Aug 26, 2024 Design

[00:00:02]

SO IF

[CALL TO ORDER]

COOL.

ALRIGHT.

UH, SO, UH, WITH THAT I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION FOR AUGUST 28TH.

THE TIME IS 6 0 2.

AND SOPHIA, WOULD YOU PLEASE DO ROLL CALL? SURE THING.

OKAY.

UM, CHAIR SALINAS.

JOHN SALINAS, VICE CHAIR.

JOSE MINORS PRESENT.

UH, COMMISSIONER DAVID CARROLL.

COMMISSIONER NICK LES.

PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER KEVIN H. HOWARD.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER CONNORS LADNER.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER CHI LEE.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER BEN LUKIN.

COMMISSIONER MARISSA MCKINNEY.

PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER BRIDO WALLACE.

PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER BRENDAN TRE HERE YEAR.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

SO WITH THE CHAIR BEING OUT, I WILL BE THE STANDING CHAIR TODAY.

UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? WE DO NOT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL THEN

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT? ONE HAPPEN.

OKAY.

, GO AHEAD.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE, I MEANT TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING.

OKAY.

UH, WE HAVE APPROVAL FROM COMMISSIONER WALLACE.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

I WILL SECOND.

OKAY.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER HOWARD.

ALRIGHT, THE MOTION PASSES.

MOVING ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM.

VOTE.

OH, DO WE VOTE? I'M SORRY, .

IT'S MY FIRST TIME DOING THIS.

UM, UH, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED? NO.

OKAY, COOL.

THANKS FOR REMINDING ME.

BE PATIENT WITH ME 'CAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

ALRIGHT.

UM, SO

[2. Staff briefing regarding the status of the affordable housing component to the Downtown Density Bonus Program. Presented by Rachel Tepper, Housing Department.]

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

UH, MY NAME'S RACHEL TEPPER.

UM, AND I'M WITH MY COLLEAGUE TONIGHT, UH, BRENDAN KENNEDY.

AND WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE PROGRAM HISTORY AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM OUTCOMES AS WELL AS HOW WE'RE SPENDING DENSITY BONUS DOLLARS.

UM, AND THEN WE WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WILL HAVE.

NEXT SLIDE.

NEXT SLIDE.

ALRIGHT.

SO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, AS MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, WAS ADOPTED IN 2013.

UM, IT REPLACED THE CENTRAL URBAN REDEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE OR FORMERLY KNOWN AS CURE.

UM, AND THEN IN 2014 IT WAS AMENDED TO ADD, UM, NEW PROVISIONS INCLUDING THE RAINY STREET SUBDISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.

AND THEN IN 2021 AND 2022, THERE WAS A REALLY INVOLVED RECALIBRATION OF THE DENSITY BONUS FEES, WHICH INCLUDED ADDING COMMERCIAL FEES AS WELL AS INCREASING THE RESIDENTIAL FEES.

NEXT SLIDE.

YOU CAN SEE IN THIS SLIDE THAT IN 2014 WE HAD NO DOLLARS, UH, FOR, UM, THE FEE IN LIEU FOR COMMERCIAL.

UM, AND THEN WE HAD LOWER RESIDENTIAL FEES.

IN 2021, WE PASSED INTERIM FEES, UM, THAT RAISED THE FEES, UM, TO $12 AND $10, UM, IN THE CBD ZONES.

AND THEN, UM, OR IN, IN THE DOWN IN, UM, EVERY DISTRICT THAT'S NOT THE RAINY STREET DISTRICT, AND THEN THE $5 WITHIN THE RAINY STREET DISTRICT BECAUSE THAT ONE WAS SORT OF CAREFULLY CALIBRATED FOR THAT DISTRICT.

UM, AND THEN WE DID PASS COMMERCIAL FEES, INTERIM FEES, AND WE LOWERED THEM THE FOLLOWING YEAR, UM, TO $9 AND $6.

UM, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY KEPT

[00:05:01]

SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS REALLY SMALL PRINT, BUT THIS IS BASICALLY THE ADOPTED BUDGET, UM, FROM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

AND THE FEES ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS THEY WERE SINCE 2022.

NEXT SLIDE.

AS FOR AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS, THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS STATES THAT 50% OF THE BONUS AREA MUST BE ACHIEVED THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING BENEFITS, WHICH CAN BE DONE THROUGH A FEE AND LIE OR ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

UM, WE GENERALLY DO SEE PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FEE AND LIE, UM, AND RAINY STREET IS SUBDISTRICT IS THE ONLY SUBDISTRICT THAT ACTUALLY REQUIRES THE ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS FOR A PORTION, UM, THAT'S CALCULATED AT 5% OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF DWELLING UNITS DEVELOPED WITHIN THE FLOOR AREA RATIO OF EIGHT TO ONE.

UM, AND THEY, UH, MUST BE AFFORDABLE AT 80% MFI OR BELOW THE DOWNTOWN ONSITE AFFORDABILITY TERMS ARE FOR OWNERSHIP, YOU CAN GO UP TO 120% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, UH, FOR 99 YEARS.

AGAIN, RAINY STREET THAT MFI LIMIT IS 80% AND WITH RENTAL IT'S 80% MFI FOR A PERIOD OF 40 YEARS.

AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO BRENDAN TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UM, WITH THE ONSITE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND FEE AND L THANKS.

SO I'M BRENDAN KENNEDY.

I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER.

I OVERSEE, IS THIS ONE ON? OKAY.

UM, SO I'M BRENDAN KENNEDY.

I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER AND OVERSEE WITH MY TEAM THE IMPLEMENTATION, UM, AND ADMINISTRATION OF THESE PROGRAMS. IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE'LL START TALKING ABOUT KIND OF PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND JUST METRICS.

SO THIS IS A SLIDE SHOWING, UM, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE SORT OF THE PACE OF CERTIFICATION THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, FAIRLY, UH, RELATIVELY STEADY, UM, WITH A COUPLE YEARS, UH, WHERE JUST A FEW EXTRA, UM, APPLICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS CAME IN.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMPLETED PROJECTS, BUT ALSO QUITE A FEW PROJECTS CURRENTLY, UH, UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR WITH A SITE PLAN UNDER REVIEW.

SO WE DO HAVE AN ACTIVE PIPELINE CURRENTLY WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.

WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND THIS IS THAT CURRENT PIPELINE.

SO THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED BY OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, OR HAVE EITHER A SITE PLAN UNDER REVIEW OR A BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED WHERE THEY'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

SO THIS SHOWS, UH, BOTH SEPARATELY FOR THE BROADER DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND THEN SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE RAINY STREET SUBDISTRICT, UH, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL RENTAL AND OWNERSHIP UNITS, AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE UNITS, UM, WITHIN BOTH PROGRAMS. SO YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS, UH, CURRENTLY CERTIFIED THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED IN BOTH RAINY, UH, AS WELL AS DOWNTOWN, UH, WITHIN, UM, OWNERSHIP.

