[CALL TO ORDER]
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COMMISSIONER CARROLL? PRESENT.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE MINUTES.UM, FOR THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON MAY 22ND, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE YOU.
[2. Staff briefing regarding the Waterloo Greenway Phase II: The Confluence. Presented by Kristin Pipkin, Watershed Protection Department, and John Rigdon, Waterloo Greenway.]
ITEM TWO, STAFF BRIEFINGS.STAFF BRIEFING ON THE WATERLOO GREENWAY.
PHASE TWO, THE CONFLUENCE PRESENTED BY KRISTEN PIPKIN FROM THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND JOHN RIGDON OF WATERLOO GREENWAY.
S AM I GOING TO BE SHARING MY SCREEN OR WILL I BE ASKING YOU ALL TO ADVANCE CLASS FOR US? OKAY, NO PROBLEM.
AND JOHN, WE HAVE OUR COLLEAGUE JOEL LEWIS IS ON AS WELL.
I DON'T SEE THAT HE'S BEEN PULLED INTO THE PRESENTATION.
THANKS COMMISSIONERS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THE SECOND PHASE OF WHAT THE GREEN CONSTRUCTION AND WE'RE CALLING CONFLICT.
SO KRISTEN, JOEL AND I ARE GONNA WALK THROUGH SOME SLIDES, UH, UPDATING ON WHAT TO EXPECT AS WELL AS OUR CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE, UH, FOR THE PROJECT JUMP.
SO, MARLEY GREENWAY IS A PARTNERSHIP, A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MARLEY GREENWAY IS CONSERVANCY, AND OUR MISSION IS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BUILD A EXTRAORDINARY KIND OF URBAN PARK ALONG WALLER CREEK CALLED BARLEY GREENLAND.
AND I WANNA READ THE WHOLE MISSION, BUT REALLY WE'RE WORKING ON THIS.
THE KEY PART HERE IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT CONFLUENCE, AND WITH THAT I WILL PASS IT TO KRISTEN PIPKIN TO KICK US OFF TALKING ABOUT THE DESIGN.
I AM A PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR, UH, WITH THE WATER SHARE PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND OVERSEEING THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOT WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AT THE WORK OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UM, THE MISSION OF OUR DEPARTMENT IS TO PROTECT LIVES PROPERTY IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY BY REDUCING THE IMPACT OF FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER POLLUTION.
AND WHAT WE WILL, UH, BE SHARING WITH YOU TODAY IS KIND OF EXTRAORDINARY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MISSION OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
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TODAY IS, UH, WATERLOO GREENWAY, PHASE TWO.UM, WATER PROTECTION IS THE MANAGING PARTY OF THIS PIECE OF WORK.
UH, THE AREA THAT'S KIND OF SHOWN IN THE GOLD COLOR, PHASE TWO, THAT IS, UH, THE CONFLUENCE PROJECT AND THAT IS THE AREA THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY BUILDING TODAY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS PART OF A BROADER SCOPE OF WORK TO COMPLETE THE FULL VISION OF THE WATER DEBRIS.
THE FIRST PHASE OF WORK WAS COMPLETED, UH, AND IS WHAT YOU SEE ON THE GROUND WHEN YOU WALK AROUND, UH, WATERLOO PARK, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RENOVATION IS SYMPHONY SQUARE.
THE NEXT PHASE AHEAD HAD, AS WE, AS WE LOOK FORWARD INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF WORK, IS PHASE THREE, AND IT'S ALL THE CONNECTED PIECES IN BETWEEN THE CONFLUENCE AND THEN WATERLOO DEPARTMENT.
SO KIND OF ZOOMING INTO THIS SPECIFIC SCOPE OF WORK, UH, THE CONFLUENCE IS LOCATED ALONG WALNUT CREEK BETWEEN LABOR LEG, WHICH IS TO THE LEFT OF YOUR SLIDE, AND, AND FOURTH STREET, WHICH IS TO THE RIGHT OF THE SLIDE.
THIS AREA, IT WAS, IS PART OF THE IDENTIFIED COUNCIL APPROVED THE DESIGN PLAN FOR THE WALL, FOR THE WALOO THREE ONE.
THE PROJECT AREA IS ABOUT 13 ACRES OF A FULL 35 ACRES OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BE DONE AS PART OF THE GREENWAY.
THE SCOPE OF WORK CONCLUDES CREEK RESTORATION, ONE MILE OF NEW TRAILS, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE BRIDGES THAT HAD THREAD THIS PROJECT FROM THE GROW LAKE FORESTRY, A WATER QUALITY POND, AND ALSO UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
SO PART OF OUR, PART OF THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE THE ECOLOGICAL HABITAT OF THE CREEK.
THIS ALIGNS WITH WATERSHED'S MISSION TO REDUCE EROSION AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE IMAGES, AS YOU LOOK AT THE BEFORE AND AFTER, YOU CAN SEE THE STATE OF THE CREEK NOW WHEN IT IS KIND OF DILAPIDATED CREEK THAT WAS LEFT NEGLECTED FOR DECADES WHILE THE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENED ALONG THE BASE OF THIS AREA.
AS THE COMMISSION KNOWS, THIS CITY OF AUSTIN IS SPLASH BY ALLEY.
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT ARE ONE OF THE CREEK THAT'S MOST RESPONSIVE TO, TO THESE SPLASHY STORM HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN WALNUT CREEK, ALONG WITH SHO.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHILE THE, WHEN THE CREEK WATERS KIND OF FLOW AGGRESSIVELY THROUGH THE BANKS OF WALNUT CREEK, YOU CAN SEE THAT WHERE IT TAKES AWAY SOIL EXPOSES UTILITY AND EXPOSES THE, UM, EMBANKMENTS ALONG BRIDGES, YOU KNOW, IT JUST BY THREATENING SOME OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES WITHIN THESE AREAS.
OUR HOME FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO RESTORE THIS AREA AND STABILIZE IT THROUGH NATURAL MEANS.
SO USING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS THE IMAGES YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM WHERE WE'RE USING NATIVE PLANTINGS, ROCK, AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT WILL DO DECOMPOSE OVER TIME.
WE ARE ABLE TO RESTORE THIS CREEK AND TAKE, TAKE IT BACK AS KIND OF A NATURAL GREEN WATERWAY ALONG THIS AREA.
YOU ALSO SEEN THE IMAGE BELOW IS A, IS ONE SNAPSHOT OF THE TRAIL THAT WILL BE BUILT ALONG THIS BLOCK.
IN ADDITION TO THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION WHERE WE WILL ALSO BUILDING, BE BUILDING A WATER QUALITY POND, THIS POND, WHICH IS, WHICH IS LOCATED AT WHAT IS CURRENTLY A CONVENTION CENTER POND, WILL BE RETROFITTING A POND THAT HAS FAILED OVER TIME INTO A BIOFILTRATION POND.
THIS POND WILL TREAT 26 ACRES OF DOWNTOWN URBAN STREET RUNOUT FOR IT REACHES THE WATERWAY OF WALNUT CREEK AND THEREFORE IMPROVING THE WATER QUALITY AS THE WATER'S REACHED THE WATERWAY.
OKAY, PLEASE TURN THIS BACK OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, UH, JOHN GAN.
UH, AND I'M NEGLECTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF,
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PROJECTS AND PLANNING WITH WATER AGREEMENT CONSERVANCY.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, RESTORATION AND WATER QUALITY GOALS THAT CHRISTIAN HAS OUTLINED, THE PROJECT HAS ALSO GOING TO DIFFUSE SOME SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIVITY AND GOALS AS WELL AS PARTS DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'LL WALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE CONNECTIVITY GOALS QUICKLY.
SO BIG PICTURE HERE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT 13 ACRES, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE VITAL CONNECTIONS EAST WEST, UH, THROUGH A SERIES OF LIGHTWEIGHT BRIDGES THAT I'LL SHOW YOU A LITTLE RENDERING ON, AS WELL AS NORTH SOUTH, ALL THROUGH THE CREEK.
UH, SO ULTIMATELY THIS WILL CONNECT A LOT OF OUR BELOVED COMMUNITY ASSETS THAT EXIST ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF DOWNTOWN ON SAFE OFF STREET, UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE TRAILS.
SO HERE WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL OUR SERIES OF LATICE BRIDGES.
SO THESE ARE LIGHTWEIGHT QUEENS, POST TRUSS BRIDGES THAT STRETCH IN THREE LOCATIONS ACROSS WALLER CREEK, STITCHING TOGETHER A REGISTRY, UH, IN DOWNTOWN AND PROVIDING MULTIPLE MOBILITY OPTIONS
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ACROSS THE CREEK.UH, THIS WILL ALSO ELIMINATE, UH, SOME OF THE CONFLICT THAT HAPPEN AT THE CURRENT BRIDGE ALONG BUTLER TRAIL ACROSS WALLER CREEK AS WE'LL REPLACE THAT WITH A BRIDGE THAT HAS LONGER SIDELINES, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE OPTIONS TO CROSS WITH THESE TWO ADDITIONAL BRIDGES.
MOVING A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH, WE HAVE OUR ELEVATED WALKWAY OR BORDERLINE SECTION.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THE CONVENTION CENTER TO THE RIGHT.
UH, THE FAIRMONT HOTEL WILL BE JUST OFF TO YOUR LEFT.
AND THEN AN OVERHEAD IS THE EXISTING BRIDGE CONNECT TO THE FAIRMONT, UH, TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE RESTORATION WORK HAPPENING ALONG THE CREEK HERE, WE'RE PUTTING AN 800 FOOT STRETCH AND BOARDWALK THAT WILL SIT TOGETHER PALM PARK, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO RAIN STREET.
AND ULTIMATELY THIS WILL DO IS ALLOW FOLKS TO BYPASS THAT REALLY DANGEROUS PEDESTRIAN IN A BICYCLE INTERSECTION AT CAESAR SHOT AS A RED RIVER STREET, MOVING ENTIRELY OFF STREET WITHOUT ANY STOPS, UH, UNDER THAT INTERSECTION TO RANGE STREET AND BUTLER FOR ELION.
MOVING ALL THE WAY UP TO FOURTH STREET.
UH, PRINCETON ARE IN DETAIL, UH, EXHIBIT EARLIER, BUT THIS CONNECTION WILL CONNECT WITH ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY AND FOURTH STREET.
THE FRONT DOOR OF THE CONVENTION CENTER IN DOWNTOWN, UH, TO TRAILS ALONG WALLER CREEK FROM FOREST IS ALL THROUGH THE LAKE.
SO AS YOU MOVE DOWN THAT SLOPED BRIDGE CROSSING, UH, WEST AND EAST ON WALNUT CREEK THERE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE ALL THE WAY TO RAINEY STREET OF THE LAKE WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO INTERACT WITH VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ON THE STREET AND AGAIN ON SAFE WALLET, UH, UNIVERSITY ACCESSIBLE TRAILS THROUGHOUT.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE CONNECTIVITY GOALS, WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF UNIQUE PARTY SPACES ALONG, UH, THE CONFLUENCE HERE ALONG THE SECTION OF LEY GREEN LIGHT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYTHING QUITE AS LARGE AS LEY PROPER ATMOSPHERE.
PUT SOME REALLY UNIQUE PARTS MIX.
I'LL TALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE QUICKLY.
UH, FURTHER SOUTH RIGHT BY THE LAKE, WE HAVE OUR LAG OVERLOOK AND LEAF DECK.
SO WE'RE REPURPOSING THE EXISTING FLOODINGS OF THE EXISTING BRIDGE CROSSING, UH, WHILE CREEK.
AND WE'RE BETWEEN THE ELEVATED DECK THAT LOOKS OUT OVER THE WATER, SO POST CAN SAFELY WHEN TURTLES, THE BIRDS ENGAGE IN THE CREEK.
UM, AND THEN AT THE CREEK LEVEL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THE WATER.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE A RENDERED, UH, LOOK LIKE.
SO IN THE BACKGROUND YOU HAVE THAT DECK ELEVATED OUT HIGH ABOVE, KIND OF IN THE TREE CANOPY AT THE CENTER RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN DOWN BELOW WE HAVE THIS, UH, OUTDOOR CLASSROOM SPACE WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO DO CLASSES, CITIZEN SCIENCE, UM, AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THE CREEK AND LAKE LANDSCAPE DOWN BELOW.
MOVING A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH, WE HAVE OUR LAKE TERRACE AND FLOS GARDEN.
THIS IS, UH, RIGHT ALONG BUTLER TRAIL, UH, AT BETWEEN TRINITY STREET AND CREEK.
AND WHAT THIS LOCATION OFFERS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR AN ELEVATED PERSPECTIVE OUT OVER THE LAKE AND THE CREEK.
UH, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PROGRAMS HERE OVER THE YEARS, PRIMARILY ART PROGRAMS SUCH AS HIGHWAY WAVES, FOREVER, BICYCLES.
AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY TAUGHT US AND LEARNED FROM THE PROGRAMS WAS HOW MUCH PEOPLE WERE EXCITED TO HAVE A PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY OFF THE TRAILS, A SHADE, UH, MAYBE SOME EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, A SNACK.
AND SO WITH THAT, WE DESIGNED THIS ELEVATED.
IT'LL BE A SMALL PROGRAM, MOBILE AREA IN THE BACKGROUND THERE AND THE FOREGROUND.
WE HAVE SHADED SEAT AND SLOPED AREAS SO FOLKS CAN ENJOY THE LAKE.
MAYBE YOU WATCH THE BATS OR TO THE LEFT ENGAGE WITH OUR SUPPORT GARDEN, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A DRY CREEK FED LANDSCAPE, UH, THAT TREAT STORMWATER AS IT MAKES ITS WAY DOWN TO THE CREEK, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING SHADE FROM OVER TWO DOZEN SHADE TREATS.
MOVING A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH, WE HAVE TO BEND IN THE CREEK.
UM, THIS IS RIGHT WHERE THE CREEK MEETS PALM PARK, AND THIS IS THE MOMENT WHERE OUR 804 FOOT BOARDWALK ENGAGES TO THE PARK.
SO HERE YOU SEE FOLKS WALKING ON THAT BOARDWALK AND ONE OF THE BIG DESIGN MOVES TO THE BEND IS SLOPING DOWN THE BENCH OF THE CREEK, UH, TO MEET THE PARK.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE 20 PLUS FEET OF ELEVATION CHANGE.
YOU'RE IN THE PARK, YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW THE CREEK IS THERE AND VICE VERSA.
SO SLOPING DOWN THE BENCH OF THE CREEK AT BALLPARK.
SO THE ORIENTATION OF THE PARK IS, IT'S NO LONGER NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY, BUT MORE OF A PARK NEXT TO THE CREEK.
AND SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE BY THE PEDESTRIAN TRAIL SLOPING OFF, OFF OF THE BOARDWALK SECTION TO MEET THE PARK AND THEN GO NORTH BEYOND, UH, TO MEET FOURTH STREET AND LAKE BIKEWAY.
AND WITH THAT I'M GONNA PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE, UH, GIVE, GIVE A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF WHAT TO EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE LATEST CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES.
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MANAGER WITH THE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICE DEPARTMENT.UM, I'LL BE, AS JOHN SAID, TALKING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT TO EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION OF OUR INITIAL UPDATES.
SO THE CONTRACT WILL USE HEAVY EQUIPMENT, INSTALL THE BRIDGES, WALLS, TRAILS, AND RESTORE THE CREEK THAT, UH, KRISTEN AND JOHN HAD TALKED ABOUT.
THE CONTRACT WILL ALSO RELOCATE AND SELL UTILITIES AND RESTORE THE CREEK WITH THE APPROPRIATE SOILS AND PLANTS.
THE CONSTRUCTION BEGIN MAY OF THIS YEAR AND WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2020 AND IS SCHEDULED, BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2025.
INSTRUCTION SCHEDULE ARE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON WEATHER AND OTHER CONDITIONS, BUT WE HAVE GONE OFF TO A GOOD START AND WE'RE HOPEFUL WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT, UH, TIMELINE ON WORK, START AT FOREST STREET AND THE POND, UH, WITH STATING ACCESS TO PAUL PARK AND BE CONTINUING SOUTHWARD TOWARD THE PAPER LAKE.
THIS IS KIND OF ANOTHER OVERVIEW OF WHAT I READ.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, UM, YOU'VE SEEN ONE, TWO, AND THREE IN THE LAST PURCHASE THAT JOHN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
NUMBER FOUR IS THE LI OVERLOOK.
UM, AND THERE'S JUST THE DIFFERENT PIECES ARE ARE CALLED OUT.
SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE SEPARATE HERE IS WE SHOWED THE PALM MARK CONSTRUCTION ACCESS AT 13, UH, THE AREA WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH THE MAP FOR CONSTRUCTION ACCESS AT 12.
AND THEN WE ARE USING THE WATERSHED, UH, IN THE BUILDING AT 14 AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE, OF THE PAGE FOR ALSO SOME STORAGE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE STARTED BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH STREET, THE MAJORITY OF THE BASE STATION MAPPING THAT ARE IN THAT AREA.
AND WE'RE ALSO DOING SOME REMOVAL DOWN SOUTH OF CEDAR CHAVEZ.
UM, THEY ALREADY STARTING TO MOVE INTO THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOME OF THE PLUGS FOR THE WALLS IN THIS AREA AS WELL AS GETTING THE
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ARE COMPLETING DEMOTION WORK OF THAT, UH, CONVENTION CENTER POND THAT CHRIS HAD TALKED ABOUT, OR STARTING TO DO THE WORK FOR THE NEW FILE CONSTRUCION PONDS DOING THE FAILURES FOR THE BRIDGET FOR THE TO WALLS AND GET IN THE LOCK DOWN FOR THAT.
THIS POINT, I'LL PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, OPENING THE FLOOR TO COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I, COMMISSIONER CARROLL, I THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW YOUR PLAN, UH, INTERACTS WITH OTHER PLANS IN THE AREA.
SPECIFICALLY I'M THINKING OF THE, THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN AND THEN THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.
HAVE YOU HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THOSE TEAMS? I CAN JUMP IN ON THAT, KRISTEN, TO ADD TO IT.
YEAH, WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS FOR A LONG TIME WITH BOTH EFFORTS AND SAY FIT TOGETHER VERY NICELY.
WE COMMUNICATED A LOT OF THE GOALS WE HAVE FOR OUR PROGRAMS AS WELL AS WAYS THAT WE THINK BOTH OF THOSE S UH, ADD TO AND ENHANCE, UH, THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING ALONG THE GREENLAND.
