Aug 21, 2024 Downtown Commission

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GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

IT IS 5:30 PM UH, CALLING THE, THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION TO ORDER.

IT IS AUGUST 21ST, 2024.

UM, CHRISTIE, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO CALL ROLL? YES, OF COURSE.

AUGUST TERRACE PRESENT, RALPH ISHMAEL, JR.

PRESENT.

DAVID CARROLL PRESENT.

LIZ KOEL WILL NOT BE HERE.

MIKE LEVINE.

MIKE PRESENT.

OH, THANKS.

MIKE.

KIMBERLY LEVINSON.

PRESENT.

TAYLOR MAJOR.

TAYLOR, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HEAR YOU PRESENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TANYA ORTEGA.

PRESENT.

SONYA SCHIFFER.

PRESENT.

JENNIFER FRANKLIN.

DAVID HOLMES.

AMY MOCK, AND CHARLOTTE PATTERSON.

SPENCER SCHUMACHER PRESENT.

AND CARLA ROCHE.

I I SAW THE, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

I SAW AN EMAIL FROM COMMISSIONER MOCK, UM, THAT HER ITEM WASN'T GONNA BE ON.

DID, DID SHE INDICATE WHETHER SHE WAS GONNA BE IN ATTENDANCE OR NOT? COMMISSIONER MOCK MAY JOIN US.

OKAY.

YES, SHE DID INDICATE SHE WOULD JOIN.

OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER PATTERSON, UH, MIGHT BE IN AND OUT OF TODAY'S MEETING.

UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TODAY? NO.

CHAIR.

WE DO NOT.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU.

UH, THE NEXT ITEM OF

[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission special called meeting on June 26, 2024.]

THESE ARE FROM OUR, UH, JUNE MEETING.

WE DID NOT HAVE A JULY MEETING, AS YOU ALL WILL REMEMBER.

UH, HAS EVERYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED? NO.

ARE THERE ANY CHANGES THAT ANYBODY SEES THAT NEED TO BE MADE? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS OPPOSED POSTED? I HAVE A MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU.

UM, NOW

[2. Presentation by Roosevelt Weeks, Director of Libraries, and Cody Scott, Facilities Process Manager, Austin Public Library, on construction at the John Henry Faulk Building at the Austin History Center Campus and programming at the Central Library and Austin History Center.]

UM, FIRST WE HAVE, UH, MR. WEEKS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES.

WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE.

AND CODY SCOTT, FACILITIES PROCESS MANAGER FOR THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.

WELCOME, MR. HARRIS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US.

UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BRIEF, UH, BRIEF PRESENTATION.

UH, CODY SCOTT, WHO'S OUR FACILITY MANAGER, WILL LEAD THE EFFORT.

I'LL TALK A LITTLE ABOUT MY LITTLE PIECE.

HE, THE MAJORITY OF IT WILL BE HIS PIECE, BUT THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US HERE, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

SO, THANK YOU.

CODY, YOU WANNA GO AHEAD? OH, MY NAME IS ROOSEVELT WEEKS, AND I'M THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR OF THE BEST LIBRARY SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.

YES, YOU ARE.

GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING CHAIRS.

UH, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

UM, SO TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA COVER, WHAT I'M GONNA COVER IS, UH, IS OUR UPDATES FOR THE FALK BUILDING AND THE, UH, AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER AND WHAT WE'VE DONE THERE, UH, BY THE WAY, YES.

CODY SCOTT, UH, FACILITIES DIVISION MANAGER FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

OKAY.

SO, UM, I WANT TO INTRODUCE Y'ALL IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD ALREADY.

UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, TRYING TO REBRAND, UH, THE, THIS AS A CAMPUS, UH, AS, AS A COHESIVE, UH, ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET READY TO MOVE, UM, THE ARCHIVES FROM THE HISTORY CENTER INTO THE FOLK BUILDING, WHICH IS A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL TASK FOR US TO DO.

UM, SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

UM, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR FUNDING NEEDS.

UM, AND WE'LL DIS AND THEN DIRECTOR WEEKS WILL, UH, GO OVER PROGRAMMING FOR OUR DOWNTOWN FACILITIES.

SO, UH, HERE YOU HAVE, UH, A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.

THIS IS ON THE GUADALUPE SIDE, UH, OF THE BUILDING.

UH, THIS, UM, SHOWS US THE BEAUTIFUL STONE WORK THAT'S BEEN REPLACED ON THE BUILDING, ALONG WITH THE LANDSCAPING WE'VE DONE TO IMPROVE THE OUTSIDE, UH, AND SOME EXTERIOR WORK TO THE WINDOWS INTERIOR WORK TO THE WINDOWS.

UM, SO JOHN HENRY FOLK BUILDING, UH, WHAT DID WE DO? SO THIS, THIS, THIS PROJECT 2018 BOND PROJECT.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE PRO UH, BOND PROJECTS, BUT, UM, THE MAIN FOCUS WAS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

THAT WAS REALLY THE, THE KEY PART, UH, WAS TO, TO, TO GET IT UP TO SPEED FOR THE FUTURE.

UH, THE BUILDING WAS BUILT, WAS OPENED UP IN 1979.

UM, AND SO MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS WERE NEEDED IN THIS BUILDING.

UM, WE FOCUSED MAINLY ON THE SECOND AND THE THIRD FLOOR.

UM, AS, AS THE, THE AREAS OF, UH, OF IMPORTANCE DUE TO THE ARCHIVAL STORAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED INTO THE BUILDING BECAUSE THE HISTORY CENTER ITSELF HAS OUTGROWN ITS CAPACITY.

UH, THE AUSTIN HISTORY

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SO THERE'S A, THEY'RE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS, AND SO THERE'S, WE CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

THE SPACE IS A SPACE.

SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, WE, WE FOCUSED ON, IN THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, ON, UM, ON UPDATING THE MECHANICAL, VERY SUBSTANTIAL UPDATES TO THE MECHANICAL ON THE SECOND, THIRD, UH, FLOORS, UH, AS WELL AS THE, UH, ELECTRICAL LIGHTING, LED, PLUMBING FIXTURES, BATHROOM UPGRADES.

UM, AND, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE DID SOME UPGRADES TO THE ELEVATORS.

ALL THREE ELEVATORS WERE ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING, SO WE DID COMPLETE UPGRADES TO THOSE, UH, WHICH INCLUDED A HALF STOP, UH, AT THE PARKING, UH, AT THE PARKING LOT FOR A DA, UH, ACCESSIBILITY INTO THE BUILDING.

UH, FROM THE PARKING LOT IS, UM, WE DID SOME PARTIAL UPGRADES ON THE FOURTH FLOOR, UH, THAT WOULD BE TO THE LIBRARY'S ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, SPACE.

