IN THE PAST, AND IT'S NEVER REALLY QUITE WORKED OUT, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT.
IT JUST WILL BE TOTALLY IN THEIR HANDS IF THEY ARE WILLING TO LET US PARTNER WITH THEM IN THAT KIND OF A WAY.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, PICK UP THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM AGAIN.
AND JUST FOR, JUST FOR REFERENCE, THE REASON IT'S SO IMPORTANT IS I HAD TO PATCH A HOLE IN MY KAYAK BECAUSE I HAD TO DRAG IT 300 YARDS ONE TIME AND THE PLASTIC LITERALLY OPENED UP.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE COMMENTS? UH, WELL, UH, I'M GOING TO, I GUESS, BEAT A DEAD HORSE HERE AND SAY, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE WATER ACCESS AT ALL.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE'S WATER ACCESS ABOUT 300 YARDS AWAY FROM HERE THAT I USE ALL THE TIME WITH MY KAYAK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THESE OTHER CONCERNS THAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE NEIGHBORHOOD TALKED ABOUT WATER ACCESS, BUT GIVEN THAT THERE'S ONE ALREADY THERE, UM, I'M FAILING TO SEE THE NEED FOR THIS ONE AND, AND REALLY WHAT IT DOES TO THAT AREA AS THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE BROUGHT UP.
UM, SO I WONDER IF YOU COULD TALK MORE ABOUT, I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THE OTHER ACCESS THAT'S NEARBY HERE.
UM, WHY YOU FEEL THAT A SECOND ONE IS NEEDED IN THIS SAME AREA? I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BOAT, THE BOAT LAUNCH IS TO THE EAST.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO, TWO TO THREE SPOTS THAT ARE HIGHLY ERODED AND, UM, WHERE PEOPLE ARE FISHING, GETTING TO THE WATER AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THERE'S BOAT ACCESS, BUT THEN THERE'S A FISHING THERE'S DOGS.
THERE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE MY SON LIKES TO GO TO THE EDGE AND THROW ROCKS AND SEE IF WE CAN SEE FISH OR JUST SIT OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THE WATER.
SO WE REALLY WANTED DEATHS, AS WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY
[01:10:01]
IS A MULTI-PURPOSE THING.SO MORE THAN JUST, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE BUILD IT, OF COURSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA USE KAYAKS AND YOU CAN USE AND SUCH, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT IT FROM ALL THOSE USES THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND IF WE, IF WE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HEAL THOSE WOUNDS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, AND REALLY DO SOME GOOD RESTORATION AND GET THE SHORELINE, UH, BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE WERE LOOKING AT IT.
I CAN ADD JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH WATERSHED FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW ABOUT, AND WE'RE WORKING ON DEVELOPING THIS FURTHER WITH THEM, BUT, UH, LOOKING AT THE FULL 10 MILE LOOP OF THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND IDENTIFYING SYSTEM-WIDE OR THE BEST WATER ACCESS POINTS SHOULD AND CAN BE SO THAT WE CAN HELP AVOID ANY FUTURE, UM, PATH THAT THE PUBLIC JUST CREATES IN OTHER PLACES WHERE IT'S NOT AS PREFERABLE.
AND WE CAN WORK ON SHORELINE RESTORATION WITH WATERSHED IN THOSE AREAS AND CREATE WATER ACCESS AND VERY SPECIFIC SPACES.
SO WHERE WE CREATE A WATER ACCESS POINT, LIKE THIS ONE, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH WATERSHED ON THOSE.
AND I KNOW THE, THE PLAN FOR THE MAC IS PROPOSING A WATER ACCESS AS WELL.
SO, UM, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF ACCESS IN THIS AREA.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU MENTIONED IT OR IF I MISSED IT, BUT WHAT WAS THE PROPOSED SURFACE ON THESE WALKWAYS THAT YOU'RE ADDING? THESE WOULD ALL BE CONCRETE.
MAY I MAKE A FOLLOW-UP COMMENT? OKAY.
SO THEN LET'S JUST NERD THIS OUT.
MAYBE WE NEED TO REDEFINE WHAT THAT WATER ACCESS MEANS, BECAUSE IF IT MEANS PEOPLE FISHING, THEN THIS DESIGN MAKES SENSE TO ME IN TERMS OF SCALE AND SO FORTH.
BUT IF I'M GOING TO DRAG ANYTHING THERE, THEN IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
SO IF IT'S LIKE PEDESTRIAN WATER, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE FISHING PIER OR MAYBE THAT MIGHT HELP IF THEIR ACT, IF THEY'RE PROGRAMMED IN THAT WAY.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, UH, AS WELL AS KIND OF ALL BASS, UM, DIAGRAMS AND EVERYTHING, IT IS, IT STATED AS WATER ACCESS, NOT A BOAT LAUNCH.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE DISTINCTION YOU'RE, YOU'RE GETTING AFTER THERE.
UM, THIS IS LIKE CHARLOTTE WAS MENTIONING, THIS IS A POPULAR FISHING SPOT AND IT'S ERODING THE SHORELINE.
AND SO I THINK THAT THIS, UH, THIS OPTION HERE WILL, WILL OFFER BETTER, UM, KIND OF FISHING AND, UH, USES OTHER THAN, THAN JUST A BOAT LAUNCH IF IT WAS DEDICATED TO THAT.
WHEN I THOUGHT WATER ACCESS IS LIKE, I'M ACCESSING THE WATER WITH LIKE, WHATEVER WHAT'S WITH ME.
SO IF IT'S A FISHING PIER, I GET IT.
THAT'S I THINK YOUR, YOUR POINT OR IF IT WAS COMMISSIONER FRANCO'S POINT IS VALID THAT IF, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO DO A KAYAK THERE, THEY'RE PARKING ON EAST AVENUE AND THEY'RE DRAGGING THEIR KAYAK THROUGH THE NATIVE RESTORATION AREA TO GET TO THAT LAUNCH AND WHATEVER DAMAGE THAT DOES TO, TO THOSE PLANTS IN THAT AREA, BECAUSE THAT IS THE SHORTEST DISTANCE TO GET TO IT.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN, UM, AND MAYBE EVEN JUST PROVIDING, UH, A DG TRAIL OR SOMETHING, UH, YOU KNOW, AS SIMPLE AS THAT COULD, COULD HELP MITIGATE ANY DAMAGE TO THAT RESTORATION AREA.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, SORRY.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD ON TO, I WROTE DOWN THE SAME EXACT COMMENTS ABOUT THE ZIGZAG TRAIL.
I, SO I'M JUST GONNA KEEP, UH, ADDING ON THERE WITH THE PLUS ONE THAT I FORESEE THAT AS BEING AN ISSUE.
UM, I ALSO, UH, OBSERVED, UH, THE SEATING AREA, UM, NOT NECESSARILY BEING A PARTICULARLY SHADY AREA, SO I'M NOT SURE.
UM, IF THAT'S JUST WITH THE SCHEMATIC THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE SEATING IS OUTSIDE OF SHADE.
UM, I LOVE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE CONTEXT OF 44 EAST ACROSS THE STREET AND TRYING TO KIND OF EXTEND THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY COOL, BUT JUST CURIOUS, UM, ABOUT, UH, SHADE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THOUGHT TOO IS, UM, IF THE PUBLIC WAS TELLING YOU THEY WANTED WATER ACCESS FOR FISHING SPECIFICALLY, IT'S A LITTLE OUT OF
[01:15:01]
MY REALM OF RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCE CAUSE I DON'T FISH, BUT I'M WONDERING, IS THERE A SEATING OPPORTUNITY ON THAT DOCK? UM, I, IS THERE GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF COLLISION WITH FOLKS WHO ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE UTILIZING IT TO, UM, OFFLOAD THEIR KAYAKS WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE FISHING, YOU KNOW, WILL THE, WILL THERE'LL BE SOME DESIGNATIONS.THOSE WERE THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, ABOUT, UH, I'LL ANSWER THESE IN REVERSE ORDER.
WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS OF THE KIND OF CONFLICT ABUSES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF, UH, WE CAN'T FULLY POLICE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS, UM, ONLINE WITH THAT CONFLICT, BUT, UH, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE THERE'S POTENTIALLY SOME, UM, CONFLICT BETWEEN THOSE TWO AND I THINK DESIGNATING IT AS A BOAT LAUNCH OR BOAT A BOAT DOCK DEFINITELY, UM, CHANGES THE NARRATIVE THERE.
AND SO I THINK US TRYING TO KEEP THIS A WATER ACCESS POINT, UM, FOR THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD TO CONTINUE FISHING, I THINK TRIES TO REITERATE THAT THAT'S STILL A USE THAT'S PERMITTED OR ENCOURAGED.
UM, AND THEN I, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER, YOU WERE REFERRING TO THE SEATING AREA UP CLOSER TO THE STREET, NOT THE LOWER, UM, GRAVEL AREA.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T STATE IT AS CLEARLY AS I SHOWED UP THERE, BUT THERE ARE, UM, SEVERAL REALLY NICE EXISTING, UM, THERE'S A REALLY NICE, UH, CONTRARY OUT THERE THAT THE SEATING AREA IS GOING TO BE KIND OF TUCKED UNDER AND SHADED UNDER, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME NEW SHADE TREES THAT WERE WE'LL BE INSTALLING THERE.
AND THEN WAS THERE A LINE OF SIGHT I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD THE, UH, NATURAL PLAY AREA CLOSE TO, AND I THINK YOU EVEN LABELED IT AS MAYBE ADULT SEATING, UM, WHAT'S THE LINE OF SIGHT FOR BETWEEN THE TWO SECTIONS? YEAH.
ALL, ALL THE NATIVE OR THE NATURE PLAY ELEMENTS ARE LOW, UM, AS OPPOSED TO TRADITIONAL PLAY, WHICH OFTEN GETS REALLY TALL AND CAN OBSTRUCT A LINE OF SIGHT.
UM, BUT ALL THAT PLANTING IS, IS RELATIVELY LOW, KIND OF BELOW THAT, YOU KNOW, TWO AND A HALF OR THREE FOOT MARK SO THAT YOU CAN SEE OVER IT.
UM, IT'S REALLY INTENDED FOR YOUNG KIDS TO KIND OF EXPLORE IT THEIR LEVEL, NOT INTENDED TO BE LARGER THAN THEM.
UM, SO IT WILL MAINTAIN LINE OF SIGHT.
CAN I SHARE, SORRY, JUST ONE MORE UP QUESTION THAT I HAD WHILE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
UM, SO, UH, WILL THIS BE CALLED THE RAINY STREET TRAILHEAD? UM, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY CHANCE TO RENAME THIS TRAILHEAD TO SOMETHING ELSE TO BE A LITTLE MORE TO HONOR MORE OF THE ORIGINAL LATINO COMMUNITY THAT WAS THERE, THAT RANDY STREET IS NOW ENCOMPASSED AND ESPECIALLY GIVEN HIS PROXIMITY TO THE MAC AND THAT THE HANNO TRAIL, IS THERE ANY CHANCE TO HONOR THAT HISTORY BY RENAMING THIS TO A DIFFERENT TRAIL HEAD? I DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT AS FAR AS WHO, BUT I THINK IT'D BE GREAT.
IT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR SOME OF OUR LATINO LEADERS OR POC LEADERS IN GENERAL.
YEAH, THAT IS, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S ONLY CALLED RAINY STREET TRAILHEAD WITHIN OUR OWN PROJECT DATABASE AT THE TRAIL FOUNDATION.
IT'S NOT THE FORMAL TITLE FOR THE SPACE.
UM, AND WE AT THE TRAIL FOUNDATION DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO NAME A PARK OR CHANGE A NAME OF A DESIGNATION OF A PARK, BUT WE CAN WORK WITH COUNCIL TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
OH NO, NO, NO, THERE'S TOO MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT MY SPACE.
NO, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WE JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT YET.
AND, AND RAINY STREET, TRAILHEAD IS NOT A FORMAL DESIGNATION IN ANY WAY.
IT'S JUST, WE HAVE TO JUST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF NAME OUR OWN PROJECTS WITHIN OUR WORK.
SO WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE.
AND SO I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT, UM, AND THAT'S ABOUT THE LAWN AREA.
UH, I DO HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE ADJACENCY TO THE STREET.
AND IN FACT, IN THE RENDERING, YOU'RE SHOWING A CHILD PLAYING SOCCER IN THAT AREA.
IS THERE ANY PLAN FOR SOME BARRIERS THERE TO PROTECT, YOU KNOW, A CAR FROM COMING IN AND INTO THE LAWN OR, YOU KNOW, ANY, UM, NOT NECESSARILY A FENCE, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU SEE BOULDERS OR OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NATURAL THAT CAN PROVIDE THESE BARRIERS INTO THIS SPACE.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A THAT COMING STRAIGHT, THERE IS AN EXISTING, GREAT STREETS, UH, PROJECT AND ALL ALONG
[01:20:01]
THERE VARIES.UM, IN ADDITION TO THE SHADE TREES AND BENCHES, THERE'S LARGE TWO FOOT BY FOUR LIMESTONE BLOCKS, WHICH WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING AS WE'RE KIND OF WORKING WITHIN THOSE PARAMETERS ALREADY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT.
DOES SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS ONE? I MAKE A MOTION THAT, UM, THIS COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS, ALL I'M HAPPY TO SECOND THAT SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FRANCO.
ANY DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER HER, AND ALBEDO JUST TO ADD REVISITING, ACCESSING TO ADD EITHER BEING MORE SPECIFIC OF WHAT WATER ACCESS IS, WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, AND IF IT'S GOING TO BE FOR KAYAKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHICH I KNOW IS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL, UM, BEING OPEN TO DESIRE PATHS THAT WILL REVEAL THEMSELVES AS PEOPLE DRAG OR WALK THROUGH THAT PLANTING.
SO FOR FUTURE, THIS WENT ON TOO LONG.
THAT'S NOT WORKED OUT QUITE YET.
AND SO IT'S TO BE OPEN IN THE FUTURE.
Y'ALL MIGHT NEED TO ADD SOME PADS IN THERE.
IF PEOPLE ARE LIKE DRAGGING THEIR CANOES THROUGH, THAT'S MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
I THINK THERE'S TWO TECHNICALLY, RIGHT? SO ONE IS LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL PATHS FOR TWO WATERCRAFT.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE THE FUNDING IN THE FUTURE THAT IF YOU WOULD NEED TO BASICALLY BUILD A FORMAL PATH OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH YOUR NATIVE PLANTINGS, IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY, SO IT MAY NOT EVEN BE NECESSARY.