SO I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, BEEN ONGOING COORDINATION AND REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THE PERMIT THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T FIT IN THIS SECTION IN PARTICULAR GREENLAND TO HAPPEN IN THOSE ADJACENT PROJECTS TO CREATE, UH, KNOW FURTHER GROUP, UH, THE PUBLIC ROOM OUT HERE IN REALLY CREATING AN EXCELLENT PUBLIC SPACE.
AND, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AFFECTING YOUR TIMELINE.
YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE THOUGHT THAT THEY WILL COORDINATE WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE ON THE GROUND, CORRECT.
WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING AHEAD UNDER CONSTRUCTIONS WITH THAT TIMELINE FINISHING BY THE END OF 2025.
UM, AND HAVE SHARED INFORMATION, WE'LL CONTINUE TO, IT DOES ADJACENT EFFORTS.
UM, THE FIRST TIME THAT WE SAW THIS PRESENTATION FOR PHASE TWO, UM, I HAD THE SAME FEEDBACK, UH, THAT I DO TODAY.
UM, SO LOOKING AT PHASE ONE, I LOVE IT.
UH, EVERYTHING, UH, WAS EXECUTED, UH, VERY AESTHETICALLY PLEA IN A VERY AESTHETICALLY PLEASING WAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR PEDESTRIANS.
UH, THE ONE ISSUE THAT I HAVE IS THAT, UM, IN, ON AN UNSEASONABLY WARM DAY IN JANUARY, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE SHADE ON THE PATHS.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF SOME RECORD HEAT.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT THESE RENDERINGS OF THE LAGOON OVERLOOK.
IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY LONG STRETCH WITHOUT ANY SHADE.
UM, SO I WOULD SAY THAT WHILE, UH, THE PLACEMENT OF THE TREES MAY LOOK REALLY NICE IN NEW YORK CITY ON THE HIGHLINE HERE IN AUSTIN, WE NEED FOR THE FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE OF SHADING, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE ON THOSE
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TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ENSURE THAT, UM, SHADE IS PROVIDED, UH, ALONG THE STRETCH AND PHASE ONE.I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS A BIG OVERSIGHT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
SO ANY, I'M CURIOUS LIKE WHAT YOUR, UH, APPROACHES TO IDENTIFYING AMPLE SHADE, PLACEMENT OF TREES, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, UH, IN THAT REGARD? YEAH, I CAN JUMP IN ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK.
I, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALWAYS TRY TO BALANCE IS, YOU KNOW, THE LONG TERM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WITH THE DAY ONE SHADE AND IMPACT THE TREES.
SO THE WATERLOO, WE TRANSPLANTED SOME SIGNIFICANT TREES AND PRESERVED ALL OF THE EXISTING SIGNIFICANT TREES ON SITE.
HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY OF THE TREES, NEARLY 500 ARE NEW TREES IN THIS CAN ONLY BE UP TO A CERTAIN SIZE.
SO I THINK OVER TIME THAT SHADE CAN, AND PEOPLE WILL GROW.
WE HAVE MORE TREES IN SOME AREAS HERE TO WORK WITH, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE PLANTING A TON OF NEW TREES.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF, UH, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT KRISTEN POINTED OUT ABOUT EROSION AND THE NEED TO REALLY TOTALLY REBUILD THE BANKS DECREE AS WELL AS SOME OF THE VERY SUNNY AREAS.
UM, LIKE THE, UH, TERRACE AREA RIGHT NOW HAS ONLY ONE OR TWO TREES, SO WE'RE PLANTING OVER 1500 TREES, UM, IN THIS PROJECT IN ADDITION TO 200,000 PLANTS.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE TREES WILL, WILL NOT OFFER, UM, THE, THE SHADE THEY ULTIMATELY WILL ON DAY ONE, THE PROJECT OPENS.
THIS WILL BE GENERATIONAL GROWTH OF THAT TREE COUNTY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO EVENTS AND PROGRAMS, THEY GONNA BRING IN SHADE AND SHADE THOSE AREAS TO OFFER BETTER SUN PROTECTION.
BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE THE TYPE OF THING WHERE THE SHADE COUNTY HAS TO GROW OVER TIME AND DAY ONE WE'LL STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE SUNNIER AREAS AS THOSE TREES CONTINUE TO GROW IN.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TRADE OFFS WITH, YOU KNOW, COST OTHER PRIORITIES.
THERE'S SO MANY LARGE TREES THAT WE CAN RELOCATE TO PROVIDE THAT DAY ONE SHAPE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UP OR, OR KRISTEN, PLEASE, PLEASE JUMP IN AS WELL.
I THINK ONE THING TO NOTE ON THE TREE CANOPY FOR THIS REACH, UH, IS WE DO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF, OF WALL CREEK.
A LOT OF THE PLANTS THAT, AND TREES THAT WE WILL BE ESTABLISHING HERE ARE ALONG A KIND OF A
AND SO LIKE THE AREA BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH STREET, WHERE IT'S CALLED A CYPRESS ROAD, CYPRESS GROVE TREES SPECIFICALLY ARE A FASTER GROWING SPECIES.
AND THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY IN, THEY'RE QUITE SIGNIFICANT WHEN THEY ARE OF MATURE SIZE.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT ADVANTAGE OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, A BRANDO WATER SOURCE.
AND WE HAVE KIND OF REALLY THE STRATEGIC ABOUT THE TYPES OF TREES THAT WE PUT HERE SO THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR A WATER LOVING SPECIES.
SOME OF THESE THAT DO, YOU KNOW, DO GROW A LITTLE BIT FASTER AND DO LOVE TO BE NEAR THE WATER.
SO I THINK THAT WILL ALSO HELP US IN GETTING THIS TREE CANOPY IN PLACE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOONER.
BUT THEN ALSO, AS JOHN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, 1500 TREES ALONG A FAIRLY, FAIRLY NARROW STRETCH OF WALNUT CREEK WILL ULTIMATELY PROVIDE A LOT OF SHADE IN THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY ALONG AREAS WHERE THE TREES HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE DISAPPEARED BECAUSE THE BANKS ARE NO LONGER THERE.
SO BY PUTTING THOSE BACK, WE ARE KIND OF INTRODUCING SHADE WHERE, WHERE IT DOESN'T EXIST NOW.
SO I THINK ULTIMATELY THE ULTIMATE CONDITION IS, IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SOME PERRIE, SOME RELIEF FROM THAT.
THAT REALLY WAS TOUGH SUMMER, SUMMER SUM THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER LADNER.
UM, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WEAVER.
UM, JOHN KRISTEN, WHOLE DESIGN TEAM.
I MEAN, IT'S INCREDIBLY EXCITING TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT STARTED OVER 15 YEARS AGO AND YOU'RE CONTINUING TO PUSH IT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF PROJECT THAT HAS A MASSIVE IMPACT ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO NOTE THE COMBINATION OF GRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, HUMAN ENGAGEMENT, TRULY UNPRECEDENTED IN AUSTIN.
I HOPE THAT CITY OF AUSTIN CAN GROW FROM SOME OF THESE ELEMENTS THAT YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH THEM THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT, IMPLEMENT INTO ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.
UM, I THINK THE, UH, PORTION THAT YOU'VE BUILT HAS BEEN A SMASHING SUCCESS.
UM, WE TAKE OUR TEAM THERE ALL THE TIME FOR GARDEN TOURS AND GARDEN WALKS.
UM, I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG QUESTION TO ME IS I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF THIS OVER TIME AND WHAT TYPE OF AGREEMENTS ARE IN PLACE, HOW LONG DO THOSE AGREEMENTS LAST, AS WELL AS, UM, KIND OF FLOOD EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AND HOW FLOODING WILL IMPACT, UH, A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF PLANTS OVER TIME, UM, WITH THE WATER.
AND MAYBE I CAN TAKE PART ONE, KRISTA, AND YOU CAN TAKE PART TWO.
WELL FIRST, FIRST, THANKS FOR THE, THE KIND WORDS.
AND WE, WE LOVE HOSTING FOLKS OUT AT WATERLOO PARK, SO WOULD LOVE TO HOST ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LOVE TO, WHO'D LIKE TO COME OUT AND TOUR THE PARK.
UH, IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF THE COMPLETED PARK SPACES, THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, AND WE'RE DOING THAT IN PERPETUITY.
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A, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM AGREEMENT WITH LENGTHY RENEWALS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO DO SO.UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE DO THAT IS THROUGH A COMBINATION OF FUNDRAISING PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORT FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, UH, AND THROUGH THE REVENUES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO EARN THROUGH SOME OF OUR TICKETED CONCERTS, WHICH ALSO SUPPORT OUR FREE EVENTS.
SO WE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXCELLENT PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND, UH, REVENUES THAT CAN SUPPORT THOSE LONG-TERM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, BUT IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LEARNING AND EVOLVING AND, AND CREATING EFFICIENCIES IN HOW WE MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE SPACE.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WILL FOREVER REQUIRE THE SUPPORT OF, YOU KNOW, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY, UH, FINANCIALLY IN ORDER TO KEEP DOING THAT.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE ONGOING SUPPORT FOR, FOR THAT WORK.
CAUSE IT DOESN'T END WHEN WE COMPLETE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND KRISTEN, I'LL PASS YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TUNNEL AND HOW, UH, THE LANDSCAPE, UH, MAY BE IMPACTED BY THAT.
YEAH, AND I THINK THAT IT'S, UH, APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND THAT'S ONE THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE THE WALL CREEK TUNNEL.
IT IS WHAT ALLOWED THE FULL WATERLOO GREENWAY VISION TO TO, TO BE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
AND THE TUNNEL, YOU KNOW, BEGINS AT WATERLOO PARK AND PROVIDES THAT FLOOD CONTROL BENEFIT FROM 15TH, FROM 12TH STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO LADY BIRD LAKE.
SO THOSE HISTORICAL FLOODS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE, AND YOU HAVE REFERENCED IN HISTORICAL PHOTOS, THOSE NO LONGER EXIST IN THIS AREA.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE FLOOD IS WELL BENEATH THE BANKS OF WALLER CREEK AND USUALLY HAS ABOUT A FOUR TO FIVE FOOT RISE IN TOTAL DURING A HUNDRED YEAR STORM EVENT.
SO YOU DO NOT HAVE THE SAME IMPACTS THAT YOU DID BEFORE.
AND THE PLANTS THAT WE DO HAVE DESIGNED ALONG IN THAT KIND OF WET ZONE OF THE CREEK ARE DES ARE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND, ONCE THEIR, THEIR ROOTS ARE ESTABLISHED, THEY'RE DESIGNED TO WITH, TO WITHSTAND KIND OF THOSE FORCES THAT A FOUR TO FIVE FOOT, YOU KNOW, FLOOD, YOU KNOW, FLOOD WAVE THROUGH THEIR WOULD, WOULD CREATE.
SO THOSE, ALL, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE CONSIDERED IN THE DESIGN OF THIS SECTION OF CREEK.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A REAL MARRIAGE OF ENGINEERING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND, UH, JUST REMARKABLE.
BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND I PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT WHAT IS ALL THIS GONNA COME? WHAT'S THE COST OF THIS, UH, PROJECT? YEAH, SO THE PHASE, THE CONFLUENCE PHASE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, IS IN TOTAL, UH, JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN $90 MILLION, UH, INCLUDING DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, EVERYTHING, UH, FOR THIS SPACE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.
UH, COMMISSIONER SALINAS, UM, THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT AND, UH, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY OPPORTUNITIES ON THIS TRAIL, UH, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ANY OF THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE TRAVERSING, UM, AND ENGAGING AS YOU, AS YOU TRAVEL, YOU KNOW, FROM NORTH TO SOUTH OR SOUTH TO NORTH.
UM, IS THERE GONNA BE ANY, ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE AT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS AND THE QUESTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WATERLOO PARK WILL SERVE AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU'LL ALSO SEE, UM, IN THE CONFLUENCE.
WE HAVE INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE THROUGHOUT THE PARK AND ARE DOING THE SAME, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CONFLUENCE.
SO THOSE WILL BE YOUR MORE STANDARD PANELS WITH PICTURES INFORMATION, UH, IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH, TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE KEY FEATURES, HISTORICAL ELEMENTS.
AND IT WILL RANGE FROM HISTORY TO GEOGRAPHY TO HYDROLOGY TO THE, OF THE FLOOD CONTROL TUNNEL, HAVING INFORMATION LIKE THAT.
ONE OTHER OR TWO OTHER COOL THINGS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THAT WE DID IN WATERLOO AND HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH AND ARE GONNA DO IN THE CONFLUENCE ONE IS, UH, WE HAVE QR CODES THROUGHOUT THE PARK WHERE YOU CAN SCAN SOME OF THE LANDSCAPE AREAS AND IT LINKS TO, UH, PLANT LISTS AND INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO WE HOPE THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION, BUT ALSO ENCOURAGES FOLKS TO USE THOSE PLANTS IN THEIR OWN LANDSCAPES.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE INFORMATION, UH, WITH, UH, WHERE YOU CAN BASICALLY TEXT AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM, UH, AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THE PARK, THERE'S LITTLE SIGNS AND IT WILL PROVIDE YOU MORE INFORMATION, KIND OF ANOTHER LAYER IN DEPTH, UH, BEYOND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND SOME INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE, UH, THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, GET YOU ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
WE'VE GATHERED HISTORICAL INFORMATION IN PARTICULAR AS WE'VE DONE A LOT OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH ABOUT THIS WALLER CREEK AREA ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
AND, SORRY, THERE'S A FOURTH ONE THAT I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED.
AND THE LAST ONE IS OUR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVATIONS OF THE SPACE.
SO ONE OF THE MAJOR THEMES OF OUR PROGRAMS AS WE COMPLETE THE SPACE AND TAKE IT OVER IS COMMUNICATING THAT HISTORY OF THE SPACE AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT INHABITED IT.
SO IN WATERLOO PARK, UH, YOU'LL SEE ONE, THE MAJOR THEMES OF OUR PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
[00:30:01]
IS HISTORY AND PROVIDING THAT CONTEXT.SO THAT WILL CONTINUE IN THE SOUTHERN AREA AS WELL.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST TO TELL SOME NEW STORIES DOWN THERE.
I HAVE A A SECOND QUESTION ABOUT, UH, IT'S CONNECTIVITY TO THE MAC.
I KNOW, UM, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT WE REVIEWED THAT PROJECT WHEN IT CAME THROUGH HERE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST GOING FROM MEMORY, UM, THE COMMUNICATION THAT YOU GUYS HAD THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT AREA WHERE YOU'RE CONNECTING, THERE'S A BIG GRADE DIFFERENCE.
AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS FOLLOWING UP ON COMMISSIONER CAROL'S, UH, COMMENT OF HOW THAT IS BEING COORDINATED AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GONNA BE SOME GIANT RETAINING WALL THERE.
UM, BUT IS THAT PART OF Y'ALL'S PLAN OR IS THAT GONNA BE ON THE MAC OR, YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE, UH, COORDINATED WITH THE MAC AND IS IN OUR CONTRACT, SO WE'RE GONNA BUILD IT, UH, AS WE'RE CREATING A UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE TRAIL CONNECTION.
SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S KIND OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PATH THAT GOES DOWN THAT PEOPLE CHOOSE TO USE THAT'S QUITE STEEP.
IT CAN BE QUITE MUDDY, UH, THAT CONNECTS FROM THE PARKING LOT DOWN TO BASICALLY BUTLER TRAIL AND THE BRIDGE ACROSS, UH, WALLER CREEK.
SO WE'RE BUILDING A, UH, GENTLY SLOPING PATH WITH CURVES TO IT AND LANDSCAPING AROUND IT THAT WILL PROVIDE A UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE, SO ADA ACCESSIBLE, BUT YOU KNOW, NOT RAMPS, JUST A SLOPED PATH, UH, THAT WILL CONNECT UP WITH BUTLER TRAIL AND WITH THE WATERLOO GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM THROUGHOUT HERE.
SO THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AS PART OF OUR PROJECT, AND WE'VE COORDINATED THAT SUCH THAT WHEN THE NEXT PHASE OF THEIR WORK DONE, IT MEETS, UH, ADA ACCESSIBLE PATHWAYS WITHIN THE MAC PROJECT AS WELL.
SO THAT CONNECTION WILL BE, WILL BE IMPROVED AS PART OF OUR CONTRACT.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? I THINK EVERYONE ASKED A QUESTION.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, MS. PIPKIN.
THANK YOU MR. RIGDON FOR THE UPDATE ON THE CONFLUENCE AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE NEXT STEPS OF THE PROJECT.
THANKS FOR TIME FOR YOUR ITEM THREE
[3. Discussion and possible action to recommend to City Council whether the project Barbara Jordan Terminal Optimization, located at 3600 Presidential Boulevard, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards. Presented by Robert Mercado, Aviation Department.]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL.WHETHER THE PROJECT BARBARA JORDAN TERMINAL OPTIMIZATION LOCATED AT 3,600 PRESIDENTIAL BOULEVARD COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS PRESENTED BY MR. ROBERT MARCADO FROM THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT.
ARE YOU ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR CAMERA? YEAH, LET ME DO THAT.
IT'S A TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
CAN YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE YOUR SCREEN? WE DO NOT HAVE YOUR CAMERA.
YEAH, THE CONTROLS DIDN'T COME UP UNTIL I WAS UNMUTED, SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT NOW.
SOPHIA JACKSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY DIRECTION ON THE CAMERA CHAIR? YOU'RE CORRECT THAT IT'S A TOMO RULE, SO WE'LL NEED TO HAVE A CAMERA ON AND, UH, JACKSON, I DON'T KNOW IF JACKSON CAN HELP MAGICALLY BACK THERE.
I FINALLY HIT THE RIGHT BUTTON, BUT ANYWAY, UM, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER AND ARCHITECT AT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT.
AND, UM, TONIGHT I WANNA, UH, PRESENT THE, UM, WESTGATE EXPANSION PROJECT.
UH, IT'S PART OF THE B J T, THE BARBARA JORDAN TERMINAL, UH, OPTIMIZATION, UH, PROGRAM THAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE TRYING TO OPTIMIZE AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE EXISTING BUILDING AND, AND DO WHAT WE CAN, UH, WITH THE EXISTING BUILDING TO INCREASE CAPACITY AND, UH,
[00:35:01]
AMENITIES AT THE, UM, AT THE AIRPORT.AND SO I'M, WE HAVE A, UH, AN ADDITION ON THE WEST END OF THE, OF THE AIRPORT.
UH, WE CALL IT THE WEST GATE, EX WEST GATES EXPANSION, RIDING THREE GATES, BUT THE HOLD ROOM ITSELF IS HOLD AND WE'RE RELOCATING TWO OTHER GATES.