THE AUDITORIUM, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN THE OLD AUDITORIUM ON THE FOURTH FLOOR, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THAT WAS OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC.

UM, IT, THAT PART WON'T BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

IT'LL STILL REMAIN AS PART OF CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, UM, UH, SERVICES.

UM, AND SO WE, PART OF THIS PROCESS, UH, MET THAT WE HAD TO EXPOSE THE CEILINGS, AND WE HAD TO REMOVE, UM, ALL THE MECHANICAL, ET CETERA WITHIN THE BUILDING.

SO WE HAD TO DO, UH, ASBESTOS AND LEAD ABATEMENT, UH, WITHIN THE BUILDING, ANYWHERE WHERE WE WERE EXPOSING, UM, THE, THE CEILING AND OR REPLACING IT.

UH, WE HAD TO DO ABATEMENT IN THOSE AREAS, AND THAT FOCUSED IN ON PART OF THE FIRST FLOOR, UM, ALL OF THE SECOND FLOOR, THIRD FLOOR, AND PART OF THE FOURTH FLOOR, UM, TO, IN ORDER TO GET ALL OF THE MECHANICAL REPLACED AND THE LIGHTING AND THE ELECTRICAL AND DATA AND STUFF.

UH, AND THEN WITH THAT, WE DID SOME EXTERIOR FA FACADE IMPROVEMENTS, POWER WASHING THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR OF THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, UM, IMPROVEMENTS ON LANDSCAPING, UPDATING THE METAL WORK, UH, AND IMPROVING THE SECURITY, UH, FOR THE ENTRANCE POINTS ON THE BUILDING.

WE ALSO DID IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARKING LOT, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENTS, OBVIOUSLY, A DA IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, AND THEN THERE WAS VERY SUBSTANTIAL FIRE IMPROVEMENTS, FIRE, UM, SUPPRESSION IMPROVEMENTS ON THE BUILDINGS, MOSTLY FOR THE SECOND AND THE THIRD FLOOR BECAUSE OF THE AREAS OF THE PRIMARY FOCUS.

SO, UM, ALL OF THIS WAS REALLY FOCUSED IN ON WHAT WE NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE WISE, UH, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE ARCHIVES MOVING OVER.

UH, IT BY NO MEANS COVERS EVERYTHING WITHIN THE BUILDING.

UH, BUT WE GOT AS MUCH AS WE COULD OUT OF IT.

AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT IN DETAIL.

UH, WHEN I, WE LOOK AT A RECAP ON OUR SPENDING TOWARDS THE, AT THE END.

SO WHAT REMAINS? SO, THE JOHN HENRY FOLK BUILDING ITSELF, UM, THE CONTRACTORS ARE FINISHING THEIR FINAL PUNCH RIGHT NOW.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE FINAL PUNCH WALK NEXT WEEK, UH, WITH SUBSTANTIAL, UH, COMPLETION DATES ALREADY.

UM, SPEC, WE EXPECT THAT THE FALK BUILDING WILL FINISH ITS SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION AND MID-SEPTEMBER.

NOW, WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO DO AT A PL IN ORDER TO REOCCUPY THAT SPACE.

WE HAVEN'T OPERATED IN THAT BUILDING IN FIVE OR SIX YEARS, UM, ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SO THAT'S GONNA TAKE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET READY.

BUT WE ARE, UH, WE ARE GONNA EXPEDITE, UH, IN FRONT LOAD, GETTING THE PUBLIC SPACE READY, UH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE, UH, PART OF THE FIRST FLOOR, UM, ENTRANCE UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR THROUGH THE GRAND STAIRCASE, WHERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WE WILL HAVE A READING RESEARCH SPACE, UH, ALONG WITH EXHIBIT SPACE AND A, YOU COULD CALL IT A SHARED LEARNING ROOM LIKE WE HAVE AT CENTRAL LIBRARY.

IT'S A LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM, UM, SPACE THAT LOOKS RIGHT AT THE CAPITOL.

SO IT'S A GREAT SPACE, UH, TO UTILIZE FOR MEETINGS THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE YOU TO BE THERE, UM, TO BE DOING RESEARCH.

UM, THAT SPACE COULD BE RESERVED, UH, BY THE PUBLIC FOR, FOR ANY MEETING LIKE WE DO AT CENTRAL.

SO, UM, THE LAST PART OF THIS, BESIDES US GETTING THE, THE PUBLIC SPACE READY INTERNALLY, IS LIKE FURNISHINGS AND STUFF.

SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW, FINALIZING THE DESIGN, UH, ON THE FURNITURE.

UH, WE'VE GOT SOME GLAZING AND, AND MODULAR WALL STUFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO KIND OF, UH, TO PERMANENTLY DIVIDE THE SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND OUR ARCHIVES.

UH, THE SECOND FLOOR ALSO, UH, IS WHAT HOUSES OUR HIGH DENSITY SHELVING THAT WE INSTALLED.

UH, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FUND HIGH DENSITY SHELVING FOR THE ENTIRE BUILDING, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN ALL OF THE SECOND AND THE THIRD FLOOR, UH, BECAUSE OF BUDGET RESTRAINTS.

WHAT IS HIGH DENSITY SHELVING? I HAVE A PICTURE I CAN SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE, BUT HIGH DENSITY SHELVING IS A, IT'S COLLAPSIBLE SHELVING.

UM, IF YOU EVER BEEN TO, UM, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK.

A, UH, A AND M HAS IT, BUT BASICALLY IT ALLOWS YOU TO, TO MOVE THE SHELVES ON TRACKS, CONDENSE IT.

YES.

YEAH.

UM, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO ONE AND A HALF OF THOSE UNITS, WHICH ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THE ARCHIVES, UH, THAT, UH, THAT ARE READILY USED, UH, WITHIN THE BUILDING.

UM, IT ALSO ALLOWED US TO REMOVE ALL OF THE ARCHIVES THAT, UH, THAT HAD BEEN MOVED TO, UM, TO IRON MOUNTAIN IN ORDER, YOU KNOW, TO DO THESE RENOVATIONS

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AND THEY'LL ALL FIT INTO THAT INSTEAD OF GOING, YOU KNOW, UM, SOMEWHERE ELSE.

SO OUR UNMET NEEDS, UM, RIGHT NOW FOR THE BUILDING, UM, WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE, INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES TO THE UN RENOVATED AREAS.

SO THAT'S GONNA BE THREE QUARTERS OF THE FIRST FLOOR, WHICH IS OFF LIMITS TO THE PUBLIC.

NONE OF THAT WAS RENOVATED.

UM, THAT IS CITY OF AUSTIN SPACE LIBRARY SPACE, WHICH WE WILL BE OPERATING IN AFTER WE HAVE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION.