HOWEVER, ONLY THE RAINY STREET SUBDISTRICT CURRENTLY SHOWS AFFORDABLE OWNERSHIP UNITS.

THE BOTTOM ROW ALSO SHOWS THE ESTIMATED TOTAL, UM, FEE IN LIEU THAT IS CURRENTLY CERTIFIED AND PENDING FUTURE PAYMENT.

AND IF WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE MEAN BY PENDING.

SO WHEN WE CERTIFY, UH, PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN, AS RACHEL DESCRIBED, UH, 50% OF BONUS AREA AT MINIMUM MUST BE ACHIEVED THROUGH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BENEFIT.

THAT CAN BE EITHER SOME FORM OF ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR IT CAN BE A FEE IN LIEU.

THE FEE IN LIEU IF IT IS BEING PAID IS, UM, BASED ON THE FINAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

SO FEE IN LIE IS NOT COLLECTED UNTIL, UM, THE BUILDING IS SUBSTANTIALLY DONE WITH CONSTRUCTION FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE BEING THAT THAT IS A POINT AT WHICH THE DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE, UM, UTILIZED THE DENSITY BONUS.

AND SECONDLY, THAT IS A POINT AT WHICH WE CAN VERIFY THE FINAL AS BUILT SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THAT DEVELOPMENT AND ACCURATELY CALCULATE A FINAL FEE IN LIE TOTAL.

SO THOSE FEES ARE PAID AT THE COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION AND FOR COMPLETED PROJECTS, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT THE AVERAGE TIME FROM CERTIFICATION, SO SORT OF AT THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT, INITIAL DESIGN PHASE UP UNTIL THE POINT THAT THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE AND BUILT, UM, AND THOSE FEES ARE PAID IS AN AVERAGE OF AROUND FOUR YEARS

[00:10:01]

UM, WE HAVE A FEW BARS THAT APOLOGIES IF THE LEGEND IS A LITTLE HARD TO SEE.

SO HASHED LINES ARE CERTIFIED FEES, SO FEES THAT ARE THE BAR IS HASHED BECAUSE THAT AMOUNT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED OF A, A PENDING FEE IN LIEU, BUT THE AMOUNT HAS NOT YET BEEN COLLECTED.

THE DARK GREEN BARS ON THE OTHER HAND, SHOW THE AMOUNT OF FEES THAT HAVE BEEN PAID.

SO DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE COMPLETED THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND PAID OUT THEIR FEE IN LIEU AND THE ORANGE BARS SHOW ENCUMBERED FEES.

SO FEES THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, BUDGETED FOR EXPENDITURE, THEY HAVE, UH, A DESIGNATED SOURCE FOR THAT MONEY TO BE SPENT ON, UH, IN OUR BUDGET AND EITHER HAVE ALREADY BEEN SPENT OR, OR WILL BE SPENT.

UM, YOU KNOW, AS THOSE FUNDS ARE DRAWN UPON, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHILE THIS IS MORE A, A RULE OF THUMB AND ISN'T ALWAYS A CASE, UH, CASE BY CASE BASIS, WE DO SEE THAT PATTERN OF ABOUT A FOUR YEAR DELAY, UM, GENERALLY REFLECTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF FEES COLLECTED, ROUGHLY THE AMOUNT OF FEES THAT WERE CERTIFIED FROM FOUR YEARS BEFORE HAVE BEEN PAID OUT, UH, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

UM, SO WE CAN SEE THAT KIND OF AVERAGE TREND REFLECTED SOME IN THE, THE FEES THAT HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AND COLLECTED.

IF WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE HAVE ONLY RECENTLY BEGUN RECEIVING FEES IN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT BECAUSE OF THAT LAG TIME AS WELL AS SOME OF THE EARLIER, AS RACHEL DESCRIBED CHANGES IN FEE AND LIE RATES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED IN DOWNTOWN.

THAT LARGER ORANGE BAR THAT WAS AT THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THOSE FUNDS ARE REPRESENTED AS, UM, FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO SEABROOK SQUARE TWO.

UM, SO THIS SEABROOK SQUARE TWO IS A 60 UNIT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S ON LAND OWNED BY THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.

UH, IT'S GONNA BE GROUND LEASE TO A PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL INCLUDE A HFC, THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AS WELL AS A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, INTEGRAL CARE, WHO WILL ASSIST WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ON THE SITE.

UM, PROPERTY IS, UH, INCORPORATING TRAUMA-INFORMED DESIGN AND AS I SAID, UM, EXTENSIVE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR THAT POPULATION.

IT'S LOCATED OFF OF MAINOR ROAD ADJACENT TO THE MUELLER DEVELOPMENT.

UM, IT DID RECEIVE A $7.9 MILLION, UM, LOAN OF GAP FINANCING, UH, IN THE FORM OF A LOAN, UH, 5.18 MILLION OF THAT WAS SOURCED THROUGH THE, UM, AVAILABLE FUNDS IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.

IF WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT.

SO SEABROOK SQUARE TWO IS JUST ONE PHASE OF A LARGER MIXED INCOME COMMUNITY, UH, AGAIN ADJACENT TO MUELLER.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAP AT THE TOP SHOWS THE, UH, THE LOCATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT SITE.

OVERALL, THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL DELIVER 264 AFFORDABLE UNITS AT 60 50 AND 30% OF MFI.

UM, IT'S GONNA INCLUDE PUBLIC AMENITIES, UH, INCLUDING ONE THAT WAS, UM, UH, MUCH REQUESTED AS PART OF A COMMUNITY RFP.

THERE'S GONNA BE A COMMUNITY ARTIST INCUBATOR AND NON-RESIDENTIAL SPACE.

UM, AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THIS IS LAND OWNED BY THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION FOR LONG-TERM, UH, OWNERSHIP AND AFFORDABILITY.

UM, IT WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS.

BOTH OF THOSE PHASES HAVE BROKEN GROUND, UM, AND WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

IF WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

IN PRIOR YEARS WHEN THERE WAS FAR, UH, LESS MONEY GOING INTO DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS FUNDS, UM, THESE WERE THE CONTRACTS THAT THAT FUNDING WAS SPENT ON.

SO, UM, IN A PREVIOUS SLIDE, THERE WERE SMALLER ORANGE BARS IN EARLIER YEARS.

UM, AGAIN, AS I'VE MENTIONED, DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, UH, FEE AND L IS UH, DEDICATED TO BE SPENT ON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

AND WITH THESE SMALLER FEE AND L AMOUNTS, WHAT IT WAS SPENT ON WERE, UM, CONTRACTS WITH THE, UH, ENDING COMMUNITY HOMELESSNESS COALITION OR ECHO FOR VOUCHER PROGRAM PILOTS THAT WOULD, UM, SUPPORT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING RESIDENTS AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL FEES FOR CONSULTING.

SO THAT IN SOME IS, UM, NOT ONLY THE KIND OF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE FEES COME IN, BUT WHERE WE'VE BEEN SPENDING FEES, UM, AS THEY HAVE BEEN COLLECTED.