AND SO IT'S A HOLD ROOM FOR FIVE, FIVE GATES PLUS, UM, UH, THE OTHER LEVELS AS WELL, THE, THE APRON LEVEL AND THE MESSAGING LEVEL.
UH, WHAT I WANNA COVER IS THE, UM, PROJECT OB OBJECTIVES, WHICH IS THE, THE, THE BUILDING BUILDING ITSELF.
UH, THE VIEW TO DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS, IT TURNS OUT ON THE WEST END OF THE TERMINAL BUILDING, IS A GREAT VIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE.
AND THEN THE, UM, THE VOLUME OF THE SPACE AND THE, AND THE HOW IT RELATES TO THE, THE EXISTING TERMINAL.
THE LOCATION, LIKE I MENTIONED, IS ON THE WEST END OF THE TERMINAL.
YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, UH, TERMINAL BUILDING ITSELF, UH, RIGHT HERE.
AND THEN ON THE WEST END, UH, IT, WE HAVE SORT OF MAXED OUT HOW FAR WE COULD GO WEST WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THE AIRLINES AND THE, UH, THE RUNWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE, IF WE'VE EVEN INCREASED THE SQUARE FOOTAGE AS MUCH, AS MUCH AS WE CAN, UM, TO PROVIDE THE, THE SPACE WE NEED.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE LOCATION, UH, FROM THE LOCATION MAP WHEN YOU ENTER THE, WHEN YOU ENTER THE AIRPORT, IT TURNS OUT THAT THAT'S A VERY PROMINENT, UH, LOCATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU, YOU'RE DRIVING INTO THE AIRPORT, UH, DEPARTURES OR ARRIVALS, UM, CURBS AND, UH, SO IT'S GONNA BE VERY PROMINENT ON THAT WEST END.
UH, THE BUILDING ITSELF, UH, YOU CAN SEE IT, UH, WE'RE, THE EXISTING BUILDING IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
AND THEN THE, THE RED OUTLINE IS THE, IS THE ADDITION ITSELF.
IT, UM, IS SERVING, LIKE I MENTIONED, THREE NEW GATES AND TWO EXISTING GATES THAT ARE RELOCATED.
UM, SINCE WE'RE TACKING ONTO THE END OF THE BUILDING, WE, THERE ARE TWO GATES THERE THAT WE HAVE TO RELOCATE, AND, AND SO THAT MAKES A REQUIREMENT FOR A FIVE GATE OLD ROOM AND, AND FIVE GATES IN THIS EDITION.
FIRST LEVEL, UH, LIKE I MENTIONED, IT'S A THREE LEVEL, UM, BUILDING MOSTLY WITH A, A MECHANICAL MEZZANINE.
BUT THE THREE LEVELS ARE THE, THE APRON LEVEL, WHICH IS THIS ONE.
THIS IS THE, THE LEVEL THAT THE PLANES PARK AT AND, AND ALL THE SERVICE IS DONE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S MOSTLY, UM, BEING BUILT AS A SHELL SPACE, UM, FOR AIRLINES AND, AND MAINTENANCE AND, AND THEN SOME CONCESSION STORAGE.
UM, SO THE SQUARE FOOTAGE ITSELF IS ABOUT JUST OVER 24,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE THERE.
THE MAIN LEVEL, THIS IS THE, THE CONCOURSE LEVEL.
THIS IS THE, WHERE THE CUSTOMERS ARE.
UM, SORRY, GO BACK TO THE, UH, NEXT PLEASE.
UM, THIS IS THE, UH, THE MAIN LEVEL.
I CAN MENTION WHERE THE, WHERE THE PUBLIC IS AND, AND IT SERVES THE FIVE GATES THAT ARE SERVE WITH THIS, UH, WITH THIS HOLD ROOM, THIS LARGE HOLD ROOM.
HERE WE ARE, UM, INCLUDING VERY LARGE RESTROOMS, UH, AND A, UM, CHILD SUPPLY AREA AND, UH, AND A LITTLE BIT OF CONCESSION RETAIL SPACE AS WELL.
BUT, UM, WHEN I GET INTO THE RENDERING JEWEL, SEE THIS BETTER.
THIS IS, UM, JUST THE PLAN VIEW RIGHT NOW.
NEXT LEVEL, I MEAN, SORRY, NEXT SLIDE.
UH, THE SANE RIGHT NOW, THIS IS, UM, UH, SHELL SPACE AGAIN.
WE HAVE A BIG SPACE ON THE NO, UH, NORTHWEST CORNER THAT WILL BE, UM, FOR A, FOR A CLUB, UH, EITHER AIRLINE CLUB OR, OR CREDIT CARD CLUB, AND THAT THEY HAVE A OUTDOOR PATIO.
THERE IS A A, THERE IS A, UH, PUBLIC, UH, OUTDOOR SPACE AS WELL.
AND, AND ONE OF THE AMENITIES OF THIS CORNER, OF THIS WEST AND NORTH SIDE IS, IS THAT SIDE WITH THE VIEW TO THE, UH, TO BE TO, TO DOWNTOWN.
[00:40:01]
A VERY, UM, VERY NICE, UM, AMENITY THERE.UM, THE LITTLE, THE CIRCULAR AREA IS A QUIET ROOM, UH, WE CALL IT, UM, JUST, UH, WHERE IT'S, IT'S A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO WHEN THEY WANT TO JUST KIND OF RELAX BEFORE A FLIGHT WHEN THEY'RE WAITING FOR THEIR, WITH THEIR DEPARTURE.
AND THEY, UH, JUST WANT TO GET A QUIET SPACE TO GET OUT OF THE, OUTTA THE NOISE AND THE HUBBUB.
AND THEN, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE LARGE VOLUME HERE.
HERE'S ACTUALLY A TWO STORY PLUS VOLUME RIGHT IN THE CENTER.
UH, ONE OF THE, THIS IS OF ONE OF THE BUILDING SECTIONS.
THIS IS LOOKING, LOOKING TO THE NORTH.
UH, IT'S SLICED THROUGH THE BUILDING, UH, THE OUTDOOR AREA ON THE, ON THE, ON THE LEFT SIDE, THE LARGE VOLUME THAT I MENTIONED.
UH, IN THE CENTER PART, THERE'S A BIG STAIR GOING UP TO THE MEZZANINE LEVEL AS WELL AS AN ELEVATOR.
AND THEN THE CONNECTION TO THE EXISTING BUILDING.
THIS IS ANOTHER, UH, SLICE THROUGH THE BUILDING.
AND NOW YOU, NOW WE SEE THAT THERE'S A, UH, MOON TOWER IN, IN THE SPACE, UM, PART OF THE AUSTIN, UH, THE, THE AUSTIN FEEL AND THE AUSTIN, UH, THE IDEA TO BRING AUSTIN INTO OUR PROJECTS AND, AND THE, AND THE WEIRDEST MAYBE, UH, IS THE, WE HAVE A MOON TOWER THAT ACTUALLY PROVIDES THE LIGHT FOR THAT LARGE, UM, LARGE SPACE.
AND IT, UM, IT RISES UP NEXT TO THE CHILD'S PLAY AREA.
AND, UH, THERE'LL ALSO BE, UM, A MONITOR WITH THE INFORMATION ABOUT MOON TOWERS AND THE, WHAT IT MEANS TO AUSTIN AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I I WAS BORN IN AUSTIN, AND I, I, I LOVE THE MOON TOWERS.
I, I, I KNOW A LOT OF VISITORS, OR RATHER A LOT OF, UM, PEOPLE NEW TO AUSTIN ARE, DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, BUT, UH, FOR, UH, FOR, I, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALL, WE'RE KIND OF PROUD OF.
AND THEN THERE'S, SO WE HAVE THE, THE INFORMATION ABOUT IT, UH, AS PART OF THAT NEXT SLIDE, OTHER SLIDES, THIS IS LOOKING TO THE WEST.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, UH, THAT KIND OF GRAY SHAPE ON THE UPPER LEVEL IS THE, UH, QUIET ROOM.
IT'S A, UH, VERY UNIQUE, UH, FEATURE OF THE, OF THE BUILDING.
AND THEN THE STAIR THAT GOES STRAIGHT UP TO THE MEZZANINE LEVEL THAT GOES TO THOSE OUTDOOR DECKS.
UM, THIS IS A, UM, RENDERING, UH, KIND OF A CUTAWAY THAT, THAT SHOWS THE, THE HOLD ROOM AND THE, ALL THE SEATING REQUIRED.
UM, AND, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A BUSY, UH, BUSY SPACE, PRETTY MUCH.
NEXT SLIDE, UPPER LEVEL AGAIN, UM, THE CLUB SPACE AND THE, UH, THERE'S SOME ACTUAL OTHER SHELF SPACE FOR POTENTIAL OFFICES AND, AND OTHER CONFERENCE ROOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE DECK, UH, THE TERRACE WITH THE DOWNTOWN VIEW, UH, UH, ON THE END THERE, NEXT TO THE, UH, NEXT TO THE QUIET ROOM.
THIS IS A RENDERING OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS FROM THE, FROM THE NORTHWEST LOOKING, LOOKING AT THE BUILDING.
AS YOU CAN SEE THAT IT HAS THE, THE FEATURES, UH, THE, THE COLOR, THE PANELS, THE, THE OVERHANGS AND STEEL THAT MATCH THE EXISTING, UH, EXISTING TERMINAL AND, AND ESPECIALLY THE, THE EAST END WHERE THERE WAS A LARGE ADDITION SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
SO WE HAVE SORT OF MATCHING ENDS WITH THESE, UH, LARGE OVERHANGS AND, UH, AND EXPANSIVE SPACES, AND PLENTY OF GLASS FOR, UH, FOR LIGHT.
UM, WE'RE, I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, THE MATERIALS AND, UH, AND WHERE THE REFERENCES ARE FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THEY, THE EXISTING TERMINAL IS A BIG, UH, HIGH CEILINGS, LOTS OF LIGHT, UH, CLEAR STORY LIGHTING, LOT OF, UM, BRIGHT, UM, SPACES THAT PEOPLE, UH, WE FOUND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING PEOPLE
[00:45:01]
LOVE ABOUT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT IS HOW, HOW BIG IT IS OR HOW, HOW BIG IT SEEMS. SQUARE FOOTAGE.WE, WE NEED TO WISH IT WAS A LOT BIGGER.
BUT, UH, IT IS, WE DO LIKE THE HIGH CEILINGS AND THE EXPOSED STRUCTURE, THE LARGE OVERHANGS, UM, AND THE, UH, THE OPEN SPACES.
THIS IS ANOTHER, UM, UH, INTERIOR SPACE IN THE EXISTING TERMINAL.
THIS IS ALSO A, UM, UM, AN ADDITION THAT WAS DONE JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.
ALSO BY PAGE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I MENTIONED THAT PAIGE IS THE, UH, DESIGN FIRM FOR THIS, FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, ACTUALLY PAUL, UH, WITH PAIGE IS PAUL, VIC IS, I THINK, IN THE ROOM.
SO HE'S MY, HE'S GONNA BE MY TECHNICAL ADVISOR TODAY, UM, FOR ANY DETAILED QUESTIONS.
BUT, UM, IT, THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A, A VERY NICE PROJECT.
AND IT ALSO SHOW HAS THE, THE HIGH CEILINGS AND THE, THE LIGHT THAT COMES IN AND, AND, UM, IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE A, A PRETTY NICE SPACE.
THIS IS, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE, A NEW RENDERING, I MEAN, RATHER RENDERING OF THE NEW SPACE.
UM, THIS IS THE, THE LARGE MIDDLE AREA WITH THE HIGH CEILING AND, AND THE LIGHT COMING IN.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE BOTTOM OF THE, THE MOON TOWER THERE.
AND THEN BEYOND IS THE WHOLE ROOM.
UH, UPSTAIRS IS THE QUIET ROOM AND THE, THE TERRACE THAT LOOKS TOWARDS DOWNTOWN ON THE LOWER LEFT IS THE CHILD'S PLAY AREA.
WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, DOING A, UM, DOING THAT AS AN ART PROJECT THROUGH THE, UH, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, UH, DIVISION.
THEY'RE, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF SELECTING AN ARTIST TO, TO, TO DESIGN THE CHILD'S PLAY AREA.
AND, UH, MR. MANDO, UH, YEAH, I, I APPRECIATE THE THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE PROJECTS TO GET THROUGH TONIGHT.
DO YOU MIND, UH, FIVE MORE MINUTES, JUST KIND OF WRAPPING IT UP? OKAY.
WELL, LET'S JUST GO THROUGH THE RENDERS THEN.
I'M THINK ABOUT, YEAH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER LUKINS? WELL, GOOD, GOOD WORK, AND I HOPE SOME OF THESE IDEAS GET USED, UH, IN 20 YEARS OR SO ON THE NEW TERMINAL.
BUT, UH, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND THAT IS, UH, WHAT'S THE DISTANCE FROM THIS NEW GATE AREA FROM, UH, THE NEAREST SECURITY, UM, APPROXIMATELY? HMM.
UH, PAUL, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT IT, IT'S NOT MORE THAN WHAT IT IS FROM THE, UH, SECURITY TO THE EAST SIDE? UM, IT'S ABOUT THE SAME, UH, DISTANCE.
WE'RE NOT, WE JUST ADDED ON THE BIT THAT, UH, THE NINE GATE ADDED ON, ON THE OTHER SIDE, SO, OKAY.
IT'S, IT'S NOW EQUAL, PRETTY MUCH EQUAL.
JUST WONDERED, CAUSE I QUALIFIED FOR THE BOSTON MARATHON LAST WEEK IN CHARLOTTE AIRPORT, SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW FAR IT IS FOR THIS ONE.
UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER CARROLL? I, I JUST HAVE A CURIOSITY QUESTION.
WHAT IS THE QUIET ROOM USED FOR? IT'S, UH, IT'S AN AMENITY FOR THINGS WANT TO GET OUT OF THE, THE NOISY HOLD ROOM AREA.
AND, AND, AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE KEEPING TRACK OF THEIR FLIGHT.
UH, BUT, UH, IT'S WHERE THEY GO TO JUST SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST MAYBE LINED WITH THE, WITH BENCHES OR SOMETHING.
UM, THERE MAY BE AN, SO IT'S JUST ACOUSTICAL ISOLATED SPACE.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, HOW THE DESIGN RESPONDS TO ITS SOLAR ORIENTATION AND IF IT, IF THERE'S ANY EFFORT TOWARD PASSIVE COOLING AND KIND OF, UH, MITIGATING ITS KIND OF THE FULLER RADIATION.
[00:50:01]
IS A LOT OF, UM, UH, SOUTH AND WEST, UH, EXPOSURE, AND THERE ARE, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE LARGE OVERHANGS.UM, BUT ALSO WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY, UM, ELECTROCHROMIC, UH, GLASS ON THE SOUTH AND WEST THAT, UH, THE GLASS WILL AUTOMATICALLY TEND TO PREVENT THE, THE SUN, UH, GLARE AND THE SUN EATING UP THE INTERIOR.
SO IT'S, IT'S SORT OF A, SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DONE AT OTHER AIRPORTS AS WELL.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? UM, I THINK, I THINK THAT THAT COVERS IT.
UM, THE, THE OVERHANGS ON THE ARE ARE COVERING KIND OF THE, THE HIGHER WINDOWS, BUT I NOTICED THERE WAS A LOT OF GLASS ON THE WESTERN SIDE.
IS IT, HOW ARE YOU GUYS ADDRESSING THE DESIGN FOR YEAH, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE CHROMATIC, THE ELECTRO CHROMATIC GLASS THAT IS USED.
IT, IT TIN AUTOMATICALLY WHEN, WHEN THE SUN HITS, SO IT, IT DARKENS AND, AND, UH, PREVENTS THE, THE LIGHT FROM THE RADIATION FROM COMING IN.
YEAH, WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO REMOVE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE EX THE BAFFLES AND UH, S BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? VICE CHAIR MINORS? OKAY.
UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, I THINK EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE AT THE AIRPORT, UH, WITH THE MOST RECENT EXPANSION HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.
AND I THINK, UM, A LOT OF OUR DEVELOPERS COULD TAKE NOTE WITH, UH, HOW YOU'VE MADE IT FEEL LIKE AUSTIN BY INCORPORATING ART, MUSIC, UM, THE WHOLE FEEL.
UM, SO I APPLAUD THE EFFORTS, UH, WITH CONTINUING TO DO THAT, UH, WITH THIS PHASE.
UM, I THINK THE MOON TOWER, UM, IS A NICE TOUCH.
UM, I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT IT LOOKS CLIMBABLE IN YOU'RE RENDERING, LIKE SOMEONE COULD, UH, COULD SCALE THAT PRETTY EASILY.
SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, UH, KIND OF ON THAT SAME, UH, TANGENT WITH ART.
UM, I SEE SOME COLORED PANELS.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, UM, JUST A PLACEHOLDER OR IF THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, I SEE A MURAL AS WELL, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THAT PLACEHOLDER ART? IS THAT WHAT'S PLANNED? WELL, THE, UH, STARTING WITH THE METAL PANELS, THE METAL PANEL, UH, COLOR, UH, BLOCKS ARE ACTUALLY PART OF THE EXISTING TERMINAL.
UH, IF YOU GO, UM, TO THE, UH, CHECKPOINT ONE, UM, AND OUTSIDE OF CHECKPOINT ONE, THERE ARE COLOR PANELS THAT MATCH THAT, THAT IT'S THE SAME, SAME COLORS, SAME SCHEME, BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT PROBABLY THAT ONE WALL YOU SAW THAT HAD THE COLOR PANEL, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ARTIST, UH, THAT IS WORKING ON A PERMANENT PIECE THAT'LL BE MOUNTED ON THAT LARGE WALL, ON THAT LARGE METAL WALL.
AND IT'LL REPLACE THE METAL PANELS WITH, UH, AN ART PIECE THAT IS, UH, UNDER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE A I P P PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UM, AS FAR AS THE, UH, OUTDOOR SPACE, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD BE OCCUPIED BY, UM, A TENANT AT SOME POINT.
UM, ARE, ARE THEY ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENLIVENING IT WITH GREEN SPACE OR WITH GREEN AMENITIES? UM, I'M THINKING TREES, ET CETERA.
UM, THE OUTDOOR TERRACE, UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO, THERE'S SIDE BY SIDE.
ONE IS PART OF THE CLUB, UH, THAT, UH, FUTURE CLUB THAT WILL BE THERE, AND THEY'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
THE, WHATEVER AMENITIES ARE IN THAT, UH, TERRACE, THE PUBLIC SIDE, UH, WE HAVEN'T, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PLANS.