AND THEN THE STAFF SECTION ON THE FOURTH FLOOR, UH, WAS ANOTHER AREA THAT WAS NOT PART OF THIS RENOVATION PROCESS.

UH, AND THEN WE, WE WERE UNABLE TO REPLACE THE REDUNDANCY CHILLER ON THE BUILDING.

THE REDUNDANCY CHILLER ON THE CHILLER PLANT IS ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING.

BUT, UH, SOME 10 YEARS AGO, MY PREDECESSOR WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY TO GET THAT CHILLER THAT OTHER RE CHILLER REPLACED.

SO WE ARE FULLY FUNCTIONAL, UH, WITH, UM, FOR BOTH BUILDINGS.

THE CHILLER PLANT ACTUALLY SUPPLIES THE, THE, THE CLIMATE CONTROL FOR BOTH BUILDINGS INSIDE THE BA, THE FALK BUILDING.

AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER STUFF, UH, UNMET NEEDS THAT WE'RE GONNA GET, I'LL GET INTO IN A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FUTURE AND, AND, AND KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, CONCEPTUALIZING FOR THE SPACE, UH, AND WORKING WITH, UH, OUR CONSULTANTS AND THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER ASSOCIATION.

SO, THE HISTORY CENTER, UM, THE MAIN FOCUS ON THE HISTORY CENTER REALLY WAS, UM, EXCUSE ME, THE EXTERIOR STONEWORK.

UM, AND THE WINDOWS, UM, THE EXTERIOR STONEWORK, WE ENDED UP REPLACING 60% OF THE EXTERIOR STONEWORK ON THE BUILDING, UM, WHICH IS A LOT OF STONE, UM, ESPECIALLY TO TRY TO GET IT TO, TO MATCH CONSISTENTLY WITH THE BUILDING.

BUT IF YOU GO TO THE BUILDING TODAY, WHICH YOU CAN WALK AROUND THE BUILDING, THERE'S NOT A FENCE NOW.

SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO CHECK IT OUT.

UM, MAYBE NOT WHEN IT'S QUITE THIS HOT, BUT, UM, BUT IT IS GORGEOUS.

THE BUILDING JUST LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.

UH, THE REMAINING, UM, 30%, IT'S NOT REALLY 30% OF THE BUILDING THAT HASN'T BEEN REPLACED IS SLATED, UH, TO BE REPLACED, UH, UH, IN THE NEXT, UH, IN THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.

UM, OR MAYBE A LITTLE AFTER THAT.

UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN JUST APPROVED OUR BUDGET, UH, FOR OUR, OUR PRESERVATION FUNDING, UH, FOR $350,000 TO REPLACE THE SOUTH SIDE STONE, WHICH IS THE PARKING LOT SIDE.

UM, WE JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE EXPENSES FOR THE PROJECT OR THE TIMELINE.

I THINK IT REALLY WAS TIMELINE MORE THAN ANYTHING.

SO THERE WAS THAT.

WE DID ABATEMENT, UM, ON THE LEAD AND SOME ASBESTOS FOR THE WINDOWS IN ORDER FOR US TO PUT STORM GLAZING, UH, STORM WINDOWS IN ON THE INSIDE TO HELP PROTECT THE INSIDE, UH, OF THE BUILDING.

UH, IF THOSE EXTERIOR WINDOWS WERE DAMAGED, THEY ARE OLD, UH, VERY, VERY OLD.

THEY'RE 90 YEARS OLD, UH, MOST OF THEM.

SO IT'S, UH, IT WAS VERY MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT, UM, INSIDE THAT SPACE.

IT LOOKS GREAT.

UM, AND THEN WE DID SOME, A DA COMPLIANCE UPGRADES, UH, TO OUR LIFTS, GOING FROM OUR BASEMENT UP TO OUR FIRST FLOOR, UH, AND SOME, UH, A DA COMPLIANCE OUTSIDE.

AND, UH, THE LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, IF YOU GO BY IT AT NIGHT, IT'S QUITE BEAUTIFUL.

WE HAVE LANDSCAPE, UH, LANDSCAPING UPLIGHTS NOW THAT FOCUS ON THE BUILDING.

SO WHEN YOU DRIVE BY IT ON NINTH STREET, UH, YOU CAN REALLY SEE THAT.

AND I THINK THE MOON TOWER ACROSS THE STREET HAS NOW BEEN, UH, LIT UP AGAIN.

SO IT, I THINK IT'S VERY LIT UP IN THAT AREA.

IT'S, IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, HAVING ALL THAT UPLIGHTING ON THAT, UH, HISTORIC, UH, FACADE.

SO, UH, WHAT REMAINS AT THE HISTORY CENTER? SO TECHNICALLY THE CONTRACTORS ARE DONE.

UH, WE ARE ALREADY AT SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION ON THAT, AND THEY MAY HAVE SOME STRAGGLER, REALLY MINOR STUFF, UH, BA BASED OFF OF LEAD TIME, UH, THAT THEY'VE NEGOTIATED WITH CAPITAL DELIVERY, THAT IT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN GO TO SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION WITHOUT IT.

UH, OUR UNMET NEEDS.

UM, I MENTIONED THE STONE WORK ON THE SOUTH FACADE.

UM, THE FUTURE, WHICH I'LL COVER IN A LITTLE BIT, IS A FULL INTERIOR RENOVATION.

UM, PART OF THE PROCESS OF MOVING OUT OF THE ARCHIVES, OUT OF THE HISTORY CENTER INTO THE FALK BUILDING, UH, AND NOT JUST PART OF IT, ALL OF IT, UM, WILL GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, TO RENOVATE THAT INSIDE SPACE AND REALLY BRING IT INTO MODERN TIMES AND PRESERVE ITS INTERIOR CHARACTER.

SO THOSE ARE KEY THINGS.

THE FLOORING IN THE BUILDING ON THE FIRST FLOOR, UH, HAS GOT TO BE REPLACED.

SO, UM, YEAH, NO, NO.

OKAY.

WE'LL HAVE HANDLE QUESTIONS WHEN YOU'RE READY.

OKAY.

AND THEN, UM, AND THEN MEP.

SO MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING UPGRADES.

UH, THAT BUILDING IS FULL OF OLD STUFF, UH, ON THE MECHANICAL SIDE OF THINGS.

AND IT GETS, IT, IT IS, IT IS FUNCTIONAL, A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNCTIONAL, UM, MAYBE NOT A HUNDRED.

IT, IT'S FUNCTIONAL, WE KEEP IT RUNNING.

UM, BUT IT DEFINITELY NEEDS SOME, SOME MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS ON THAT.