SO THEN MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IS IN THE FUTURE IS IF YOU SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE CUTTING THROUGH YOUR NATIVE PLANTINGS, THAT YOU WILL PUT IN FORMAL ACCESS IN SOME WAY OF A MULTI-PATH ADDIC, A DECOMPOSED GRANITE PATH FOR ACCESS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[1b. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether the project at 307 and 319 E. 2nd St., complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the city of Austin. Applicant(s): Dave Anderson, Drenner Group; Larry Speck, Page/; Trent Rush, Hitchcock Design Group; and Jake George, Intracorp]
TO ITEM ONE B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER THE PROJECT AT 3 0 7 AND THREE 19 EAST SECOND STREET COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.WE SHOULD ATTAIN A GUCCI ON SITE.
I WILL BE RECUSING MYSELF ON THIS PROJECT AND COMMISSIONER TANIGUCHI WILL RUN IT FOR US.
WE'RE READY FOR THE APPLICANT.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE, UH, THE APPLICANT.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT 3 0 7 EAST SECOND STREET.
UM, WE ARE AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF TRINITY AND SECOND STREET DIRECTLY ADJACENT DIRECTLY ACROSS TRINITY STREET FROM, UM, FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER.
[01:25:02]
SURROUNDED BY CBD ON ALL SIDES.UH, I THINK, UH, THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS TO GET, UH, FUN TO TELL THE STORY.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A RESTAURANT.
THE RESTAURANT ON THE SITE TODAY.
UH, I ESTIMATE THAT'S 20 TO 25,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET.
THERE'S ALSO A SMALL OFFICE IN THE FORM OF A, UH, AN OLD HOUSE CALLED SALINITY'S HOUSE.
AND WE, UH, MY CLIENT ONCE AGO NOW PROBABLY NINE MONTHS AGO, STARTED LOOKING FOR A HOME FOR THE LENDER AT EAST HOUSE BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT IT HAD HISTORIC AND CULTURAL VALUE.
SO WE WORKED WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, MR. SEDOWSKY, WHO WE WILL ALL MISS, UM, TREMENDOUSLY, UH, TO PRESERVE THE STRUCTURE AND FIND A NEW HOME FOR IT.
AND WE DID THAT AND WE'LL, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE IT WENT.
UH, BUT WE ARE, WE WENT TO HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, GOT A RELOCATION PERMIT, UM, AND ARE, UM, PUTTING SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS INTO THE REST RELOCATION AND RESTORATION OF THAT HOME, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENT OF GROUNDS AROUND THAT HOME.
UH, THERE'S NO RESIDENT RESIDENTIAL DISPLACEMENT ON THE PROPERTY.
I WOULD ESTIMATE THE EXISTING FAR IN THIS DOWNTOWN PROPERTY AT A ONE-TO-ONE ONE TO 1.1.
IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT, UH, FROM A DENSITY PERSPECTIVE, YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THIS MUCH MORE THAN I AM.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS CATEGORIZATION MAP.
UM, PROPOSED HEIGHT IS 65 FLOORS.
UH, WE'RE PROPOSING JUST UNDER THE ALLOWABLE FAR, THE DOWNTOWN BETSY BUS PROGRAM.
OUR REQUEST OF COURSE TONIGHT IS, UH, FOR YOU, UH, THE FULL COMMISSION TO, TO AGREE WITH THE FINDINGS OF THE, OF THE WORKING GROUP, UH, AND FIND US, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT WITH, WITH THESE DESIGN GUIDELINES, UH, THINGS TO TOUCH ON HERE.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING, UM, WE'RE AIMING FOR A MINIMUM AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING TWO STAR, UH, WE'RE HOPING FOR A THREE-STAR, BUT WE'RE COMMITTING TO TWO STAR.
AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, OFFSITE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UM, UH, FROM THE RELOCATION AND RESTORATION OF LEONARD EAST HOUSE.
THIS IS JUST A SCREEN CAPTURE FROM THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE WORKING GROUP, UM, ON FEBRUARY 2ND.
AND THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP DURING THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE WILL ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY TODAY WITHOUT ALTERNATE OVER TO DR.
SO, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS IN THAT KIND OF QUARTER OF SECOND, THIRD STREET, AND THERE WILL NOW BE THREE TOWERS THAT ARE TALLER THAN EVERYTHING ELSE.
THERE'LL BE THE INDEPENDENT, UH, THE ESTONIAN AND THE NEW TOWER HERE, UH, KIND OF EQUIDISTANT FROM EACH OTHER.
UM, SO I THINK IT WILL SIT NICELY IN THE SKYLINE.
UH, IT HAS THE BOTTOM TWO FLOORS ARE VERY STRONGLY, UH, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED, UH, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, UH, ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS THE LOBBY FOR HOTEL AND THE LOBBY FOR, UH, CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCES.
SO THAT SORT OF ORANGE AT THE BOTTOM IS VERY STRONGLY ORIENTED.
SECOND STREET, THEN THERE IS A PARKING AREA ABOVE IT, A MECHANICAL FLOOR, AND THEN THERE ARE THREE FLOORS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOTEL THAT ARE, UH, AMENITY SPACES.
ARE WE A BALLROOM MEETING ROOMS, A RESTAURANT, A BAR, A HOTEL ON A LARGER HOTEL LOBBY UP THERE, SPA FITNESS AREA, AND THEN A VERY, VERY NICE AMENITY AREA OUTDOORS THAT WE'LL HAVE POOL OTHER BAR UP THERE THERE'S THIS, UH, EVENT SPACE SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO LEASE THAT OUT FOR WEDDINGS OR PARTIES OR THINGS LIKE THAT WITH VERY NICE VIEW UP THERE.
SO VERY MUCH PUBLIC ACTIVITIES ON THOSE THREE FLOORS, UH, ABOVE THE PARKING GARAGE AND THEN ABOVE THAT IS THE HOTEL ROOMS THEMSELVES.
THEN IN THAT SORT OF LIGHT BROWN COLOR AND NEAR THE TOP, THAT'S ANOTHER AMENITY FLOOR FOR THE CONDOMINIUMS THERE.
WE HAD ANOTHER POOL UP THERE, A LOT OF OUTDOOR SPACE AND, UH, FITNESS AND, UH, WORKSPACE
[01:30:01]
AND, UH, FOR THE CONDOMINIUMS AND THEN IN THE YELLOW ABOVE THAT GOES ON UP TO, UH, THE CONDOMINIUM FLOORS.SO IT'S, IT'S A COMBINATION OF A HOTEL AND A LOT OF PUBLIC SPACE THAT GOES WITH THAT HOTEL, UH, AND THEN THE CONDOMINIUMS AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF SHARED SPACE FOR THEM.
UM, SO THIS IS THE GROUND FLOOR PLAN.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY INTERESTING GROUND FLOOR PLAN IS A VERY, VERY URBAN SITE.
AND, UM, OUR ASSESSMENT, UH, IS THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE ALL THAT WELL ON SECOND STREET WITH THE WAY HOTELS FIT INTO THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT.
UH, SO THE JW MARRIOTT EATS UP ALMOST AN ENTIRE BLOCK FACE WITH PICKUP AND DROP-OFF AND KILLS THE PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, UH, THROUGH THEIR, UH, THE W UH, ON LAVACA.
IT, IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CURB.
IT'S ONE HUGE CURB CUT THAT BASICALLY MAKES THE SIDEWALK AND THE DROP-OFF SPACE, ALL ONE KIND OF AMBIGUOUS SPACE, WHICH AGAIN, DOESN'T REALLY WORK VERY WELL, UH, AND IS EVEN MAYBE A LITTLE DANGEROUS THERE.
AND THEN THE PROPER, UH, WHICH ACTUALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY P YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T PULL OFF, YOU JUST DROP OFF ON SECOND STREET.
AND THE SIDEWALK BECOMES VERY MUCH A TRANSACTIONAL SPACE FOR ROLLER BIRDS AND, UH, I MEAN, CARTS AND VALET STATION.
AND SO THAT IT GETS A LITTLE CONGESTED WITH A LOT OF HOTEL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE SIDEWALK.
SO WE LOOKED AT THOSE THREE IN SOME DETAIL AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO DO BETTER THAN THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY BECAUSE HOTELS ARE SO CRITICAL TO THIS PART OF DOWNTOWN.
THEY'RE WHAT SUPPORT A LOT OF OUR RESTAURANTS AND A LOT OF OUR, UH, BARS AND A LOT OF MUSIC SCENE.
AND IT'S THOSE VISITORS TO OUR CITY THAT, UH, REALLY, REALLY ENHANCE OUR CAPABILITY TO HAVE THOSE THINGS.
UH, AND AS A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT MYSELF, I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT THEY HELP US HAVE A MUCH RICHER, UH, CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY COME AND THEY WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK.
UH, SO WE WANT THE HOTELS DOWN THERE, BUT WE WANT TO CONTROL THEM SO THAT THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT IS NOT SCREWED UP.
SO WHERE I, IN THIS DRAWING, WE'RE SEEING SECOND STREET AT THE TOP ON THE NORTH SIDE AND TRINITY ON THE RIGHT.
AND, UM, SO WE ARE PULLING ALL OF THAT HOTEL, UH, LOADING AND UNLOADING AND VALET AND ALL OF THAT OFF THE STREET, JUST TAKE IT OFF THE STREET.
AND THE CLIENT THANKFULLY HAS USED THEIR PRECIOUS SPACE ON THAT GROUND FLOOR TO ACTUALLY ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THAT OFF THE STREET.
SO THE STREET CAN BE A VERY GOOD PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT AND ALL OF THAT POTENTIALLY DISRUPTIVE, UH, ACTIVITY CAN HAPPEN OFF THE STREET.
SO YOU WOULD COME IN OFF ENTRANCE OFF OF SECOND STREET UP THERE ON, ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT GREEN.
UM, BUT, AND THEN YOU WAIT, IT'S A ONE-WAY PORTICO SHARE THAT WOULD THEN TAKE YOU OUT ONTO TRINITY STREET.
UH, AND THEN THERE IS, UH, PLENTY OF SPACE FOR ALL OF THOSE ACTIVITIES TO TAKE PLACE INTERNAL TO THE SITE.
UH, SO JUST WALKING ALONG THEN ON SECOND STREET, IF WE'RE MOVING FROM WEST TO EAST, THERE IS AN IN AND OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE, THERE IS A GREEN SPACE THERE.
THEN THERE IS AN N ONLY OF THE PORTICO SHARE.
AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER GREEN SPACE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT YELLOW, WHICH IS THE CONDOMINIUM LOBBY SPACE THERE.
THEN THERE IS THE ORANGE, WHICH IS, UH, A FOOD AND BEVERAGE, UH, RETAIL SPACE.
AND THEN THERE IS THE PURPLE, WHICH IS THE, UH, HOTEL LOBBY.
UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ACTIVELY, UH, CONNECTED TO SECOND STREET.
SO THE, THE FIRST KIND OF TAKEAWAY HERE IS THE IDEA OF PULLING ALL THAT HOTEL ACTIVITY AWAY FROM THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT AND ALLOWING US TO REALLY HAVE A GOOD, ACTIVE PEDESTRIAN FRONTAGE THERE.
UH, NOW THE WORKING GROUP, UH, FOCUSED US A LOT ON THE, UH, VEHICULAR ACCESS AT THE NORTH WEST CORNER OF THE SITE, THE LEFT-HAND TOP OF THIS SLOT, THE IN AND OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE AND THE END ONLY FOR THE, UH, PORK SHARE.
[01:35:01]
WELL, WHY AREN'T THOSE SMACKED UP AGAINST EACH OTHER? UH, AND I THINK REALLY FOUR POINTS AND THE WORKING GROUP WAS VERY GOOD IN HELPING US SORT OF FOCUS, RETHINK, UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH THIS VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.I THINK ONE IS THAT, UM, IF YOU PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER, IT WILL BE A LARGE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIDEWALK, AND WE SEE THAT VARIOUS PLACES.
THAT'S NOT, NOT A GREAT THING.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT IT ACTUALLY WOULD BE IN TO THE PARKING GARAGE THEN OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE, THEN IN TO THE PORTE-COCHERE, IF YOU PUT THOSE THREE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, THAT'S EXTREMELY CONFUSING.
MOST PEOPLE WOULD READ THAT AS THE TWO ON THE RIGHT ARE IN, AND THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS OUT, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE THAT'S IN AND OUT.
SO I THINK WE JUST PUT THOSE TOGETHER.
IT'S GOING TO REALLY CONFUSE PEOPLE AND THEY WON'T KNOW WHERE, WHERE, WHAT LANE IS IS WORKING.
SO PULLING THEM APART MAKES NOT THAT BIG SINGULAR, UH, CURB CUT.
IT ALSO, UH, REDUCES THE CONFUSION BECAUSE THIS IS TWO COMPLETELY SEPARATE ACTIVITIES.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD THING THAT I THINK IS A HUGE BENEFIT IS WE ACTUALLY ARE ABLE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF JUST TRAFFIC FROM OUR VALET, WHICH IS GOING TO BE PRIMARILY VALET PARKING HERE.
AND IF WE DID NOT SEPARATE THEM, THEN IF YOU, UH, WERE RETURNING, IF YOU WERE COMING OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE AND YOU'RE RETURNING THE CAR TO SOMEONE AT THE HOTEL OR TO CO-SHARE, YOU'D HAVE TO GO OUT ON TRINITY STREET, TURN LEFT ON TRINITY, GO DOWN TO SAN JACINTO, TURN LEFT ON ST.
JOE'S SYNDROME, TURN THE LEFT ON STAGE AT CHAVEZ, TURN LEFT ON TRINITY, TURN LEFT ON SECOND STREET AND TURN LEFT BACK INTO THE PRODUCT SHERRY ENTRANCE.
BUT BY DOING IT THIS WAY, YOU CAN JUST GO OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE AND GO BACK INTO PORTICO SHARE ENTRANCE.
AND YOU TOOK ALL THAT CAR TRAFFIC OFF OF SAN JACINTO, CESAR CHAVEZ, TRINITY, UH, AND IT BASICALLY DIDN'T THEN ADD TO THE CAR TRAFFIC IN THAT PART OF THE CITY.
SO THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT, UH, TO, TO JUST THE CAR CIRCULATION AROUND THERE.