UM, IT BECOMES A MAINTENANCE ISSUE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN A BUILDING.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE ACTUALLY LIVE PLANS IN THAT, UH, ON THAT CHAIRS.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO EXEMPLIFY, UM, THAT THOSE ARE PART OF OUR VALUES.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE URBAN, I KNOW WE DON'T FOLLOW THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FULLY FOR THESE MUNICIPAL PROJECTS.
UM, BUT WITH OUR, UH, URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE ARE PUSHING FOR GREEN ROOFS, FOR TREES, UM, ALL OF THAT TO ENLIVEN THE SPACE AND, UH, UH, HOPEFULLY NEGATE THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
UM, SO THAT'S MY ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK IS, IS TO INCORPORATE THAT, UM, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT ROLLING, UH, ENTIRELY ON THE TENANT.
ONE, ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION IS THAT THE BUILDING IS SOLAR READY.
UM, SO WE COULD, THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S THERE, WE COULD INSTALL SOLAR PANELS ON THE, ON THE BUILDING, ON THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING, AND, UH, AND GAIN SOME, UM, UH, ENERGY, UH, GAIN SOME POWER FROM IT.
[00:55:01]
THANK YOU CHAIR.UH, THANK YOU MR. MERCARDO FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I BELIEVE FROM THE BACKUP, THE PROJECT IS PURSUING AEG B THREE STAR, UM, IS THIS, IS THE PROJECT REQUIRED TO ALSO PURSUE LEED SILVER UNDER THE CITY, OR IS IT EXEMPT FROM THAT? THE, UH, ORDINANCE SAYS ONE OR THE OTHER.
IT CAN BE, UH, LEAD, LEAD SILVER, OR A G B, UM, THROUGH STAR.
AND WE, WE PREFER TO USE A G B BECAUSE IT'S, UH, IT'S MORE TAILORED TO AUSTIN, AND IT'S WITH OUR SISTER DEPARTMENT, THE AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, AND WE'VE HAD, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED IT OUT ON OTHER PROJECTS AT THE AIRPORT AND, AND IT, IT'S, IT'S WORKING AND, UH, WE, WE LIKE WORKING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR CLARIFICATION.
UM, I'M ALSO DRAWN TO THE OUTDOOR SPACE.
I KNOW THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE AIRPORT HAS, HAS INTRODUCED, UM, A PUBLIC OUTDOOR SPACE IN THE TERMINAL.
UH, I KNOW THIS IS NOT WITHOUT ITS CONSIDERABLE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS HEADACHES, BUT HAS THE TEAM EXPLORED LOOKING AT, AT PLANTING OR OTHER BIOPHILIA, UH, AS PART OF THE DESIGN AND AS A STANDARD BEARER FOR WHAT THE FUTURE CONCOURSE COULD BE? UH, UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, I THINK THE TEAM AND MYSELF, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE PLANS IN THE, UH, IN THE BUILDING, AND WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA SEE HOW WE CAN GET IT IN, BUT WE'RE ALSO HAVE TO BE CON UH, CONSCIOUS OF THE, OF THE MAINTENANCE, UH, STAFF WHO HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.
SO, UM, THAT'LL TAKE MORE OF AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL DECISION, UM, AS FAR AS IF WE WANNA GO THAT ROUTE OF, OF, OF HAVING A LOT OF LI, A LOT OF LIVE PLANTS ON, ON THAT TERRACE LEVEL AND WILLING TO PAY FOR THE, THE MAINTENANCE OF IT IN THE OPERATION.
UM, DID ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UM, BASED ON THE PRESENTATION BY ROBERT MARCADO ON JUNE 26TH, 2023 TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN DESIGN COMMISSION, THE PROJECT BARBARA JORDAN TERMINAL OPTIMIZATION LOCATED AT 3,600 PRESIDENTIAL BOULEVARD, DOES COMPLY WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.
THE COMMISSION ADDITIONALLY ENCOURAGES THE USE OF PLANTS TO ENLIVEN URBAN SPACES, URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE PC 12.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? NO, SECOND.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER TTR.
ANY FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, GOOD LUCK ON THE NEXT STEPS OF YOUR PROJECT.
[4. Discussion and possible action to recommend to City Council whether the project 5th and Trinity Hotel, located at 307 and 311 East 5th Street, complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the City of Austin in accordance with Land Development Code § 25-2-586 (C)(1)(a)(ii). Presented by Richard Suttle, Armbrust and Brown, PLLC, and Gene Montezinos, PFVS Architects and Interiors, LLC.]
ITEM FOUR, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL WEATHER.THE PROJECT FIFTH AND TRINITY HOTEL, LOCATED AT 3 0 7 AND THREE 11 EAST FIFTH STREET, COMPLIES WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE PRESENTED BY RICHARD SUTTLE OF ARMED BREWTON BROWN AND GENE MONTESINOS OF P F B S, ARCHITECTS AND INTERIORS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF WHITE LODGING.
I'LL BE UP HERE REAL SHORT IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME.
INTRODUCE OUR ARCHITECTS WHO WERE AT THE AIRPORT IN ATLANTA, READY TO FLY OUT HERE TODAY.
THERE'S 8,000 FLIGHTS CANCELED TODAY, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET HERE, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT ONLINE.
WHITE LODGING, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, IS ONE OF THE, UH, IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST HOTEL YOU'RE IN, AUSTIN.
THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF DOWNTOWN, UM, HOTELS THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE OF, AND THEY'RE GOOD AT ACTIVATING THE, THE STREET SKATING.
I WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN EARN YOUR SUPPORT TONIGHT.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS WORKS FROM ATLANTA, BUT, WE'LL, I'M SURE IT'LL BE JUST FINE.
[01:00:03]
ALL RIGHT.UH, WITH TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT, WE NEED THE, UH, APPLICANT TO TURN THEIR CAMERA ON, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
JACKSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY DIRECTION FOR OUR APPLICANT WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR? YES, I WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
I'M JEAN ENO WITH THE FBS ARCHITECTS, UH, AND I'LL BE WALKING YOU THROUGH OUR PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS AN UPSCALE BOUTIQUE HOTEL AT THE CORNER OF FIFTH STREET AND TRINITY STREET IN DOWNTOWN.
SO, UH, UM, YOU SEE THE LOCATION AT FIFTH STREET NOW TO GO BACK ONE BIT.
UH, LOCATION OF FIFTH STREET AND TRINITY, WHERE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE DOWNTOWN CAP RAIL, AND, UH, MULTIPLE TRANSPORTATION THAT YOU SEE ILLUSTRATED IN THIS SLIDE.
NEXT, THIS SLIDE IS ILLUSTRATING THAT WE ARE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, COMPLYING WITH THE GREAT STREETS REQUIREMENTS.
GO INTO DETAIL THAT IN A MINUTE.
SO THIS IS ILLUSTRATING THE STREETSCAPE AROUND THE BUILDING.
THE HOTEL LOBBY IS TO THE UPPER LEFT.
THE CORNER IS A FEATURE OF A DINING AND BEVERAGE UPSCALE PINE DINING RESTAURANT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH LOTS OF VIEWS IN AND OUT OF BOTH TRINITY STREET AND FIFTH STREET.
UH, WE HAVE REQUIRED TREES ALONG THIS STREET AND TRINITY FOR THE GREAT STREETS REQUIREMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE BENCHES, WHICH YOU SEE IN THE UPPER RIGHT IN ON TRINITY AND THE RIGHT SIDE ALONG HISTORY.
WE HAVE BIKE RACKS, WE HAVE STREET LIGHTING, AND WE'VE INTRODUCED A MURAL, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER TWO IN THE LOWER RIGHT, UH, WHICH IS A WALL THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR ENCLOSING THE AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSFORMER BALL.
UM, THE STREET ALSO SLOPES DOWNHILL FROM FIFTH STREET TO THE SOUTH ALONG TRINITY.
SO THE WALL BECOMES A LITTLE MORE PROMINENT, AND YOU'LL SEE IN OTHER IMAGES ARE CONCEPT OF WHERE THAT MURAL WILL BE.
THE MURAL WILL BE, UH, BY A LOCAL ARTIST.
WE DON'T HAVE A DRAW A, UH, CONCEPT TO SHOW YOU AT THIS POINT.
THIS SHOWS THE, THE WAY THE BUILDING AND THE STREET INTERACT, A HOTEL LOBBY TO THE UPPER LEFT.
UH, WE'VE INTRODUCED A STAGE IN THE ALIVE, UH, ENTERTAINMENT STAGE IN THE, UH, STREET FRONT OF THE HOTEL LOBBY.
UM, RESTAURANT HAS OPEN GLASS, GLASS VIEWS, BOTH IN AND OUT, ALL ALONG FIFTH STREET AND ALONG TRINITY, UH, WITH COVERED CANOPIES, PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIANS ALONG THE STREET, UM, THE, THE, UH, SIDEWALKS ALONG, UH, FIFTH STREET, AND, UH, TRINITY OUR SIZE TO MEET THE GREAT STREETS REQUIREMENT WITH THE WIDTH OF THE CIRCULATION.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN ON OUR BUILDING, YOU DON'T SEE A ROOF.
YOU SEE A, UH, AMENITY AREA, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, A SWIMMING POOL, UH, AND A LOUNGE AREA.
UH, ALL OF OUR MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT WILL BE HIDDEN FROM VIEW.
WE'LL HAVE SOME, SOME GREENERY, UM, THAT YOU SEE.
THIS ILLUSTRATES THE NIGHT LIGHTING ALONG COMMUNITY AND FIFTH STREET.
WE HAVE SPILL OUT OF, OF LIGHTING BECAUSE WE HAVE GLASS ALL ALONG THE STREETS.
WE'VE HAD LIGHTING UNDER OUR COVERED CANOPIES ALONG COMMUNITY AND ALONG FIFTH STREET, UH, AND CANOPY OVER THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOTEL, AS WELL AS THE STRAIGHT STREET, STREET LIGHTING ALONG BOTH STREETS.
SO THIS IS A VIEW OF THE CORNER
[01:05:01]
FIFTH AND TRINITY, ALONG THE TRINITY STREET TAX.UH, SIDEWALK IS THE WALK OF STARS, WHICH IS AN EXISTING, UM, AMENITY ALL ALONG TRINITY STREET.
IT COMES ALL ALONG OUR PROPERTY.
UP TO THE FIFTH STREET CORNER.
YOU SEE THE CANOPIES ALONG FIFTH STREET AND ALONG COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'VE LINED THEM WITH, UH, PLANTERS ALONG THE WALLS OF BOTH STREETS.
UM, FOR THE COMMENTS THAT CAME FROM THE WORKING GROUP, WE'VE ELIMINATED ANY, UM, UH, BARRIER TO ACCESS FROM THE STREET TO THE RESTAURANT.
IT'S A SMOOTH, UH, ADA WALKING DISC, UH, UH, AMENITY, UM, TO THE FRONT DOOR OF THE RESTAURANT, WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU SEE IN THE, UH, FAR LEFT THE LOCATION OF THE ART MURAL ON THE WALL, WHICH WE'VE JUST RENDERED IN, UM, SOMEWHAT OF THE AUSTIN'S FAMOUS, UH, SUNSET COLORS, WHICH IS A THEME OF OUR, UH, HOTEL.
NEXT, THE CLOSE A VIEW OF THAT ENTRANCE TO THE RESTAURANT.
UH, YOU SEE THE PLANTING, YOU SEE THE CANOPIES, UH, AND YOU SEE THAT WE'VE EMPHASIZED AND YOU SEE WALK OF STARS ON THE LEFT SIDE.
ALSO, WE'VE EMPHASIZED THE HUMAN SCALE AND THE, UH, AMENITY TO HAVE COVERED, UH, UM, ACCESS ALONG THE STREETS.
NEXT, THIS IS THEIR ENTRANCE TO OUR HOTEL LEVI.
UH, IN RESPONSE TO THE WORKING GROUP, WE'VE ADDED, UH, PLANTINGS ALONG THE, UH, FACADE.
UH, AND WE HAVE THE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT STAGE JUST INSIDE THE GLASS WALL OF OUR HOTEL LOBBY.
WE DO HAVE A DROP OFF THAT HAS A VEHICULAR DROP OFF AT OUR FRONT DOOR, UM, WHICH WE CAN, WHICH WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE HOTEL.
NEXT, I'LL SHOW YOU SOME DEEP, SOME, UH, IMAGES OF THE BUILDING.
NEXT, UH, THE THEME OF OUR EXTERIOR IS PICKING UP THE COLORS OF THE AUSTIN SUNSETS, THE BLUES AND THE SILVERS.
YOU SEE THE ARTWORK IN THE LOWER LEFT OF THE EAST ELEVATION, UH, AND YOU SEE THE HOTEL LOBBY AND THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE NORTH ELEVATION.
THESE ARE THE TWO MAIN STREET ELEVATIONS, UH, THAT ARE VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
NEXT, THESE TWO ELEVATIONS ARE BASICALLY INSIDE THE BLOCK OR BLOCKED BY OTHER BUILDINGS.
UH, ALTHOUGH YOU SEE TWO, THE LEFT OF THE SOUTH ELEVATION AND IN FRONT OF THE WEST ELEVATION IS OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, WHICH IS AT A LIVE MUSIC VENUE, UH, WHICH IS, WHICH WE'RE NOT TOUCHING.
WE ARE ADDRESSING, UH, BRUSH PARK, WHICH IS A CROSS TRINITY STREET.
UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S A, UH, FIRE STATION, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT TO BE DEVELOPED INTO A, A PARK.
UM, AND WE HAVE LIMITED OUR HEIGHT, UH, AS REQUIRED SO THAT WE DON'T BLOCK THE AIR AND LIGHT TO THE PARK.
IT ALSO GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THAT ROOF GARDEN ON THE TOP AS YOU SEE, UH, THE 60 FOOT CENT SET BACK AT THE TOP OF THE FACADE.
NEXT, WE DETAIL THE STREET FRONTS ALONG WITH EACH OF THE STREETS.
UH, THE UPPER LEFT IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOTEL ON FIFTH STREET.
YOU SEE THE CANOPY, UH, IT'S MOSTLY GLASS.
UH, YOU SEE THE STREET TREES IN THE, UH, BACKGROUND AND THE DROP OFF FOR THE HOTEL.
THE LOWER LEFT IS THE AERIAL IN FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT, RESTAURANT ALONG FIFTH STREET.
THE COVERED CANOPY ALONG THE SIDE OF THE SIDE, THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, UH, AND THE STREET TREES AND BENCH PLANTED AREA THAT PROTECTS THE PEDESTRIAN FROM THE TRAFFIC OF FIFTH STREET.
AND THE UPPER RIGHT IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE RESTAURANT FROM TRINITY STREET, WHERE WE'VE ELIMINATED ANY BARRIER OR ACCESS TO THE RESTAURANT, TO THE BUILDING.
AND THEN THE LOWER RIGHT, UH, IS FURTHER DOWN FINITY, WHERE THE LO THE STREET, UH, GOES TO THE SOUTH.
YOU SEE THE CANOPY, UH, AND THE STREET TREES THERE TOO.
NEXT, THIS IS AN OVERALL VIEW OF THE BUILDING AND THE CONTEXT OF THE CITY.
UM, I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE'RE NOT, UH, WE'RE VERY MUCH IN CONTEXT
[01:10:01]
WITH THE HEIGHT AND, AND MASSING OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS AROUND US, UH, EVEN WITH OUR, UH, F A R, UM, AND YOU SEE THE COLORS OF THE BUILDING THAT TIE WITH OUR THEME OF, UH, OF THE AUSTIN SUNSETS.NEXT, THERE'S A MORE OVERALL VIEW OF THE BUILDING FACADE.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S INTENDED TO BE A MODERN BUILDING, A LITTLE BIT PLAYFUL IN ITS ARCHITECTURAL ARTICULATION, UH, BUT NOT TRYING TO REFER TO ANY HISTORIC, UH, ARCHITECTURE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT RELATES ALSO WITH THE THEME OF OUR, UH, OF OUR HOTEL AS A MODERN, UM, UPSCALE BOUTIQUE ENVIRONMENT.
ARE YOU DONE PRESENTING? I'M PRESENTING, YES, I'M DONE PRESENTING.
UM, OPENING UP THE FLOOR FOR QUESTION AND DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
SO, UM, FOR ME, I'LL JUST SAY, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS PROJECT, UM, MISSES THE BOAT AND TWO VERY LARGE, UH, AREA, EXCUSE ME, AREAS.
SO THE PARK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ONLY GOT THREE OF THESE SQUARES LEFT IN DOWNTOWN, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SPACE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE TURNED YOUR BACK TO IT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE HEIGHT IS GENERATED FROM THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, AS THE GUIDELINES SAY, FRONTING THE, THE FACE, FRONTING THE PARK, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE WHERE YOUR ENTRANCES ARE TO THE BUILDING.
INSTEAD, HALF OF THAT FACADE IS JUST BACK OF HOUSE.
UM, AND IT, AND IT REALLY DOESN'T.
LOOKING AT THAT FACADE, YOU WOULD NOT KNOW THERE'S A PARK ACROSS THE STREET.
A SECONDLY, I FEEL THIS PROJECT FAILS TO, TO ACTIVATE THE STREETSCAPE IN ANY WAY.
UH, THERE'S NO ENGAGEMENT ON TRINITY OR FIFTH STREET, IN MY OPINION, YOU KNOW, LOOKING IN WINDOWS, WATCHING PEOPLE EAT DINNER.
IT IS NOT, UH, ENGAGING THE, THE STREETSCAPE IN MY OPINION.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME, MAYBE SOME OUTDOOR SPACE OR, OR RECONSIDERING THE F AND B SPACE ALTOGETHER, AND HOW IT COULD REALLY, YOU KNOW, BEGIN TO, TO WHITTLE AWAY THE, THE SEPARATION BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, UH, UM, AND, AND REALLY ENGAGE THAT SPACE.
AGAIN, YOU, YOU'VE GOT A PARK SPACE ACROSS THE STREET, AND SO I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY THAT'S, THAT'S MISSED ON THAT SPACE.
SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE MY TWO COMMENTS.
UM, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, WITSTOCK? UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, I ECHO THE COMMENTS THAT COMMISSIONER CARROLL HAS MADE, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, BRUSH SQUARE AS, AS, UM, COMMISSIONER ALREADY NOTED, THIS IS ONE OF THREE REMAINING OF, OF THE CITY'S ORIGINAL SQUARES.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THEM.
UM, I SHARE THE CONCERN THAT IT'S, UH, A BIT OF A ONE-WAY INTERACTION.