AND I WILL TALK TO THOSE NUMBERS, UM, WHEN I GET TO THE, THE, TO THE FUTURE BOND, UH, UH, PROJECT PROJECTS.

SO, SO HERE'S SOME PICTURES, UH, OF THE BUILDING IN ITS CURRENT STATE.

MAYBE SOME OF 'EM ARE A LITTLE BIT OLD.

BUT, UH, YOU CAN SEE IN THE TOP LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU HAVE THE EXTERIOR, THE ENTRANCE TO THE FALK BUILDING, UH, WHERE WE'VE DONE SOME CLEANUP.

ALL OF THE, THE, THE SIDEWALK AND

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UM, MY FAVORITE PICTURES ARE THE ONE ON THE TOP, UM, OF THE FALK BUILDING.

ANYWAYS, SO THE TOP LEFT HAND, UH, RIGHT HAND SIDE IN THE CENTER, BOTTOM CENTER, WE, ON THE FIRST FLOOR, UH, ENTRANCE, WHEN YOU FIRST WALK INTO THE BUILDING, WE HAVE EXPOSED THE BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE, UH, OF THIS, OF THIS ENGINEERING IN THIS BUILDING.

UM, AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WITH SOME UPLI, WITH SOME UPLIGHTING TO REALLY SHOW THE CHARACTER OF THE ARCHITECTURE.

AND THEN WE CARRIED THAT INTO THE GRAND STAIRCASE.

UH, SO WHEN YOU WALK UP THE GRAND STAIRCASE, YOU SEE THAT EXPOSED CEILING AND REALLY CAPTURE, UH, THE, THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING.

WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IN THAT IMAGE IS THE, THE NEW FLOORING THAT'S SLATED TO, TO GO IN, IN A WEEK OR SO, WHICH IS BEING HANDLED BY A PL, NOT BY CAPITAL DELIVERY OR THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR.

SO, UH, IT'LL BE A NICE, UH, WALNUT, UM, FINISHED WOOD, UH, WOOD STAIRCASE IS WHAT'S GOING IN THERE WITH CARPET AT THE TOP.

WHAT YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE IN THAT IMAGE ON THE SECOND FLOOR IS THERE IS A GLASS ENCLOSURE AROUND THE GRAND STAIRCASE, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK UP AND JUST WALK AROUND IT AND KIND OF LOOK AND SEE WHAT ARCHIVES AND RESEARCH LOOKS LIKE, UH, BEFORE THEY ENTER INTO THE SPACE.

OR THEY CAN JUST LOOK AROUND AND NOT GO IN.

THAT'S, THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.

UM, AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU WILL SEE THE HIGH DENSITY SHELVING.

UM, IT'S, I DON'T QUOTE ME ON HOW MUCH IT STORES, THAT'S NOT IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, BUT I KNOW IT'S THERE SOMEWHERE, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER IT RIGHT NOW.

UH, BUT IT HOLDS A LOT, AND IT'S ALL ELECTRONICS, AND IT'S GOT SAFETY FEATURES.

UM, THE STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO WHEEL STRAIGHT FROM THAT SPACE RIGHT INTO THAT READING ROOM SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR BEHIND THE GLASS, WHERE EVERYBODY WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE RESEARCH.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, NOT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IT'S A PICTURE ON, UH, THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND SIDE, WHICH IS THE NINTH STREET, UM, SIDE OF THE HISTORY CENTER.

YOU CAN SEE THE UPLIGHTS AT THE GROUND THERE ON THE NEW GRASS.

UH, AND IT IS QUITE BEAUTIFUL ON THAT SIDE OF THE BUILDING AT NIGHT, UM, ON A GOOD NIGHT.

SO, UM, OKAY, HERE'S OUR SPENDING RECAP.

SO THE PROJECT OVERALL, UH, WAS A $19.6 MILLION PROJECT.

UM, OUR ACTUAL SPENDING AS OF THE TIME THIS, THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER WAS, UH, 18.3 MILLION, 15 MILLION OF THAT, UH, BEING ON CONSTRUCTION FOR BOTH BUILDINGS, NOT JUST THE FA BUILDING, BUT FOR BOTH.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF FUNDS FROM 2012 THROUGH 2018 THAT FUNDED THIS ENTIRE PROJECT.

UM, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $700,000 IN SPENDING, UM, ON FURNISHINGS, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE BUILDING, UM, WHICH INCLUDES SOME, UH, MODULAR WALLS, READING ROOM FURNITURE.

UH, WE ARE ALSO JUST, JUST AS A NOTE, UM, FOR THOSE THAT, THAT ENJOY THIS PART OF IT, WE'RE ACTUALLY TAKING, UM, UM, A, A LARGE CHUNK OF THE HERMAN MILLER FURNITURE THAT'S ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING.

AND, AND WE ARE ADDING NEW TOPS TO THEM, AND WE'RE GONNA REPURPOSE THEM IN THE READING ROOM IN ORDER TO, AND THEN THE CHAIRS IN THE FUTURE, A LOT OF THE CHAIRS THAT WE HAVE LEFT OVER WILL BE REPURPOSED IN THE STAFF AREA, UH, AND REUPHOLSTERED, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE STRUCTURES OF THESE, THESE, UH, PIECES OF FURNITURE, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH 'EM AT ALL.

AND SO IT'S VERY COST EFFECTIVE TO REPLACE THE TOPS AND REUSE THEM, AND THEY LOOK BEAUTIFUL.

SO THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T DO THAT.

SO, UM, THAT'S ABOUT IT ON THE SPENDING RECAP.

I, I ACTUALLY, I'LL, I'LL TOUCH A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN THIS, UM, REALITY IS OUTSIDE OF RETENTION, UH, THAT'S DUE TO THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR.

THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER HAS ABOUT $300,000, UH, LEFT ON ITS, UH, FUNDING, WHICH I WILL USE EVERY PENNY OF, UM, AND THEN, UM, THE FOLK BUILDING, UH, FORTUNATELY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY ONLY HAS ABOUT $40,000 LEFT ON IT THAT I CAN SPEND, WHICH I WILL SPEND THAT AS WELL.

UM, I ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING FOR IT.

SO, SO ALL IN ALL, WE'VE COME IN BUDGET.

WE ARE PAST OUR DEADLINE, UM, THAT IS MAINLY DUE TO, UM, DELAYS IN MATERIALS AND, UM, AND, AND, AND, UM, LABOR FOR THAT MATTER.

UH, AND THEN WE ALSO ADDED IN A PHASE ONE B, UM, LAST FEBRUARY, UH, WHICH ALLOWED US TO, UM, TO, TO MAKE THE SPACE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

SO WE, WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $750,000 OR SO, UM, MAKING THE SPACE, GETTING THE SPACE READY FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN IT.