THEN THE FOURTH AND FINAL THING IS IT'S ALLOWED US TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF GREEN SPACE ON SECOND STREET.
UH, WE THINK THERE ARE TWO WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENTS IN LOWER DOWNTOWN.
UH, ONE IS THAT IS GREAT ACTIVITY AND LIVELINESS AND PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED ACTIVITIES, BARS, CLUBS, RESTAURANTS, ENTERTAINMENT, UH, RETAIL, THAT SPILL RIGHT OUT TO THE STREET.
THAT'S A GREAT THING, BUT IT'S ALSO REALLY NICE TO HAVE SOME GREEN OCCASIONALLY AND NOT JUST HAVE CONCRETE JUNGLE DOWN THERE.
SO IT'S, WE'VE GOT NOW A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO DRIVES AND IN FRONT OF THE RESIDENTIAL THAT CAN BE SOFT AND WELL LANDSCAPED AND MAINTAINED, AND VERY HANDSOME AND A REAL AMENITY FOR THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT.
UH, SO THAT HAS HELPED CONVINCE US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO, UH, DRIVES IN AND OUT ON THE LEFT TOP THERE.
AND THEN WE SHOULD HAVE THE SEPARATE PRODUCT SHARE ENTRANCE THAT ALSO ALLOWS US TO KIND OF ZONE THAT, UH, SECOND STREET FRONTAGE WHERE THE CAR AREA ON THE LEFT HAS A LOT OF GREEN SPACE.
SO IT SOFTENS ALL OF THAT IMMENSELY.
AND THEN OUR SUPER ACTIVE AREA IS OVER ON THE RIGHT WHERE THERE'S OUTDOOR SEATING.
AND, BUT IT'S NOT INTERFERING WITH CARS OR WITH, UH, ANY OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENING ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE SITE.
SO WE'VE KIND OF GOT TWO ZONES, SUPER ACTIVE, AND YOU'LL SEE ON THE RENDERINGS, IT'S ACTUALLY MULTIPLE LEVELS AND, UH, ARE VERY, VERY ACTIVE ON THE EAST SIDE AND THEN A LITTLE BIT GREEN OR SOFTER AND THE CAR ACCESS ON THE WEST SIDE.
I THINK I'VE TALKED TO THAT SLIDE, UH, ENOUGH, LET'S GO.
I NEVER REALLY ADDRESSING, HOPEFULLY EVAN, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE WORKING GROUP, UH, WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THE SECOND LEVEL IS A LARGE RESTAURANT, UH, AND THAT'S IN THE ORANGE YEAR.
UH, THERE ARE HUGE OUTDOOR TERRACES FOR THE, THAT RESTAURANT ON THE SECOND LEVEL, AGAIN, GIVING BACK ACTIVITY TO SECOND STREET THERE.
UH, AND THEN THE ORANGE IS A BIG OPEN LOBBY THAT CONNECTS DOWN TO THE HOTEL.
[01:40:01]
BIG.I KNOW A SPIRALING STAIR THAT COMES UP AND, UH, IT GIVES ACCESS TO THEN, UH, TO THE, UH, RESTAURANT ON THAT SECOND FLOOR.
THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE STREET, A SECOND STREET IN THE FOREGROUND HERE, TRINITY ON THE LEFT.
AND WE'RE SEEING THE HOTEL LOBBY WITH THAT BIG OPEN SPACE AND STAIR WRAPPING UP TO THE RESTAURANT ON THE SECOND LEVEL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT OUTDOOR TERRORISTS OF THE RESTAURANT UP THERE, UH, ADDING BACK LIVELINESS, BOTH TO TRINITY AND TO SECOND STREET.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE FURTHER DOWN THE BLOCK, THE, UH, FOOD AND BEVERAGE BAR KIND OF, UH, SPILLING OUT ON THE STREET, OUTDOOR SEATING DINING, YOU KNOW, ALL ALONG THERE.
UH, AND THEN THE RESIDENTIAL INSURANCE WE'RE SEEING ON THE RIGHT, AND THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AT NIGHT.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY OPEN AND, UH, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE ACTIVITY INSIDE AND SPILLING OUTSIDE AND REALLY ENGAGING A SECOND STREET THERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S DONE BEAUTIFULLY, A FEW PLACES ALONG SECOND STREET, UH, THAT WE'VE REALLY TAKEN LESSONS FROM.
UH, SECOND STREET KITCHEN HAD THAT NICE SECOND LEVEL, UH, OUTDOOR DINING SPACE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE REALLY A GREAT ASSET TO THE STREET AND WE GOT TWO OF THEM, ONE ON THE CORNER, AND THEN ONE FURTHER ALONG ON SECOND STREET.
AND THEN THIS IS LOOKING FROM THE OTHER END FROM THE WEST END LOOKING EAST, AND WE'RE SEEING THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY THERE AND THERE, YOU SEE THAT KIND OF SOFT, GREENER, UH, CHARACTER WHERE THOSE, WHERE THOSE DRIVES GO IN AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MUCH, MUCH MORE, UH, UH, GENEROUS, SOFT SPACE AT THAT END OF THE SITE.
UH, NOW THE ONE THAT'S ALSO VERY COOL HERE IS WE HAVE AN ALLEY ON THE BACK.
SO ALL THE LOADING AND ALL THE TRANSFORMERS AND ALL THE STUFF WE ALWAYS HAVE TO DEAL WITH WITH AUSTIN ELECTRIC.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN BEFORE THIS GROUP BEFORE TALKING ABOUT ASANA, LIKE THERE'S TRANSFORMERS, IT'S ALL ON THE ALLEY, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY WITH ANY OF THAT.
AND, UH, SO WHERE I WOULD REALLY MAKE THIS MUCH MORE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED, OKAY.
UH, MATERIALS WILL BE LARGELY STONE, LOCAL STONE, PROBABLY IN THESE, UH, KIND OF TEXTURED FORMAT AS WE'RE SHOWING HERE.
AND THEN IN THE PARKING GARAGE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE, UH, VEGETATED WALLS, UH, THAT WE'LL BE USING.
UH, THIS IS THE PICTURE HERE AT 70 RAIN.
HE, THAT WE DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THE VEGETATION WORKS REALLY GREAT HERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE DRAWINGS AS WELL.
THAT'S INTO MY PARTNER, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, UH, TRENT RUSH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH JUST THE GREAT STREET STANDARDS, UH, FOR WHAT WE HAVE FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE ON SECOND STREET AND ON TRINITY, WE WERE FOLLOWING, UH, THE TRADITIONAL GREEN STREETS, GREAT STREET STANDARDS, UH, WITH THE POLE LIGHTS, WITH THE STREET FURNITURE, UH, AND THE BIKE RACKS AND STANDARD SPACING, UM, AND HAVE, HAVE NOT, UM, GONE OFF OF THE STANDARDS FOR THESE.
WE ARE REPLACING, UM, NEW LIVE OAKS ALONG 72ND STREET, UM, TO CREATE A BETTER SPACING PATTERN FOR OUR ENTRY.
UM, AND WITH THOSE, WE ARE ALSO, UM, DOING GOOD SOIL AMENDMENT FOR THOSE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A BETTER SOIL, UH, CONDITION FOR THOSE STREET TREES ALONG TRINITY STREET, WE ARE KEEPING INTACT, UH, THE PAVING PATTERN THAT IS THERE.
THEY ACT, THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A, WHAT IS CALLED THE WALK OF STARS, UH, ALONG TRINITY STREET.
AND SO WE ARE KEEPING AND MAINTAINING THOSE PAVERS AND, AND THEN ADDING OUR PAVING BAND FROM THAT BACK INTO OUR SITE, THERE IS ONE, UH, ONE TREE AND PART OF THE PAVING PATTERN ON TRINITY STREET THAT IS GOING TO BE, UM, AT OUR EXIT.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO PULL ALL THE PAPERS UP, RELOCATE THOSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OUR, UH, PROPOSED, UH, UH, PORTICO SHAY EXIT, AND THEN INSTALL A NEW LIVE OAK TO REPLACE, UH, THE ONE LIVE OAK THAT WOULD BE TO BE REMOVED THAT LIVE OAK HAS ONLY BEEN REMOVED BECAUSE WE HAD A, THE ARBORIST COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE TREE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE ROOTS ARE ALL EXPOSED AND, UH, VERY MUCH ROOT BOUND, UH, WHICH ARE, WOULD BE MADE, MAKE
[01:45:01]
IT VERY, UH, UNLIKELY TO TRANSPLANT.UM, BEFORE I GO ON TO COMMUNITY BENEFITS, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WROTE DOWN IN MY NOTES.
THIS CORNER, THE CORNER OF SECOND, AND TRINITY IS ALSO GOING TO BE CO LOCATED, LIKELY TO BE COLI CO LOCATED WITH THE CAP METRO BLUE LINE STOP, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY RIGHT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, UH, PEDESTRIAN INTERSECTIONS, UM, ALONG SECOND STREET, CERTAINLY IN ANCHORS ONE SIDE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A HECK OF A LOT OF ACTIVITY HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS THAT YOU'LL SEE THE BUILDING WAS PULLED BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT, JUST TO TRY TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A WHAT'D YOU CALL IT LARRY, A MINI PLAZA KIND OF A SITUATION.
IT, UH, YEAH, WE JUST FELT LIKE THE EXTRA WIDE SIDEWALKS THAT GRAY STREETS REQUIRES MIGHT NOT BE EXTRA WIDE ENOUGH HERE.
SO WE ACTUALLY GAVE, UH, AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT RIGHT AT THAT CORNER BECAUSE THERE WILL BE LARGE, LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE.
SO I'M SURE YOU ALL CAN READ THIS.
IT'S A LITTLE RIDICULOUS HOW COMPLICATED IT IS, BUT IN GENERAL, WE ARE PROPOSING A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM UP TO 25 TO ONE, THREE STAR WE'RE AIMING FOR THREE-STAR AUSTIN ENERGY, GREEN BUILDING, A COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
AND THAT'S WHAT, AND THAT'S, WHAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS, IN THIS MATH.
AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OFFSITE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS PROACTIVELY, UH, MR. FRANCO, I THINK HE BROUGHT UP SOME GREAT POINTS PREVIOUSLY IS, UM, THE IDEA OF AFFORDABILITY, UM, ONSITE AFFORDABILITY.
THIS PROJECT CONTEMPLATES A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GENERAL, PER THE WAY THAT THIS REGULATION WAS DEVELOPED.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE ALSO TRIED TO DO, UH, IS COMBINE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE RESTORATION AND RELOCATION OF THE LEONARD EAST HOUSE.
AND WE'RE PUTTING IT IN THE GUADALUPE SUB DUNYA, UH, NET ZERO NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT MARK ROGERS OR THE, UH, GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, HAS ONGOING IT'S ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, 14 OR 15 HOUSES CURRENTLY.
I THINK IT'S, THE VISION IS 20 WHILE THE SHORT-TERM VISION IS 20.
AND THEN MAYBE IT'S MORE THAN THAT, BUT IT'S AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND THIS HOUSE WOULD BE LOCATED, UH, IN, IN, IN THAT DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS UNKNOWN RIGHT NOW, WHETHER IT WOULD BE USED AS AN OFFICE, A COMMUNITY SPACE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOME FOR SOMEONE.
AND THEN, UH, UH, UH, MY CLIENT IS ALSO, UM, SPENDING APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO DO A PARKLAND AROUND IT, INCLUDING A GARDEN, UH, BECAUSE THE LEONARD EAST HOUSE, UM, IS THE LEGACY OF, OF LEONARD HE'S PRODUCE.
THAT'S STILL AT EAST AUSTIN TODAY.
UH, WE'VE ALSO WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE JEREMIAH PROGRAM AND HAVING THE KIDS FROM NEXT DOOR, UH, COME OVER DURING RECESS OR AFTER HOURS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO REALLY INTEGRATE THIS, THIS, THIS COMMUNITY FEATURE INTO, UM, THE LARGER CONTEXT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND REALLY MAKE IT, UH, AN ASSET FOR THAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY WITH THAT.
JAKE, DID I MISS ANYTHING? UH, NO, I THINK, I THINK YOU NAILED IT.
I THINK, UH, WHAT WAS SAID AT THE WORKING GROUP IS, IS STILL TRUE, WHICH IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PUT A LOT ONTO THIS SITE.
IT IS A 25 TO ONE SITE, UM, WITH, WITH A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, UM, UM, ACCEPTANCE, BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE FIT THAT IN WITHOUT, UM, NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE STREETSCAPES THE WAY SOME LARGER HOTELS HAVE DONE ON FULL BLOCK SITES OR ON TWO-THIRDS OF A HALF BLOCK.
AND WE SEE LARGER HOTELS, KNOCKOUT, FULL RETAIL CORRIDORS WHEN THEY'RE GIVEN RIGHTS TO MORE LAND.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY DID WORK CLOSELY WITH ATD, UH, AND, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO COME UP WITH THIS NOVEL APPROACH.
[01:50:01]
WE, WE SPENT A YEAR PROBABLY WITH DIFFERENT WAYS LAYING OUT THIS AND FELT GOOD ABOUT THIS FINAL CONCLUSION.SO WITH THAT, WE'LL CONCLUDE AND, UH, TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS.
WELL, THANKS GUYS FOR THE PRESENTATION, UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS FOR THE APPLICANT? YEAH, I GOT, I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, COMMENTS I NOTICED IN THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, BY THE WAY.
UM, I NOTICED THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE DISCOUNTING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU'RE SPENDING ON, ON THE RELOCATION AND PRESERVATION OF THAT HOUSE, UM, FROM YOUR TOTAL, UH, FEE.
AND LOU, IS THAT, IS THAT NORMAL OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS WORKED OUT WITH THE CITY WE ARE IN WE'RE IN THE PROCESS, UH, COMMISSIONER FRANCO WORKING THAT OUT WITH THE CITY, THIS KIND OF CREDITING HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AND SO, UH, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
JORGE IS ON, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE CREDITED.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S IN LEGAL'S HANDS RIGHT NOW, UM, TO DO THAT.
WE LOOKED AT IT AS, UH, IT SHOULD INCENTIVIZE SOMEONE TO RESTORE, NOT JUST RELOCATE, BUT RESTORE, UH, A HOME LIKE THIS, UH, AND THAT, AND SO WE FEEL LIKE OUR APPROACH TO THAT IS, IS WHAT WAS INTENDED IN THE CODE, BUT JORGE CAN TALK TO WHAT LEGAL THINGS WELL, FORGIVE ME, BUT BEFORE I'D LOVE TO GET YOUR INSIGHT.
UM, BUT I GUESS, I GUESS JUST FOR MY OWN EDIFICATION, YOU MENTIONED GOING TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OR A SANFORD HORSE, HISTORICAL LANDMARK COMMISSION, WAS THIS HOUSE, WAS THIS HOUSE HISTORIC, IT WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN, UH, CONSIDERED HISTORIC.
SO YOU MIGHT'VE HAD TO PRESERVE IT REGARDLESS.
WELL, WELL, BUT EVEN IF IT WAS HISTORIC TODAY, COMMISSIONER FRANCO RELOCATION IS STILL AN OPTION.
I'M JUST SAYING, I'M JUST SAYING YOU'RE NOT BEING MARTYRS HERE, UH, IN DOING SO, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU WOULD, YOU MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE DONE THAT ANYWAYS.
AND SO, UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE WAY I VIEW IT IS THAT'S $441,000, I GUESS.
AND SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S BALLPARK NUMBER IS VERY BALLPARK.
IT'S ABOUT $200,000 PER HOME, PER UNIT THAT WE CAN BUILD IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUMMER, RIGHT.
SO THE WAY I SEE IT IS BY DISCOUNTING THAT FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE DONE ANYWAYS, UM, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY ROBBING THE CITY OF TWO POTENTIAL NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR FAMILIES THAT COULD HAVE, THAT COULD HAVE THAT HOUSING ROBBING THE CITY OF TWO HOMES BY BECAUSE THAT 441,000 HAD GOING THROUGH THE HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, THEY COULD BUILD POTENTIALLY TWO MORE HOMES.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT OTHER THAN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE ARE MEETING THE GOALS OF, UH, THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN.
WE'RE CONTRIBUTING MONEY TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST ONE SUBSTANTIAL MONEY TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO PRESERVE A HOME IN INDIA IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND MORE, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, UH, AND DC AND MARK ROGERS AND HIS GROUP AND THE JEREMIAH PROGRAM.
AND I'M VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, I JUST, I THINK WE'RE SETTING A VERY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT TO SAY THAT WE'LL CREDIT YOU WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE DOING ANYWAYS.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IN THIS CITY.
SO EVERY DOLLAR WE CAN PUT BACK INTO THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US AND YOU.
AND I MAY GIVE ME SOME CLARITY.
I MAY BE, I MAY BE COMPLETELY OFF BASE HERE.
TAKE A COMMISSIONER CHAIR IF I MAY.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY COMMISSIONERS UNDER STUDY CODE 25, 25 86, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR A 50% CONTRIBUTION OF THE BONUS AREA THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT TO BE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR A FEEDING IN SO 50% OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS HAVE TO GO TOWARDS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BENEFITS, WHETHER THAT'S ONSITE PROVISION OF UNITS, OR IF YOU LIVE THE OTHER 50% OF THE BONUS AREA IN COMMUNITY BENEFITS COULD BE ANY OF THE LISTS OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS IN THE CODE 25, 25, 86 E AS IN ECHO
[01:55:01]
ONE THROUGH 11.IN THIS CASE, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT TO CLARIFY WHICH ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT COULD BE USED, COULD BE, UH, E 12, WHICH IS ONE THAT GIVES US GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO CONSIDER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT ARE BEYOND THE ONES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN THE MENU OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS OR OTHERWISE LOOK AT OTHER SPECIFIC BENEFITS THAT APPLY TO SPECIFIC HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT TO UNDERSTAND AND ASCERTAIN.
NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THE OTHER 50%, THAT IS NOT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE APPLICANT IS ABLE TO GAIN OF WHAT WOULD BE THE REMAINING 50% OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF PHILO CONTRIBUTIONS OR ANY OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
SO IT IS A CHOICE OF THE APPLICANT TO, UH, TO APPLY OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS AS LISTED IN THE CODE, OR GO BACK TO THE PREMISE OF PROVIDING ONSITE UNITS OR, UH, P AND LU CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CROSSFIT.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, I GUESS, I GUESS WHERE I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION IS IN, I GUESS, WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A, IT'S DEFINITELY A COMMUNITY BENEFIT TO HAVE THIS, TO PRESERVE THIS HOUSE AND GIVE IT TO WORK WITH JAN DC, WHO DOES GREAT WORK IN THIS CITY.
BUT IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD MOST LIKELY HAD TO HAVE DONE, REGARDLESS OF PRESERVING THIS HISTORIC STRUCTURE, UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, HOW THIS IS BEING DESIGNATED AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT IN THAT CASE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING, FOR EXAMPLE, AS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR LAST PROJECT, THE PROJECT WE SAW, THE FIRST ONE THAT WE SAW, THERE WAS A DEFINITE COMMUNITY BENEFIT TO HAVING AN ART GALLERY.
THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TANGIBLE.
WE CAN SEE THIS, I DON'T, I'M NOT SEEING THE, I'M NOT SEEING THE EXACT, I, I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT, BUT IF, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING CREDIT FOR SOMETHING THEY MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE HAD TO DONE, HAD TO HAVE DONE ANYWAYS, IT'S NOT THERE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND IN MY, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
AND TO CLARIFY PERMISSION, THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORIC ELEMENTS OF INVALUE OF THIS STRUCTURE INTO ASCERTAIN AS TO WHAT IS THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT WOULD BE INCURRED BY THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
IF WE WERE TO ACCEPT THAT AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
SO IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AS OF YET, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT AND OUR STAFF THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THE MERITS OF THAT COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
I THINK, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR CLARITY FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES IS TO KNOW ROUGHLY WHAT THAT BALLPARK COST FOR, FOR A UNIT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY IS.
AND TO KNOW IF WE'RE GETTING A, LIKE, TRADE-OFF RIGHT THERE, EXCUSE ME, SORRY, THEY'RE GIVING ONE HOUSE TO A VERY GOOD ORGANIZATION.
UM, BUT COULD WE HAVE GOTTEN TWO HOUSES OR POTENTIALLY THREE HOUSES OUT OF THAT? AND THAT DELTA WOULD, THAT DELTA WOULD BE VERY, VERY NICE TO MAKE UP IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM OR REDUCE THE CREDIT THAT THEY'RE GETTING BY THAT BY JUST THE ONE HOUSE THAT'S GOING TO, TO, TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER COOL, I GUESS COMMENT I HAVE IN GENERAL AND YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS BROUGHT IT UP IS THAT WITH THIS PROJECT PROXIMITY TO, TO NEW LIGHT RAIL, UM, AND ESPECIALLY TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, TO BOTH THOSE THINGS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE, IT'S AN AMAZING SPACE FOR, FOR TRANSIT AND FOR IMMUNITY MOVEMENT, RIGHT? FOR PEOPLE MOVEMENT, I GUESS I'M HAVING TO MAKE MAYBE THE, THE RENDERINGS DIDN'T REPRESENT IT VERY WELL, BUT I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE STREET ACTIVATION.
I KNOW YOU SHOW A RESTAURANT ON THAT SECOND LEVEL.
I, YOU MIGHT'VE SHOWN SOMETHING ON THE FIRST LEVEL, BUT TO ME, I JUST SEE A LOT OF A WALL OF A LOT OF GLASS, UM, WHERE THERE IS THE HOTEL PORTION AND THEN ESPECIALLY WHERE THE RESIDENTS ARE THE LOBBY FOR THE RESIDENTS.
ONCE AGAIN, JUST A WALL OF GLASS.
AND I CAN APPRECIATE THE WIDER ARC, THE WIDER, UH, UM, SIDEWALK AND THE FORESIGHT TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THIS AREA BECAUSE OF, OF THE LIGHT RAIL COMING THROUGH AND BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT GIVING PEOPLE SPACE TO CONGREGATE DOESN'T NECESSARILY GIVE THEM ANYTHING TO DO.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT MORE, THAT STREET ACTIVATION, RIGHT.
I, I GUESS, UH, THAT WASN'T CLEAR, BUT THERE, BETWEEN THE HOTEL LOBBY AND THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBY, THERE WAS A FOOD AND BEVERAGE, UH, VENUE, AND THERE IS SEATING OUTSIDE OF THAT.
THAT IS OUTDOOR SEATING FOR THAT FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENUE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE TO HANG OUT AND SIT, THERE IS A BAR THERE AND, UH, IT OPENS INTO THE HOTEL LOBBY, BUT IT ALSO OPENS OUT TO THE STREET.
AND, UH, SO YEAH, IT'S, UH, IT'S A VERY MUCH AN ACTIVATION, UH, A RETAIL ACTIVATION OF THE STREET.
I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT WE'RE LEANING INTO THE USE OF A SECOND FLOOR AS A WAY TO FURTHER ACTIVATE THE STREET
[02:00:01]
AND PROVIDE LITERALLY FROM LOT LINE TO LOT LINE A RESTAURANT SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH A VERY GRAND STAIR AT THE HOTEL ENTRANCE TO PULL PEOPLE IN FROM THE CORNER OR REASSESSING IT BACK UP TO THAT RESTAURANT.UH, WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN ON PAST PROJECTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, THE CITIZEN M HOTEL, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHERE ON VERY CONDENSED SITES USING THE SECOND FLOOR AS A WAY TO FURTHER ACTIVATE THE STREET, WHEN YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THE PROGRAM SPACE AVAILABLE TO YOU ON THE GROUND FLOOR, LOT HAS BEEN SORT OF, UH, RECEIVED QUITE WELL.
UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN CORE ELEMENTS TO THESE BUILDINGS, MEP SERVICES, TRANSFORMERS, OR CURB CUTS THAT ARE STUCK.
AND SO WHAT WE SAID WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED EVEN MORE THAN WE CAN FIT ON THIS GROUND FLOOR, LET'S FILL OUR WHOLE SECOND FLOOR WITH RETAIL SPACE.
UM, I THINK THE OTHER THING I WANT TO NOTE IS THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU ALL.
THERE'S ALSO THREE OTHER FOOD AND BEVERAGE LOCATIONS IN THIS HOTEL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THERE'S A POOL DECK WITH A BAR OPEN TO THE PUBLIC UP ON THE 13TH, ON THE 16TH FLOOR.
THERE'S A FULL RESTAURANT, THERE'S A SECOND, UH, RESTAURANT ON THE 14TH FLOOR.
SO WE'RE SHOWING THEM THE STREETSCAPE, BUT THIS PROJECT REALLY EXEMPLIFIES MIXED USE, UH, UNLIKE A STRAIGHT CONDO OR A STRAIGHT RENTAL BUILDING OR AN OFFICE.
IT'S GOT A FRONT OF HOUSE WORKERS BACK OF HOUSE WORKERS, CONDO OWNERS, AND HOTEL GUESTS.
AND SO WE FEEL LIKE BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE GOING TO GET VERY GOOD ACTIVATION OF THESE FNB SPOTS.
THEY'LL STAY BUSY AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY, UM, VERSUS JUST A SINGLE PROGRAM ELEMENT.
NO, I APPRECIATE, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT FOR SURE.
I GUESS I'M JUST, I'M JUST HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ASKING FOR 379,000 SQUARE FEET ADDITIONAL AS WELL.
I THINK WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR PRESENTATION SHOWS AND GIVEN THE PROXIMITY, ONCE AGAIN, GIVEN THE PROXIMITY TO THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE NEW LIGHT RAIL STATION, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE AND DO MORE IN THE WAY OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT IS, BUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT BENEFIT ALL OF AUSTIN AND NOT JUST HOTEL PATRONS OR, OR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT, THAT, UH, CAN AFFORD TO DINE IN SOME OF THESE HIGHER ESTABLISHMENT RESTAURANTS.
WELL, AND AGAIN, I WOULD SAY THAT OUR, OUR PLAZA DECK ON LEVEL 16, WHICH IS 24,000 SQUARE FEET, YOU COULD GET IN THAT ELEVATOR AND GO UP THERE.
IT'S, IT'S AN ELEVATOR THAT IS ACCESSIBLE.
YOU CAN WALK UP THERE, YOU CAN VISIT FRIENDS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO STAY AT THE HOTEL TO FREQUENT ANY OF THESE, THESE ESTABLISHMENT UNDERSTOOD.
SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THE POOL WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE POOL, NOT AS AN INSURANCE LIABILITY ISSUE, BUT THE RESTAURANTS WILL BE THE, THE CLAUSES ON THE GROUND THAT YOU ACCESS.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A CONDO OWNER OR STAY IN THE HOTEL TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THESE RESTAURANT OR RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS.
AND IT'S, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT IT'S IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SMALL CITY, MUCH OF IT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND WHAT WE WOULD USUALLY BE JUDGED ON IS JUST WHAT OCCURS ON LEVEL ONE AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, CLOSED THEIR EYES.
THERE'S ACTUALLY QUITE A BIT MORE ACTIVATION, I GUESS THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE TO BE VERY FRANK IS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE BUILDING RIGHT NEXT TO ONE OF THE, ESSENTIALLY OUR TR A TRANSIT HUB FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND ME LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT FROM IF I'M A TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDER, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? RIGHT.
UM, WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR ME BEING TRANSIT DEPENDENT? IS IT ACCESS TO, IS I JUST DON'T WANT TO OWN A CAR OR IS IT ACCESS TO NOT HAVING THE FUNDS TO HAVE A CAR? AND IF THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO BE FUNNELED INTO THIS AREA OF TOWN, I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE AMENITIES FOR, FOR JUST THE COMMON, COMMON FOLKS, YOU KNOW, PEOP PEOPLE WHO ARE TRENDED DEPENDENT.
I DON'T SEE THIS AS BEING, AS BEING, UM, VERY WELCOMING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
I THINK IT FEELS LIKE THE RESTAURANT SPACES, THE PUBLIC REALM IN GENERAL, THAT YOU ARE YOU'RE CLAIMING TO PROVIDE AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT FEELS VERY EXCLUSIVE TO ME.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WANT TO SPEAK UP? YEAH.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS IF THAT'S OKAY.
MAYBE COMMISSIONER FRANCO AND I ARE KIND OF LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE SAME ANGLE.