AND THAT SHOULD BE THE FINAL SLIDE.

SO WE'RE OPEN TO QUESTIONS.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

SINCE THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION BEING SOUGHT, WE ARE WELCOME TO ASK QUESTIONS.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

[00:15:02]

COMMISSIONER WALLACE, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY BREAKDOWN ON, UM, BUILT UNITS VERSUS FEE AND LIE? UH, WE DO NOT.

WITHIN THE BROADER DOWN TENDENCY BONUS OR INCLUSIVE OF RAINY STREET, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT.

UM, I I WILL SAY F AND L IS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE DEVELOPMENTS YOU ELECT FOR F AND L.

CAN UCK, UM, ARE THERE, UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN ANY, UM, WHAT THE MECHANISMS ARE FOR ENFORCING THE AFFORDABILITY LEVELS, UM, ON THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS? SURE.

SO ONCE A DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED, UM, THAT THERE'S A CERTIFICATION LETTER ISSUED FROM OUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL, I KNOW IT GOES, THESE PROJECTS GO THROUGH DESIGN COMMISSION AND WE'LL HAVE OTHER RESTRICTIONS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM ARE THEN REVIEWED FOR AND IMPLEMENTED AT SITE PLAN REVIEW, UM, BY SITE PLAN REVIEWERS.

UM, BUT ONCE THE SITE PLAN IS APPROVED, OUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS SPECIFICALLY WILL PLACE ADMINISTRATIVE HOLDS ON THE BUILDING PERMITS FOR THESE DEVELOPMENTS.

WHAT THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE HOLDS MEAN IS THAT A FINAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AND FINAL INSPECTIONS CANNOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL OUR STAFF HAVE, UH, CLEARED ADMINISTRATIVELY THAT HOLD ON THE PERMIT.

SO BEFORE DEVELOPMENT CAN BEGIN LEASING OR CAN BEGIN ACCEPTING COMMERCIAL TENANTS OR CAN FINISH OUT WITH FINAL INSPECTIONS, THEY WILL CONTACT US, UM, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO RELEASE THAT HOLD.

AND THAT WILL BE ONE OF TWO THINGS, OR BOTH PAYMENT OF THE FINAL FEE IN LIEU PENDING CONFIRMATION OF THE, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WAS BUILT.

OR IT WILL BE, UH, EXECUTION AND RECORDING OF A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT FOR ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND SO ONE OR BOTH OF THOSE WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE BUILDING CAN RECEIVE ITS FINAL INSPECTIONS.

ONCE THAT IS IN PLACE, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE THE PROJECT SHOWN AS COMPLETE AND OUR INTERNAL DATABASE AND IF THERE'S ONSITE AFFORDABILITY, THAT RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AND THE AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS WILL BE MONITORED BY OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR THE FULL AFFORDABILITY PERIOD.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NO.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE BEFORE THE BREAK, WE SOMEWHAT CHANGED HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS, WHERE, UH, WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTER SPEAK TO US AND THEN WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS.

AND THEN WE'VE BEEN DOING A MOTION TO EITHER RECOMMEND OR NOT RECOMMEND, UM, AND THEN HAVING DISCUSSION AND, UH, ENTERTAINING ANY AMENDMENTS, UH, TO THOSE MOTIONS.

SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? NO.

OKAY, COOL.

ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE

[3. Discussion and possible action to recommend to City Council whether the Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum Historic Preservation, Expansion, and Unification Plan reflects the Shared Values for Urban Areas in the Urban Design Guidelines. Presented by Alyssa Tharrett from the Parks and Recreation Department, Katie Robinson Edwards and Amanda Valbracht from the Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum, and Leland Ulmer, Melissa Gutierrez Soto, and Ginny Chilton from Page. ]

YES.

UM, WE DO HAVE A MEMBER FROM THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

OKAY.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, IF, UH, MR. RICHARD WISE CAN SPEAK EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER.

I THINK TYPICALLY THERE'S THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN AFTERWARDS THERE'S THE SPEAKER.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO IT IN THAT ORDER.

UH, THAT'S FINE WITH ME UNLESS THERE'S ANY OBJECTION FROM ANYONE.

YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ALYSSA THEAT.

I AM THE DIVISION MANAGER OF THE ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM AT PARKS AND RECREATION.

YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE A LOT MORE OF ME IN THE COMING YEARS.

UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS JOINING OUR PARTNERS AT THE MOF SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM FOR A PRESENTATION OF THE VISION PLAN, WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

THIS PLAN GUIDES THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION OF THIS LONGTIME BELOVED AUSTIN ARTS FACILITY, THE GIFT OF THE HOME AND THE STUDIO, ALONG WITH THE ART COLLECTION DATES BACK TO 1985, NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO.

THE MUSEUM WAS OPENED IN 1991 AND FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UM, LAW HAS SERVED AS AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC PURPOSE AND PROVIDES OUR CITY WITH ACCESSIBLE ARTS, PROGRAMMING, ARTS, EDUCATION, AND EXHIBITS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND TOURISTS.

THE FACILITY IS ONE OF SEVERAL TREASURED CITY FACILITIES THAT PROVIDES ART,

[00:20:01]

AND THIS PLAN REFLECTS THE VALUES FOR URBAN AREAS THAT ARE THE FOUNDATION OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.

WE GREATLY APPRECIATE OUR UMOFF MUSEUM PARTNERS AND DESIGN TEAM AT PAGE FOR THEIR TIME AND EFFORT IN DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.

WE ARE SEEKING THE SUPPORT OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE BOARD COMMISSION AND COUNCIL PROCESS FOR VISION PLAN ADOPTION.

AND I AM NOW PLEASED TO INTRODUCE OUR PARTNERS AT THE UMLA MUSEUM, KATIE ROBINSON EDWARDS, WHO IS THE CURATOR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND AMANDA WHO OVERSEES OPERATION ADMINISTRATION.

AND THEY'LL GIVE A PRESENTATION IN TANDEM WITH LELAND UMER AT PAGE ARCHITECTS.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'M KATIE, AND, UH, I'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF IT.

THE, UM, LAW'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION PLAN WAS CREATED BY PAIGE ARCHITECTURE FIRM AND THE UMOFF WITH GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

THE FULL PLAN IS AVAILABLE IN OUR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO YOU.

THE UMOFF IS NESTLED WITHIN AUSTIN'S CENTRAL GREEN NETWORK, ALONGSIDE BARTON SPRINGS, ZILKER PARK, AND LADY BIRD LAKE.

WE ARE A, A BELOVED 33-YEAR-OLD INSTITUTION, UH, GARDEN AND MUSEUM WITH A MISSION TO CULTIVATE COMMUNITY CURIOSITY AND CONNECTION THROUGH NATURE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND THE WORK OF CHARLES MOF.