SO, UM, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NOT ORIGINALLY SCOPED.

WE KNEW WE HAD MONEY THAT WAS GONNA BE LEFT OVER, AND, AND WE CHOSE TO USE THOSE FUNDS TOWARDS THAT, BECAUSE WHAT GOOD IS IT TO HAVE ARCHIVES IN THE BUILDING IF THE PUBLIC CAN CAN USE IT? SO, UM, SO IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND SO WE'RE IN THE, WE'RE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

UM, SO, UM, WE'LL MOVE RIGHT IN.

WE'LL JUMP RIGHT IN TO PHASE TWO.

SO FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY'S BEEN WORKING WITH CONSULTANTS ON A CONCEPT FOR PHASE TWO.

UH, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGE OVER HERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, AN IMAGE OF A ROOFTOP, UH, GARDEN, UH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED TO THE FALK BUILDING IF IT'S APPROVED, UH, AND FEASIBLE, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

ALSO ADDS, UH, SOME GALLERY SPACE ON THE FIRST FLOOR, UH, A PLAZA COURTYARD,

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SO BASICALLY, AND I HAVE AN IMAGE OF THAT.

SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GO DOWN GUADALUPE WITH THAT COURTYARD, YOU WOULD ACTUALLY SEE HOW THE TWO OF 'EM WOULD BE CONNECTED FROM THAT COURTYARD, KIND OF TAKEN AWAY SOME OF THE PARKING, UH, FOR THE STAFF.

BUT THAT'S OKAY.

UM, IT'S MUCH NEEDED.

SO THE, SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN UTILIZE THAT SPACE, AND WE CAN USE IT FOR EVENTS AND STUFF.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, SOME EXTERIOR FACADE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THE BUILDING WAS OR ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO HAVE.

AND IT HAS THESE PLANTERS ALL AROUND IT ON THE, TH ON THE THIRD, FOURTH, SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH FLOOR.

THEY WERE NEVER UTILIZED BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF, UH, OF TAKING CARE OF PLANTS ON, UH, ON A BUILDING THAT'S GOT FOUR DIRECTIONS.

AND SO, UH, WE TRIED TO GET THAT PUT IN HERE, UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS COST PROHIBITIVE.

AND, AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO CIRCLE BACK TO THAT.

SO I DEFINITELY WANNA SEE THAT ADDED IN.

I HAVE A, A SMALL IMAGE TO KIND OF GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.

UM, THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, I MENTIONED IT BEFORE, IT'S REALLY JUST THE PRESERVING THE INTERIOR.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESERVATION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

AND THEN SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAIN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY ON THE INSIDE.

THE SECURITY SYSTEM ON THE INSIDE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED.

FIRE SYSTEMS NEED TO BE UPDATED.

UH, UH, DATA, COMMUNICATIONS, ALL SORTS OF THINGS, UH, NEED TO BE UPDATED INSIDE THAT BUILDING.

UH, AND AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVING ITS CHARACTER AND NOT TAKING AWAY FROM THAT.

SO, UH, WE HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY COUNSEL TO, TO SPEND, UH, WE HAVE BUDGET AUTHORITY OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO A PRESERVATION PLAN, WHICH WE WILL START THIS NEXT YEAR.

UH, WE WILL WORK IN, UM, CONJUNCTION, UM, AND, AND SEEK, UM, AD ADVICE AND, AND GUIDANCE FROM THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER ASSOCIATION, UM, ON, ON SOME OF THAT, BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO WORKING ON A, A PARALLEL VISION PLAN FOR THE OVERALL, UH, FOR THE OVERALL PROPERTY ONCE THEY HAVE FUNDING IN PLACE FOR IT.

SO, UH, LOTS, LOTS GOING ON THERE.

UM, FUN STUFF IS THE PICTURES.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE TOP LEFT HAND SIDE IS A VISUAL OF, UH, WHAT THE BUILDING COULD LIKE LOOK LIKE WITH A COURTYARD ON THE TOP OF THE FALK BUILDING.

UH, THAT COURTYARD WITH THE LITTLE EVENT SPACE LOOKS DIRECTLY AT THE CAPITOL.

SO THE EVENT SPACE WOULD BE FOCUSED TOWARDS THE CAPITOL, WHICH IS PART OF THAT CORRIDOR THAT YOU CAN'T COVER.

SO IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE THERE.

UH, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE COURTYARD, UM, AND SOME OTHER IMAGERY.

UM, THE, THE WALKWAY BACK THERE IN THE BACKGROUND, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN.

IT REALLY IS GONNA DEPEND ON HOW WE PROGRAM THE SPACE OVERALL.

UH, AND THEN THE, UH, RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE PLANTS HANGING DOWN.

THERE ARE PLANTERS IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE SLOTS, UM, THAT WERE BIT PART OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, CONSTRUCTION.

UH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND REDO THE PLUMBING.

UM, AND WE HAVE TO, THEY'RE NOT DEEP ENOUGH ANYMORE EITHER, UH, BY CURRENT STANDARDS.

SO WE HAVE TO COME, WE HAVE TO GET, UH, UH, CREATIVE WITH HOW WE'RE GONNA PUT PLANTS IN THERE.

AND MAYBE SOME METAL SCULPTURES FROM A LOCAL ARTIST, UH, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE FUTURE.

UH, AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND SIDE, UH, THIS IS A RENDERING OF THE FIRST FLOOR BY THE GRAND STAIRCASE.

IT'S GOING TO SORT OF LOOK LIKE THIS WHENEVER WE OPEN, MINUS THE SLATS ON THE WALL.

UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ART PICKED, BUT, UH, I'M, I'M ABSOLUTELY EXPECTING THAT THE HISTORY CENTER STAFF, UH, WILL BE WORKING ON EXHIBIT SPACE HERE.

UM, IF I HAVE IT MY WAY, AND I'M ALLOWED, I WILL PUT A HISTORY, UH, OF AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UH, IN SOME PORTION OF THAT.

SO PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC CAN COME IN AND SEE THE HISTORY OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY ON THE WALLS, UH, OF, UH, THE CAMPUS.

UM, AND I THINK THAT'S IT ON MY RENDERINGS, FUNDING FUN STUFF.

SO WHAT'S IT GONNA COST? SO OUR ESTIMATES, UM, THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE DRAFTED, UM, IN OUR, IN OUR PROJECT CHARTER, UH, FOR THE FUTURE, UH, BOND IF, IF IT IS APPROVED, UM, IS, IS, UH, $15.7 MILLION ON THE HISTORY CENTER, UH, WHICH IS, UH, INCLUDES SOLAR ON THE ROOF, IF WE CAN DO THAT.