UH, WE'VE GUSSIED UP THE, THE, UM, EAST EAST FACADE OF THIS BUILDING FACING THE PARK.
UH, BUT WE HAVE NOT CREATED A DIALOGUE WITH THAT PARK.
AND THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT, AND MAYBE MAKE A SLIGHT CORRECTION TO THE WORKING GROUP MATERIAL HERE, THAT IT'S NOT, THAT THE FIRE STATION IS IN BETWEEN THIS PROJECT AND THE PARK.
THE FIRE STATION IS PART OF THE PARK, UH, THE LONG-TERM VISION AND, UH, FOR THE PARK ENVISIONED, UH, THAT FIRE STATION BECOMING MORE OF A COMMUNITY USE, UH, ONCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FINDS, UH, A MORE UP-TO-DATE MODERNIZED LOCATION.
UH, SO THAT CORNER IS ALREADY IMPORTANT WITH REGARD TO, UM, THAT PARK, UH, AND IT IS GOING TO INCREASE IN IMPORTANCE.
UM, AND IT STRIKES ME, UH, AS, UH, A MISUSE OF THAT FACADE CURRENTLY, UH, WITH REGARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY AND KIND OF A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DESIGN TEAM TO, TO BUILD VALUE FOR, FOR THEIR OWN PROJECT.
UH, I'M NOT INSENSITIVE TO THE PROGRAMMATIC CONCERNS, UH, WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, BUT LOOKING AT THE RENDERINGS, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT MORE OF THAT FACADE COULD BE OPENED.
[01:15:01]
UM, I THINK THE WORKING GROUP MADE GREAT COMMENTS ABOUT PUSHING THAT FIRST STORY BACKWARD TO OR BACK INTO, UH, THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT TO ENCOURAGE MORE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, UH, ATTACHED TO THE RESTAURANT.UH, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, MINIMUM OF TWO DISCRETE USES ALONG BOTH OF THESE, UH, BOTH, UH, EAST FIFTH STREET AND TRINITY, UH, BE MORE AGGRESSIVELY ENGAGED BY THE DESIGN TEAM.
UM, I ALSO, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T STRICTLY SPEAKING IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES RIGHT NOW, BUT WITH REGARD TO ACTIVATING THE, UH, FACING THE PARKS AND, UH, THE DOWNTOWN PARKS, UM, OVERLAY, LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIVATING THE SECOND STORY, UM, YOU HAVE SUCH A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN, IN THIS PROJECT, NOT HAVING A PARKING PLAN.
UM, AND IT SEEMS TO SET US UP FOR A DIALOGUE WHERE WE SHOULD BE ACTIVATING, UH, THAT SECOND STORY, PARTICULARLY THE SIDE THAT IS FACING THE PARK.
UH, SO I WOULD URGE THE DESIGN TEAM TO, TO RECONSIDER HOW THAT SECOND STORY IS BEING EMPLOYED, PARTICULARLY, UH, ON THE TRINITY SIDE.
UH, AS A LAST COMMENT ON THAT, UH, THEME, IT IS A LITTLE UNCLEAR FROM THE PRESENTATION, ALTHOUGH THE RENDERINGS APPEAR TO INDICATE THAT THE TEAM INTENDS TO REMOVE THE EXISTING LIVE OAKS, UH, THAT ARE ON THE WEST SIDE OF TRINITY.
UH, I KNOW THOSE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, THE MOST GLORIOUS OAKS.
UM, BUT THEY ARE MATURE SHADE TREES, UH, THAT PROBABLY NEED A LITTLE LOVE INTERMEDIATION DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, BUT PARTICULARLY IN TANDEM WITH, UH, AN EXPLORATION OF A STRONGER, UH, VIBRANT SECOND STORE IN BALCONY, THOSE MATURE TREES COULD ALSO WORK TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.
AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO CUT THESE DOWN JUST TO PUT SMALLER ONES IN THEIR PLACE.
UM, I, I FEEL VERY SIMILARLY, UM, AS THE LAST TWO COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I ALSO, I I ABOUT THE PARK SIDE ESPECIALLY, UM, I WANTED TO ALSO COMMENT ON, UH, THE FIFTH STREET FACADE OR, OR THE, THE SIGHTING, REALLY.
AND IT SEEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A 10 FOOT, UH, PEDESTRIAN SPACE, UM, RIGHT IN FRONT OF A DROP-OFF AREA FOR A HOTEL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS ALREADY AMONG THE MORE HIGH, HIGH TRAFFIC PEDESTRIAN AREAS IN THE CITY.
AND WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DROPPING OFF PEOPLE WITH SUITCASES, UM, AND YOU'RE ALSO PROVIDING ACCESS TO BIKE RACKS ALONG THE SAME SIDEWALK.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT USES AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CONGESTION ON A, ON A, A SUBSTANDARD SIDEWALK, YOU KNOW, GREAT STREETS CALLS FOR 18.
THAT PLANTING ZONE AREA REALLY IS USED FOR MORE THAN JUST PLANTING.
IT'S FOR THAT SORT OF KIND OF TRANSITION SPACE FROM, FROM LOADING AREAS AND SO FORTH.
AND SO, I, I, I REALLY, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE PARK SIDE AND KIND OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES THERE, I REALLY, I REALLY HOPE THAT Y'ALL CAN, UM, COME TO SOME, SOME BETTER SOLUTIONS AS FAR AS MAYBE CREATING SOME, SOME SPACES FOR, UM, FOR TRAFFIC TO CREATE, YOU KNOW, CREATE EDDIE'S AND PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET OUT OF THE WAY.
UM, AND ALSO, AND ALSO KIND OF SUPPORT ALL THE DIFFERENT MODES THAT ARE GONNA BE USING THIS, THIS PART OF THE PUBLIC REALM ON EAST FIFTH, OR SORRY, ON ON FIFTH STREET.
UH, COMMISSIONER SALINAS, YOU ARE IN THE WORKING GROUP.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? YEAH, I WOULD.
UM, THE WORKING GROUP THAT YOU'RE ON, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN, UH, HERITAGE CORRIDOR, UM, THERE WAS A LOT MORE GOING ON ON THAT FACADE THAN YOU CURRENTLY SHOW.
UM, ARE THERE ARE, IS THERE GONNA BE, I GUESS THE ANSWER IS NO, IF YOU'RE NOT SHOWING IT, BUT AS FAR AS HOW THAT FACADE RECOGNIZES THE MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CORRIDOR, UM, I THINK IS A REAL MISSED OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO CREATE A LOCAL CHARACTER.
UM, I SEE THAT YOU DID INCORPORATE THE MUSIC STAGE AND YOU INCORPORATED THE PLANTINGS, BUT AGAIN, UH, THAT HOTEL DROP OFF EVEN IN THE WORKING GROUP.
UH, THE SAME, UH, COMMENTS AS PREVIOUSLY, UM, PROVIDING A SAFE PASSAGE, UH, TO THE BUILDING.
I DON'T, I DON'T SEE HOW THAT'S GONNA BE A VERY EFFECTIVE SPOT, ESPECIALLY ON THIS PORTION OF FIFTH STREET WHERE WE GO DOWN TO TWO LANES AND YOU'RE EFFECTIVELY JUST SHUTTING ONE OF THOSE LANES DOWN, UH, FOR DROP OFF.
UH, I, I DO APPRECIATE THE ART AT THE AUSTIN ENERGY VAULT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'VE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF EXTERIOR SEATING.
UM, I KNOW THERE WAS A TINY SLIVER BEFORE, BUT I THINK, I THINK THE IDEA OF POSSIBLY PUSHING THAT BACK AND CREATING MORE OUTDOOR SPACE AND CREATING LESS OF A BARRIER, UH, BETWEEN THE PEDESTRIANS AND THE, AND THE FOLKS INSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, SO I DO APPRECIATE SOME OF THE CHANGES YOU MADE, BUT I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER CHANGES YOU MADE, UH, JUST KIND OF GO BACKWARDS.
[01:20:04]
THANK YOU.UM, VICE CHAIR MINORS, I JUST WANNA MAKE IT QUICK CAUSE I WAS ON THE WORKING GROUP AS WELL, SO I WANTED TO AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE FEEDBACK RELATED TO INCORPORATING ART, UM, INCLUDING LIVE PERFORMANCE SPACE.
UM, BUT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID AS FAR AS THE ACTIVATION.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE INDOOR OUTDOOR, UH, CONVERTIBLE SPACE.
I MEAN, FOR MEETING US PARTIALLY WITH OUR FEEDBACK, I THINK IT IS LEADING TO A BETTER PROJECT.
SO I THINK WITH THE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK TONIGHT, YOU COULD REALLY HAVE SOMETHING STELLAR.
UM, I, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT I, UH, COMMISSIONER HOWARD'S COMMENTS ON TRINITY.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE REGARDING, UH, HISTORICAL MISREPRESENTATIONS.
I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THAT ONE THINKING.
THE, UM, FACADE OF THE EXISTING RUSSIA HOUSE IS SUCH AN INTERESTING POTENTIALLY OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS PROJECT TO CREATE MORE OF AN INTERESTING WALKING EXPERIENCE, WHILE ALSO NODDING TO, UM, TO THE HISTORY AND JUST BUILDING A NICE, A NICE FABRIC.
AND, UH, ALONG THAT STREET THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT A PARTICULARLY ACTIVE STREET SCAPE RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT IT FEELS LIKE A VERY PLEASANT, QUICK BRISK WALK ALONG THAT BLOCK.
AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS DUE TO, UM, THOSE, THE SHORTER FACADES.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR THE, THE TEAM TO CONSIDER, UH, A PARTIAL REUSE OF THAT FACADE AS INTEGRATING THAT INTO PART OF THE DESIGN.
UH, AND THEN USING, USING THE CONTRAST TO THE MORE CONTEMPORARY DESIGN TO, TO HONOR THAT AND, AND NOT MISREPRESENT THAT HISTORICALLY, BUT ALSO PROVIDE A MORE INTERESTING PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
WE'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO MAKE A MOTION.
UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION BASED ON THE PRESENTATION BY RICHARD SUTTLE OF ARM, BREWTON BROWN, UM, AND JEAN MONTESINOS PF OF P F B S ARCHITECTS AND INTERIORS ON JUNE 26TH, 2023 TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
THE PROJECT, THE PROPOSED PROJECT FIFTH AND TRINITY HOTEL, LOCATED AT 3 0 7 AND THREE 11 EAST FIFTH STREET, UM, DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, THE PROPOSED PROJECT COULD BETTER ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
PC ONE, TREAT THE FOUR SQUARES WITH SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.
D TWO PROVIDE MULTI-TENANT, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AT THE STREET LEVEL.
UM, COULD POTENTIALLY EMPLOY HIGHER OCCUPANCY USES FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR, BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR.
PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM CARS, PROMOTE CURBSIDE DROP OFF V4, ENCOURAGE THE INCLUSION OF LOCAL CHARACTER, CONSIDER INCLUDING CIVIC ART TO SUPPORT THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE CORRIDOR ON FIFTH STREET, UM, WHICH WOULD ALSO SUPPORT AREA WIDE GUIDELINE FIVE, CIVIC ART IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES AND AREA WIDE.
GUIDELINE SEVEN, AVOID HERE HISTORICAL MISREPRESENTATION.
CONSIDER PARTIAL REUSE OF EXISTING FACADE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS? COMMISSIONER CARROLL? SORRY, DID YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT, UM, ENHANCING THE STREETSCAPE, UH, ENHANCING THE STREETSCAPE? WHICH, WHICH GUIDELINE IS THAT? UM, WE CAN ADD IT.
UM, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE GUIDELINE NUMBER IS? PS.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS WITH THAT OR JUST A GENERAL NOTE? WELL, AS I SAID IN MY COMMENTS, I THINK, I THINK THE, THE, I THINK THE F AND B SPACE IS IN A GOOD LOCATION.
IT'S JUST, I THINK IT COULD BETTER, UH, ACHIEVE PS SIX AND PSS FOUR PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, AS WELL AS ADDRESS THE BRUSH SQUARE
[01:25:01]
BY, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING MAYBE SOME OUTDOOR SPACE OR SOME OTHER CONNECTION, UM, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BRING PEOPLE TO THAT CORNER VERSUS JUST INSIDE THE BUILDING WITH NO CONNECTION TO THE OUTDOORS.ESPECIALLY AS THAT THE GRADE ON TRINITY DROPS, YOU BECOME MORE AND MORE, UH, REMOVED FROM THE PEOPLE INSIDE THAT BUILDING WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE JUST INSIDE LOOKING OUT WHEN.
SO YOUR NOTE IS, UM, TO ADD PS SIX, ENHANCE THE STREET SCAPE TENANT SPACE, COULD CONNECT OUTDOOR SPACE AND COULD CONNECT THE SQUARE AND THE BUILDING INTERIOR COULD CONNECT THE OUTDOOR SPACE, THE SQUARE, AND BUILDING INTERIOR.
UH, CHAIRMAN, MAY I ADD TO THAT AS A FRIENDLY, UH, ARE YOU ADDING TO PS SIX? YES.
LET'S, UH, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AROUND AND APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS, SO, SURE.
THIS IS, UH, IN ADDITION TO ON PS SIX OKAY.
TO CONSIDER THE, UM, ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY, UM, OF THE DROP OFF LANE ON FIFTH STREET.
SO READING THAT FULL AMENDMENT BACK, PS SIX, UM, ENHANCED THE STREET SCAPE TENANT SPACE, COULD CONNECT OUTDOOR SPACE TO THE SQUARE AND BUILDING INTERIOR, CONSIDER THE ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY OF THE DROPOFF LANE ON FIFTH STREET.
I, UH, WHAT DO I HAVE TO SAY?
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
[5. Discussion and possible action to recommend to City Council whether the project 708 E. 12th Street, located at 708 East 12th Street, complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the City of Austin in accordance with Land Development Code § 25-2-586 (C)(1)(a)(ii). Presented by Leah Bojo, Drenner Group, PC, Justin Short, STG Design, and Matt Drager, Collaborative V Design Studio.]
ITEM FIVE.UM, WE HAVE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL, WHETHER THE PROJECT 7 0 8 EAST 12TH STREET, LOCATED AT 7 0 8 EAST 12TH, COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE PRESENTED BY AMANDA SWORE OF JENNER GROUP, AND, UM, JUSTIN SHORT OF S T G AND MATT D DRAGER OF COLLABORATIVE FIVE DESIGN STUDIO.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY, AWESOME.
MY NAME'S AMANDA SWORE HERE TONIGHT.
I, I THINK YOU SAW LEAH BOJO AT THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO I'M GONNA DO MY VERY BEST TO FILL HER VERY BIG SHOES.
UM, WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, UH, JUSTIN SHORT WITH S TG, WHO IS THE ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT, AS WELL AS MATT D DRAGER WITH COLLABORATIVE V WHO IS THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
UH, I ALSO HAVE DREW RAFAEL AND WITHER GROUP WHO IS, UM, WORKING WITH LEON THIS PROJECT TO CORRECT ME ON ANYTHING THAT I SAY IS NOT ACCURATE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
I'M GONNA, UM, KIND OF DO A QUICK PREVIEW CAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME COMMISSIONERS WERE IN AND OUT OF WORKING GROUP, AND THERE'S SEVERAL THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT THAT WEREN'T AS WORKING GROUP.
SO I WANNA HIT KIND OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF IT AND THEN KIND OF TALK THROUGH.
I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO MATT AND JUSTIN TO TALK THROUGH GREAT STREETS AS WELL AS THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT.
AND THEN I'M GONNA WRAP UP, UH, KIND OF WALKING THROUGH THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE GOT FROM WORKING GROUP AND HOW WE INCORPORATED THOSE INTO OUR PROJECT.
SO, THE PROPERTY, UH, THAT WE HAVE IS, IS 7 0 8, UH, EAST 12TH STREET.
IT IS LOCATED, UM, WITH I 35 ON THE EASTERN BOUNDARY.
WE HAVE 12TH STREET ON THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY, SABINE ON THE WESTERN BOUNDARY.
AND THEN THERE'S AN ALLEY THAT RUNS EAST WEST.
THAT'S THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE PROJECT.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED CBD OR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND IS LOCATED, IT'S THE FORMER OF TEXAS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEMS BUILDING.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CAPITAL UPTOWN SUBDISTRICT, WHICH HAS A MAXIMUM F A R FLORIDA AREA RATIO UNDER THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS OF 15 TO ONE.
OUR PROJECT IS PROPOSING A 12 TO ONE FLORIDA AREA RATIO, UH, WITH THIS DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED CBD TODAY, SO IT DOES NOT HAVE A MAXIMUM HEIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT, UM, NOR ARE WE SEEKING A HEIGHT INCREASE WITH THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
[01:30:01]
ALL THIS AND IN EVERYTHING THAT I MENTIONED.SO THE SITE IS, UM, 1.13 ACRES, AGAIN, UNLIMITED HEIGHT TODAY.
UM, WE ARE PROPOSING 404 FEET, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 39 FLOORS, AND THAT 12 TO ONE FLORIDA AREA RATIO THAT WE ARE SEEKING.
UH, THIS IS WHAT I MENTIONED, THE ORDER THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK THROUGH.
SO I'M GONNA HIT, UH, PRETTY QUICKLY ON THE DENSITY BONUS CALCULATION, JUST SO IT'S, UH, PART OF THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO THE DESIGN TEAM TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT STREET STANDARDS AS WELL AS THE OVERALL PROJECT DESIGN.
AND THEN, UM, WALK BACK THROUGH THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, THE PROPERTY IS ALLOWED BY RIGHT UP TO AN EIGHT TO ONE FLORIDA AREA RATIO UNDER THE EXISTING ZONING TO ACHIEVE THE ADDITIONAL, UH, THE ADDITIONAL DENSITY WE ARE PROPOSING TO COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE AS IT IS WRITTEN TODAY.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO ACHIEVE A THREE STAR A EEG B UH, COMPLIANCE, AS WELL AS PAY INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND FOR AT THE COMMERCIAL LEVEL, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $832,000.
THIS PROJECT DID GO TO WORKING GROUP AND DID RECEIVE A WORKING GROUP MEMO THAT THE PROJECT DID SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AGAIN THAT I WANT TO WALK THROUGH.
BUT FOR NOW, I'M GOING TO PAUSE AND HAND IT OVER TO JUSTIN TO TALK THROUGH THE, THE PROJECT.
SO THE STACKING IS A HOTEL TOWER FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, OUR GOAL HAS BEEN A CONTEMPORARY DESIGN AESTHETIC WITH DURABLE LOW MAINTENANCE MATERIALS OF ENDURING AESTHETIC VALUE THAT ARE APPROPRIATE IN OUR CENTRAL TEXAS CLIMATE.