WE WELCOME MORE THAN 35,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR AND HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHARLES MOF, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, HE STUDIED AND MADE HIS CAREER IN CHICAGO WHERE HE MARRIED A FELLOW ARTIST, ANGIE ALLEN.

FOR 40 YEARS, HE WAS A LIFE DRAWING AND SCULPTURE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.

CHARLES MOF HAS MORE SCULPTURE ON PUBLIC VIEW IN TEXAS THAN ANY OTHER ARTIST, AND IN IS IN PERMANENT COLLECTIONS IN CHICAGO.

THE MET THE SMITHSONIAN, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON, AND VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER MAJOR MUSEUM IN TEXAS.

IN 1985, CHARLES AND ANGIE MADE A MAJOR GIFT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT INCLUDED THEIR HOME, HIS STUDIO, THEIR PROPERTY, AND HUNDREDS OF SCULPTURES.

THE YELLOW SECTION AT THE CENTER OF THE MAP SHOWS WHERE THE MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDENS SIT.

TODAY, THE CITY OWNED LAND AND BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED BY THE UMOFF FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS THROUGH A COUNCIL SUPPORTED AGREEMENT.

HOWEVER, THE ORIGINAL GIFT OF THE HISTORIC HOME AND STUDIO SEEN IN BROWN AT THE UPPER RIGHT IS NOT YET OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO INACCESSIBILITY CODE, COMPLIANCE AND NECESSARY RESTORATION.

THE HISTORIC SITE, AGAIN IN THE BROWN SECTION, SITS 50 FEET ABOVE THE GARDEN, MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET FROM THE CURRENT GROUNDS TO THE HOMESTEAD.

THE GREEN SECTION AT LOWER LEFT SHOWS THE TWO ACRES OF GREEN SPACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS NOT AT ALL ACCESSIBLE.

WE REFER TO OUR VISION PLAN AS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION OR HPEU PLAN.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS IN REFERENCE TO PRESERVING THE HISTORIC UMOFF HOME AND STUDIO SEEN HERE AND OPENING THE PROPERTY TO THE PUBLIC.

THIS YEAR, THE HOME AND STUDIO RECEIVED A NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DESIGNATION.

IT'S INCREDIBLY RARE TO HAVE AN ARTIST STUDIO, HOME AND MUSEUM DEDICATED TO THEIR WORK ON A SINGLE SITE ANYWHERE.

WE CONSIDER IT OUR CIVIC DUTY TO SHARE THE HOMESTEAD WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

THE HOME EXHIBITS THE MINIMALIST AESTHETIC FROM A 1956 RENOVATION.

TYPICAL OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN, PRESERVATION, AND REUSE OF THE HOME WILL ALLOW AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT PEOPLE BACK IN THESE ROOMS THAT PROTECT AND REVEAL THE STORIES OF CHARLES AND ANGIE'S LIFE AND AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY.

BUT WE ARE COMPETING WITH OURSELVES FOR PROGRAMMING, EXHIBITION AND RENTAL SPACE.

THE EXPANSION PIECE OF THE PLAN IS IN REFERENCE BOTH TO THE NEED FOR MORE PHYSICAL SPACE AND THE EXPANSION OF THE MANY PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER TO THE PUBLIC.

IN ADDITION TO CHARLES UMOFF, WE EXHIBIT WORK FROM CONTEMPORARY AND EMERGING ARTISTS.

AS SEEN IN THIS SLIDE, NUMEROUS CITY OWNED UMOFF SCULPTURE GARDEN.

UH, UMOFF SCULPTURES ARE NOW IN STORAGE AND EXPANDED UMOFF MUSEUM WOULD ALLOW US TO SHARE THESE OBJECTS WHILE ALSO EXHIBITING OTHER ARTISTS.

WE'VE MENTIONED THE PRESERVATION AND EXPANSION PORTIONS OF THE PLAN.

THE OTHER MAJOR ENDEAVOR IS UNIFICATION.

THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES WHAT A FULLY UNIFIED AND EXPANDED UMOFF COULD LOOK LIKE.

THE HPU PLAN CONNECTS THE CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE UNREACHABLE

[00:25:01]

AND HERE TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN'S RECOMMENDATIONS IS AMANDA ALB ROCK FROM THE UMOFF, THE UMOFF AND PAIGE COMPLETED A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.

FROM THAT PROCESS, THE PUBLIC IDENTIFIED SIX CATEGORIES OF PRIORITIES LISTED HERE THAT GUIDED THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED IN THE HPU PLAN.

IN ADDITION, THESE THREE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES SEEN ON THIS SLIDE DETERMINED THE SHAPE OF THE PLAN WITH THESE COMMUNITY AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES IN MIND.

THE PLAN DIVIDES THE UMLA SITE INTO FOUR ZONES, WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE NATURAL ZONE IS COMPRISED OF TWO ACRES OF LAND ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE SITE.

THIS LAND IS CURRENTLY OVERGROWN AND NOT ACCESSIBLE.

THE PLAN RECOMMENDS OPENING THESE TWO ACRES TO PROVIDE NATURAL SPACE A TRAIL EDU AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS AREA WOULD BE FREE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS AND GIVE TWO ACRES OF PARKLAND BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THIS IS HOW THE NATURAL ZONE LOOKS.

NOW, UM, THE GARDEN AND MUSEUM ZONE IS WHAT IS CURRENTLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

THE PLAN RECOMMENDS IMPROVEMENTS TO ACCESSIBILITY, WATER MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.

ENHANCEMENTS TO THE BORDERS OF THE SCULPTURE GARDEN WOULD ALLOW FOR VISUAL CONNECTIONS FROM THE ROADWAY AS WELL.

AND HERE'S WHAT THE SCULPTURE GARDEN LOOKS LIKE TODAY.

STEEP SLOPES SURROUND THE GARDEN.

RAINFALL IS INTERCEPTED BY THE EXTENSIVE TREE CANOPY, BUT THE SHEER VOLUME OF WATER FLOWING ONTO THE SITE ERODES SOILS, DAMAGES EXISTING WALKWAYS AND FLOODS.

THE SCULPTURES.

THE RUNOFF WE RECEIVED MOSTLY SLOWS DOWN FROM BARTON BOULEVARD, WHICH IS THE ROAD THAT RUNS ALONG THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE IN PROPERTY.

YOU CAN SEE IN THIS VIDEO THAT IS STORMWATER RUNOFF COMING DOWN FROM BARTON BOULEVARD DOWN THE HILLSIDE.

AND, AND IN THESE PHOTOS YOU CAN SEE THE EXAMPLE OF THAT STORM WATER RUNOFF DAMAGE CAUSED FROM THE WATER FLOWING DOWN FROM BARTON BOULEVARD.

WATER THAT DOES NOT SEEP INTO THE GROUND HERE CONTINUES INTO BARTON CREEK.

SEVERAL STRATEGIES ARE RECOMMENDED TO ADDRESS STORM WATER, INCLUDING DETENTION PONDS, GREEN MULCH, RAIN GARDENS, AND ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR POND.