AND ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS I'VE DISCUSSED, UM, UH, $2.5 MILLION FOR US TO PUT AN AUTOMATION SYSTEM, UH, FOR THE LIBRARY, UM, DISTRIBUTION FOR ALL OUR BOOKS.

UM, EVERYTHING THAT MOVES AROUND, UH, THE CITY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY LARGE LIBRARY SYSTEM HAS.

WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY ONES IN THE NATION THAT HAS MULTIPLE, BUILDING, MOST MULTIPLE BRANCHES THAT DOES NOT HAVE THAT CENTRALIZED SYSTEM.

UH, AND THEN FINALLY, THE FALK BUILDING, UH, $54 MILLION IN ORDER FOR US TO, TO EXPAND THE HIGH DENSITY AND ARCHIVES SO THAT WE CAN OFFER ARCHIVE SERVICES TO NOT JUST THE CITY, BUT ALSO TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, UM, OUR INSTITUTES AND, AND WHATNOT THAT NEED SPACE.

'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE SPACE, 'CAUSE IT'S PREMIUM, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT, GET A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THEM TO, TO STORE THEIR, UH, THEIR ARCHIVES WITHIN THE FACILITY.

AND OF COURSE, ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, IN UTILIZING THAT SPACE.

THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE BUILDING WILL BE THE PRIMARY BACK OFFICE ARCHIVES.

THAT'S WHERE THE MOST OF THE HIGH DENSITY SHELVING WOULD BE.

AND IF WE WERE TO USE ALL 20,000 SQUARE FEET OF THE, OF THE THIRD, WELL, NOT ALL, BUT LET'S SAY 15,000 SQUARE FEET OF THE SEC, THE THIRD FLOOR, IT WOULD HOLD, UH, A LOT OF, OF FUTURE NEEDS FOR A LOT OF, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.

[00:25:03]

YEP.

THAT'S IT.

ANY, UH, I GUESS WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND TAKE QUESTIONS.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

UM, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE THAT HIGH DENSITY SHELVING HAS A MUCH GREATER LIVE LOAD THAN REGULAR SHELVING, AND YES.

IF THE BUILDING MUST JUST BE SUPER BUFFED TO HOLD ALL THAT UP, ESPECIALLY 20,000 FEET OF IT.

YEAH, ACTUALLY THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE, THOSE, UH, I CALL IT SOMETIMES WAFFLE CEILINGS.

MM-HMM.

, IT WAS BUILT FOR US TO EXPAND IT TALLER.

I SEE.

IT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT FOR US TO GO UP TO SIX FLOORS.

OH, GOT IT.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN ANYMORE BY CURRENT STANDARDS, BUT THE WEIGHT LOAD HAS ALREADY BEEN EVALUATED, UH, THROUGH ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS.

MM-HMM.

.

AND TO DETERMINE THAT WE CAN FILL THOSE FLOORS WITH ARCHIVE, UH, SHELVING.

THAT'S GREAT.

AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION ON YOUR UNMET NEEDS FOR THE FALK, YOU HAD PERIMETER LEAKS LISTED.

YES.

AND I WAS REALLY WONDERING ABOUT THAT.

UM, YEAH, I KIND OF GLAZED OVER THAT ONE.

UM, , IT'S NOT REALLY THAT FOR A LIBRARY BAD THING TO GLAZE OVER WATER AND BOOKS DO NOT BOOKS ARCHIVES.

WELL, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT MAJOR, MY, A MEMBER OF MY TEAM FEELS IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEAK TO THAT.

UM, SO I WANTED TO PUT IT IN A SLIDE, BUT IT, BUT IT, IT, THEY'RE PRETTY MINOR LEAKS.

UH, IT REALLY, WE'VE GOT SOME DRAINAGE OUT THERE, UH, THAT JUST NEEDS SOME REPAIR.

I DON'T THINK THIS IS A MAJOR PART OF THE, UH, OF THE RENOVATIONS.

IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY MINOR AND MOST, MOST LIKELY I WILL FIND ANOTHER WAY OF ADDRESSING THOSE THINGS, UM, WELL BEFORE WE GET TO THE NEXT BOND CYCLE, UH, PREFERABLY WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.

SO, YES.

YEAH.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAVE HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH A TP.

OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE LOOKING AT A STATION AT WOOLRIDGE SQUARE.

UM, AND WHILE YOU GUYS ARE IN THE CONCEPTUAL STAGE, I WONDER IF YOU GUYS HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT COORDINATING WITH THEM TO MAYBE INTEGRATE THAT STATION INTO THE RENOVATIONS YOU'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS.

YOU KNOW, SOME STAGE STRUCTURES MIGHT BE A, A NICE PUBLIC SPACE WHILE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IN THE CONCEPTUAL PHASE.

WELL, WE, WE HAVE NOT HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH TRANSPORTATION DIRECTLY THAT I, NOT, NOT THAT I HAVE HAD, UM, FOR THIS PROPERTY.

I, WE'VE HAD INTERNAL CONVERSATIONS, UH, ABOUT HOW WE, WE TRY TO INCORPORATE THE FUTURE OF THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FOR THAT AREA, UH, INTO OUR DESIGN.

UH, PART OF THE, THE PRESERVATION OF THAT SPACE, THE HISTORICAL NATURE OF IT IS WE DO WANT TO LIMIT SOME OF, OF THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD, IT WOULD IMPACT THE HISTORICAL NATURE OF THE PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDING.

SO AT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AS, AS THEY, AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT, AS WE GET INTO NEXT YEAR, I WOULD IMAGINE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GONNA START TO HAPPEN.

SO, UM, IN MY BUILDING, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE PLANT ISSUES.

MM-HMM.

, BECAUSE IN MY BUILDING, WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH A GREEN WALL, UH, UP IN THE TOP IN OUR, LIKE, POOL AREA.

AND I SHOULD SAY TO YOU THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD REALLY LOOK VERY HARD AT DOING SOMETHING BESIDES PLANT PLANTS IN THOSE PLANTERS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S GONNA WORK.

YEAH.

THAT, MY HOPE IS TO KIND OF SPARSE IT OUT AND PICK STUFF THAT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO THOSE SIDES OF THE, YOU KNOW, THOSE DIRECTIONS.

BUT THEN TO THEN, THEN TO PUT IN, UM, ARTWORK, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, METAL WORK THAT LOOKS LIKE PLANTS, SOMETHING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP IDENTIFY WHAT THAT SPACE WAS DESIGNED TO DO.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE, IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT THAT DESIGN HAS NOT, UH, BEEN ABLE TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PROGRAMMING.

SO, WELL, I THINK THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, AS HOT AS IT GETS BURNING UP ALL THE PLANTS, THIS IS ALSO AN ISSUE.

AND I DON'T SEE IT GETTING COOLER ANYTIME SOON.