SO INSULATED STUCCO CLADDING AT THE TOWER, AND BOTH SOLID AND PERFORATED BRICK AT THE PODIUM.
UH, WE'VE USED A VARIATION IN TOWER CLADDING TO ACTIVATE THE FACADE AND CREATE A RICHER, MORE INTERESTING PRESENCE THAT IN ITS, UH, SWEEP ALLUDES TO THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF DOWNTOWN IN THE CAPITOL, AS WELL AS THE DRAMATIC GRADE CHANGE TOPOGRAPHY AT THE STREET LEVEL.
WE'RE EMBRACING THE LOCATION, UM, BY CHAMPIONING VIEWS OF DOWNTOWN TO THE SOUTHWEST AND THE CAPITAL TO THE NORTHWEST.
THERE ARE NO CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR CONFLICTS.
WE'VE CONFIGURED THE AMENITIZED TERRA SPACES AT LEVEL 9 38 AND 39 TO CAPITALIZE ON THESE VIEWS AND INCLUDED, UH, A LOT OF GREEN SPACE.
LEVEL NINE TERRACE FEATURES ROUGHLY 2,900 SQUARE FEET OF PLANTED AREA.
WE'VE ADJUSTED THE PARA PITS AND TOP OF HOUSE STRUCTURE TO SCREEN THE ROOFTOP BULKHEADS AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, BETTER DEFINE THE VOLUME OF THE TOWER AND PROVIDE A MORE UNIQUE ROOF LINE.
UM, SO DESPITE THE BUSTLE OF I 35 AND EAST 12TH, WHICH IS A COMMUTER BOULEVARD, WE'RE HOPING TO FOSTER A COMFORTABLE, ATTRACTIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE PLACE TO STAY.
IT SHOULD BE THE GROUND FLOOR.
SO, UM, THE GRADE CHANGE IS THE FIRST THING I'LL TOUCH ON.
IT'S REALLY DRAMATIC HERE, UM, VARYING BY OVER 20 FEET FROM THE, UH, NORTHWEST TO NORTHEAST CORNERS.
SO LOOKING LEFT TO RIGHT ON THE PAGE IS GOING UPHILL.
UH, SO THE LEVELS ONE AND TWO DOVETAIL RATHER THAN STACK, UH, THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF LEVEL ONE AND THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF LEVEL TWO ARE AT SIDEWALK LEVEL.
UM, WE'RE REMOVING THE EXISTING CURB CUTS ON THREE FRONTAGES AND, AND MOVING THE VEHICULAR ACCESS AND UTILITIES TO THE ALLEY ON THE NORTH SIDE, ALLOWING US TO CONCENTRATE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED AND MULTI-TENANT COMMERCIAL USES AT THE HIGHER TRAFFIC CORNER ON, UM, THE SOUTHWEST EAST 12TH AND SABINE STREET.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE, WHICH IT'S HARDER TO SEE ON THIS IMAGE, BUT TWO DROP OFF ZONES, ONE ON EAST 12TH AND ONE ON THE SABINE STREET SIDE.
UM, WE HAVE BIKE STORAGE AND ONSITE SHOWER AND CHANGING FACILITIES FOR EMPLOYEES, UM, LARGE CLEAR STOREFRONTS ALONG THE PERIMETER OF FOSTER VISUAL CONNECTIVITY WITH THE INTERIOR, AND ARE PULLED BACK FROM THE PROPERTY LINE, UH, TO CREATE A GENEROUS SHADED ARCADE SPACE OF MORE INTIMATE SCALE WITH COMFORTABLE SEATING.
AND AS YOU'LL SEE IN SUBSEQUENT SLIDES, WE'VE UTILIZED QUALITY, DURABLE, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY MATERIALS SUCH AS GLAZED PORCELAIN TILE AND WOOD IN ADDITION TO GLAZING IN THESE AREAS.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK I'M HANDING IT OFF TO MATT DRAGER, WHO WILL WALK THROUGH THE PLAN WITH RESPECT TO GREAT STREETS.
UH, MATT D DRAGER, COLLABORATIVE E DESIGN STUDIO.
UH, WE WANNA HONOR THE, UH, AUSTIN GREAT STREETS MASTER PLAN AND REALLY EMBRACE THE LANGUAGE ABOUT CREATING THE STREETS FOR PEOPLE, UH, EMPHASIZING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, COMFORT, AND REALLY REINFORCING THAT PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, UH, THAT WE KNOW WE'LL SEE IN
[01:35:01]
THE AREA.WE'RE PROVIDING A WIDER THAN REQUIRED PEDESTRIAN ZONE, UM, BEHIND THE AMENITIES.
AND WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT'S GONNA REALLY COME INTO PLAY WITH OUR RECESSED FIRST FLOOR, AS JUSTIN MENTIONED.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THAT IN THE, UH, BEIGE OUTLINE INTO THE BUILDING THERE.
SO ALL THAT AREA IS OUTDOOR SPACE THAT OPENS OUT INTO THE STREETSCAPE AND REALLY INTERACTS WITH THE STREETSCAPE, PLAYS OFF OF IT.
COOL LITTLE AREAS PEOPLE CAN HANG OUT AND REALLY INTERPLAY WITH THE STREETSCAPE THERE.
UH, WE ARE DOING A STREET TREES AT 20 FOOT TWO FOOT ON THE CENTER.
UH, WE ARE DOING A REMOVAL OF A CURB CUT ON EAST 12TH, AND BY DOING THAT, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR TREE PLANTINGS, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF 13.
UH, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE BIKE RACKS, TRASH RECEPTACLES, UH, AS SHOWN ON THE EXHIBIT THERE.
AND STREET LIGHTS AT THE LESS THAN 88 FOOT ON THE CENTER.
UH, WE DID ORIENT THE BENCHES TO FACE EACH OTHER.
WE FEEL THAT THAT'S GOING TO ENCOURAGE A LOT MORE ACTIVITY.
PEOPLE HANGING OUT ON THE STREET, HEY, LET'S STOP, HAVE A COFFEE, WHATEVER.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, CARRYING ON CONVERSATION RATHER THAN JUST PEOPLE WAITING FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, TO BE PICKED UP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT REALLY KIND OF ENHANCES THAT ACTIVITY OUT THERE ON THE STREETSCAPE.
SO THIS IS A QUICK LITTLE, LIKE, IMAGE OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THERE.
YOU CAN REALLY KIND OF TELL HOW THAT FIRST FLOOR BEING KIND OF RECESSED IN THERE KIND OF REALLY CREATES A COOL AREA FOR, NOT ONLY FOR OUTDOOR DINING, BUT JUST SOME GENERAL SEATING AREA.
UH, SO WE GET A LOT OF STREET ACTIVITY OUT THERE AND REALLY ENGAGE THAT STREET WITH THAT AREA.
THAT ALSO PROTECTS, UH, PEOPLE HANGING OUT IN THAT AREA FROM THE SUN AND THE RAIN, UH, THE COMMERCIAL SPACE REINFORCES THAT PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY BY MAKING SURE THAT THERE'LL BE PEOPLE OUT THERE IN ACTIVITY.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALSO INCREASED OUR LIGHTING BY ONE MORE THAN REQUIRED.
AND ALSO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF NATURAL LIGHT COMING INTO THE BUILDING FROM THAT KIND OF RECESS.
I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO AMANDA NOW.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA COVER THIS ONE REAL QUICK.
SO, UM, IT IS A MINIMUM AEG B RATING TWO STAR, BUT WE'RE TARGETING AND TRACKING TOWARDS THREE STAR, UM, AS WELL AS A LEAD SILVER RATING, UH, THROUGH A COMBINATION OF WATER USE REDUCTION, INCREASED ENERGY EFFICIENCY, MATERIAL SOURCING, AND AN EMPHASIS ON INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
NEXT, AMANDA, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, SO I JUST WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE WORKING GROUP AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO OUR PROJECT.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, WE DID RECEIVE, UH, IN THE WORKING GROUP MEMO THAT THE PROJECT DOES SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY, BUT WE RECEIVED SOME, UM, REALLY THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO THE PROJECT.
UH, SO TWO OF THE AREAS THAT WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK ON WERE AREA WHITE GUIDELINES, FIVE AND, AND B FOUR, WHICH REALLY TALKED ABOUT LOCAL CHARACTER AND THEN THE, UM, PUBLIC SPACE IN PUBLIC ART.
SO THIS PROJECT ORIGINALLY WAS PROPOSING TO PUT ARTWORK IN THE LOBBY OF THE HOTEL.
AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE GOT WAS MAYBE WE CAN DO A COUPLE THINGS WITH ONE, RIGHT? MAYBE WE CAN BOTH ACTIVATE THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE PROJECT AND INCORPORATE SOME LOCAL CHARACTER.
SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO IS CREATE A MURAL ALONG THE EASTERN OR I 35 SIDE OF THIS PROJECT.
AND WITH THAT, UM, THAT WOULD BOTH BRING THE ARTWORK OUTSIDE FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW ON A DAILY BASIS, AND IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW US TO UTILIZE A LOCAL ARTIST TO LOOK AT WHAT THIS CHARACTER HAS IN THE AREA.
WE DID NOT TAKE ARTISTIC, UM, GUESSES ON WHAT THIS MURAL COULD LOOK LIKE.
WE FULLY INTEND TO HAVE SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, COME IN, STUDY THE PROJECT, STUDY THE AREA, LOOK AT WHAT MAKES, UM, WOULD MAKE FOR A GREAT MURAL IN THIS AREA.
THIS IS GENERALLY WHERE, UH, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THE, THE MURAL BEING KIND OF MID BUILDING ON THIS EASTERN FACADE.
WHAT YOU'LL, UH, I THINK THIS PICTURE DOES IT, ONE OF THE REALLY GOOD JOBS OF, OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT JUSTIN MENTIONED, WHICH IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TOPOGRAPHY HERE.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF TAKE WHERE A PEDESTRIAN, UM, COULD BE WALKING AND REALLY ACTIVATE THAT GROUND FLOOR AREA WHERE OTHERWISE WOULD BE THE, THE ACCESS ROAD OF I 35.
THE, I'M GONNA CALL IT THE SECOND COMMENT SINCE I, UH, COMBINED THE OTHER TWO TALKED ABOUT PEDESTRIAN PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIAN WHERE THE BUILDING MEETS THE STREET.
SO OUR BIGGEST FEEDBACK ON THIS ONE WAS TO PROVIDE A CIRCULATION PLAN.
SO IF I CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WANNA TALK THROUGH THAT, BUT ALSO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT OUR PROJECT TEAM MENTIONED.
SO WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE ON THIS, UH, SITE IS THAT THIS SITE REALLY HAS VEHICULAR ACCESS ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
IT HAS A SOUTHBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD ON THE EAST, UH, 12TH STREET ON THE SOUTH HAS BOTH EAST AND WEST TRAFFIC.
[01:40:01]
I WAS SAYING EASTLY, THAT'S THE WEST THANK YOU, ON THE WEST.UM, ALSO HAS NORTH-SOUTH VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
ALL THREE OF THOSE SIDES TODAY HAVE A DRIVEWAY CUT.
WE HAVE ELIMINATED ALL THREE OF THOSE DRIVEWAY CUTS, AND ALL VEHICLES WILL ENTER THE PROJECT FROM THE NORTH, WHICH IS THE ALLEY SIDE.
UM, THAT IS A TWO-WAY ALLEY TODAY.
SO ALL VEHICULAR ACCESS WILL GO ON THAT SIDE.
UM, EVERYONE'S BEEN IN A UBER TRYING TO GET TO A HOTEL, AND THE UBER PULLS UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OH, WELL, THE ENTRANCE IS HERE.
THIS PROJECT REALLY TOOK INTO ACCOUNT AND HAS DROP OFFS ON BOTH SABINE AND 12TH STREET.
UM, THE PROJECT ALSO, UH, IS ANTICIPATING THAT, OH, THAT'S NOT WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THAT.
UM, AND SO WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE RED IS THE, IS REALLY WHERE THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS GOES.
SO THERE ARE GREAT STREETS, FULL GREAT STREETS TREATMENT, AND REALLY ENHANCED GREAT STREETS TREATMENTS.
AND THEN THAT IS BOTH ON 12TH STREET AND ON SABINE STREET TO ALLOW FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR DROP OFF TO COME IN.
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING LINE.
SO THAT AREA IS INCREASED EVEN MORE AS YOU GO IN THE, IN THE, WHAT'S KIND OF SHADED AND GRAY ON MY PICTURE, IT SHOWS A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WHERE THAT SPACE UNDER THE, UNDER HANG OF THE BUILDING REALLY CONTINUES TO ACTIVATE.
I REALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE OTHER ONE.
UM, SO IN INSTALLATION OF PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY MATERIALS, WE WERE SPECIFICALLY ASKED THAT WORKING GROUP TO PROVIDE A, A MORE DETAILED PLAN OF GREAT STREETS, WHICH IS INCORPORATED ON THE NEXT SLIDE THAT HAS ALL OF THE MEASUREMENTS.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT.
AND THE, IF I COULD GO ONE MORE SLIDE PLEASE.
THIS SHOWS THE UNDER HANG AREA THAT BOTH MATT AND I HAVE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY, WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING, THE SEATING, ALL OF THOSE AMENITIES THAT ARE TUCKED UNDER THE PI UNDER THE BUILDING TO BOTH ENCOURAGE PEDESTRIANS TO GO IN THAT AREA AND PROTECT PEDESTRIANS IN THAT AREA.
AND THE LAST, UH, COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE WORKING GROUP WAS TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL DETAIL AND REALLY KIND OF A SQUARE FOOTAGE ON WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GREEN ROOF COULD BE.
SO, AS, UM, WAS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE DO HAVE AN AM AMENITIZED AREA ON THE NINTH FLOOR, AND NEXT SLIDE SHOWS WHAT THAT AREA LOOKS LIKE.
SO AS MENTIONED, THERE'S ABOUT 2,900 SQUARE FEET OF GREEN AREA THAT HAS BEEN INCORPORATED AS FRANKLY AMENITY SPACE ON THIS LEVEL TO ACTIVATE THAT, UH, AS WELL AS THE POOL FOR, UH, THE HOTEL.
AND SO WITH THAT, THOSE ARE THE, THAT'S THE DIRECT FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE WORKING GROUP AND WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO THE PROJECT.
UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE ALL THAT WITHOUT CHANGING ANY OF THE OTHER ASPECTS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY PRESENTED TO THE WORKING GROUP.
AND SO, UM, WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS PROJECT TO YOU ALL THIS EVENING.
OPENING UP THE FLOOR TO COMMISSIONERS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THE DESIGN TEAM COULD WALK US THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF THAT BIKE COMMUTER THAT YOU KIND OF WERE PROVIDING AMENITIES FOR.
YOU HAVE THE, THE BIKE STORAGE KIND OF A LONG 12TH AND THE FRONTAGE ROAD, AND THEN YOU HAD SHOWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE SAW THE PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE IS LIKE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE THAT SLIDE AGAIN OF, UM, THE GROUND FLOOR PLAN, BUT THE BIKE STORAGE AREA IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER, UM, AND IT'S UPHILL FROM THE REST OF THE USES.
UM, SO IT'S ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SIDEWALK IN EITHER THE, THE ACCESS ROAD OR EAST 12TH STREET.
UM, AND THE ENTRANCE TO THAT SPACE IN ORANGE ON THE PLAN IS AT GRADE.
UM, BUT IT IS STILL UPHILL ABOUT 11 FEET HIGHER IN ELEVATION THAN THAT SOUTHWEST CORNER, UM, WHERE YOU WOULD ACCESS THE RESTAURANT.
UM, SO THAT'S FOR THE BIKE STORAGE SPECIFICALLY, THE CHANGING FACILITIES AND SHOWERS ARE LOCATED AT THE NINTH FLOOR IN THE AMENITIES SPACES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TERRACE.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
I, I, UM, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THIS, I WAS JUST NOTICING A COUPLE DETAILS.
I MEAN, IN GENERAL, I WOULD SAY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF, OF ACTIVATING THE STREET, PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, REALLY GREAT CLEAR SPACE ALONG THESE LOADING ZONES AND, AND A REALLY NICE AMOUNT OF, UH, TREE CANOPY ON THE SIDEWALKS.
UM, AND I'M JUST, MAYBE I'M JUST CUT OFF ON SOME OF THE DETAILS, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CURB RAMP REACTS WITH SOME OF THE CROSSWALK COMING OFF OF, YOU KNOW, COMING, UH, WESTBOUND ACROSS I 35 ACCESS ROAD NORTHBOUND COMING, UH, CROSSING, CROSSING EAST 12TH STREET,
[01:45:01]
ALONG THAT CORNER.UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF TOPOGRAPHY.
THERE'S A BIT OF AN INDIRECT ROUTE TO GET TO THE ELEVATOR IN, IN THE, UH, IN THE LOBBY ON NINTH STREET.
UM, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT KIND OF THESE, THESE MORE FINE GRAIN DETAILS.
LIKE IS THERE CONSIDERATION OF THE, THE CROSSWALK ALIGNMENT AND THINGS LIKE THIS? OR IS, IS THIS BEING KIND OF DRIVEN BY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT? YOU WANNA TAKE A STAB AT THAT
SO THE, THERE IS A LARGE CHANGE IN GRADE, BUT BOTH OF THE EAST AND THE WEST CORNERS ON THE SOUTH IS WHERE YOU'LL REALLY SEE THE PEDESTRIANS.
BOTH OF THOSE MATCH WITH THE STREETS THAT ARE THERE.
SO THE MAIN ADA ENTRANCE TO THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER.
AND SO FROM THERE, UH, A, A PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO ENTER THE PROJECT AND DISTRIBUTE THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, UM, COMPLETELY ADA ACCESSIBLE, UM, FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT, THERE IS A GRADE THAT GOES UP, UM, SUBSTANTIALLY AS YOU GO TO THE EAST TO WHERE THE INTERSECTION OF 12TH AND I 35 IS.
BUT THAT ACTUAL INTERSECTION IS STILL FULLY, UM, AT GRADE TO CONTINUE TO GO ACROSS I 35.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.
I, I GUESS I'M, LOOK, I'M LOOKING AT THE DETAILS OF THE, THE ACCESSIBLE RAMP AT THE CORNER OF 35 AND 12TH AS IT RELATES TO THE CROSSWALK.
UM, AND THEN ALSO KIND OF, AND ALSO KIND OF THAT DISCONNECTION BETWEEN THE, THE BICYCLE PARKING AND THE, THE LOBBY.
UH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ONCE SOMEBODY'S LEFT THEIR BICYCLE, PERHAPS THERE COULD BE STAIRS KIND OF CONNECTING MORE DIRECTLY TO THE SIDEWALK.
BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH THIS.
UM, IT'S JUST THE BICYCLE PARKING IS LEFT A LITTLE BIT ALONE, KIND OF SET OFF TO THE SIDE WHERE, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO MAKE BIKING AND WALKING THE MOST CONVENIENT, ACCESSIBLE AND, UM, UH, MODES IF WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE ANY SORT OF MODE SHIFTS.
AND SO JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW TO ELEVATE THAT EXPERIENCE AND, UM, IS, IS PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR THE, YOU KNOW, ENHANCING THE STREETSCAPE AND, AND THE PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIAN COMING FROM DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT MODES.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO AS WE CONTINUE WITH OUR SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER WHIR.
UH, FOLLOWING THAT LINE OF, OF, OF COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I GET, I ALSO APPLAUD THE DESIGN TEAM.
I THINK A LOT HAS GONE INTO THIS WORK ON A CHALLENGING SITE AND TOPOGRAPHY.
UM, I 35 CONTINUES TO, UH, I CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH THIS AND I'M, I'M WELL AWARE OFT DOS REQUIREMENTS THAT LIMIT WHAT WE CAN DO ON THE STREETSCAPE THERE.
UM, WOULD LOVE TO SEE ANY EFFORT TO, TO SOFTEN THAT, TO REDUCE HARDSCAPE THERE WITH PLANTING THAT DOESN'T VIOLATE THEIR CLEAR ZONE STANDARDS.
UM, AND JUST GENERALLY SOFTEN THAT AREA.
UH, AND JUST TO, TO THE TEAM IN, IN THINKING ABOUT THE LONG TERM FUTURE PROOFING OF THIS SITE, UM, YOU KNOW, SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT, UM, THE FUTURE OF I 35 LOOKS LIKE.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS AT LEAST CURRENTLY STUDYING THE POSSIBILITY OF REMOTE, OF PUTTING A, A CAP OVER I 35 CAT CORNER FROM THIS SITE.
SO, THINKING ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST LOOKED AT THE PLAN, I THOUGHT, OH, THIS IS A, UH, THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME RETAIL OR SOME COMMUNITY COMMUNITY USE THERE.
UH, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SPEAK BADLY ABOUT THE BIKE PARKING.
I APPLAUD THE AMOUNT OF BIKE PARKING HERE, BUT THINKING FOR THE TEAM ABOUT FUTURE PROOFING THE BUILDING, THAT CORNER MIGHT RIGHT NOW BE SORT OF BACK OF HOUSE TODAY.
UM, BUT THAT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE THE CASE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HOW YOU COULD MAKE THAT RETROFITTABLE IN THE LONG TERM.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I I ECHO THE COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, HOW YOU'VE, HAVE YOU USED THAT GRANT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE? UM, I MADE THIS COMMENT EARLIER WITH THE, JUST LOOKING, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE EARLY IN DESIGN, BUT LOOKING AT THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE DROP-OFF LOOPS AND MAKING SURE THAT SOMEONE IN WHEELCHAIR, SOMEONE WITH A STROLLER ISN'T HAVING TO NAVIGATE A CURB IN THOSE AREAS, UM, SURMOUNTABLE CHANGES.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE RETAIL SPACE ON, UM, ON THE SABINE SIDE.
UM, THE, THE PLANS SAY THAT THAT'S A RESTAURANT.
IS THAT INTENT INTENDED TO BE A SINGLE, UM, A SINGLE TENANT WITH A KITCHEN THERE IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER? SURE.
I THINK CURRENTLY WE'RE ANTICIPATING A SINGLE TENANT WITH A KITCHEN, BUT IT COULD VARY, UM, EASILY BE DEMISED INTO MULTIPLE SPACES IF NEED BE.
I THINK THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TO THE ACTIVATING THE STREET LIFE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SUBDIVISION CERTAINLY DOES, OR THE, THE ABILITY AT LEAST TO SUBDIVIDE, UM, PROVIDES A LOT OF VALUE.
I THINK YOU ALSO HAVE POTENTIALLY A SECOND STORY MEZZANINE THAT YOU'RE MAYBE NOT MAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF.
[01:50:01]
FIRE CODE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT, UM, GETTING LAB.WE PROBABLY ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT
AND RIGHT NOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE TAKEN THE EFFORT TO PULL BACK THE SECOND STORY PARKING GARAGE IN A WAY THAT OPENED YOU UP TO DO THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE'VE SORT OF HAVEN'T, HAVEN'T FULLY SO, UM, DONE ANYTHING WITH THAT.
SO IN, YOU KNOW, IN ANY, BOTH OF THESE COMMENTS ARE, ARE GEARED TOWARD PROVIDING, UH, MORE THINGS, UH, AS YOU WALK ALONG ALONG THAT SECTION OF THE STREET.
SO I WOULD, UH, APPLAUD THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR AND WOULD ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO LOOK AT, AT BOTH THAT CORNER AND THE I 35 SIDE IN THE FUTURE.
I, I WILL SAY, AND JUST ECHO, UH, THE COMMENTS THAT THE SPACE CAN ABSOLUTELY BE SUBDIVIDED.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE DESIGN THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THAT, BUT WE'RE CURRENTLY, IT'S ONE, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THE FUTURE THAT PROHIBITS THAT SAME, UM, THAT THERE IS GONNA BE GLAZING UP TO A SECOND STORY.
SO AS DESIGNS CONTINUE TO SHIFT, UM, YOUR COMMENTS WILL DEFINITELY BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CURRENT DESIGN THAT WOULD PROHIBIT CHANGES.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, COMMISSIONER WISR HIT ON, UH, WHAT I WAS GONNA BRING UP AS WELL AS I WAS LOOKING AT THIS, YOU KNOW, I WAS, I WAS CHECKING ALL THE BOXES AND THEN, AND THEN I SAW THE FRONTAGE ROAD AND, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST GOT DISAPPOINTED, UH, PROJECT AFTER PROJECT WE'RE SEEING, JUST ACCEPTING, UH, NOTHING ALONG THE TEXT OFF FRONTAGE MM-HMM.
UM, THERE, THERE'S GREAT POTENTIAL, UM, FOR THAT CAP AND STITCH AND, AND THINKING THAT WE'RE PUTTING UP ALL THESE NEW BUILDINGS, FRONTING THAT, THAT HAVE NO RELATIONSHIP TO IT.
UM, IT JUST, IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL LIKE WE'RE MISSING OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS PROJECT DOES A LOT OF THINGS REALLY WELL.
UH, BUT THAT ONE'S A, A, A BIG HOLE FOR ME.
I APPRECIATE THE PARKING ON THE ALLEY.
YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE, THE RESTAURANT SPACE, YOU KNOW, FACING THE PARK, FACING THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NEW TOWERS ACROSS SABINE.
I MEAN, I THINK ALL OF THAT'S GONNA WORK WELL, BUT, UM, YEAH, I JUST, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE ON THAT FRONTAGE SIDE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UM, BASED ON THE PRESENTATION BY AMANDA SWORE OF THE JOINER GROUP.
JUSTIN SHORT OF STG DESIGN AND MATCHER COLLABORATIVE V DESIGN STUDIO.
THE PROJECT 7 0 8 EAST 12TH STREET, LOCATED AT 7 0 8 EAST 12TH DOES COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THE PROJECT COULD ADDITIONALLY BENEFIT FROM FURTHER CONSIDERING PS FOUR REINFORCED PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY.
UM, MAYBE INCLUDE A SECOND STORY MEZZANINE THAT COULD HAVE ADDITIONAL HIGH OCCUPANCY RETAIL OR PUBLIC AMENITY.
UM, AND PS 11 SCREENING THE MECHANICAL, UH, FROM I 35.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER WOODRUFF? DO WE HAVE ANY FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS? COMMISSIONER CARROLL? DID THAT, DID THAT OR ADDRESS WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ARE FOR PS 11? NOT REALLY, NO.
I, I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD TAKE A, A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL REDESIGN TO INCORPORATE WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
CAN WE, CAN WE TIE IT TO AN URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE SO WE CAN ADD IT IN? WELL, ESSENTIALLY IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAVE GREAT STREETS ON, ON THAT SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
SO MAYBE BEYOND PS 11, SCREENING
[01:55:01]
THE MECHANICAL ON I 35, CONSIDER GREAT STREETS TREATMENT FOR PEDESTRIANS.UH, COMMISSIONER WITSTOCK, UH, DO WE APPROVE THE AMENDMENT FROM COMMISSIONER CARROLL? UH, YES.
UH, WITH THE NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, GREAT STREETS WILL BE UNATTAINABLE, UM, IN THE LETTER OF THE LAW DUE TO TEXTILE, BUT I THINK THE WORDING TO, TO SPEAK TO THE GREAT STREETS PRINCIPLES IS APPROPRIATE.
CONSIDER GREAT STREETS PRINCIPLES IN THE TREATMENT FOR PEDESTRIANS.
UM, ANY ADDITIONAL FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS? OKAY, LET'S MOVE THIS TO A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? PARDON ME? CHAIR WEAVER.
UM, DO YOU MIND READING THE WHOLE MOTION, PLEASE? YES.
UM, BASED ON THE PRESENTATION BY AMANDA SWAR OF JENNER GROUP, JUSTIN SHOR OF STG DESIGN AND MATCH COLLABORATIVE V DESIGN STUDIO, THE PROJECT 7 0 8 EAST 12TH STREET, LOCATED AT 7 0 8 EAST 12TH STREET, DOES COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, THE PROJECT COULD ADDITIONALLY BENEFIT FROM FURTHER CONSIDERING PS FOUR, REINFORCING THE CATASTROPHE ACTIVITY, UM, CONSIDER AND OKAY, REINFORCE PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY.
SECOND STORY, MEZZANINE COULD HAVE ADDITIONAL OCCUP, HIGH OCCUPANCY RETAIL OR PUBLIC AMENITY.
UM, SECOND BULLET POINT BEYOND PS 11, SCREENING MECHANICAL ON THE I 35 FRONTAGE ROAD, CONSIDER GREAT STREETS PRINCIPLES IN THE TREATMENT FOR PEDESTRIANS.
AND I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, THAT WAS TWO FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, ONE BY COMMISSIONER CARROLL, ONE BY COMMISSIONER WHIR.
UH, WELL, COMMISSIONER WHIR SECONDED THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WAS FROM COMMISSIONER CARROLL AND THEN COMMISSIONER WHIG SECONDED AND THEN APPROVED IT, I BELIEVE.
YEAH, I ACCEPT IT AS A FRIENDLY YES, AND AS THE AUTHOR OF THE MOTION, I ALSO ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
GOOD LUCK ON THE FURTHER PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
[6. Discussion and possible action on the membership of Working Groups.]
ITEM SIX, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF WORKING GROUPS.WE JUST HAD TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE, UM, WE LEARNED THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON ADDING NEW MEMBERS TO WORKING GROUPS.
AND SO IT WAS DISCUSSED AND OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING THAT I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER STED WHO VOLUNTEERED TO JOIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP.
SO THIS IS JUST, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS, AND, UM, BUT I, WE WANTED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA JUST IN CASE WE WANNA MAKE THAT OFFICIAL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? IT IS NOT EVEN HERE,
DO YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER CAROL? I FORGET, FOR SOME REASON IN MY MIND, I HAD THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED AND NOT ELECTED.
IS THAT NOT THE CASE? UM, YEAH, THANK YOU.
I, IT WAS ALSO NEWS TO ME, BUT, UH, NICOLE DID REACH OUT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION, AND I THINK SHE'S PULLING UP THIS EMAIL.
UM, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE JUST ADVISED US THAT, UM, CHANGING CHANGES TO WORKING GROUP MEMBERSHIP SHOULD BE AN AGENDA ITEM.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S LIKE AN APPOINTMENT LIKE THERE IS WITH THE, UM, WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE IT AS AN AGENDA ITEM SO WE COULD BETTER TRACK THE WORKING GROUPS.
SO DOES THAT MEAN WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON IT? WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION.
WE JUST SET IT AT A PUBLIC MEETING.
AND NOW COMMISSIONER ONSET CAN BE
[02:00:01]
ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP.UM, IF IT'S POSTED FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE A MOTION.
COMMISSIONER MCCARROLL, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, APPOINT COMMISSIONER STED TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP.
RIGHT? DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY VICE CHAIR MINE, OR IS ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
[7. Update from the Urban Design Guidelines Working Group regarding updates to the guidelines.]
ITEM SEVEN, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES MICROPHONE.UM, I GUESS THE BIGGEST UPDATE IS WE'RE WORKING TO NAIL DOWN A TIME AND LOCATION FOR THE COMMUNITY EVENT IN AUGUST, UH, WHILE THE GROUPS ARE FINISHING UP THEIR FIRST DRAFT.
AND, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA NEED, UH, STAFF'S HELP TO, UM, HELP PLAN THAT EVENT AND WHATEVER MATERIAL WE'RE GONNA PRODUCE FOR THAT EVENT.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S THE SHORT VERSION.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THANK YOU.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, PROCEDURAL QUESTION.
I HAVE BEEN SERVING ON, UH, COMMISSIONER MINOR'S, UH, SUBGROUP FOR THIS, UH, AS A CITIZEN, UH, PRIOR TO MY APPOINTMENT, UH, IT'S MY APPOINTMENT TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND QUESTION FOR STAFF IS MY APPOINTMENT TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION VIOLATE ANY, UM, QUORUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT WORKING GROUP? AND IF SO, IF SO I WOULD NEED TO STEP DOWN FROM, UH, THAT HOW MANY COMMISSIONERS ARE ON THAT GROUP? JUST TO JUST THE TWO? YEAH, SO YOU'RE GOOD.
I'M SORRY, FOR WHAT? WORKING GROUP? UH, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP.
AND I'M SORRY, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IS THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUPS? THEY WERE BROKEN DOWN RIGHT INTO SPECIFIC WORKING GROUPS, NOT JUST URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP, CORRECT.
YEAH, HE'S SERVING ON THE PUBLIC SPACES WORK SUBWORK GROUP, SO I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S MORE THAN TWO COMMISSIONERS ON ANY GROUP.
NO, HE'S, UH, YEAH, THERE NEVER WAS.
NOW THERE, THERE'S THREE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THEY'RE ALL GONE NOW.
SO INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE ONE THAT'S REALLY LAGGING BEHIND, UM, AS I SAID THAT MOST OF THE MEMBERS TERMED OUT.
UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY GONE NOWHERE.
UM, SO IF, IF PEOPLE, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE WITH COMMISSIONER ANSTED, WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS IN THAT GROUP.
SO IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT, UM, YOU THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THAT GROUP, YOU KNOW, WE REVIEW A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT DON'T REALLY FALL UNDER ANY OF THESE OTHER SECTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK OF LIKE SUBSTATIONS OR EVEN, UH, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE REALLY NEED SOME GUIDELINES TO, TO APPLY TO THOSE.
SO, AND COUNSEL ASKED US TO DO THIS, UH, BEFORE WE WERE ALL BORN.
SO, UM, SO IT IS SORT OF A PLEA CUZ WE DIDN'T GET MANY PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR THAT GROUP.
IF, IF WE WANT TO TRY TO INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
UH, JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY NAMES OF FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN HELPING.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE VERY QUICKLY GONNA BE FORCED TO UNFORTUNATELY JUST CUT IT OFF AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT IT.
SO WHEN, WHEN WERE WE LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVENT? WE WERE TALKING EARLY AUGUST THOUGH.
NOW I'M THINKING THAT MAY BE TOO SOON.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE TO PUT ALL THE MATERIALS TOGETHER AND ALL THE GROUPS AREN'T QUITE FINISHED YET EITHER.
I'M HOPING MOST THE OTHER ONES WILL WRAP UP BY THE END OF THE MONTH MAYBE.
UM, BUT I FIGURE WE'LL NEED AT LEAST SIX WEEKS OR SOMETHING TO PUT THE MATERIALS TOGETHER AND, AND ADVERTISE
[02:05:01]
IT AND ALL OF THAT.WE MAY WANT TO PUSH THAT FURTHER IN AUGUST.
UH, AND, AND MAYBE AFTER SUMMER BREAK WE MIGHT GET MORE ATTENDANCE WHEN PEOPLE ARE BACK FROM TRAVELING.
MAYBE END OF AUGUST OR SOMETHING AFTER SCHOOL STARTS.
VICE CHAIR MINORS, UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SWITCH TOPICS A LITTLE BIT, BUT STILL WITHIN, UH, THE ADVISORY GROUP, UM, FOR THE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, WE ACTUALLY, UH, ARE MOVING OUR MEETING, UH, JUST FOR ONE SESSION THAT OVERLAPS THE TIME THAT WE TYPICALLY MEET AS A, AS A GROUP.
UM, SO JUST FYI, I WON'T BE THERE.
UM, AND JUST TO NOTE TOO, THAT WE HAVE HAD A FEW DELAYS DUE TO SCHEDULING CONFLICTS WITH THE SUMMER.
I MEAN, I I THINK WE HAVE TWO MORE MEETINGS LEFT.
UM, ONE OF THEM BEING WEDNESDAY AND THEN MAYBE ONE ADDITIONAL ONE.
AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET IT DONE, UH, WITHIN THOSE TWO MEETINGS.
BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT, UH, HEADS UP THAT WE WON'T BE THERE.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT.
WE PROBABLY HAVE A COUPLE MEETINGS LEFT AND REDONE.
UM, IS ANYONE IN THE LANDSCAPE GROUP OR SORRY, OPEN SPACE STREETSCAPE? YES.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, ANNE COLEMAN, WHO OBVIOUSLY IS NO LONGER ON THE DICE, SHE, UM, IS WORKING ON THAT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR ALONG THEY ARE AND I, I THINK THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME SUPPORT FROM OUR GROUP.
UH, THEY'RE FOLLOWING A LOT OF OUR METHODOLOGY.
UM, WE'VE MET WITH THEM, WE'VE CHATTED WITH THEM.
I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A DESIRE FOR THEM TO PULL SOME OF OUR MEMBERS INTO THAT GROUP, BUT WE MIGHT BE AT, AT THE, UH, STAGE OF KIND OF BURNOUT WITH OUR, WITH OUR OWN WORK, UH, AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE ON OUR TEAM.
SO TO ASK SOMETHING MORE OF THEM MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT TRICKY.
AND ALL OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS ARE ASSIGNED TO WORKING GROUPS.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, COMMISSIONER LADNER.
SO SPEAKING OF BURNOUT, STREETSCAPE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT SOUNDS MOST APPEALING TO YOU? UH, STREETSCAPE.
UM, DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE HIM TO COMMISSIONER COLEMAN? SURE.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE NEW BLOOD WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING FOR THAT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER SR'S QUESTION ABOUT IF HE MAY S SERVE ON THE, JUST GOING THROUGH THAT TRANSITION RIGHT.
AS KIND OF CITIZEN TO COMMISSIONER AND THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.
I THINK AS WAS ALREADY MENTIONED, THERE'S NO QUORUM ISSUE, SO AS LONG AS THERE'S NO QUORUM ISSUE, UM, THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.
AND THEN I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE, UM, ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDER MEETING.
SO I DID SECURE A SPACE AT THE AUSTIN ENERGY MUELLER HEADQUARTERS IN, IN MUELLER.
UM, AND THAT IS FOR AUGUST 16TH.
UM, AND SO IN ORDER FOR STAFF TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT I LINE OUTLINED IN OUR GUIDING RESOLUTION, WE WOULD NEED TO SEE A DRAFT OF THE GUIDELINES BY JULY 7TH.
UM, AND SO I UNDERSTAND WITH THE DISCUSSION BEFORE THIS THAT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT PUSHING THAT BACK, BUT I JUST WANNA START GETTING DOWN SOME DATES FOR WHEN STAFF WOULD NEED TO SEE THE DRAFT OF THE GUIDELINES AND THEN I CAN START CIRCULATING THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS, SEVERAL COLLEAGUES OF COURSE, THAT WILL BE INVOLVED IN THAT REVIEW.
AND WE WILL NEED, UM, I MEAN, I'LL SAY WE'LL NEED AT LEAST SIX WEEKS FOR THAT KIND OF PROCESS.
AND IT WOULD BE, I THINK, BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A BIT OF AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, I THINK, BEFORE TAKING THIS TO A STAKEHOLDER YEAH.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BACK AND FORTH.
SO MORE THAN SIX WEEKS WOULD BE IDEAL.
SO WE CAN REALLY BE IN A GOOD PLACE, NOT ONLY BEFORE WE PRESENT THIS TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO SO THAT WE CAN START TO IDENTIFY WHO THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE AND FIGURE OUT AN ENGAGEMENT PLAN AND REALLY, UM, KIND OF EFFECTIVELY GET THE WORD OUT BEFORE THE MEETING HAPPENS.
UH, SORRY, I MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD.
DID YOU SAY THE 16TH, 10TH? I, I DID.
UM, HEADING, I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT DATE.
SO I'M ACTUALLY OUT OF THE COUNTRY THAT WEEK, AUGUST 16TH.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA WANT TO PUSH IT ANYWAY JUST BECAUSE JUST THE SIX WEEKS THAT
[02:10:01]
STAFF IS GONNA NEED MM-HMM.IT WAS THAT DAY GOT GOBBLED UP AND SO THE 16TH WAS THE NEXT AVAILABLE ONE AND I WENT AHEAD AND, AND BOOKED IT.
BUT YEAH, SO I, I THINK AS LONG AS WE CAN START GETTING DOWN SOME DATES OF WHEN THE DRAFT GUIDELINES COULD BE, UM, PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION, UM, I ALSO, JUST TO ECHO, I THINK WHAT CHAIR WEAVER WAS SAYING, WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONERS AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET EVERYONE UP TO SPEED AND, AND REALLY INVITE EVERYONE INTO THOSE SPACES AND HELP KIND OF CREATE THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND SO A PRESENTATION AT DESIGN COMMISSION COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
AND, AND JUST A NOTE, UM, WE WON'T BE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN MEETING BEFORE THAT AUGUST 16TH DATE, SINCE WE HAVE JULY OFF AS A COMMISSION.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY WE'RE, WE'RE NOT MEETING IN JULY, SO YEAH, SO FOR OUR NEXT MEETING AND THEN YOU CAN PRESENT THE PROGRESS WOULD BE AUGUST 28TH, THEN IT KIND OF SEEMS MAYBE LIKE THAT FIRST WEEK AFTER LABOR DAY, THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST OPTION.
UH, THAT WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR WHAT? FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENT PRESENTING.
SO, UM, I'M SORRY I MISSED THE DATE CUZ THE 28TH IS OUR NEXT DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING, DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN REVIEW IT AS A GROUP TOGETHER BEFORE WE GO TO OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENT, WHICH COULD BE THE AFTER SURE.
AS LONG AS WE CAN FIGURE OUT KIND OF THE, THE ORDER OF THINGS GETTING, GETTING THE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER'S PRESENTED AT COMMISSION I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL.
SO IT'S ON, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON THE RECORD AND EVERYONE CAN BE ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT THEN ALSO HAVING AT LEAST SIX WEEKS FOR STAFF REVIEW.
YEAH, NO, I THINK YOU GUYS CAN ALREADY BE REVIEWING IT.
I THINK THAT IN THAT SCENARIO IT WOULD BE HAVING IT TO STAFF, YOU KNOW, BY THE THIRD WEEK OF JULY OR SOMETHING.
AND THAT GIVES YOU SIX, SEVEN WEEKS BEFORE THE PUBLIC EVENT.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IF ANY OF THE WORKING GROUPS ARE HAVING QUESTIONS ON, ON TECHNICAL, ANYTHING TECHNICAL, ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD NEED, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ON THE CITY SIDE TO HELP ANSWER, JUST PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
AND JUST REITERATING COMMISSIONER CAROL'S POINT, INFRASTRUCTURE REALLY NEEDS HELP.
SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY EXTRA EFFORT TO PUT INTO THAT, UM, IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL? UM, PARDON ME.
UM, WAS COMMISSIONER HOWARD, IS HE JOINING A WORKING GROUP? IF SO, CAN WE TAKE ACTION ON THAT? YES.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? IT WASN'T POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
CAN WE TAKE ACTION? I THINK ITEM SIX IS INTENDED FOR THAT.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO POINT, UH, COMMISSIONER HOWARD TO THE STREETSCAPE GROUP.
I WILL ENTHUSIASTICALLY SECOND.
UM, COMMISSIONER HOWARD IS NOW PART OF THE STREETSCAPE GROUP.
ITEM EIGHT, UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
REGARDING THE LAST MEETING, COMMISSIONER ANSTED WROTE AN EMAIL SUMMARY, UM, SOPHIA.
NICOLE, DO YOU WANNA READ IT? I'VE TALKED ENOUGH THIS MEETING.
UM, ITEM, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND SKIP
[9. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding last meeting]
TO ITEM NINE AND WE'LL CIRCLE BACK.UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING THE LAST MEETING.
YEAH, SO, UH, THE LAST MEETING WAS MY FIRST MEETING TO ATTEND FOR THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UM, COMMISSION.
UM, THERE WERE TWO RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE PASSED.
[02:15:01]
THE CO COOPERATION TO CREATE OR TO PROMOTE THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR ANYTHING THAT FALLS OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY OF THE AIRPORT.UM, SO THAT ANY COMMUNITY, UH, MEMBERS THAT HAVE ISSUES CAN DISCUSS THAT WITH PEOPLE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEY COULD HAVE A, UH, A DIRECT LINE TO THE AIRPORT.
UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED, THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UM, THE OTHER RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED WAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUPPORT FOR ENERGY INNOVATION AND THE FOSSIL FUEL NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY.
UM, THAT WENT THROUGH DISCUSSION AND A LOT OF LANGUAGE WAS TAKEN OUT FOR STATE LEVEL, UH, ITEMS AND THEN NON AUSTIN RELATED ITEMS. UM, AND THEN THAT ALSO PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, AND THEN WE GOT A PRESENTATION ON, UH, THE CLIMATE AMBASSADORS OVERVIEW, UH, WHERE THEY, UH, SEVERAL, THERE WERE TEAMS THAT WERE CREATED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND CREATE PROJECTS AND THEN HAD A MEASURED OUTCOME, UH, THAT THEY, THAT THEY PRESENTED.
UM, COMMISSIONER WHO'S SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT? I AM.
[10. Update from representative on the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board regarding last meeting.]
UPDATE FOR REPRESENTATIVE OF SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.YEAH, WE DIDN'T HAVE A QUORUM THIS MONTH.
WE CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE FIVE MEMBERS AND ALL FIVE HAVE TO ATTEND, SO HOPING TO HAVE THE QUORUM IN JULY.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT BACK.
THEY ARE ASSIGNING THE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS BASED ON SOME VERY SPECIFIC CRITERIA, UM, OVER THE NEXT, I GUESS, MONTH OR TWO.
SO UNFORTUNATELY NOTHING TO REPORT BACK THIS ROUND.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ADD IN THIS AGENDA ITEM IN THE FUTURE.
UM, UPDATES ON THE PLANNING AND DESIGN WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO THAT'S THE GROUP THAT WRITES THE WORKING GROUP MEMOS.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE BENEFITED, UM, FROM DISCUSSING WHO'S GOING TO BE AT THE MEETING AND IT'S BEEN ABLE TO, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP HIGHER, UM, KIND OF OCCUPANCY RATES FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST TRACKING AND MAKING SURE THE MEMO, IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BUT THE MEMOS ARE REALLY HELPFUL.
SO JUST ADDING A CHECK-IN TO THAT.
DO WE NEED A MOTION TO ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA AS A REGULAR ITEM? OKAY.
UM, ALONG THOSE LINES, WE STILL NEED TO GET A WORKING GROUP MEMO OUT FOR BLOCK 32.
I'M SORRY, I DID SEND THAT OUT.
I DID NOT SEND IT TO EVERYBODY AND SO OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE SENDING IT TO THE GROUP FIRST.
NO, I HAD DECIDED BECAUSE I WAS BEHIND ON GETTING THAT OUT THAT I DID SEND IT BACK AND I GOT THE FEEDBACK FROM, UM, VICE CHAIR MINORS AND COMMISSIONER ROLISON AND THEN I JUST SUBMITTED IT TO THEM, BUT OH, I WAS WAITING FOR THAT CAUSE I HAD SOME COMMENTS.
BUT YEAH, CUZ I, I DIDN'T, I FINALLY GOT IT I THINK WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY OF LAST WEEK.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, I SENT THAT OUT, BUT I DIDN'T SEND IT OUT TO EVERYONE.
SO THAT, THAT BRINGS UP A GOOD QUESTION CUZ I THINK ON THE LAST DID YOU GET THE PLAZA COMMENTS? PLAZA COMMENTS? I DON'T KNOW.
I'D HAVE TO, I NEED TO LOOK AT IT.
SOPHIA SENT SOME COMMENTS ABOUT PLAZA.
OH, I, I DON'T RECALL AN EMAIL FROM YOU ON THE PLAZA.
I THINK WE WERE ALL ON THAT EMAIL.
EVERYONE THAT WAS IN THE WORKING GROUP.
I GOT HIS EMAIL AND, AND, AND I DID GET SOME EMAILS FROM YOU AND WE WERE JUST KIND OF GOING BACK AND FORTH ON SCHEDULE, BUT I, I JUST HAVE TO LOOK TO SEE IF I MISSED ONE.
WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, CAN I ASK A QUESTION CHAIR? SURE.
UM, DID IT CATCH ANYONE OFF GUARD THAT OUR APPLICANT TODAY REFERENCED THAT, UH, THE WORKING GROUP SAID THAT THEY SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIED OR NO? YEAH, WELL, SO THE AUTHOR OF THAT MEMO, UM, WAS A NEW AUTHOR AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
UM, BUT YEAH, I WAS DEFINITELY, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THEY HIGHLIGHTED IT SO BIG.
UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ABOUT KEEPING CONTROLS ON IT, SO, UM, YEAH.
[02:20:01]
OKAY.WELL THAT, THAT'S, IS IT, IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ADD TO AND SEND ALONG OR TO THE WORKING GROUP MEMO? WHAT, I DON'T KNOW IF I FIND YOUR, WHEN I FIND YOUR EMAIL AND WHATEVER COMMENTS YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL, OH, WELL I THOUGHT YOU WERE CIRCULATING A DRAFT TO EVERYONE ANYWAY.
IT'S JUST, I'M, I MISUNDERSTOOD THE ORDER.
OKAY, SO GOING BACK TO THAT, I THINK ON THE LAST TIME I SENT IT TO EVERYBODY YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT I GOTTA SEND IT TO SOPHIA TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE EVERYONE.
YEAH, WELL THAT'S ONLY IF YOU'RE SENDING IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION, LIKE YOU CAN SEND IT TO UP TO FIVE PEOPLE AND IT'S FINE.
BUT IF YOU'RE SENDING OUT AN EMAIL TO THE FULL COMMISSION, OKAY, THEN IT HAS TO GO THROUGH SOPHIA FOR TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT BECAUSE THEN IT'S A PUBLIC DOCUMENT AT THAT POINT.
BUT YOU CAN DO, YOU CAN DO THE WHOLE WORKING GROUP AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT A VIOLATION.
I CAN SEE HOW THAT WOULD BE CONFUSING.
UM, COMMISSIONER CAROL AND, AND ACTUALLY CHAIR WEAVER.
YEAH, Y'ALL CAN SEND EMAILS TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU BCC PEOPLE.
THERE JUST CAN'T BE, UM, SIX OR MORE COMMISSIONERS LIKE IT ADDRESSED IN THE EMAIL, BUT YOU CAN BCC YOUR COLLEAGUES AND THEN THAT WAY YOU AVOID THE WALKING QUORUM SITUATION.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, UH, AT THE RISK OF INSERTING MYSELF INTO THIS CONVERSATION THAT I WASN'T PART OF THIS GROUP, UH, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A COMMISSION MEETING IN JULY, IT'S TWO MONTHS TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO I WOULD THINK IF YOU SENT AN APPLICANT COMMENTS NOW THAT'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR THEM TO PICK THAT UP BEFORE WE WENT OUT, RIGHT? THE AUGUST MEETING.
SO, UM, BUT ISN'T IT WEIRD IF WE SEND TWO MEMOS? JUST SAY IT'S A ADDENDUM.
I MEAN, IF IT GIVES THEM A BETTER SHOT AT THE MEETING, I THINK THEY WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
DO YOU MIND SENDING IT TO ME? YEAH, THANK YOU.
AND I'LL, I'LL GET THAT IN THERE IF IT'S NOT ALREADY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER KIND OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT FOR OUR PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN WORKING GROUP? WE DON'T HAVE, WHEN'S THE NEXT, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MEETINGS IN JULY.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL JUST BE MEETING AGAIN IN AUGUST.
WE HAVE THE HOLDS BUT NO MEETINGS SCHEDULED.
SO WHENEVER IT'S TIME TO SCHEDULE THOSE, BE ON THE LOOKOUT AND WE'LL BE ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO RSVP.
WE'LL ASK THE REGULAR PEOPLE TO RSVP, BUT IT'S ALWAYS SO IMPORTANT IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT THE MEETING.
IT STINKS WHEN IT'S JUST ONE PERSON.
IT'S REALLY NOT GREAT FOR THE APPLICANT OR THAT ONE PERSON
ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS ANYONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT WHILE WE'RE HERE? CHAIR WEAVER? I DO HAVE COMMISSIONER TED'S EMAIL PULLED UP IF YOU WANT ME TO READ IT.
[8. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting]
ITEM EIGHT, UPDATE FROM THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.SO IN, UH, COMMISSIONER TED'S WORDS HERE IS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION UP UPDATE.
THERE ARE SIX BULLETED POINTS.
THE DOWNTOWN ONE, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM THE A P D ON THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE.
THE MAJORITY OF THE DISCUSSION REVOLVED AROUND THE APD CHOOSING A NEW SAFER BARRIER FOR CROWD CONTROL AS PART OF THE VEHICLE SAFETY MITIGATION PLAN AND FIELDED QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION ABOUT THE PROS VERSUS CONS OF THEIR CHOICE.
OTHER TOPICS INCLUDED WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO VOLUNTARILY INSTALL ADDITIONAL LIGHTING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY TO ILLUMINATE THE SURROUNDING ALLEYS.
AN UPDATE ON NIGHTLIFE ACCREDITATION PROGRAM, UH, W I P TO HELP TRAIN SIXTH STREET STAFF ON CROWD MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY.
ULTIMATELY THE COMMISSION DID TAKE ACTION ON THE AGENDA ITEM AND RECOMMENDED THE ADOPTION OF THE VEHICLE SAFETY MITIGATION PLAN AND APPROVED AN AMOUNT FOR APPROPRIATION NOT TO EXCEED $109,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW SAFER BARRIERS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT.
NUMBER TWO, THE COMMISSION RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM THE EAST SIXTH STREET PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND APPROVED A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE COUNCIL RENEW A SMALL PORTION OF MATCHING FUNDING TO THE SIXTH STREET P I D.
NUMBER THREE, THE COMMISSION HEARD AND APPROVED A RESOLUTION.
UM, THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT THAT PID, THE ANNUAL BUDGET WAS LIKE $87,000.
SO FOR THEM TO RECOMMEND A MATCHING DOUBLES THEIR REALLY TINY BUDGET.
AND THE REASON THE PID CAN'T BE HIGHER IS BECAUSE THEY ALREADY PAY.
IT'S AN ADDITIONAL TAX ON THE TAX THEY ALREADY PAY.
[02:25:01]
OKAY.NUMBER THREE, THE COMMISSION HEARD AND APPROVED OF RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE COMMISSION'S COMMITMENT TO LGBTQ PLUS PRIDE CELEBRATIONS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
NUMBER FOUR, THE COMMISSION HEARD AN UPDATE FROM THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE AND TOOK FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMISSION ABOUT THE DESIGN AND WORKING ANALYSIS ON TRAFFIC, UTILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROJECT.
NUMBER FIVE, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION GAVE A VERY BRIEF UPDATE ON THE HOT TOPICS BEFORE HIS BOARD, INCLUDING DPS AUGMENTATION NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTERS AND THE APD LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM.
HE COMMUNICATED THAT THEIR BROAD RECENTLY, THAT THEIR BOARD RECENTLY PASSED RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A SPECIFIC FUNDING REQUEST FROM VARIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS TO THE COUNCIL.
THERE WERE NO COMMENTS ON THE UPDATE FROM THE COMMISSION.
NUMBER SIX, THE MEETING ADJOURNED.
UM, SPEAKING OF ADJOURNING, THE TIME IS NOW 8 27.
THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION IS ADJOURNED.
I TRIED TO LOVE YOU WITH A BROKEN HEART.
I TRIED TO HOLD YOU WITH BROKEN.