THE WELCOME ZONE IS THE AREA OF THE SITE WHERE VISITORS ENTER IMPROVEMENTS.

HERE INCLUDE ACCENTUATING THE ENTRANCE TO HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE SITE, UPDATES AND RELOCATION OF THE CROSSWALK TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND SAFETY.

REDESIGNING THE PARKING LOT TO ENSURE A DA ACCESSIBILITY AND THE ADDITION OF A NEW BUILDING CALLED THE GATEWAY SEEN HERE IN THE FAR UPPER RIGHT.

AND AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY FROM THE WELCOME ZONE THROUGH THE EXISTING GARDEN, YOU'LL COME ACROSS AN ENTRYWAY NESTLED IN THE TREES, WHICH WOULD LEAD TO OUR FOURTH AND FINAL ZONE.

THIS NEW BUILDING NICKNAMED THE TREE HOUSE, WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF GETTING UP THE STEEP HILL TO THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD AND IS KEY TO THE UNIFICATION PIECE OF THE PLAN.

AND NOW I WILL PASS IT OVER TO ARCHITECT LELAND ULMER FROM PAGE TO, UM, ADDRESS THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS OF THESE TWO BUILDINGS.

HELLO? UH, BEFORE WE SHOW THE CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS OF THE GATEWAY AND TREE TREEHOUSE, UH, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE DESIGN GUIDELINES IN THE HP EEU PLAN, UH, THAT LED TO THESE RESULTS.

UH, THE GUIDELINES IDENTIFY THE ARCHITECTURAL STRATEGIES BY WHICH THE DESIGN CAN MEASURABLY ACHIEVE THE DESIRED OUTCOMES.

FRAMING THE PROJECT WITH GUIDELINE PRINCIPLES PROMOTES FLEXIBILITY AND CREATIVITY WHILE ALIGNING FUTURE ACTION WITH PROJECT GOALS, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AND THE INTENDED USER EXPERIENCE.

THIS GUARDS THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE SITE WITHOUT COMPROMISING INNOVATION, UH, AND EXPRESSED PRIORITY OF THE COMMUNITY.

UH, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE GUIDELINE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE HARMONIZE, SYNERGIZE, MATERIALITY, TOPOGRAPHY, VIEWS, TRANSPARENCY, INTERPRETIVE AND BIOPHILIA.

TO SATISFY ALL OF THE PROGRAM NEEDS WITHOUT OVERWHELMING ANY ONE PLACE IN THE GARDEN, WE SEPARATED

[00:30:01]

UH, THE NEXT THREE SLIDES WILL SHOW CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS, UH, OF WHAT THE FIRST OF THOSE THE GATEWAY COULD LOOK LIKE.

CURRENTLY, THE MUSEUM AND ADMISSIONS AND THE GIFT SHOP ARE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ONLY ART GALLERY.

UH, IF YOU'VE EVER LIVED IN A 1950S RANCH HOME, UH, AS I SUSPECT MANY AUSTINITES MAY HAVE, UH, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS THE FRONT DOOR IN THE LIVING ROOM APPROACH.

UH, THE GATEWAY WOULD PROVIDE A FUNCTIONAL AND SAFE TICKET KIOSK AND WELCOME LOBBY ACCESSED BY THE GLASS DOORS TO THE RIGHT OF THE TICKET WINDOW.

UH, HERE VISITORS WOULD PURCHASE ADMISSION, HAVE CONVERSATION WITH STAFF, AND PERUSE THE GIFT SHOP.

RELOCATING THESE NEW AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS TO THE GATEWAY ALLOWS REUSE OF THE EXISTING PRIMARY EXHIBIT SPACE AS IT WAS INTENDED IN A SETTING APPROPRIATE FOR INTERPRETATION, REFLECTION, AND ENGAGEMENT.

THE SPACE FOR IMAGINATION FREE FROM DISTRACTION PERFORMS A CORE FUNCTION OF THE OLAF'S MISSION TO REACH AS DIVERSE A POPULATION AS POSSIBLE THROUGH ART.

UH, NEXT, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GATEWAY ADDITION IS MADE OF TWO VOLUMES DEMONSTRATING THE ROLE OF MATERIALITY.

UH, ONE NEW MATERIAL AND ONE TO MATCH THE EXISTING STRUCTURES ACCOMPLISHES INTEGRATION AND PURPOSEFUL CONTRAST.

YOUR EYES DRAWN FIRST TO THE CENTRAL VOLUME WITH CLAIRE.

STORIES CLAD IN AN OXIDIZED METAL PANEL COLORED WITH NATURAL PATINA THAT RESEMBLES THE LEAF LITTER ON THE HILLSIDE AND THE SEASONAL FOLIAGE.

THESE CHOICES PROVIDE INTUITIVE WAY FINDING, UH, WHILE THE, UH, PARDON, UH, WHILE THE SECOND AND LOWER BUILDING EMPLOYS THE EXISTING LIMESTONE AND HOUSES ADDITIONAL STAFF OFFICES AND A MEETING ROOM, THESE COULD BE RENTED OUT, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT REVENUE GENERATOR PROMOTING THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF THE MUSEUM FACING THE INTERIOR OF THE GARDEN.

THE GATEWAY EMPLOYS TRANSPARENCY TO CREATE INDOOR OUTDOOR.

ALRIGHT, WELL THAT IS TERRIFIC.

ALL RIGHT.

ARE YOU ABLE TO PROCEED? YES, I CAN.

UH, CAN WE PROCEED? DO WE HAVE EVERYTHING UP AND RUNNING FROM AN AUDIO VISUAL.

OH, OKAY.

COOL.

OKAY, COOL.

ALRIGHT.

, A LITTLE MOOD LIGHTING CONTINUE.

LEC TURN LIGHT.

UH, ACTUALLY I WOULD NEED A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ON THE DESK, WHICH I CAN GET WITH A CELL PHONE.

OH, , DOES EVERYBODY LIKE THAT? IS IT KIND OF LIKE MORE LIKE YOU'RE IN A MOVIE THEATER NOW? .

ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH PROCEEDING LIKE THIS, THEN YEAH, BY ALL MEANS, I THINK I CAN.

THAT'S A WORRY.

HERE WE GO.

ACTUALLY, IT'S KIND OF FUN.

ALRIGHT, HERE WE GO.

UH, FACING THE INTERIOR OF THE GARDEN, THE GATEWAY EMPLOYS TRANSPARENCY.

WOW.

IT'S JUST MY VOICE NOW.

AND ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM WITH THESE SLIDES.

THIS IS GREAT.

OKAY.

EVERYBODY DON'T FALL ASLEEP.

UH, FACING THE INTERIOR OF THE GARDEN, THE GATEWAY EMPLOYS TRANSPARENCY TO CREATE INDOOR OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS. THESE WELCOME MORE CHILDREN AND CONNECT TO THE EXISTING COVERED PATIO, ENHANCING ITS FLEXIBILITY FOR NEW USES AND CURRICULA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THE NEW STRUCTURES PROVIDE NEW ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS AND ROUTES WHICH ARE CURRENTLY MISSING BETWEEN THE PARKING AND THE GARDEN.

UH, NOTE THAT THE VOLUME CANTILEVERS.

OKAY, WE'LL NOTE ALSO IN, UH, THAT THE VOLUME CANTILEVERS OVER THE OLAF'S WATERFALL AND STREAM, UH, PROVIDING VIEWS TO THE ENGAGING SITES AND SOUNDS OF THE GARDEN.

UH, AND IT'S ALSO A NOD TO AN IMPORTANT PRECEDENT.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S FALLING WATER.

UM, THERE WE GO.

UH, CURRENTLY THE UMLA HAS ONLY 411 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE AVAILABLE FOR INDOOR PROGRAMS. UH, THE GATEWAY WOULD ADD APPROXIMATELY 1500 SQUARE FEET IN THIS ONE BUILDING ALONE.

UH, AND THAT DEMAND DOES EXIST FOR THIS SPACE AND WOULD INCREASE THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE MO.

UH, THE NEXT FEW SLIDES WILL SHOW THE CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS OF WHAT THE TREE HOUSE COULD BE.

UH, THIS IMAGE PORTRAYS HOW NEW CONSTRUCTION CAN BE INTRODUCED TO THE GARDEN IN A MANNER THAT IS HARMONIOUS AND MODEST.

THE DESIGN CHALLENGES FOR THE TREE HOUSE AT THIS LEVEL DO APPEAR DAUNTING.

UH, THEY INCLUDE ACCOMMODATING A NEW GALLERY AT GARDEN LEVEL, WHICH IS SHOWN HERE, MAKING A FULLY ACCESSIBLE 50 FOOT VERTICAL RISE, AS MENTIONED ACROSS STEEP GRADE, AND PROVIDING AN INDOOR RESPITE TO THE EXTERIOR EXHIBIT AND GARDEN BEING THE HALFWAY POINT

[00:35:01]

THIS PROVIDES A HUMANE ACCOMMODATION TO FUTURE PROOF THE OUTDOOR GARDEN EXPERIENCE IN ALL SEASONS.

THE NEXT LEVEL UP IS ACTUALLY SET WELL BACK FROM THE GARDEN FACADE AND BEHIND A CURTAIN OF TREES, WHICH HIDE IT AND PROVIDE SHADE PERMITTING THE USE OF FLOOR TO CEILING, BIRD FRIENDLY GLASS.

THIS LEVEL FOLLOWS THE TOPOGRAPHY SPREADING OUT IN TWO WINGS, NAVIGATING THE INTERSTITIAL SPACE BETWEEN THE GROUND AND THE CANOPY.

FULLY FRAMED WITH MASS TIMBER, A SUSTAINABLE AND BIOPHILIC WOOD STRUCTURE WITH CANTILEVER POTENTIAL INVITES OCCUPIED ROOFS AND PORCHES UNDER DEEP CANOPIES, LIKE A FLOATING PLATFORM FOR EVENT SPACE.

AS AGAIN, A PRECEDENT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO US.

THE THORN CROWN CHAPEL IN EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS BY FAYE JONES.

UH, THE BUILDING DISSOLVES INTO NATURE FROM ABOVE.

THE FULL CONTEXT OF THE TREE HOUSE COMES INTO VIEW.

UH, THE SMALL GLOWING VOLUME ON TOP MEETS JUST FLUSH WITH THE HILLTOP DRIVEWAY OF THE HOME STUDIO COMPOUND.

THE COMPACT RECTANGULAR VOLUME IS MODESTLY HORIZONTAL WITH A FLAT ROOF AND WOULD SIT QUIETLY IN THE TREES NOT TO DISTRACT FROM THE SCULPTURE GARDEN OR THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD.

IT CONTAINS AN INTERPRETIVE HISTORICAL EXHIBIT OF THE, UM, L'S LIFE, ARCHIVAL DRAWINGS, WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN, AND SCULPTURES AND THE, UM, L'S LEGACY ON THE LAND AND IN THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN.

THIS PLAN VIEW SHOWS HOW THE FOUR RECTANGLES FROM WHICH THIS BUILDING IS COMPOSED PINWHEEL ABOUT A CENTRAL ELEVATOR BURIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HILLSIDE.

THE GARDEN LEVEL IS ON THE LEFT.

THE EVENT AND OFFICE WINGS SPAN THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE HISTORICAL EXHIBIT AND ARTS EDUCATION SPACES ON THE RIGHT.

AND IF YOU PERMIT THE PINWHEEL ANALOGY, IT IS ROTATED 180 DEGREES TO BRIDGE THE LAST GAP IN THE ACCESSIBLE ROUTE.

ALL IN ALL, 4,700 SQUARE FEET OF NEW FLEXIBLE PROGRAM EVENT AND EXHIBITION SPACE IS CREATED IN THE TREE HOUSE ALONG WITH OTHER FUNCTIONAL SPACES.

UH, LASTLY, THE PLAN DOES INCLUDE EXTENSIVE SUSTAINABILITY, UH, SECTION WITH SIX KEY SUSTAINABLE IMPORTANT CATEGORIES, UH, SHOWN HERE.

IMPACT CATEGORIES, PARDON, UH, PRESENTED IN A PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING.

UH, YOU CAN SEE HOW THESE SIX IMPACT CATEGORIES HERE SPANNING THE SITE, UH, WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A SITE THAT GIVES BACK MORE THAN IT TAKES AWAY.

THE HPEU PLAN IN CONCLUSION ALIGNS WITH THE GOALS AND THE NEEDS OF THE UMLA WHILE COMPLIMENTING THE EXISTING STRUCTURES IN SITE.

BY ECHOING THE DESIGN LANGUAGE AND PRINCIPLES OF THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE, THE NEW BUILDINGS WILL NOT ONLY HONOR THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE VISUAL COHERENCE OF THE SITE.

THE TREE HOUSE CREATES SYNERGY BY WEAVING TOGETHER THE PEOPLE AND PLACE PAST AND FUTURE INTO A CULTURAL AND NATURAL AMENITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

SO WE, WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THE PLAN.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THE PROJECT WOULD OBVIOUSLY COME BACK TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION AT DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE PROJECT TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC INPUT ON ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR EACH PHASE.

UM, BUT ANY FEEDBACK NOW WOULD BE GREAT AS THEY MOVE FORWARD.

UM, AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL RELIES UPON THE DESIGN COMMISSION TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON THE DESIGN OF CIVIC BUILDING AND SPACES, AND WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF ANY STATED SUPPORT FOR THE PLAN.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

I THINK WE'LL ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET TO PUBLIC COMMENT, IF THAT'S OKAY.

UM, DO WE HAVE ANY COMM UH, ANY COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE QUESTIONS.

COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? YES.

I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS RELATED TO CONNECTIVITY.

UM, BEING VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE UMOFF UM, GARDEN.

I KNOW THAT PARKING FOR EVENTS IS FREQUENTLY TROUBLESOME, UM, THAT THERE'S PARKING SHARE WITH ACROSS, ACROSS AZ MORTON.

UM, AND THAT DOVETAILS INTO OVERALL LIKE CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS THE SITE.

UM, THERE, YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY WITHIN THE GARDEN,

[00:40:01]

BUT WHAT IS THE LONG TERM PLAN FOR PARD TO IMPROVE PARKING AND ACCESSIBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BASE BUILDING OF THE UMLA, THE CURRENT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE CURRENT ENTRANCE TO THE GARDEN IS? WELL, THERE WAS A ZILKER VISION PLAN AT ONE POINT, UM, THAT WE COULDN'T GET SUPPORT IN ADOPTING, AND THAT WOULD'VE ADDRESSED PARKING AND ACCESS TO THE SITE.

SO I THINK OVER TIME WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND REVISIT THAT AND HOPEFULLY WITH, UH, COLLABORATION AT THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO KIND OF ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.

SO WITH THIS PLAN, I DON'T THINK THEY CAN ADDRESS IT OUTSIDE OF THAT, BUT OVERALL, WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT THROUGH THIS L VISION PLAN.

YEAH, AND JUST TO ADD ON ONTO THAT, SO THE PLAN DOES INCLUDE A REDESIGN OF OUR CURRENT PARKING LOT, WHICH IS DEFINITELY NOT THE MOST EFFICIENT PARKING LOT.

UM, SO THAT WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL SPACES TO OUR CURRENT LOT, ALMOST DOUBLING ITS SIZE.

UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME REARRANGING AT THE HOMESTEAD OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT IS UP THERE TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND ADD SOME, UM, A DA PARKING SPOTS, SPOTS FOR VENDORS TO ACCESS, UM, IF LOADING INTO THE, THE, UH, TREE HOUSE, THE NEW BUILDING.

UM, WE ALSO ENCOURAGE RIDESHARE AT THE UMOFF.

WE HAVE, UM, A DOCUMENT THAT IS ON OUR HPEU, UM, PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF SPACES WE HAVE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALKING DISTANCE OF THE UMOFF.

UM, YEAH, ANYTHING TO ADD? THANK YOU.

I REALLY, I JUST, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITHIN.

I MEAN, IF YOU ARE VISION PLANNING THE PROJECT, UM, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THE PROJECT FACES IS PARKING AND ACCESS.

AND SO I REALLY THINK AS PART OF THIS, THERE SHOULD BE, UM, SOME, SOME PIECE OF THE VISION PLAN THAT SPEAKS TO CONNECTIVITY, UM, AND PARKING ISSUES THAT, THAT THE, THE GARDEN FACES CURRENTLY AND NOT RELY ON THE ZILKER VISION PLAN TO FULFILL THOSE NEEDS FOR THE PROJECT.

UH, YEAH.

CAN I ADD COMMENT JUST AT THE END THERE? I WOULD SAY, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS POSSIBLE ON OUR SITE, WE'VE, UH, TAKEN EVERY, UH, OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO INCREASE AND IMPROVE THAT AREA OF PARKING ADJACENT TO THE NATURAL AREA.

AND IT'S IN THE SUSTAINABILITY SECTION AS WELL, THAT THAT AREA IS CONCEIVED AS BEING, UH, SHADED PARKING WITH POSSIBILITY OF SOLAR PANELS ON TOP OF IT.

UH, THERE'S A, A DECENT AMOUNT OF SPACE, UH, THAT IS ON THAT.

SO, UH, SOUTHWEST AREA, UM, WHERE WE'VE EXPANDED THE PARKING I'D SAY, AS WELL AS THE ACCESSIBLE ACCOMMODATIONS WITH THE FIRE LANE UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILLTOP.

UM, WITHIN THE BOUNDARY THAT'S THERE, WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THE NEAR TERM.

AND THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION OF THE PLANNING, UH, WE DID, UH, INCORPORATE ANTICIPATION OF BETTER CONNECTIVITY WITH BUSES AND WITH PARKING ACROSS THE STREET IN, UH, THE ZILKER PARK.

UM, SO IT'S, I WOULD SAY, UH, IN INCORPORATION READY WITH, UH, ANTICIPATED, UH, NEW TRANSPORTATION.

AND WE ALSO, WITH THE ADDITION OF THE TREE HOUSE, WHICH WOULD BE OUR INDOOR EVENT SPACE, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE UMOFF, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A COMPLETELY OUTDOOR VENUE FOR WEDDINGS AND EVENTS.

UM, THERE IS AN IDEA TO HAVE VENDORS, VENDOR PARKING AT THE BACK OF THE GARDEN FOR UNLOADING THAT WOULD SEPARATE THE NEED FOR OUR FRONT ENTRANCE TO BE A VENDOR LOADING AND UNLOADING ZONE, WHICH IS A HUGE PROBLEM THAT WE FACE AND WHY OUR PARKING LOT GETS SO CONGESTED.

AND IT'S CONFUSING BECAUSE THE VENDORS ARE ACTUALLY TAKING UP A LOT OF THE PARKING SPOTS WHEN THEY COME TO SET UP FOR EVENTS.

UM, SO I THINK THAT WILL HELP RELIEVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UM, I THINK RELATED TO THIS, THIS QUESTION, UM, I I HAVE A QUESTION.

HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO ANY OF THE OTHER CULTURAL AMENITIES AND ASSETS, KIND OF ALL THE, UM, SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL DISTRICT OR PROPOSED SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL DISTRICT REGARDING, UM, WE, WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH THEM.

ARE YOU THINKING REGARDING PARKING OR ACCESSIBILITY IN GENERAL? I MEAN, UM, WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CULTURAL DISTRICT, HOPEFULLY THERE'D BE SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST A, A CONSOLATION OF AMENITIES, BUT THERE'D BE SOME WAY THAT THEY COULD WORK TOGETHER AND ACCESS, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ALL HAVE A NEED FOR ACCESS.

WE ARE, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY MEETING WITH THEM, AND THAT IS

[00:45:01]

AND JUST TO ADD, I KEEP THINKING OF ADDITIONAL PARKING THINGS THAT WE HAVE CONSIDERED.

UM, WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO HAVE OFFSITE PARKING GARAGE THAT WE WOULD OPERATE A SHUTTLE FROM.

UM, I KNOW A LOT OF OUR GUESTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ZILKER SHUTTLE THAT RUNS FREE FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO WALK TO THE UMLA FROM THAT SHUTTLE AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER GALLES, THANK YOU.

UM, THIS ISN'T RELATED TO THE PARKING, IT'S MORE OF A, UM, OBSERVATION RATHER THAN A QUESTION.

AND, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, I, I THINK THE, UH, APPROACH AND THE VISION IS IMPRESSIVE.

UM, MY FIRST OBSERVATION IS, UM, THE SCALE OF THE NEW PROPOSALS RELATIVE TO THE EXISTING BUILDING.

UM, CERTAINLY FROM THAT ARRIVAL BUILDING, UH, THERE'S A SENSE OF DOMINANCE OF THE, THE NEW PROPOSAL OVER THE EXISTING.

AND ON ONE HAND, UM, I, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE WE'RE AT THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF DESIGN AND, UM, THIS IS ALL GONNA BE DEVELOPED.

BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A STATEMENT THERE OF, UH, LOOKING FORWARD AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE AND GROWING AND, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THE CAPABILITIES OF THE, OF THE ORGANIZATION.

AND, AND I'M, I'M, I FEEL VERY IMPRESSED BY THAT.

UM, THE, UH, TREEHOUSE SCALE IS EQUALLY VERY IMPRESSIVE.

UH, I THINK AT, AT SOME POINT, UH, 50 FEET WAS MENTIONED, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER, UH, BUILDING THAN, THAN WHAT IS THERE ALREADY.

AND I'M HAPPY YOU MENTIONED THE BIRD FRIENDLY GLASS.

UM, CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT OF GLASS AND A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY.

AND SO THERE'S THE PROMISE OF HOUSING, UM, ANOTHER CALIBER OF ARTWORK WITHIN THE SPACE, WHICH I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE.

UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AND, AND THE COMMENT AND THE OBSERVATION IS I HOPE THERE'S CONSIDERATION FOR LARGE SCALE SCULPTURE WITHIN THE PROPOSAL, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR STRUCTURE, YOUR, UM, CRANE, YOUR, UH, ACCESS OF, UM, ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF SCULPTURE THAT MIGHT, UH, OCCUPY THESE NEW SPACES.

FLEXIBILITY OF, UM, WALL PARTITIONS, MOVEMENTS OF EXTERNAL WALLS THAT WILL ALLOW MUCH LARGER SCALE INSTALLATIONS TO HAPPEN HERE.

UM, LOOKING FORWARD AS THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING AND PROMISING, YOU KNOW, TO THE NEXT 25, 50 YEARS WHEN WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NON-TRADITIONAL FORMS OF SCULPTURE ART IN INSTALLATION, UM, AND SO THAT'S JUST SORT OF POSITING MY, UM, HOPES FOR WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED HERE.

AND, UH, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE BEAUTIFUL.

SO THANK YOU.

MUCH APPRECIATED.

THOSE ARE EXCELLENT POINTS.

AND SOMETHING AS CURATOR, I THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, BIG BEING ABLE TO OPEN UP, WE'RE JUST NOT AT THAT POINT OF THE DESIGN YET.

OPEN UP SO THAT WE COULD GET LARGE SCALE OBJECTS IN BOTH INSIDE AND OUT IN ADDITION TO, UM, OFF'S WORK AS WE EXPLAINED LOTS OF NEW ARTISTS AND LOTS OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND NOT JUST TRADITIONAL SCULPTURE, BECAUSE WE THINK THESE SPACES WOULD REALLY ACCOMMODATE THAT.

WELL.

YEAH, GREAT POINTS.

COMMISSIONER WIT STRUCK, THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, THIS IS A ROBUST VISION PLAN, UH, AND QUITE AN EXCITING ONE.

UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE CARE THAT'S GONE INTO, UH, THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS LAYOUTS, AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT IN HERE THAT IS GOING TO SERVE AS VERY GOOD, UM, GUIDE TO THE, TOWARD THE, THE FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION.

UM, SO LOOK, I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO BRIDGE THESE KINDS OF PLANNING EXERCISES WITH THE, THE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION THAT FOLLOWS.

UM, YEAH, I, UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IN NOT ADDING MY CONCERN, UH, TO COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY'S COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, CIRCULATION PARKING AND ACCESS.

UM, OBVIOUSLY I WISH WE WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH A VISION PLAN FOR, UM, THE ZILKER PARK.

UH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

UM, BUT THAT PLAN DID CALL FOR A PARKING GARAGE CLOSE TO THIS LOCATION THAT WOULD'VE SOLVED SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.

UH, I'M QUITE SYMPATHETIC TO THE LIMITATIONS YOU HAVE ON SITE.

UM, MY RECOMMENDATION THEN WOULD BE, UM, PERHAPS THE TO FOR THE TEAM TO LOOK AT, UM, UH, ENLARGING, ENLARGING THE, UH, UH, THE PRESENCE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN THE DOCUMENT.

UM, I, I, UH, COMMEND THAT THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS IN THERE.

UM, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS I, I WOULD RECOMMEND ADDING TO IT IF, IF THE TEAM WOULD CONSIDER IT.

UM, AND ONE OF 'EM WOULD BE, AND WHAT IS THE, WHAT ARE THE OFFSITE CONNECTIONS, UM, AND CIRCULATION, NOT JUST

[00:50:01]

THIS IS, UH, WE HAVE SO MANY RICH AMENITIES IN THIS PART OF TOWN, AND THEY DON'T CONNECT TO EACH OTHER VERY WELL.

UM, SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT EVEN IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE PROJECT'S, POWER TO CONTROL MIGHT AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN MIGHT HELP GUIDE FUTURE EFFORTS, UH, IN THAT DIRECTION.

UH, SIMILARLY, UH, WANTED TO OFFER, UM, BUT THAT, UM, IMPLEMENTATION PLAN MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING SOURCES, UM, POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT MIGHT HELP GUIDE FUTURE PRACTITIONERS AND, UM, OBSERVERS OF THE PLAN TOWARD THE IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING.

I DON'T, I DIDN'T SEE A, A OPINION OF PROBABLE COST FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN HERE.

THEY ARE, THEY, THEY'RE SUBSTANTIAL.

THE COST OF THE, THE PRICE TAG OF THIS IS GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIAL.

UH, I WILL ARGUE THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH THAT COST.

UM, AND I COMMEND THE TEAM FOR, FOR AIMING HIGH.

UM, BUT I, I THINK IT WOULD HELP GROUND THE PLAN TO, TO HAVE THAT, AND FORGIVE ME IF I JUST SIMPLY OVERLOOKED IT.

UH, AND MY FINAL COMMENT, UM, REGARDING SITES, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST PAR VISION PLANS THAT HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER ENTIRELY SINCE PARS, UM, DECISION TO CERTIFY ALL PROJECTS.

UH, ACCORDING TO SITES.

IT IS NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES FOR AN INFILL SITE OF THIS SIZE.

UM, WRITING DOWN IN THE PLAN THAT WE'RE GONNA GO FOR GOLD IS GREAT UNTIL WE MISS.

UM, SO, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE, THE TEAM IS ABLE TO LOOK AT PREREQUISITES POSSIBLE PITFALLS, UH, BUILD IN SOME ELASTICITY WHILE STILL BEING ASPIRATIONAL, BUT UNDERSTANDING THE, THE VERY REAL CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH SITES, UM, SOME OF WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE INTEGRATED TEAMING AND, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASPECTS OF SITES CAN BE FULFILLED BY THIS VISION PLAN.