NO.

SO WE HAVE TO RECONSIDER THESE THINGS.

COMMISSIONER CARROLL.

THANK YOU.

UM, I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE STONE ON THE HISTORY CENTER WAS REPLACED.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, 60%.

BECAUSE THAT'S VERY OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS.

I'M CURIOUS, DID THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, WE DID NOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THEM INVOLVED.

SO EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT WAS DONE ON THAT BUILDING, UH, FOR THE EXTERIOR PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDING, UH, WAS VETTED BY THAT, BY THE ORGANIZATION.

SO, UM, AND WE ALSO HAD TO DO A LOT OF RE REPAIRS TO THE MEMBRANE BEHIND IT.

AND SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, THIS OLD STONE, YOU KNOW, UH, IS IN SOME CASES WILL CRUMBLE AND, OR COULD NOT BE SAVED BECAUSE YOU GOTTA TAKE IT OFF TO GET TO THAT MEMBRANE UNDERNEATH IT, BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF MOISTURE ISSUES ON THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED.

UH, AND SO YES, WE, WE LITERALLY REPLACED 60% OF THE BUILDING.

WOW.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UH, I, I WANT TO PAY, UM, RESPECTS TO THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE THERE.

UM, I GREW UP IN THAT LIBRARY.

I GREW UP IN THE CITY'S LIBRARY SYSTEM.

MY GRANDMOTHER WAS ON THE LIBRARY COMMISSION FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE STEWARDSHIP OF THESE BUILDINGS AND OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

UM, THE, UM, THE HISTORIC LIBRARY IS AN OLD HUGO CUNY DESIGNED MM-HMM.

, UH, BUILDING.

AND IT'S REMARKABLE IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE BUILDING ITSELF, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY SAY TO THE PUBLIC THAT HAPPENS TO BE

[00:30:01]

UM, THRILLED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

IT'S BEEN LONG AND COMING.

I AM CURIOUS IN TERMS OF THE ARCHIVES AND ARCHIVES THEMSELVES, WHAT IS THE, HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE SPLITTING THE ARCHIVES BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS? WELL, OUR, OUR, OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO ACTUALLY MOVE ALL OF THE ARCHIVES BESIDES THE COLD STORAGE THAT'S UP ON THE THIRD FLOOR MEZZANINE.

UH, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE WITH, UH, COLD STORAGE.

UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NATURE OF THE ALKALINE FILM AND THE, AND THE NITRATE FILM THAT'S BEING STORED IN THAT SPACE.

IT'S VERY SPECIFIC FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, PRESERVE THOSE THINGS.

SO IT'S VERY COSTLY AND, AND, AND CHALLENGING TO WHERE YOU PUT IT.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, HOW WE WOULD MOVE, UH, THAT COLD STORAGE INTO THE BASEMENT OF THE FOLK BUILDINGS LIMESTONE CONCRETE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WILL HELP, UH, WITH THAT.

UH, BUT, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE BUILDING IS BEING SLATE IS, IS SLATED TO MOVE OUT.

AND OUR PLAN, UH, RIGHT NOW IS TO WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE, UM, LIKE ART INSTITUTES TO MOVE IN AND START TO USE THAT AS EXHIBIT SPACE, UH, AND KIND OF TURN THE FIRST FLOOR INTO MORE OF A, A, A, A PUBLIC FACING EXHIBIT SPACE FOR THE LIBRARY TO USE.

AND ALSO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN BACK OFFICE.

UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.

SO, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION, UM, AMONG ADVOCATES ABOUT HAVING THE FALK DESIGNATED HISTORIC AS A MID-CENTURY MODERN.

IT IS.

IT ACTUALLY HAS A HISTORIC DESIGNATION NOW.

OKAY.

IT GOT THAT LAST JANUARY.

SO, OKAY.

IT IS NOW THERE.

WE DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE.

UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO, UH, TO, TO, TO GET GRANT FUNDING FROM, UH, THE TAURUS GRANT FUNDING, UH, WE'VE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, INDICATE AND, AND SHOW THAT IT IS, IT IS BEING USED BY THE PUBLIC FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE HERE FOR TOURISM.

AND ONCE WE OPEN THE BUILDING, THEN WE CAN START THAT PROGRAMMING, AND THEN WE CAN IN, WE CAN BRING IT INTO THAT EQUATION LIKE WE DO WITH THE HISTORY CENTER TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WE NEED FOR, FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.

SO, BY THE WAY, I WAS THERE FOR THE 1979 RIBBON CUTTING I WAS.

UM, SO, UH, I GUESS THAT MAKES ME MID-CENTURY MODERNISH .

I, I STILL, I SEND GILLUM PICTURES EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE OF, UH, OF WHAT JOHN GILLUM, THE, MY PREDECESSOR OF, OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE ON THE INSIDE.

AND, AND I TRY TO MEET WITH HIM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT IT.

'CAUSE IT, HE, HE, IT JOGS HIS MEMORY MEMBRANE.

IT GIVES ME IDEAS.

SO, WELL, IT'S BOTH, IT'S A WONDERFUL PROJECT.

SO GLAD THAT IT'S, IT'S, UH, OCCURRING, UH, UH, AND BEYOND THE BUILDING ITSELF.

AND AGAIN, THIS GOES TO EVERYBODY.

THE RECORDS THERE ARE EXTRAORDINARY.

IF YOU EVER HAVE A CHANCE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS TO LOOK THROUGH THE SANBORN MAPS.

AND IT'S JUST A FASCINATING WALK BACK FOR NOT JUST AUSTIN, BUT, UH, SANBORN.

SANDBORN MAPS ARE AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE, AND THEY ARE AVAILABLE REVERSE DIRECTORIES.

YOU CAN FIND OUT ALL SORTS OF THINGS ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL CITY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

UH, WE, IF YOU NEED OUR SUPPORT GOING FORWARD ON, UH, YOUR REQUEST FOR FUNDING FOR FUTURE PHASES, PLEASE DO SCHEDULE SOME TIME BACK HERE.

AND, UH, WE'D LOVE TO WORK WITH Y'ALL ON SOMETHING.

ABSOLUTELY.

I DO WANT TO.

AND, UH, MR. WEEKS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

I, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT, UM, I DID WANT TO ADDRESS WHILE Y'ALL WERE HERE, I'M SORRY.

I'VE HAD SOME MEDICATION TODAY THAT'S MAKING ME A LITTLE, A LITTLE ON THE RASPY SIDE, .

BUT, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL STORIES RECENTLY ABOUT, UH, THE, THE LIBRARY SYSTEM WORKING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.

UH, AND THERE'S AN AGREEMENT IN PLACE, UH, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL, UH, STAFFING CAPACITY FOR SECURITY.

MM-HMM.