UM, I'M THINKING OF MYSELF AS SOMEONE WHO'S COMING INTO AUSTIN AND I'VE HEARD ABOUT AUSTIN'S COOL UNIQUE CULTURE AND THEIR LIVE MUSIC SCENE AND HOW THEY HAVE ALL THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUILDING, YOU KNOW, I'M CURIOUS, LIKE, WHAT IS IT THAT SAYS, LOOK, YOU'RE AN AUSTIN.
[02:05:01]
THE CONVENTION CENTER.YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NEW TO THE CITY, THIS, THIS IS DEMONSTRATING, UH, WHAT YOU'LL EXPERIENCE.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE GATEWAY, YOU KNOW, TO, TO THE CITY IN A LOT OF WAYS WAS SECOND STREET THERE.
UM, SO WITH TRINITY, THE STREET ACTIVATION, I ACTUALLY REALLY LIKED THE STREET ACTIVATION THAT TRINITY HAS RIGHT NOW WITH MITCH.
A LOT IS WITH THAT RESTAURANT.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT THEMATIC, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT HA IT CREATES AN OPEN PLAZA THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I PREFER THAT TO KIND OF A WALL OF GLASS, UM, FOR A LOBBY, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR RESIDENTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY JUST GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE SOME RESIDENTIAL SPACE, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS MAYBE TWO LOBBIES.
MAYBE YOU'VE GOT MULTIPLE LOBBIES FOR BOTH THE HOTEL AND THE RESIDENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, AT BOTH GROUND LEVEL.
AND THEN ALSO ON ANOTHER LEVEL THAT, TO ME, WASN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEAR, BUT I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THAT REGARD, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER THOUGHTS THAT I HAVE ARE, UM, CONNECTED TO, AGAIN, LIKE HOW DO WE GET AWAY FROM THIS FEELING OF EXCLUSIVITY? I PERSONALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS COMPLEX AND NOT JUST PAYING A FEE.
AND LOU, I THINK WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, SO MANY PEOPLE PAY FOR THAT FEE AND LOU, UM, LATELY, AND WITH, UH, WITH A PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE, I THINK THAT YOU BEAR SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK IN THESE RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO WORK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER OR, UH, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO, UM, COMMUTE.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO, IS THAT, UH, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, IT'S NOT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO ME AS FAR AS THE RESTAURANT SPACE.
I KNOW THAT YOU SAID THERE WERE MULTIPLE RESTAURANTS AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE OPENING UP THE WHOLE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, AND MULTIPLE FLOORS.
UM, BUT I KNOW YOU SAID THERE'S ONE OF THE FIRST FLOOR AND THEN THERE'S ONE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, BUT I DON'T, I'M NOT CLEAR IF THOSE ARE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER, IF THAT'S THE SAME RESTAURANT SPACE OR IF THEY'RE TWO DISTINCT SPACES.
UM, SO THAT'S KINDA MY THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO JUST GET A SENSE OF HOW CAN YOU TAKE THIS PROJECT AND OPEN IT UP, GET RID OF THAT EXCLUSIVITY AND REALLY BRAND IT TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN THAT THEY'RE IN A CITY THAT CELEBRATES, UH, INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES AND ARTISTS AND KEEPING THINGS WEIRD.
SO MAYBE I COULD JUST ADDRESS, UH, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING VERY, VERY AUSTIN ABOUT THAT CORNER NOW THAT I COME FROM DECADES OF KNOWING DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD A FRIEND FROM PITTSBURGH WHO WAS IN HAD COFFEE WITH HIM TODAY, AND HE'S JUST LIKE, THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOWNTOWN AND WHAT HE READS IS VIBRANT AND EXCITING AND UNIQUELY AUSTIN, AND ABSOLUTELY NOT PITTSBURGH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AT A BAR AND HAVING A DRINK AND OUTDOORS AND ENJOYING THE WEATHER AND INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER AND PEDESTRIANS GOING BY AND SEEING A FRIEND IN THE BAR AND YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, THAT WE'VE GOT A BAR AND IT'S NOT A, NOT A HUGE, YOU KNOW, A CRAZY ASS BAR.
IT'S, UH, IT'S AN INTIMATE BAR AND IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE, I THINK WHO LIVE THERE ARE GOING TO HANG OUT THERE.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OTHER PLACES DOWNTOWN ARE GOING TO HANG OUT THERE.
AND WHEN YOU WALK BY, YOU SEE JUST AS I DO, I LIVE DOWNTOWN, I SEE MY FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, HAVING A DRINK AT THE BAR, THERE THAT'S ALL GOING TO BE HAPPENING RIGHT HERE.
AND I THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY COMPELLING, VERY UNIQUELY AUSTIN KIND OF VIBE THAT WE'RE CREATING HERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WOULD READ EXCLUSIVE, UH, BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, THAT HAPPENS ALL OVER DOWNTOWN.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS A RELATIVELY SMALL BAR ON THE LOWER LOWER FLOOR.
MAYBE IT'S NOT A, A, YOU KNOW, A HUGE VENUE, BUT THEN THERE IS THE ROAD, THE RESTAURANT UPSTAIRS WHERE THEN LOTS OF PEOPLE WILL GO AND DINE UPSTAIRS AS WELL.
AND THAT BIG OPEN STAIR, IT MAKES THAT SUPER WELCOMING.
SO FROM THE STREET, I CAN SEE THAT THERE'S THE WAY UP TO THAT COOL TERRORISTS THAT I SEE WHERE PEOPLE ARE EATING UP THERE.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THERE AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S OPERATED BY THE SAME FNB VENDOR, WE'RE NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE YET, BUT THERE WILL BE A KIND OF NICE BAR FNB ON THE LOWER FLOOR AND THEN A MUCH MORE BIG, FULL SERVICE KITCHEN AND RESTAURANT ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
AND I DON'T KNOW, TO ME, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS REALLY COOL IN AUSTIN.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE RICH OR YOU'RE POOR.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING IS
[02:10:01]
THAT MAYBE IT'S JUST THE RENDERING THAT IT'S HARD TO GET THAT, UH, THAT CERTAIN SENTIMENT, UM, ABOUT BEING ALL INCLUSIVE.I MEAN, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO EITHER INCORPORATE LOCAL BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT, THAT BAR MAY WELL BE A LOCAL BUSINESS.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO OPERATE THAT BAR, BUT ABSOLUTELY THAT CAN BE A LOCAL BUSINESS, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME ASSURANCE THERE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE SEEN A FEW PROJECTS LATELY WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UM, GIVING MARKET RATE AFFORDABLE, UH, MARKET RATE, UH, LOWER THAN MARKET RATE, SORRY, UH, AFFORDABLE, UH, LEASES, UM, TO, TO LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UM, SO THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, TO JUST KIND OF FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AND ANY CITY WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE IT.
SO DON'T GET ME TWISTED THERE.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, JUST GIVEN ITS LOCATION, I THINK WE HAVE A CERTAIN REVERENCE, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, WE WANT TO PAY RESPECT TO THE CITY AND I WOULD WANT TO PROVIDE ASSURANCE THAT THE GROUND FLOOR AND SECOND FLOOR BAR ARE NOT HOTEL BARS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING IN A LOCAL OPERATOR AND A LOCAL GROUP, AND WE'VE MORE OR LESS INTERNALLY, EXPLICITLY FORBIDDEN THE IDEA OF A CHAIN RESTAURANT OR ANYTHING LIKE, UM, THE PF CHANG'S OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING TO PLAN TO THAT.
IF YOU'RE ASKING US TO, UH, NAME THE OPERATOR FOR A RESTAURANT FOUR YEARS FROM NOW, WE'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE.
BUT THE IDEA HAS BEEN A COMMITMENT TO SOMETHING CALLING FROM A LOCAL RESTAURANT GROUP OR AN OPERATOR THAT CAN SPEAK TO AUSTIN AND NOT PUTTING A NATIONAL CHAIN IN THERE, NOT PUTTING A HOTEL BAR IN THERE.
AND THAT IS ANOTHER WAY THAT WE VIEW, AGAIN, THIS IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL MIXED USE PROJECT, WHICH MEANS THERE IS MORE GOING ON THAN OTHERS.
THINGS THAT MAKES IT HARDER TO FIT EVERYTHING IN.
BUT UP IN THE HOTEL WILL BE A RESTAURANT OPERATED BY A HOTEL, WHICH COMES WITH A CERTAIN CHARACTER AND FLAVOR.
DOWN-LOW DIFFERENT FLAVOR OF A LOCAL OPERATOR UP ON THE POOL DECK.
IT MIGHT BE MARDI GRAS ALL THE TIME, BUT THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT SCENES GOING ON.
IT'S NOT THIS EXCLUSIVE GETAWAY OR OASIS FROM WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN BELOW.
THAT'S THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE INTENTION COMMISSIONER FRANCO.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD TO THIS CONVERSATION? NO, NO, NO.
I THINK YOU GUYS, I WAS, I WAS THINKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT POINT, BUT, UM, NO, I JUST WANT TO, I WANT TO ECHO ON ECHO COMMISSIONER MINORS THAT I, IT, IT, MAYBE I'M JUST NOT SEEING IT.
BUT IT DEFINITELY FEELS VERY EXCLUSIVE TO ME.
IT FEELS VERY EXCLUSIVE TO ME.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ANOTHER COMMISSIONER.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? AND I HAVE A COMMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POOLING THE CARS OFF THE STREET, THE DRIVE FOR GOING INTO THAT.
SO EXTENSIVELY AND SOME EXAMPLES THAT ARE NOT LIKE THAT.
SO THIS COULD BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SET PRECEDENT FOR THAT IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UM, BLUE LINE WITH THE FUTURE BLUE LINE.
UM, DUE TO THAT, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE WIDE SIDEWALK WITH THAT VISION OF THE BLUE LINE AND HOW IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SO TRANSIT ORIENTED SCOOTERS, WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE WILL BE ON WHEELS AT THAT TIME.
AND, UM, I REALLY ENJOYED THE SECOND STORY EYES ON THE STREET, AGAIN, FOR A SENSE OF SAFETY OF REALLY FEELING CONNECTED.
MY QUESTIONS COME FROM, I WAS WONDERING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO SEE A TRINITY ST ELEVATION.
ELEVATION? IS THAT NUMBER THREE OR DID HAVE, IS IT SECOND STREET FROM BOTH? SO, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT'S TRINITY? THE ONE ON THE LEFT? NO.
AND IN YOUR ELEVATIONS, AND THAT MIGHT CLEAR UP OVERALL RENDERING, UM, FROM ABOVE, BUT THAT'S ZOOMED OUT.
LET ME, LET ME SEE IF I CAN PULL IT UP.
UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, I THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE, YOU PRETTY MUCH NEED TO SEE THE GROUND FLOOR CORNER SHOT THAT.
SO ON THE RIGHT THERE IS, SORRY, GO BACK ON THE RIGHT.
IS THAT YEAH, SO YEAH, UH, TRINITY ST.
ELEVATION THAT TO ME IS VERY MUCH A SECOND STREET BECAUSE I WAS JUST CURIOUS WITHOUT KNOWING THE HISTORY IN THE, UM, PLAN VIEW OF THE GREAT STREETS
[02:15:01]
LANDSCAPE, THERE WAS A LANDSCAPE STRIP STRIP ON TRINITY STREET, AND IT'S NO LONGER THERE.SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, IT WRAPPED AROUND THERE, THE LANDSCAPING WRAPPED FROM SECOND STREET ONTO TRINITY STREET, AND NOW THE BUILDING HAS PUSHED OUT THAT LANDSCAPE PORTION.
I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHY, BECAUSE THEN I DID NOTICE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE L UH, EVOLUTION, I LOVE THAT WE GAINED OUTDOOR SEATING ON SECOND STREET THERE, AND THIS IS THE OLD RENDERING.
BUT WE GAINED OUTDOOR SEATING ON SECOND STREET, WHICH IS FANTASTIC FOR THAT ACTIVATION PORTION.
AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING ON WITHIN THE BUILDING TO HAVE JUST LOST SOME OF THAT LANDSCAPE SPACE WITHIN THE BUILDING DESIGN.
PARTLY THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON IN THAT IS TRYING TO GET A VERY GRACIOUS STARE THAT GETS YOU TO A LARGER SECOND FLOOR SPACE.
UM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN INDOOR SPHERE, THE STAIR THAT'S LACKING, RIGHT? WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN INDOOR STAIR, IT'S ALWAYS SEVEN INCH RISE, 11 INCH RUN, AND YOU DO IT WHEN YOU CREATE A MONUMENTAL STAIR THAT'S THAT STEEP.
IT BECOMES VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND VERY UNWELCOMING.
AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE BETTER MONUMENTAL STAIRS AROUND TOWN THAT PEOPLE WILL WALK UP WILLINGLY.
YOU'D HAVE TO GO UP 16, 18, 20 FEET.
AND SO YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE ROOM TO GET THAT STAIR TO FEEL GRACIOUS AND WELCOMING, TO REALLY SUCK PEOPLE IN.
AND SO GROWING THAT STAIR NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE SQUARE, BUT YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I COULD TELL A LITTLE BIT FROM, FROM THE INTERIOR.
SO I WILL JUST COMMENT, EVEN THOUGH I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE THINGS, MAN, IT WOULD BE NICE IF THAT LANDSCAPE COULD WRAP THAT CORNER.
AND THE REASON I'M REALLY THINKING ABOUT THAT, WHICH I KNOW THAT THAT WOULD MEAN CHANGING THE STAIRS INSIDE.
AND THE ONLY REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE WITH THE BLUE LINE AND WHERE THE SPACE IS GOING TO BE.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE, YOU'RE REALLY OPENING UP TO THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH THAT LANDSCAPE WRAPPING AROUND.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS TO THE 16TH STREET DECK, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THAT CONNECTIVITY UNTIL YOU SAID THAT THERE ARE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE OPEN TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, NOT THE POOL AND SO FORTH CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD BEFORE HERE IS SEEN SIGNAGE AT THE STREET.
UM, AND I KNOW IT'S VERY EARLY ON, BUT THEN THAT COULD REALLY HELP TO LET ME KNOW, OKAY, I CAN, YOU KNOW, I CAN GO UP THERE, THE SIGNAGE AND SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL IN THE CONVENTION CENTER IS THEY HAVE MULTILINGUAL SIGNAGE, THE HELLOS THAT'S IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
THAT, THAT MIGHT ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY AND A SENSE OF FEELING WELCOMING, MAYBE SOME BILINGUAL, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT ACROSS, YOU KNOW, WHO'S GOING TO BE COMING THERE.
AND IF THAT LANDSCAPE COULD RAP, MAN, THAT'S OPENING UP TO THAT BEAUTY OF THAT, THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BLUE LINE.
AND WHEN I STEP OFF OF THAT TRANSIT, I'M LIKE, HOLY MOLLY, I DO FEEL BAD FOR THE STAIRS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME LOOKING IN AND SEEING THAT AND HAVING THAT CONNECTION COULD BE REALLY BEAUTIFUL.
SO I KNOW THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE A HICCUP WITH THE RENDERINGS, BUT I'M BLED, BUT JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
SO THANK, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PULLING THE CARS OFF AND THE DROP-OFF AND THAT'S THAT'S GINORMOUS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A COMMENT? I CAN'T SEE WHO I'M ASSUMING THIS IS COMMISSIONER WEEK.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE GROUND FLOOR AND GRASS AND EAT GRASS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT THIS SETS A NEW PRECEDENT FOR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I HAVE NOT SEEN A HOTEL SO THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED, UM, IN THE CITY, UH, THINKING OF THE WILSHER GRAND IN LA, WHICH IS COMMISSIONED BY KOREAN AIR.
AND THERE'S A REALLY GREAT THROUGH THE BUILDING DROP-OFF FOR VALLEY.
UM, AND THEN YOU STILL HAVE A GRAND PLAZA IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
UM, I, I TH I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE CLOSEST THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED AND GRATEFUL, UM, REGARDING, I, I REALLY HOPE THAT SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND STREET IMPACT FEES AND, AND YOU KNOW, HOW CARS ARE AFFECTING, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN START LOOKING AT HOW THE BUILDING DESIGN
[02:20:01]
CAN BE BETTER, UM, AFFECTING TO THE STREETSCAPE.I THINK THIS IS GREAT, UM, REGARDING AFFORDABILITY COMPLICATIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THIS COMMENT, SO THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
WE'VE HAD THIS COMMENT REPEATEDLY ABOUT WHY ARE WE NOT DOING ON-SITE AFFORDABLE? AND I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, STEPPING BACK, THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, THERE'S DIFFERENT REASONS WHY A DEVELOPER MAY NOT CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN CAPITAL, A AFFORDABLE, UM, HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF MANAGEMENT, DIFFERENT TYPES OF FINANCING, DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UM, PROPERTY MANAGERS.
HOW ARE, HOW IS EVERYONE BEING SERVICED ARE THEIR NEEDS BEING MET? UM, AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JUST SLIPPING A FEW UNITS IN, ARE WE REALLY PROPERLY SERVICING THE CAPITAL, A AFFORDABLE USERS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE SET UP? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE HEAT OFF OF THIS APPLICANT AND REDIRECT THE CONVERSATION TO HOW CAN WE TOGETHER WORK TOWARD BETTER SOLUTIONS THAT AREN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE FEASIBLE FOR EVERYONE.
IS THAT DESERVE ANY RESPONSE OR, YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE ARE, IT IS A DIALOGUE, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR THAT THE FEES ARE ADJUSTED AND RECALIBRATED AND, UM, IT'S A DIALOGUE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, ALL STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER.
WE'RE, WE'RE IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC.
AND I THINK, UH, IT'S HARD TO GET THAT CALIBRATION JUST RIGHT.
UM, BUT I THINK LOOKING AT IT A NEW EVERY YEAR, UM, IF THE INCENTIVE STRUCTURE IS NOT THERE, THEN I THINK ALL GROUPS SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND SEE HOW TO, TO REDEFINE IT.
UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S IDEAS.
I THINK THE DEVELOPER DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COULD PUT FORWARD IN SOME OF THOSE, THOSE SESSIONS.
UM, YOUR, YOUR POINT, THE FEE IS ONE THING, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONER FRANCO AND COMMISSIONER MINERS HAVE GREAT INTEREST IN, AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON-SITE AFFORDABLE IN PLACE.
SO WHAT ARE THE TRUE HURDLES TO THAT? SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST, UH, EVERYONE'S DOING FEED LOO.
THAT'S A, IT'S A FRUSTRATION THAT W YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO SEE OPTIONS PRESENTED, BUT THAT'S NOT UP TO A SINGLE PERSON TO RESOLVE, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY MAKE THIS SOMETHING FEASIBLE THAT EVERYONE CAN AGREE IS, IS AN ACTUAL OPTION, BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL OPTION IF NO ONE'S DOING IT.
AND THAT'S NOT THE APPLICANT'S FAULT.
SO ON OUR, ON OUR LAST PROJECT, 44 EAST, UM, WHICH I, I HAVE TO NAME DROP THAT WE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY.
CAUSE WE, WE DONATED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE TRAIL RESTORATION THAT WAS PRESENTED RIGHT BEFORE US, UM, AT, AT NO COMMUNITY BENEFIT REALLY TO OURSELVES THAT WAS, UM, IN INTEREST OF BETTERING THE PARK, UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR TEAM LIKE TO RUN ON THE TRAILS AND USE THE WATER.
UM, BUT IN THAT BUILDING, WE HAD 309 UNITS.
WE PROVIDED NINE AFFORDABLE ONSITE UNITS.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT NINE, SORRY, 13 YEARS, ABOUT 9,000 SQUARE FEET.
THAT WAS A MUCH BIGGER BUILDING.
IT WAS EXCLUSIVELY RESIDENTIAL.
UH, WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO DOING THAT ON THE RIGHT PROJECT, WORKING IN ON-SITE AFFORDABLE AND A MIXED USE HOTEL, GIVEN THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HOTEL BRAND WE'RE WORKING WITH, GIVEN THE FACT WE ONLY HAVE 136 UNITS, IT'S PREDOMINANTLY A HOTEL.
IT DIDN'T WORK ON THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, BUT I THINK THAT ON FUTURE PROJECTS, IT MAY FIT QUITE WELL, ESPECIALLY ONES WITH A LARGER RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT.
SO I I'M GOING TO BE LIVING IN 44 EAST.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LIKE ABOUT 44 ACES THAT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE IN THE BUILDING.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT THIS DEVELOPER IS VERY, VERY COMMITTED TO THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T WORK ON EVERY PROJECT.
AND, UH, SO I, I DO THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN IT CAN WORK AND WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK AND, UH, THAT MAYBE INCENTIVIZING WHEN IT CAN WORK OR IN THOSE KINDS OF BUILDINGS, THAT ABSOLUTELY THEY SHOULD BE ONSITE, BUT THAT IT'S NOT GONNA WORK IN EVERY PROJECT.
I JUST THINK INTERCORE, AND CERTAINLY I WOULD TOTALLY AGREE WITH EVERY COMMENT YOU MADE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T WORK IN EVERY CASE.
I BELIEVE, UH, COMMISSIONER FRANCO WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK, HOLD THIS.
AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT DIRECTLY THAT YOU, BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T THE RAINY STREET DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
DON'T THEY REQUIRE ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A MINIMUM ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT AND FEE AND LOU, OR CORRECT ME.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT FOR ME? OKAY, WELL
[02:25:01]
THAT'S PARTIALLY CORRECT.COMMISSIONER TERRIFY MAY RESPONSE.
THE RAINEY DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS UP TO THE EIGHT ONE FAR THAT IS ALLOWED UNDER, UM, UNDER THE PROGRAM BEYOND THE EIGHT ONE FAR THAT JUMPS INTO THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM UP TO 15 ONE, IF THEY ARE.
SO THERE ARE TWO DENSITY BONUSES THAT OVERLAP IN THE RAINY DISTRICT, THOSE PROPERTIES OUTSIDE OF THE RAINY DISTRICT.
NO, I KNOW, BUT JUST THE APPLICANT MENTIONED 44 RAINING HAVING ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY A REQUIREMENT OF THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT AND NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT DEVELOPERS ARE LEANING INTO.
SO THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF MAYBE IF THE CITY WANTED TO CLARIFY IT QUEER, THEY THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AS THEY HAVE CLARIFIED IN THE CASE OF RAINY STREET, THAT WOULD BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THAT THEY DON'T, THAT THEY SAY, OKAY, IT NEEDS TO BE HERE, NOT FEE AND LOAD.
AND I THINK IF IT CAN BE DONE IN SOME PLACES, IT COULD BE DONE IN OTHER PLACES.
AND I THINK FURTHERMORE, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU THAT, THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE CITY'S, UH, PRIORITY AND PREROGATIVE TO, TO, TO DESIGNATE NO DOUBT.
BUT I GUESS MY POINT IS IF YOU MAKE IT WORK IN RAINY, CAN WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND MAKE IT WORK IN OTHER PLACES, JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M GOING TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE OPTION FOR ONSITE UNITS DOES EXIST FOR DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
AND THAT IS A CHOICE THAT THE APPLICANT MAKES WHEN APPLYING THE OTHER 50% OF THE REQUIRED COMMUNITY BENEFITS INTO THE PROGRAM.
THERE'S A MENU OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT INCLUDES ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS OR A FEE IN LIEU, BUT THAT IS A CHOICE OF YET.
I GUESS AT LEAST ME, UNFORTUNATELY, I'M THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP HERE AND OUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PORTER COULD SHARE IT WAS SHARED BY EVERYBODY.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PROJECT FOR 20 MINUTES AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE RAMIFICATIONS, ALL THE FUNCTIONALITY OF IT, THOSE ARE THE MAIN CONCERN WE HAD WAS IT SEEMED PRETTY LARGE, UH, TO BE DROPPING ALONE, LOOKS LIKE ALMOST THREE LANES.
SO WE JUST THOUGHT THAT MAYBE SOME OF THAT SPACE COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT AND PUT ON THE STREETS ON THE SECOND STREET, UH, ON THE SECOND STREET SIDE OFFER A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, PUBLIC SPACE.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAD FAVORABLE COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROJECT.
SO I THINK THE, UH, THE GOAL THERE IS NEVER TO HAVE ANYTHING BACKING UP ON SECOND STREET.
AND SO WE HAVE A BYPASS LINE AND WE HAVE A DROP-OFF LINE AND WE HAVE A WIDE AREA WHERE YOU HAVE CARTS AND ROLLER BAGS AND ALL AND VALETS AND ALL OF THAT.
UH, SO GOSH, EVAN, I WOULD JUST LOVE IT IF WE COULD MAKE THAT NARROWER, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY WAY TO ACTUALLY MAKE IT OPERATE AND NOT BACK UP ON SECOND STREET.
UH, IF WE DON'T ALLOW BYPASS LIGHT, WE HAVE TO HAVE A BYPASS LINE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A DROP-OFF LINE.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, AN AMOUNT OF SPACE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE LUGGAGE AND THE VALETS AND ALL OF THAT.
AND I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE JUST ABOUT WHERE, WHERE WE CAN BE.
AND I THINK WE LEARNED SOME LESSONS FROM A HOTELS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF A DROP-OFF SPACE DUDE.
LIKE THE WIDS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY DANGEROUS THERE.
SO WITH THAT SAID, DO WE HAVE ANY MOTION SOMEBODY'S LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I'M SORRY.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHY TRINITY IS STILL SUCH A STICKING POINT FOR ME, BUT, UM, I THINK MAYBE I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE OF THE REDESIGN AND MAYBE I'M MISSING KIND OF THE CHRONOLOGY THERE.
CAN, IS IT POSSIBLE TO SEE THAT SLIDE THAT WAS SHOWING THE, UH, JUST THE FLOOR PLAN OF THE FIRST FLOOR WHERE TRINITY STREET WAS? CAUSE IT WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
YEAH, THAT WAS THE ONE, UH, THAT ONE, THIS ONE.
SO THIS ONE, UM, KIND OF COMPARED WITH THE ONE THAT WAS SHOWN BEFORE, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, THE AREA THAT IS WHERE THE STAIRCASE IS THAT SERVES AS THE LOBBY FOR THE HOTEL, THE RESTAURANT AND THE RESIDENCE, IS THAT CORRECT? OH, THE AREA IN PURPLE SERVICES, THE LOBBY FOR THE HOTEL.
AND TO SOME EXTENT FOR THE BAR, THE BAR WILL OPEN INTO THAT LOBBY.
THE YELLOW IS THE LOBBY FOR THE RESIDENTS AND I WOULD EVEN LOVE EVEN RESPECTFULLY REFRAME IT AS A HOTEL LOBBY.
THE HOTEL LOBBY IS, IS REALLY 13 FLOORS UP IN THE SKY.
[02:30:01]
THIS IS, THIS IS A OPEN AREA, UH, THAT TAKES YOU TO A SECOND FLOOR RESTAURANT.THERE'S A SINGLE PERSON FOR WAYFINDING, THAT'S THERE, BUT THERE'S NO CHECK-IN FOR A HOTEL THERE THERE'S NO BAGGAGE SERVICE.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A PLAZA THAT'S ENCLOSED.
UH, AND THEN IF YOU GO IN THE ELEVATORS AND YOU GET TAKEN TO A LOBBY, IS THERE AN EXPECTATION THAT, YOU KNOW, IS YOUR HOTEL PARTNER THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH? IF YOU CAN DISCLOSE EXPECTING BRANDING AT THAT CORNER? UM, THERE WILL BE SOME BRANDING.
WE, WE DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO, TO DISCLOSE THE HOTEL PARTNER, UH, FROM, YEAH, THAT'S FAIR.
UM, AND THEN I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, SO ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER ALONG TRINITY, WHAT AM I LOOKING AT THERE? OH, THAT IS, UM, THAT IS A STAIRCASE THAT TAKES YOU TO A BELOW GRADE, UM, SERVICE AREA.
SO I THINK ONCE AGAIN, IT HIGHLIGHTS THE AMOUNT THAT ISN'T BEING SHOWN HERE THAT'S REQUIRED ON ALL OF THESE SITES.
THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MECHANICAL SERVICES THAT WE HAD TO TAKE OFF THIS GROUND FLOOR AND PUT ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND DIG INTO THE GROUND AT A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL EXPENSE, JUST SO THAT WE COULD FIT, UH, ANY RETAIL ON THIS LEVEL.
UM, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS A WAY TO GET DOWN INTO A BASEMENT WHERE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS LIVE AND OPERATIONAL ITEMS, AS WELL AS TO GET UP, UH, INTO A GARAGE, UH, WE'RE MORE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS THAT WOULD BE ON THE GROUND FLOOR ON NEARLY ANY OTHER PROJECT.
UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, HOW MOVABLE THAT IS, IF THAT COULD BE MOVED INTO THE RESIDENTIAL SPACE, JUST TO CREATE SOME ACTIVITY ON TRINITY, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT TRINITY, IT'S JUST SO BLOCKED OFF THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY THERE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DUNNO IF THAT'S, WHEN THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE, IT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE STAIR THERE BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THREE STAIRS.
SUPER HIGH RISE JUST FOR EXITING.
UM, AND SO THEY NEED TO BE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER.
SO THAT, THAT WAS THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, DRIVING FORCE, UM, TO PUTTING IT IN THE CORNER.
I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
UM, AND I WILL SAY JUST FROM, I THINK WE WORKED WITH YOU ALL WITH 44 EAST.
I KNOW WE WERE SUPER NITPICKY, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE END RESULT, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THROUGH CONSENSUS REALLY DID PROVIDE MORE BENEFITS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING UP WITH US BEING SUPER NITPICKY WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
UH, I THINK WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SUCCESSFUL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? HEY, EVAN, YOU CAN'T SEE ME, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT IT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND WEAVER SECOND? OKAY.
UM, IS IT SOMEWHERE, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I, WITH REGARDS TO SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THAT OR THERE'S SOME ENHANCEMENTS.
I THINK THAT COULD BE, THAT ARE GOOD STREET ACTIVATION TO ME JUST IS NOT THERE.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE TRADE-OFF IN COMMUNITY BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY HOW THE HISTORIC PROPERTY IS BEING PUT INTO IS BEING ACCOUNTED FOR AND WHATNOT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS GETTING THE MOST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK, ESPECIALLY ON SO MUCH DENSITY AND WITHOUT KNOWING THE EXACT SPECIFICS OF, OF THOSE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
I JUST CAN'T, I CAN'T VOTE FOR THIS.
IT'S IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE FOR ME TO VOTE FOR THIS.
WELL, WE RESPECT YOUR OPINION.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE'VE WORKED WITH YOU ALL IN THE PAST AND UH, I JUST THINK THAT THIS ONE ISN'T QUITE READY YET.
IT'S A, IT'S A DIAMOND, THERE'S A DIAMOND IN THERE, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, WE POLISH THAT DIAMOND AND EXPOSE IT.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION WITH THAT? WE'LL PUT IT TO A VOTE, I GUESS WE'LL DO A, WE'LL CALL OUT EACH MINISTER'S NAME.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A LIST OF THEM ALL COMMISSION FRANKL OR, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER MINORS.
SEE WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME WORK COMMISSIONERS HERE.
[02:35:01]
SALINAS.YOU NEED A CO YOU NEED THE ENTIRE REMAINDER OF THE COMMISSION WITHOUT THE EXCEPTIONS TO VOTE FOR THE MOTION.
SO YOU HAVE FOUR YESES AND TWO NOS THAT MOTION FAILS.
YOU WILL NEED A NEW MOTION, BUT ANYBODY LIKED TO, WITHOUT EMOTION POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UH, UH, JORGE, UM, EMOTION HAS TO BE TAKEN TONIGHT, CORRECT? THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO COME TO A FINDING OF SUBSTANTIVE COMPLIANCE OR NONCOMPLIANCE AS A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY STAFF.
THAT'S THE ACTION THAT THE COMMISSION CAN TAKE.
THE COMMISSIONER CAN ALSO TAKE NO ACTION AND THEREFORE NO RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FORWARDED TO STAFF TO CONSIDER THE CODE RECORDERS ON OUR 25, 25 86, THAT THE COMMISSION PROVIDED RECOMMENDATION TO CITY STAFF ON A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SINCE THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS, THE STEP WOULD CONSIDER THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
SHOULD THE COMMISSION NOT BE ABLE TO REACH A RECOMMENDATION? THERE WOULD BE NO RECOMMENDATION FORWARDED TO THE, TO THE CITY STAFF.
SO IN ORDER TO GET THIS TO PASS EVERYONE, EVERYONE HAS TO AGREE TONIGHT.
WE PRESENT MEMBERS WITHOUT THE, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CHAIR, BECAUSE HE IS, YOU HAVE SIX COMMISSIONERS, ALL WOULD HAVE TO VOTE ON THE AFFIRMATIVE ON WHICHEVER MOTION THAT MOTION TO PASS.
PLEASE NOTE, I'M NOT TELLING YOU WHICH MOTION TO WRITE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAD HERE.
THE VOTE COUNT HAS TO BE UNANIMOUS EITHER WAY FOR EMOTIONAL TO CARRY SHORT OF A SIX COMMISSIONERS, THE MOTION WOULD FAIL.
SO IN THIS CASE, THE MOTION HAS FAILED.
SO YOU WOULD NEED NEW MOTION OR, OR, OR, OR I COULD GO FORWARD WITH NO RECOMMENDATION.
THAT IS THE CHOICE OF THE COMMISSION.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN ADVISE THE COMPETITORS.
UM, COMMISSIONER FRANCO, IS THERE AN AMENDMENT THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO CONSIDER TO MOVE THIS FORWARD? UM, I WOULD, I REALLY WANT CLARITY ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENTS AS FAR AS THE CREDIT OR NON-CREDIT FOR, FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION STUFF.
LIKE I SAID, IN MY, IN MY VIEW RIGHT NOW THAT'S $400,489,000.
IT'S BEING POTENTIALLY TAKEN AWAY FROM, FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AND IN A TIME WHERE WE'RE LITERALLY FACING AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, I WOULD LIKE, I WOULD LIKE SOME RECORD, YOU KNOW, SOME ACCOUNTABILITY FOR, FOR WHY THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING TAKEN OVER.
BUT COMMISSIONER, IF I MAY CLARIFY, THERE, THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
50% OF THE BONUS AREA IS REQUIRED TO GO TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S ON-SITE PROVISION OR FEE.
LOU UNDERSTOOD 50% COULD BE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONTRIBUTIONS, AGAIN, VIA ONSITE OR FEW OR ANY OF THE OTHER, OR A COMBINATION OF ANY OF THE OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR, IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR ITEMIZATION OF, OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND DOLLARS, THEY ARE DISCOUNTING $441,000.
I BELIEVE A 400, 400,000 FROM THAT TOTAL, UNLESS THEY REPRESENTED THE NUMBERS WRONG.
IT SHOULD BE AN EXTRA $441,000 IN RENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WELL, BUT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO APPLY ANY OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS LISTED IN ONE THROUGH 11, INCLUDING E 12, WHICH IS ONE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING ENGAGING WITH THE APPLICANT TO APPLY CREDITS TOWARDS THE OTHER 50% OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING THROUGH THE BENEFITS.
THEY ARE CHOOSING TO USE A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY BENEFIT OTHER THAN THE ONSITE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR A FEE IN DO, WHICH IS ALLOWED BY THE CO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MY POINT BEING THAT HOW MANY HOUSES COULD WE GET FOR THAT, FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, RIGHT.
AND WHAT ARE WE, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TRADE OFF? WHAT IS THE TRADE OFF? AND THEN I, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME PROPERLY YET.
AND THAT'S AN ANSWER I DON'T HAVE FOR YOU.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HOUSES THAT COULD, THAT COULD GET, OR I WOULD HOPE THE APPLICANT COULD COME FORTH WITH THAT.
THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND.
AS I MENTIONED, PLEASE, IF I MAY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH COMMISSIONERS
[02:40:01]
GIVEN THE FLOOR TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS.IF WE CAN GO THROUGH THE CHAIR, PLEASE, IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING WITH THE VIDEO CONFERENCE AND NOT EVERYONE COULD SEE THAT DAVE HAD HIS HAND UP, I'LL RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER WEAVER, BUT YEAH, LET'S GO THROUGH SOME KIND OF PROTOCOL HERE FROM NOW ON MR. WEAVER.
SO SEVERAL THINGS, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CITY LEGAL ON HOW TO APPLY THAT OFFSITE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING CREDIT TO THE PROJECT THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
IF THIS IS AN ISSUE, WE WILL TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE AND WE WON'T SEEK THAT AFFORDABLE.
WE WON'T SEEK THAT COMMUNITY BENEFIT FOR THE RELOCATION AND RESTORATION OF THE LEONARD EAST HOUSE.
AND THAT MONEY WILL BE PUT BACK INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND TO, TO, TO, UH, ADDRESS, UH, COMMISSIONER FRANCO'S CONCERNS.
SO I GUESS CHAIR, IF I MAY, YES, SHE MAY.
UH, SO DAVE, LET ME, IF, IF I, IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU WILL NOT SEE THE PRESERVATION OF THAT HOUSE AND YOU WILL NOT BE WORKING WITH GN DC TO SAY, DONATE THAT PROPERTY TO THEM OR TO GE TO HAVE HAD THAT PROPERTY IN THEIR INVENTORY.
YEAH, HONESTLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY AS WE WERE CARRYING FORWARD WITH THAT PROCESS, WE WERE GOING TO RELY ON THE DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY LEGAL AS WAS THE RIGHT OF SORT OF A NOVEL COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S NO ALLOWANCE FOR US TO PRO TO PROCEED THROUGH NORMAL CHANNELS, THEN YES, WE'LL LET THAT GO.
BUT WE DON'T BELIEVE IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE CITY HAS ALLOWED THE CONVERSATION TO BE.
IT DOES NOT MEAN WE WILL GET THE ENTIRE $400,000 BENEFIT.
THEY MAY SAY ZERO, BUT IT SHOULD TECHNICALLY BE GOING THROUGH THOSE CHANNELS, NOT THROUGH THIS COMMISSION.
IF THERE'S NO FLEXIBILITY THERE, THEN WE ARE SORT OF AT YOUR MERCY.
SO STAFF IS WORKING THROUGH LEGAL CHANNELS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INTERPRETING THE CITY CODE PROVISION ACCURATELY.
IT'S NOT THAT CITY LEGAL IS PROVIDING A FORMULA.
THE FORMULA IS ALREADY SPELLED OUT IN THE CITY CODE IN THE WAY THAT IT'S APPLIED.
WE HAVE CHECKED WITH LEGAL, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT IN THE WAY THAT THIS IS BEING APPLIED SINCE IT HAS NOT BEEN USED BEFORE WORKING WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF IN OUR DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE APPLICANT TO ASCERTAIN THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT OF THE PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORIC ELEMENTS, WHICH COVER APPROPRIATE PROVISION OF THE CODE, WHETHER IT'S AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT OR 1200, THE CITY CODE.
AND IF THAT'S SUCCESSFUL IN BEING APPLIED, THE COMMUNITY COULD BE APPLIED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 50%.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE APPLICANT IS TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT OR REMOVE ITSELF FROM PROVIDING COMMUNITY BENEFITS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO BY THE COUNTY AND THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS, WE WOULD ENGAGE WITH CONVERSATIONS WITH THE APPLICANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IF A FULL CREDIT CAN'T BE GIVEN UP TO THE AMOUNT THAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH INTERNALLY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT QUALIFIES AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE APPLICANT TO BE ABLE TO COME TO AN APPROPRIATE APPLICATION OF THAT BENEFIT TO THE REMAINDER OF THE 50% OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THE BONUS AREA.
CAN I GET, I GUESS WHAT I'M HEARING AND TO REITERATE COMMISSIONER MINER'S POINT, THIS PROJECT ISN'T FULLY BAKED YET.
WE HAVE, WE, WE PUT THIS QUESTION IN FRONT OF, UH, STAFF AND CITY LEGAL MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO.
SO THIS IS A CALCULATION THAT DETERMINES HOW MUCH MONEY GOES.
IT'S EITHER GOING TO GET, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET CREDIT FOR THE LEONARD EAST HOUSE RELOCATION RESTORATION, OR IT GOES INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WE PR WE, WE POST, WE, WE PUT THAT QUESTION QUESTION, SORRY, I'M GETTING A LITTLE WORKED UP.
WE PUT THAT QUESTION FORWARD MONTHS AGO.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM WORK IS THAT THERE'S STILL NO RESOLUTION ON IT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.
UM, CHAIR, IF I MAKE 10 NEGOTIATE IT'S MELISSA IT'S NO, IT'S ROBLEDO IT'S ROBLEDO YES.
UM, COULD WE HAVE THE OPTION OF POSTPONING THIS UNTIL NEXT MONTH SO THAT SOME OF THIS INFORMATION
[02:45:01]
CAN BE JUST BETTER EXPLAINED TO US AND WE CAN HAVE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.IS THAT AN OPTION HERE? I CAN'T COULDN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I DON'T THINK JORGE, IS THAT AN OPTION THAT WOULD BE HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC FOR THIS PROJECT, FOR US, FROM AN OWNERSHIP PERSPECTIVE, PLEASE.
WAIT, THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US FROM AN OWNERSHIP.
OH, THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU.
UM, WE, WE WOULD BE, WE WOULD BE OPEN TO MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION.
IF YOU ARE OPEN TO THAT AND WE WOULD CONTINUE TO, UH, HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY ON WHAT THE PROPER COMMUNITY BENEFIT OFFSET IS FOR THE HISTORIC HOUSE RELOCATION.
WE ARE NOT SAYING WE KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP DESIGN COMMISSION WHILE THAT PROCESS CARRIES ON POTENTIALLY FOR MONTHS, EVEN A YEAR, WE DON'T CONTROL THAT TIMELINE SOLELY.
AND, AND SAYING, HOW ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOW MAY NOT ACTUALLY RESOLVE IT, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING I'M JUST A TEMPORARY CHAIR OR A REPLACEMENT CHAIR, BUT THIS IS WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RELY ON THE JORGE TO GIVE US SOME DIRECTION ON WHAT MIGHT BE THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED HERE.
JUST TO HELP REMIND THE COMMISSION THAT THE APPLICATION OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE COMMISSION IS EVALUATING THIS EVENING.
THE COMMISSION IS COMING TO A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES OR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN CONNECT LIGHTS.
IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC GUIDELINES CENTERED AROUND THE PRESERVATION OF THE HOUSE FOR FOCAL HOUSING CONTRIBUTIONS, I WOULD KINDLY ASK THE COMMISSIONERS TO POINT THAT GUIDELINE OUT.
OTHERWISE WE WOULD RELY ON THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION OR LACK THEREOF TO EVALUATE THE PROJECT ADMINISTRATIVELY AS OUTLINED IN CITY CODE.
SO WE RELY GREATLY ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINDING OF COMPLIANCE WITH EUROPEAN DESIGN GUIDELINES SO THAT STAFF MAY CONTINUE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF CONSIDERING THIS PROJECT WITH THE RISK SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, AS OUTLINED IN CODE, LACK OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
DOESN'T PRECLUDE STAFF FROM EVALUATING THE PROJECT BASED ON THE MERITS THAT STAFF WILL USE TO EVALUATE THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, BUT WE GREATLY RELY ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO CERTAINLY THERE IS AN OPTION TO COME TO A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE THIS EVENING OF FINDING OF NON-COMPLIANCE.
YOU MAY ALSO POSTPONE THE ITEM IF YOU SEE FIT, BUT THAT IS A CHOICE THAT LIES ON THE COMMISSION AND STAFF CANNOT ADVISE YOU ON TO WHICH PATHWAY TO CHOOSE.
YES, I WAS GOING TO, OH, OKAY.
OH, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST TO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT SINCE YOU AND COMMISSIONER FRANCO VOTED NAY, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU BOTH TO KIND OF, UH, SUBSTITUTE MOTION, I GUESS, INTRODUCE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT Y'ALL COULD LIVE WITH.
SO GO AHEAD, MR. I WOULD, I WOULD VOTE TO NOT RECOMMEND AND JUST LET THEM PROCEED THROUGH THE CITY'S PURVIEW, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF I DON'T WANT TO BE A GATEKEEPER AND I THINK THAT THE CITY HAS HEARD THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.
SO I'M HOPING THAT, UM, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO RESOLVE AND MITIGATE, UH, ANY OF OUR, OF OUR FEEDBACK, UM, OUTSIDE OF THIS PROCESS.
IF, SO, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO NARROW HOLD ONE MOMENT, PLEASE.
WE HAVE JUST COMMISSIONER 10 OF GUCCI.
OUR APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO JUST, JUST TO CLEAR, I'M SORRY.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
SO YOU NEED A SECOND BEFORE WE HAVE DISCUSSION.
YOU NEED TO HAVE A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION ALL SECOND.
HOW ABOUT THAT? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? UH, UH, CHAIR TANIGUCHI THIS IS THE, UH, DAVE ANDERSON WITH THE APPLICANT.
I JUST WANT TO, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THE MOTION ON THE TABLE A NO RECOMMENDATION OR IS THERE, IS IT A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT IS NOT COMPLIANT? IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NO RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECOMMEND IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION, A DISCUSSION POINT, COMMISSIONER WEAVER.
UH, AS THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE WRITTEN, THE PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REWRITTEN,
[02:50:01]
BUT IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO REWRITE THEM DURING CA COMMISSIONED MEETINGS.SO I WOULD ASK COMMISSIONERS TO FOLLOW THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS THEY'RE WRITTEN.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT AGAIN, THIS ISN'T A AS TOP WISHING WHETHER OR NOT IT'S COMPLIANT WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING IT, BUT IF I MAY CLARIFY CHAIR, YES, PLEASE.
IF THE COMMISSION IS NOT WISHING THIS EVENING TO COME TO A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE OR NONCOMPLIANCE, THERE IS NO EMOTION THAT IS NEEDED.
YOU WOULD JUST NOT TAKE ANY ACTION.
AND THAT WOULD SIGNAL TO STAFF THAT NO RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO STAFF.
AND WE WOULD WORK WITH THE TEAM TO PROCEED WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPLICATION OF THE CODE FOR THIS REVIEW, FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT IS THAT THE ROAD WE'RE HEADED TOWARDS, I GUESS IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THEM TWO DAYS TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS, CANNOT MAKE A MOTION FOR YOU.
I'M NOT A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION, BUT IF THE COMMISSION WERE NOT TO OFFER ANY MOTION THAT WOULD SIGNAL TO STAFF, THAT THERE WAS NO RECOMMENDATION, NO FINDING OF COMPLIANCE OR NONCOMPLIANCE.
SO THE COMMISSION WOULD NOT BE SAYING THAT THE PROJECT IS COMPLIANT AND THEY WILL NOT BE SAYING THAT IT'S NONCOMPLIANT.
THEY WOULD JUST NO ISSUE, NO RECOMMENDATION TO STAFF.
AND WE WOULD TAKE THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT AND PROCEED WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPLICATION OF THE CODE FOR THIS.
AND THE WAY I SEE IT AS IF WE HAVE TWO NAYS RIGHT NOW THAT AREN'T GOING TO JUST SWITCH OVER, THEN THAT'S THE ROUTE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE? THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL, I DON'T THINK WE CAN DRAG THIS ON MUCH LONGER.
IT'S UP TO YOU CHAIR TO CALL THE QUESTION.
AND YOU MAY DISPENSE WITH THIS ITEM IF YOU SEE FIT.
WELL, I BASICALLY STATED THAT THE, I STATED WHAT I THOUGHT THIS WAS KIND OF GETTING INTO OR HOW IT WAS GOING TO BE RESOLVED.
SO DO I JUST, UH, PUT IT UP TO WHERE WE CAN'T VOTE ON IT? YES.
IF I MADE SURE YOU WOULD JUST DISPENSE WITH THE ITEM AND JUST SAY THAT THERE WAS NO RECOMMENDATION ON THE RECORD TO STAFF AND YOU WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA.
WELL, IF THAT'S THE CASE, I HAVE TO SAY, UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T MAKE A DECISION ON THIS.
SO WE HAVE NO RECOMMENDATION ON BEHALF OF THE FULL DESIGN COMMISSION CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TANA, GUCCI FOR THAT.
[2a. Approval of the January 24th meeting minutes]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS ITEM TWO, A APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 24TH MEETING MINUTES.I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR UPDATING THE SECOND PAGE OF THE AGENDAS.
WE WILL VOTE ON THIS, UH, COMMISSIONER NOW ROBLEDO YES, FOR SURE.
TANA GUCCI HIGH COMMISSIONER FRANCO BY CHRISTIAN OR SALINAS.
[2b. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting]
ITEM TO BE UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING LAST MEETING.UM, I WROTE NOTES BECAUSE THE LAST MEETING THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
UM, SO, UH, AMY MOCK IS REPLACING KIMBERLY KEATON AS, UH, WE HAD SOME FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION.
WE REALLY FOCUSED OUR LAST MEETING ON THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN A LONG TIME CONVERSATION AND A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, ALISON ALTER REQUESTED CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, ALISON ALTER REQUESTED A REVIEW OF THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, WHICH WAS PERFORMED BY HAYWOOD STANDARDS.
UM, AND IN OUR CURRENT CURRENT PERFORMANCE AS A CONVENTION CENTER, EXCLUDING WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS STILL NOT MEETING PROJECTIONS BY THE CJ JOHNSON PROJECTION FROM 1997.
UM, IT'S CURRENTLY THE SECOND SMALLEST CONVENTION CENTER.
SO THERE'S BEEN A REALLY BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT EXPANSION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, PRE PANDEMIC, UH, PROFIT MAKING FIRMS WERE CUTTING BACK ON FINANCING, ATTENDANCE, UH, DISTANCE MEETINGS, UM,
[02:55:01]
OUT OF OUR 25 MILLION ANNUAL TOURIST FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, ONLY 1.6 OR, OR 25 MILLION ANNUAL OVERNIGHT TOURISTS FOR THE CITY.ONLY 1.6% OF THOSE WERE COMING FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, SO THAT'S NOT REALLY INCREASING OUR TOURISTS IF WE DO EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, OTHER CITIES CONVENTION CENTERS THAT, UM, ARE EXPANDING DALLAS IS BUILDING A $4 BILLION EXPANSION ON THEIR CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN A REALLY SIGNIFICANT EXPANSIONS, UM, LAS VEGAS AND PHILADELPHIA DID NOT SEE A CORRELATION BETWEEN ACHIEVING MORE CONVENTIONS AFTER THEIR EXPANSION.
UM, SO PLACES THAT ARE THIRSTY FOR TOURISTS WILL OFFER NO FEET RENTALS FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, TO BRING TOURISTS, BUT AUSTIN DOESN'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM IS FOR CONVENTION CENTERS IS THAT THEY'RE COMPETING WITH HOTELS FOR MEETING ROOMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW HOTELS, UM, HYATT, MARRIOTT FAIRMONT THAT ARE ALL COMPETING FOR, TO RENT OUT THOSE MEETING ROOMS. SO THE CONCLUSION WE ULTIMATELY CAME TO YOU WAS WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE EFFECT OF THE PANDEMIC, UM, ON CONVENTION CENTERS.
WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HYBRID MEETINGS WE ARE HALF HYBRID AT THIS MEETING REALLY MEANS UNCONVENTION CENTERS.
UM, SO WE COULD RENOVATE THE CONVENTION CENTER OR EXPLORE A RENOVATION AT REALLY A FRACTION OF THE PRICE OF AN EXPANSION.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, REALLY FOCUS ON DETERMINING WHAT THE IDENTITY IS OF OUR CONVENTION CENTER.
IS IT A PLACE FOR TECH? IS IT A PLACE FOR A HYBRID, UM, KIND OF, RATHER THAN JUST BLINDLY COMPETING FOR THE LARGEST SIZE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE, UH, KIND OF THE CURRENT CONVERSATION ABOUT LARGEST SIZE, BIGGEST CONSTRUCTION.
SO THE PRUDENT NAVIGATOR MIGHT WEIGHT, UM, CLARIFY THE IDENTITY AND THE PROGRAM BEFORE REALLY MOVING FORWARD ON AN EXPANSION.
THAT'S ALL THAT'S, UH, THAT'S INTERESTING.
IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, I THINK THROUGH THAT.
[2 c. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability committee regarding last meeting]
C UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING LAST MEETING.UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE LAST MEETING, SO I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT
[2d. Update from representative on the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board]
ITEM, TWO D UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.SO AT OUR LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS LAST WEDNESDAY, I BELIEVE, TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY, UM, WE GOT, WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, FROM, UM, I FORGET THE NAME, SPECIAL FACILITIES, SOMETHING GROUP, UM, UH, OVER ONE TEXAS CENTER AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THERE.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAD SOME SORT OF A INITIAL PLAN, BUT THAT HAS SINCE BEEN CHANGED UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO THEY, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO TELL US EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH ONE TEXAS CENTER, LONG STORY SHORT, THEY'RE LOOKING INTO WHAT SORT OF OFFICE-BASED THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES ACTUALLY NEED FOR SIMILAR REASONS AS THE CONVENTION CENTER QUESTION, RIGHT? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOING INTO OFFICES AND WHATNOT NOW.
UM, BUT THEY DID SAY THAT THE SURFACE PARKING LOTS AT, UM, AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, IT'S STILL PRETTY MUCH STATED TO BE SOME IN SOME WAY SHAPE OR FORM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE EXACTLY YET, NO GUARANTEE THAT WILL BE THERE, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S STILL MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
UM, AND THEN WE GOT AN F UH, PRESENTATION FROM, UH, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OR MANDY TO MIO WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, UH, OFFICE OR HOUSING OFFICE, UM, JUST GENERAL UPDATES ON HOW ON HOW YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS HOW THE CITY FINANCES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WHATNOT, AND SOME QUESTIONS THAT, THAT HAD BEEN PRESENTED TO, UM, TO THE BOARD FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, WITH REGARDS TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEET OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
UM, AND LONG STORY SHORT, WE STILL DON'T KNOW.
IT'S STILL VERY MUCH UP IN THE AIR.
THERE'S A LOT OF TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX AND THE CITY IS EVALUATING WHAT THOSE TOOLS ARE.
SO YOU MENTIONED THE PARKING LOT AT ONE T TEXAS CENTER.
WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH THE BUILDING? THAT'S THAT'S THE THING THAT'S, WHAT'S UP IN THE AIR.
UM, ANDY, WHY AM I FORGETTING HIS LAST NAME, ANDREW? UH, I CAN'T FORGET IT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS LAST NAME.
ANYHOW GENTLEMEN, WHO'S WHO'S IN THE SPECIAL PROJECTS OFFICE.
UM, WHAT HE TOLD US WAS THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH THAT.
AND THEN KIND OF A WRENCH GOT THROWN THEIR PLANS AND THEY'RE RE REASSESSING WHAT THAT MAY BE, THEY DON'T KNOW ANYMORE.
[3. ANNOUNCEMENTS]
[03:00:01]
ITEM.THREE EIGHT CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY FOR THIS MONTH.
ITEM THREE B ITEMS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS.
DID ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? JUST ONE THING.
CAN WE HAVE OUR NAME TAGS AT THE NEXT MEETING PLEASE? SOMETHING, SOMETHING.
DO WE STILL HAVE THIS? WE'LL GET SOME STICKIES.
THEY HAVE TO BE YELLOW ON BLACK, ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.
AND THREE C ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF CHAIR ROAD.
JUST HAVE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT.
UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION OF THE MEETING LOCATION, BUT FROM STARTING FROM MARCH 28, NEXT MONTH, GOING FORWARD FOR THE REST OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, THE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE OVER AT THE HIGHLAND LOCATION, WHICH IS NOW THE PERMITTING DEVELOPMENT SENATOR.
SO WE WILL STICK TO THE HYBRID MEETINGS.
UM, AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE HYBRID MEETINGS, YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE YOUR CAMERA AND AUDIO VISUAL ON AT ALL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE MEETING TO COUNT AS QUORUM.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A WORKING GROUP MEETING OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP THIS FRIDAY.
DID YOU WANT STAFF PRESENT AT THAT TIME? UH, IF STAFF'S AVAILABLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, WE WILL TRY TO HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE.
I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND MYSELF, BUT I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE DISCUSSION LAST TIME AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE THERE.
IF YOU CAN HAVE ME RECALL CORRECTLY THAT THE WORKING GROUP WANTED TO MEET AS A GROUP INITIALLY, AND THEN BE ABLE TO INVITE STAFF AT THE FOLLOWING WORKING GROUP.
IS THAT CORRECT? COMMISSIONERS? THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION.
I THINK, I THINK CHERYL CAROL, FOR THAT MEETING THAT WE HAD, RIGHT.
IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, CHAIR, STAFF WILL NOT BE JOINING YOU THIS FRIDAY SO YOU CAN GET SOME WORK DONE AND THEN WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK TO YOU AND TO ME.
IT'S 9:18 PM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.