.

AND I'M, I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS.

YEP.

UM, I WAS EQUALLY DISTURBED TO SEE THE REPORT THAT IF THIS IS BECAUSE OF, UH, VANDALISM TO OUR LIBRARY, UH, AND ASSAULTS, OR ATTEMPTED ASSAULTS ON STAFF, I THINK THIS IS VERY DISTURBING.

UH, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE THE FLOOR TO BRING THAT UP IF YOU'D LIKE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, CHAIR HARRIS, UM, BEFORE I, BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, I DO WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M A, I'M A FULL-TIME LIBRARIAN, PART-TIME HISTORIAN, AND I'M GONNA LOOK UP YOUR GRANDMOTHER AND SEE IF, AND SEE THE WORK.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, NO, UM, DOWNTOWN IS, IS, IS IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE, UM, CONGESTED.

UH, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'S COMING DOWNTOWN.

UM, WE DO HAVE SOME UN UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS.

WE DO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, UH, INDIVIDUALS.

AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASON, UH, THAT WE, WE, WE CHOSE TO GO THAT ROUTE.

UH, MY STAFF AND THE CUSTOMERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN IT COME TO SAFETY.

UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT COME INTO OUR BUILDINGS.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THEM SAFE, UH, WHEN THEY'RE IN THERE, THE SPACES TO BE ENJOYED BY EVERYBODY.

AND SO WE HAD TO TAKE THIS MEASURE

[00:35:01]

AND SO, UH, FROM A PROGRAMMING STANDPOINT, UM, WE DO QUITE A BIT OF PROGRAMMING.

UH, IF YOU CAN PULL THAT PRESENTATION BACK UP FOR ME, PLEASE.

AND Y'ALL, Y'ALL, Y'ALL GOT, Y'ALL JUST GREAT.

SOME GREAT QUESTIONS.

AND I KNOW WE HAD 20 MINUTES, BUT MY STAFF IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR WORK, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT YOU, YOU WENT OVER.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.

SO I'M GONNA TAKE FIVE MINUTES, .

I'M GONNA TAKE FIVE MINUTES TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMMING.

WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DO FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY.

UH, AND IT'S THE, IT IS THE, THE BACKBONE OF WHAT WE DO TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED AND SUPPORTIVE OF OUR, OF OUR PROGRAMS. WE'RE GONNA BYPASS THAT, THAT THE STATS.

UH, BUT WHAT WE MAY NOT DO AT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE FALK AT THE END.

UH, WE DO A LOT OF, UH, AUTHOR VISITS, UH, WHICH IS, WHICH IS OUR BREAD AND BUTTER.

WE LOVE, UH, BOOKS, WHICH IS OUR CORE SERVICES, BUT WE ARE DOING SO MUCH MORE, UH, TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF ALL OF THE COMMUNITY.

UH, AND SO WE HAVE, UH, IF YOU HAVE, LET ME, HOW MANY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE LIBRARY CARDS? LEMME SEE YOU.

SHOW OF HANDS.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LIBRARY CARD, GO DOWN TO CENTRAL.

IT'S LESS THAN A MILE AWAY.

AND YOU CAN GET YOUR LIBRARY CARD JUST LIKE THAT.

IT'S VERY, VERY EASY.

UH, BUT IF YOU NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPACE.

AND I WANNA KEEP REMINDING PEOPLE THAT, UH, IN 2018, THAT BUILDING WAS VOTED ONE OF THE MOST 100 BEST PLACES IN THE WORLD TO VISIT.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

AND, AND, UM, PRE PANDEMIC, WE WERE AVERAGING ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND VISITORS THERE A MONTH.

NOW WE, WE AROUND 90,000, WE GETTING BACK THERE.

AND PROGRAMMING IS WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO, UM, BRING PEOPLE BACK INTO OUR SPACES.

UM, SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'S USING OUR VIRTUAL SERVICES.

UH, THEY DO NOT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, MR. HARRIS , BECAUSE YOUR GRANDMOTHER WOULD'VE DEMANDED THAT YOU HAVE, THAT SHOWED THAT EVERY TIME, .

UH, AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UH, HAVE PROGRAMMING THERE FOR EVERYBODY.

UH, AND WE DO OUR BEST TO, TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.

BUT SOME OF THE, UH, BIG EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD THERE, UH, WE JUST HAD OUR GFA, WHICH, UH, IS ABOUT LOCAL AUTHORS COMING IN, SHOWING THEIR, UH, THEIR BOOKS AND MATERIALS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET A FLARE FOR THEM.

WE GET THE MAJOR ARTISTS, UH, AUTHORS IN, BUT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR WORK AS WELL.

UH, OUR KID BLOCK PARTY WAS HUGE.

UM, WE, WE NORMALLY AVERAGE ABOUT 45,000 PEOPLE TO COME IN, UM, AS A CULTURAL EVENT OF JUST KIDS CELEBRATING KIDS.

OUR INNOVATION LAB, THEY'RE OUR TEEN LAB.

AND THEN EVERY, UH, WHEN WE HAVE OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM, WE HAVE THEM MAINLY AT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY, BECAUSE WE CAN HOLD THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

BUT WE DO REPLICATE THAT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE, UH, UH, BRANCH SYSTEM THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM.

UH, WE HAVE OUR, UH, UH, AUSTIN PORT LAU PROGRAM THAT'S KICKING OFF ON SEPTEMBER THE SEVENTH.

WE ARE HAVING OUR FIRST, UH, PORT LAU, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE SOMEONE NAMED BEFORE THE, IN BEGINNING OF THE, UH, UH, CALENDAR YEAR, UH, MAIL BOOK CLUB.

HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS GET A CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN THAT.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE ARTHUR, THE BOOK THAT WE HAVE THAT'S COMING UP.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF GALLERY SPACE IN OUR GALLERY SPACE RIGHT NOW.

UH, IT'S A LOT OF WORK FROM, UH, UNHOUSED COMMUNITY.

THEIR WORK IS IN THE, IN THE GALLERY.

WE CHANGE THAT OUT EVERY TWO TO THREE MONTHS.

UH, AND SO YOU HAVE A FLARE FOR, UH, ALL OF THE, UM, UM, ARTISTS THAT'S, THAT'S IN OUR CITY.

AND THEN WE HAVE OVER 210 PROGRAMS SCHEDULED FOR THAT, FOR THE, FOR THE CENTRAL, UH, LIBRARY AND ALL THAT.

THOSE PROGRAMMING IS, MAJORITY OF IT IS DONE BY OUR STAFF.

AND I, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH.

I, WE HAVE THE BEST STAFF, I BELIEVE, IN THE CITY.

UH, THEY DO SOME FANTASTIC WORK, UH, FOR US.

AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO.