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[CALL TO ORDER]
ALRIGHT, I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.UM, THIS IS THE REGULARLY CALLED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
IT'S WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19TH, 2025.
5:31 PM UM, THE FIRST, UH, ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO CALL THE ROLE.
CHRISTINE, WOULD YOU GIVE US THE HONORS? YEAH.
PRESENT, I'M GONNA BUTCHER THIS NAME.
OH, I'LL GIVE SPENCER A FEW SECONDS TO HERE.
THE NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on February 19, 2025.]
AND MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH'S MEETING.I HOPE EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO READ OVER THOSE.
ARE THERE ANY MODIFICATIONS, ADDITIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT? UM, COMMISSIONER PTO MADE THE MOTION.
DO WE HAVE SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, I DON'T HEAR ANY OPPOSITIONS.
[2. Staff briefing regarding the recent work towards renovating the Austin Convention Center. Presentation by Trisha Tatro, Director, Austin Convention Center Department. ]
MOVING INTO THE MEAT OF OUR AGENDA, STAFF BRIEFINGS FOR TONIGHT.THE FIRST ITEM IS A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, A RECENT WORK TOWARDS RENOVATING THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER PRESENTATION BY TRICIA TARO.
DIRECTOR AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT.
I'M ACTUALLY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, AND I'M JOINED, UH, BY RILEY RIGGS, WHO IS OUR PROJECT MANAGER, UH, WHO'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE DOING A MAJORITY OF THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE HE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS IN A MUCH MORE ELOQUENT WAY, UH, THAN I CAN
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
UH, SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PROJECT.
UM, SO WE ARE AT THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, WE ARE THE 61ST LARGEST, UH, CONVENTION CENTER IN THE COUNTRY.
EVEN THOUGH AUSTIN IS THE 11TH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, THIS HAS, THIS HAS, UM, CAUSED US TO LOSE OUT ON A LOT OF BUSINESS OVER THE YEARS.
IN FACT, WE TURN AWAY ABOUT 50% OF THE BUSINESS LEADS THAT WE RECEIVE RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO WE ARE UNDERGOING A REDEVELOPMENT.
AND WHEN COMPLETE, UH, WE WILL JUMP TO AROUND THE 35TH LARGEST CONVENTION CENTER IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE ARE RESERVING ROOM FOR EVEN FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WILL, UH, JUMP US EVEN FURTHER UP IN THE LIST.
ONCE WE'RE COMPLETE, WE WILL BE LARGER THAN THE CITIES YOU SEE ON SCREEN, UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, INCLUDING NASHVILLE AND PITTSBURGH.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THESE CITIES ARE VERY SCARED RIGHT NOW TO KNOW ABOUT OUR PLAN AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROCEED FORWARD, WHICH MAKES US VERY HAPPY.
AND SO, AND IN ADDITION TO BEING LARGER THAN OUR CURRENT COMPETITIVE SET, WE WILL ACTUALLY BE COMPETING WITH A NEW COMPETITIVE SET, UH, INCLUDING SAN ANTONIO, SEATTLE, AND DENVER.
THOSE LATTER TWO HAVE JUST COMPLETED THEIR OWN, UH, EXPANSIONS AS WELL.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO, UH, COMPETE WITH THEM AND, AND TO START TAKING SOME OF THEIR BUSINESS AS WELL,
AND SO WE DO, WE'VE GOT SOME BIG CHANGES COMING.
UH, WE JUST WRAPPED UP SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
WE HAVE ONE MORE EVENT IN THE BUILDING.
AND THEN, UM, IN APRIL WE WILL ACTUALLY CLOSE TO BEGIN THIS PROJECT.
DEMOLITION AND EXCAVATION WILL BE BEGIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL REOPEN IN 2029 BEFORE THE SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON OF THAT YEAR.
AND I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE, UH, YOU TO THE PROJECT TAG.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE US CALL THIS KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, AND AS RILEY WILL SHOW YOU AS HE'S WALKING YOU THROUGH THE RENDERINGS, WE FEEL THAT THIS JUST SORT OF EMBODIES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PROJECT, UM, AND HOW IT REALLY REPRESENTS WHAT WE THINK, UM, WHEN WE THINK OF AUSTIN.
SO EVERYBODY'S KIND OF FAVORITE SLIDE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT
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SOME OF THE NUMBERS.UH, SO WE STILL ARE ON TARGET FOR A CONSTRUCTION COST OF $1.26 BILLION.
UH, THIS IS FUNDED THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTER'S ALLOCATION OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND OUR, AND OUR CONVENTION CENTER REVENUES, OUR EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER IS 365,000 SQUARE FEET OF RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
OUR NEW CONVENTION CENTER, UH, WILL BE 550,000 OF SQUARE OF RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND AN ADDITIONAL 70,000 OF OUTDOOR RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 620,000 SQUARE RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UM, AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, WE WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, EXPAND AGAIN IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO RILEY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THROUGH THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M AN ARCHITECT AND PROJECT MANAGER, UH, WITH THE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN, AND THE LEAD PROJECT MANAGER ON THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO, UM, WE BEGAN THIS PROJECT, UH, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, UH, FROM 2021, UH, ABOUT THE GOALS OF THIS PROJECT, UH, INCLUDING, UH, THE FACT THAT WE WANTED THIS TO BE A WORLD CLASS DESIGN AND A LANDMARK OF GREAT DISTINCTION FOR BOTH, UH, VISITORS AND THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT IT WAS REALLY GONNA BE A POINT OF PRIDE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO OUR CONSULTANTS, WE'VE GOT LMN FROM SEATTLE, UH, WHO SPECIALIZES IN, UH, CONVENTION CENTERS AMONG OTHER THINGS.
UH, AND THEN PAIGE LOCALLY WHO'S, UH, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, UH, ARCHITECT WHO HAS NOW GROWN TO BE A NATIONAL ARCHITECT.
UH, BOTH HAVE LOTS OF EXPERIENCE IN DOING LARGE PROJECTS LIKE THIS, UH, AND ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB, UH, FOR US ALREADY.
BUT WHAT THEY DID IS THEY LOOKED AT AUSTIN AND REALLY EMBRACED THIS IDEA THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER NEEDED TO BE UNIQUELY AUSTIN AND NEEDED TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD HAVE PRIDE IN, COULD SEE THEMSELVES IN.
UH, AND ALSO, UH, FOR THE VISITORS WHO ARE COMING TO TOWN, UM, EXPERIENCE WHAT AUSTIN IS LIKE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO CONVENTIONS, YOU GENERALLY JUST GO INTO A, A BLACK BOX INTO, UH, AND, UM, AND NOT REALLY EXPERIENCE WHAT THE PLACE IS LIKE, WHY YOU'RE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THE IDEA HERE IS PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND, UH, GET A, A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT AUSTIN IS THROUGH THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO YOU SEE THE, THESE NINE ITEMS IN, UH, IN THIS MATRIX.
THESE ARE, ARE KIND OF THE INSPIRATION AND THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES TOWARDS HOW THEY'RE APPROACHING THE SPACE.
BUT TO START OFF WITH, UM, WE DO HAVE SOME GOALS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WE MUST MEET WITH OUR PROJECTS.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UM, A GREEN BUILDING CODE AND, UH, A POLICY GREEN BUILDING POLICY, UH, THAT GUIDES WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO SUSTAINABILITY WISE WITH CITY FACILITIES.
SO WITH OUR FACILITY, UM, WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE NET ZERO CARBON.
UH, WE WILL BE THE FIRST NET ZERO CARBON CERTIFIED CONVENTION CENTER IN THE WORLD.
UM, OTHER CONVENTION CENTERS, UH, BOTH OUR PEERS AND, AND LARGER, UM, CONVENTION CENTERS, UH, ROUTINELY ARE REACHING LEAD PLATINUM AND LEAD GOLD RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT IN ORDER TO MEET THE INTENT OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY, UH, POLICY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE BEST THING TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST REACHING, YOU KNOW, A LEAD CERTIFICATE OR WHATEVER, UH, BUT ACTUALLY DOING THINGS THAT IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, AND THE HEALTH OF THE CITIZENS AND PEOPLE WHO VISIT OUR BUILDING.
AND ZERO CARBON IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS BECOMING A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT AND MUCH MORE, UH, UNDERSTOOD AS BEING, UM, A A KEY DETERMINING FACTOR FOR A SUSTAINABLE PROJECT.
SO THIS IS, AGAIN, THIS IS A HUGE DEAL FIRST IN THE WORLD.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURES INSTITUTE ON THIS, UH, SINCE IT'S THE FIRST IN THE WORLD AND THEY'RE THE CERTIFYING BODY FOR THIS, UH, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO A BUILDING OF THIS TYPOLOGY.
UH, THERE'S HUGE EXPANSES OF, OF SPACE, UH, LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THEM.
AND SO, UM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY VERY EXCITED THAT THEY'RE ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS AND LEARN FROM US JUST LIKE WE ARE FROM THEM.
UH, SO WE DO HAVE THE GREEN BUILDING POLICY AND ALSO THE AUSTIN, UH, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, WHICH IS WHAT IS CALLING FOR NET ZERO CARBON BUILDINGS, UH, FOR THE CITY, UH, FOR CITY FACILITIES BY 2030.
AND WE'RE OPENING, YOU KNOW, 2029.
UH, SO WE WILL BE THE FIRST TO DO THAT ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER FIRST, UM, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT, UH, HIGH PERFORMANCE DESIGN, OF COURSE WITH MEP, UH, ELECTRICAL USAGE AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UH, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT LOW CARBON, CONCRETE AND STEEL.
UM, WE ARE DEVELOPING NEW MIXES, UH, FOR CENTRAL TEXAS JUST TO ACHIEVE THE LOW CARBON CONCRETE GOALS THAT WE HAVE SET FOR OUR PROJECT, UH, FOR OUR PROJECT.
THE CARBON, UH, LOAD COMES MAINLY FROM STEEL AND CONCRETE.
IT'S ABOUT 55%, WHEREAS A NORMAL
[00:10:01]
BUILDING, UH, OFFICE BUILDING, UH, TYPE USE, IT'S PROBABLY MORE AROUND, YOU KNOW, 25 OR 30%.SO IT'S, IT'S A HUGE LIFT TO DO THAT.
UH, WE'RE DOING ALL THE TESTING, UH, AND THOSE WILL NOW BE READY FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CITY, NOT ONLY OWNED BY THE CITY, BUT PRIVATE DEVELOPERS NOW HAVE EASIER ACCESS TO LOW CARBON CONCRETE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO DOING SALVAGE AND REUSE, AND WE'LL BE THE FIRST CITY OF AUSTIN BUILDING THAT USES MASS TIMBER.
UH, WE'RE USING THAT IN A COUPLE OF AREAS, AND I'LL POINT THAT OUT.
SO A MASSIVE SUSTAINABILITY EFFORT FOR THIS.
UM, UM, THAT'S HUGELY EXCITING JUST IN AND OF ITSELF.
SO, URBAN WISE, WHICH YOU GUYS MAY BE MORE INTERESTED IN, UM, OR AS INTERESTED IN, UH, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO THE CITY, UH, AND TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, THE HISTORY OF THE CITY, UH, THE GEOGRAPHY, THE CLIMATE, UH, THE CULTURE IN ORDER TO INFORM HOW WE ARE GOING ABOUT DESIGNING THIS BUILDING.
UH, SO LOOKING AT THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND OF COURSE LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE, THIS IS GONNA BE A BUILDING THAT IS GONNA BE AROUND A WHILE.
SO FROM THE URBAN DESIGN STANDPOINT, THIS BUILDING, UH, IS ON A SITE THAT, AS YOU KNOW, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS BUILT, VERY DIFFERENT CONDITIONS IN THE CITY AT THE TIME WAS NOT, UH, NECESSARILY THE, THE, THE GREATEST PLACE TO BE AT AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.
UM, AND THIS BUILDING RESPONDED TO THOSE CONDITIONS AND WAS DEVELOPED, UH, OUT OF THE, THE CONTEXT, UH, AND THE ERA IN WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED.
WE ARE IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO DO THINGS THAT WE COULDN'T DO BEFORE.
AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO DO WITH JUST THE BASIC MASSING OF THE BUILDING AND HOW IT RESPONDS TO, IN THIS CASE, THE ORIGINAL WALLER CREEK OR THE WALLER, UM, GRID.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE OPENING UP THIRD STREET TO MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION.
SO YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DRIVE THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTER SITE, UH, AND OPENING UP SECOND STREET TO PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.
WE CAN'T DO IT MULTIMODAL, UH, BECAUSE OF A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
BUT THERE'S, UM, THERE'S PHYSICALLY JUST NOT ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, BUT THE IDEA IS NOW WE ARE ABLE TO USE THIS SITE AS A CONNECTOR, UH, INSTEAD OF A BARRIER, UH, TO THESE DIFFERENT CULTURAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE DOWNTOWN.
SO WE'VE GOT THE RED RIVER, UH, CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, UP ABOVE, UH, NOW IS GONNA HAVE A REALLY PLEASANT AND STRONGER CONNECTION TO RAINY STREET AND WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, EAST AND WEST.
WE'VE GOT SECOND STREET THAT'S COMING THROUGH, UH, CARRYING ON THE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL HERE WITH THE GREAT STREETS.
AND, AND THE ACTIVITY THAT IS HAPPENING HERE, UH, THAT WILL NOW BE PULLED ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SITE, ALL THE WAY TO THE FAIRMONT HOTEL THIRD STREET.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY FROM WEST DOWNTOWN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SITE.
UM, AND YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DRIVE ACROSS I 35 ANYMORE, BECAUSE THAT IS THE LOCATION OF ONE OF THE STITCHES, UM, WHICH MEANS PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
SO THAT WILL BE A REALLY STRONG PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION, UH, TO EAST AUSTIN.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? WE'VE GOT A LIGHT RAIL THAT'S COMING UP, TRINITY.
UH, SO THERE'S, UH, THAT REALLY STRONG MASS TRANSIT CONNECTION, UH, WITH THE CURRENT RED LINE THAT'S ON FOURTH STREET.
UM, SO A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING WITH THE SITE, AND WE'RE REALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS TO OPEN IT UP AND HAVE IT BECOME PART OF THE CITY AGAIN, INSTEAD OF KIND OF THIS, THIS BARRIER IN THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN.
AN OVERALL STRATEGY FOR THE CONCEPT OF DEVELOPING THIS BUILDING, UM, IS GOING FROM THE HEAVILY LANDSCAPED, UH, LUSH AND GREEN, UH, WALLER CREEK AND THE WATERLOO CONSERVANCY WORK THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS JUST ABOUT WRAPPING UP IN THIS AREA.
UH, SO TAKING THAT GREENERY AND PULLING IT INTO THE SITE, AND THEN TRANSITIONING THROUGH THE BUILDING TO AN IDEA OF A MORE URBAN LANDSCAPE, WHICH IS WHAT IT FACES ON THE OTHER EDGE.
UM, THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT YOU'LL SEE NOT ONLY IN, IN THE MASSING AND, UH, HOW THE OUTDOOR AREAS ARE TREATED, BUT ALSO IN THE INTERIOR WITH THE FINISHES AND, UH, HOW THE ROOMS ARE ORGANIZED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THIS BUILDING AS BEING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT AN ISOLATED, UH, INCIDENT IN THE CITY.
UH, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THREE NOW, UH, LANDMARK CIVIC BUILDINGS THAT ARE, UH, ALIGNING ON CAESAR CHAVEZ.
UH, THIS IS A REALLY COOL THING THAT WE DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL, UH, OUR CONSULTANTS STARTED WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.
UH, BUT WE'VE GOT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, CITY HALL, AND NOW THE CONVENTION CENTER AS THESE THREE, UM, YOU KNOW, GREAT BEACONS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALL STRONG ON, UH, ALONG WHAT'S NOW KIND OF A, A NEW CIVIC CORRIDOR, WHICH IS REALLY KIND OF AN EXCITING THOUGHT.
WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT, UM, WAS DONE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND CITY HALL AND INCORPORATING THOSE IDEAS AND TRYING TO TIE THIS TO THE IDENTITY OF AUSTIN.
AGAIN, WE WANT THIS TO BE UNIQUELY AUSTIN AND OUR CIVIC BUILDINGS, UH, ARE A REALLY GREAT WAY OF, UH, SHOWING THAT UNIQUENESS, UM, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN AUSTIN.
[00:15:01]
SO ALL THAT SAID, HERE'S WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY AT, UM, REALLY 25% DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THIS IS A FAST TRACK PROJECT.
WE'VE GOT OVERLAPPING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.
UM, SO WE ARE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, AT THE POINT WE'RE ABOUT TO, TO DEMO THE BUILDING IN MAY.
UM, AND WE WON'T BE FINISHED DRAWING THESE THINGS.
UM, THE, UH, THE FOUNDATION AND EVERYTHING WILL START GOING UP BEFORE THE DRAWINGS ARE DONE.
UM, LOTS OF CHALLENGES, OF COURSE, WITH THAT.
UM, BUT WE'RE CARRYING ALL OF THESE IDEAS THROUGH, UM, AND WE'RE DOING THIS IN AN EXTRAORDINARILY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, WITH THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
SO, JUST TAKE YOU THROUGH THIS REAL QUICK.
UH, THE RED BLOCK IS A BALLROOM, WHICH SITS ON THE GROUND LEVEL.
THAT BLUE BLOCK BLOCK, UM, IS IN BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREET.
THAT'S A FLEX HALL WITH MEETING ROOMS UN UNDERNEATH.
AND THEN THAT SECOND STREET, THE, THE YELLOW CIRCULATIONS AREA, YOU SEE HOW SECOND STREET NOW PULLS THROUGH THE BUILDING, CONNECTS RED RIVER, UH, ALL THE WAY OVER TO TRINITY.
AND THEN IN THE UPPER, UH, UPPER RIGHT SIDE, UH, YOU SEE A YELLOW SQUARE THAT'S, UH, AN OUTDOOR EVENT PLAZA FOR, UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND SOMETHING THAT, OF COURSE CAN BE USED BY THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY'RE NOT CONVENTION CENTER EVENTS.
AND THEN SLIDING DOWN TO THE RIGHT, THE, THE WHITE BUILDING, UM, WE'RE CALLING THAT THE WAREHOUSE.
UH, THAT'S WHAT HOUSES OUR TRUCK RAMP THAT GOES DOWN.
'CAUSE OUR LOADING DOCKS ARE NOW DOWN BELOW GRADE IN ORDER TO CLEAN UP THE STREETSCAPE AND TAKE ALL OF THAT, UH, KIND OF DIRTY UTILITARIAN ACTIVITY OFF OF RED RIVER TO AGAIN, MAKE A REALLY STRONG CONNECTION, UH, BETWEEN SIXTH STREET, THE RED RIVER DISTRICT IN RAINEY.
AND THEN YOU SEE, UM, THE WATERLOO, UM, CONSERVANCY PROJECT IN WALLER CREEK GOING THROUGH THE, THE LOWER QUARTER.
KATIE MENTIONED THAT WE ARE PLANNING FOR FUTURE EXPANSION.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO TO THINK ABOUT, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF, UM, WE NEEDED TO DO THIS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
UH, I THINK OUR CONVENTION CENTER IS GONNA BE, UH, SUCH A HIT AND SUCH A DEMAND THAT THIS WILL PROBABLY COME, UH, PRETTY SOON.
BUT THE IDEA IS TO TAKE THE, UH, THE SPACE THAT'S USED FOR OUTDOOR EVENTS AND GO ON TOP OF, UH, OUR UTILITARIAN AREAS, UH, AND DO A FUTURE EXPANSION THERE WITH MORE MEETING ROOMS AND, UH, BALLROOM AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ALL WITH THE IDEA.
THIS IS GOING TO BE, UH, INCORPORATED INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW AND DEVELOPING THOSE.
SO IT'S EASY TO DO WITH STRUCTURE AND, UM, AND CIRCULATION AND ALL OF THAT.
SO GETTING KIND OF MORE INTO THE WEEDS.
YOU SEE THAT TOP AREA WE CALL THAT BLOCK SEA, UH, THAT'S THE OUTDOOR AREA WITH THE, THE PROMENADE COMING ALL THE WAY, UH, DOWN WHERE NAUS, UH, WOULD'VE BEEN.
UH, SO THE IDEA IS, AGAIN, TO REEMPHASIZE THE, THE WALLER GRID, UM, TO RECONNECT TITCH THIS URBAN FABRIC SO THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER REALLY FEELS A PART OF AUSTIN AND IS NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT, UH, AN ALIEN SPACE.
UH, BUT IT'S SOMETHING FOR AUSTINITES AS WELL AS VISITORS.
THE FESTIVAL DROP OFF, THAT'S THIRD STREET, SO YOU HAVE THE MULTIMODAL CONNECTION.
UH, AND THEN AGAIN, THE, THE PEDESTRIAN PEDESTRIAN ACCESS THAT WILL GO ACROSS, UH, I 35.
UM, SO THE YELLOW IS THAT OUTDOOR EVENT PLAZA.
UM, A, UH, A COVERED CANOPY, UM, IS IN OUR ALTERNATES RIGHT NOW, UH, BUT POINTING RIGHT TO OUR, OUR FRONT DOOR.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE RED RIVER AND TRINITY ON THE OTHER SIDES.
UM, THE RED LINE STATION IS RIGHT THERE ALONG FOURTH STREET, UH, ON THE, THE LEFT EDGE NEAR RED RIVER.
UM, AND THEN THE NEW A TP PROJECT CONNECT, UH, LIGHT RAIL, UH, WILL BE FURTHER DOWN ON TRINITY BY CAESAR CHAVEZ.
SO HERE'S WHAT, UH, THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, OR SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR.
AGAIN, WE'RE STILL IN DESIGN, UM, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A VIBRANT OUTDOOR EVENT PLAZA.
UH, THIS IS A PLACE THAT, UM, UH, UM, IS GOING TO BE UNIQUE FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER TO PROGRAM AND FOR EVENTS TO COME HERE AND ACTUALLY HAVE A LARGE OUTDOOR SPACE.
UH, OF COURSE, MUSIC CAN HAPPEN OUT THERE.
UM, UM, FESTIVALS, BOOTHS, ALL THAT SORT OF THING IN THIS VERY FLEXIBLE OUTDOOR SPACE BEFORE, UM, A FUTURE EXPANSION HAPPENS.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE FACADE HAS BANNERS AND, UH, POSSIBLE PROJECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS GONNA BE A VERY LIVELY, VERY URBAN SPACE.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE CENTRAL PART, WHICH WE'RE CALLING THE HUB.
AND YOU SEE THE RAVINE IN THE CENTER, AND THAT'S THAT NATURE'S CONNECTION COMING THROUGH THE BUILDING, EMPHASIZING THAT NORTH SOUTH, UH, ROUTE, UH, THROUGH THE SITE, UH, AND THE LANDSCAPE ON THE RIGHT, RESPONDING TO PALM PARK AND, AND THE WATERLOO CONSERVANCY PROJECT, MOVING THROUGH THE BUILDING TO THE MORE, UH, URBAN SIDE.
SO THIS IS A LOOK AT THE ENTRANCE AT SECOND AND TRINITY,
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UH, YOU SEE THE, THE LIGHT RAIL, THAT'S THE STATION'S GONNA BE RIGHT THERE, UM, UH, RIGHT NEAR OUR ENTRANCE GOING DOWN TO CESAR CHAVEZ WITH THE PLATFORM.UH, WE'VE GOT SOME RETAIL LOCATED HERE, UH, IN THE GLASS BLOCK THERE IN THE CORNER.
UM, AND THEN YOU SEE THIS VERY, UH, PROMINENT, UH, ROOF, WHICH IS GONNA BE MASS TIMBER.
UM, AND, UH, AN A IPP PROJECT DOING THE SOFFIT OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE, THE SECOND FLOOR PRE-FUNCTION AREAS, UM, MOVING ALL THE WAY THROUGH SECOND STREET ALL THE WAY TO RED RIVER.
UM, THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL ARTWORK RIGHT NOW.
UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ART.
UH, BUT THERE ARE COMMUNITY SPACES IN HERE.
THAT MIDDLE SECTION IS AVAILABLE FOR EVENTS AND WHATNOT.
UM, AND THIS WILL BE A REALLY LIVELY CONNECTION, UH, TO SECOND STREET.
AND COMING ALL THE WAY DOWN, CONNECTING TO WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN HERE ON THE WEST SIDE.
THIS IS THE REVERSE SIDE, LOOKING AT SECOND AND RED RIVER, WHERE THAT PASS COMES THROUGH.
UH, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE LUSHNESS OF THE GREENERY RESPONDING TO THE PARK AND THE CREEK PULLING THAT INTO THE SITE.
UH, YOU SEE THE BRIDGE ON THE LEFT SIDE, UH, THAT'S THE FAIRMONT HOTEL BRIDGE THAT'S GOING TO RE REMAIN AND, UH, BE REINTEGRATED INTO OUR NEW LANDSCAPE.
UM, POSSIBLY SOME GREENERY UP ON THE, THE SECOND FLOOR AS WELL.
UM, AND SOME REALLY NEAT THINGS HAPPENING WITH THE BUILDING IN ORDER TO, TO BREAK DOWN THE MASS OF IT AND REALLY RELATE TO, UH, HUMAN SCALE.
SO THIS IS INSIDE THAT EO, UH, LOOKING WEST, UH, BACK THROUGH TO THE TRINITY ENTRANCE.
UH, AND YOU SEE HOW THIS, THIS, UH, THIS ART PIECE, UH, HAS THIS ABILITY TO NOW BECOME MASSIVE IN SCALE AND REALLY CONNECT ONE SIDE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER TO THE OTHER AND PROVIDE THIS VERY PUBLIC, UH, WALKWAY.
UH, THAT'S EXCITING, INVITING.
UM, AND THEY'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT CAN BE EXPERIENCED BY THE PUBLIC AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY.
UM, EXCEPT WHEN EVENTS ARE GOING ON AND NOT HIDDEN INSIDE THE BUILDING.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
THE BALLROOM, UH, GOING OFF TO THE LEFT THERE, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE THE BALLROOM'S ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND FLOOR, WHICH IS GOING TO ALLOW FOR A SPILLING IN AND OUT, UH, OF EVENTS, WHICH WILL, AGAIN, LIVEN UP, UM, THIS PRESENCE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER TO THE STREETSCAPE, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS VERY DESIRABLE.
AND THEN A COURTYARD KIND OF DOWN BELOW TO THE LEFT, UH, FOR EVENTS COMING OFF OF, UH, THE EXHIBIT HALL.
SO THAT PART WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT.
WE CALL THAT, UH, SITE A, UM, THE BALLROOM, UH, WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE PORCH, UM, WHICH IS THIS IDEA OF A, A DANCE HALL.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S KIND OF THIS MOVEMENT INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF ACTIVITY GOING ON DOWN INTO THE LANDSCAPE AND CONNECTING TO, UH, THE WATERLOO CONSERVANCY PARK.
THE BALLROOM WILL ALSO BE MASS TIMBER.
UM, THIS IS GONNA BE REALLY FANTASTIC, UM, WHEN IT'S DONE.
SO HERE, THIS IS LOOKING FROM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL STORIES UP IN THE WATER LINE, UM, AND HOW THIS CORNER IS NOW GONNA BE TRANSFORMED INTO A VERY INVITING, VERY GREEN, UH, VERY HUMAN ACCESSIBLE, UM, APPROACH TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND WILL DRASTICALLY CHANGE THE STREETSCAPE ALONG CESAR CHAVEZ.
AND THEN AGAIN, ALSO ON RED RIVER, PROVIDING REALLY STRONG CONNECTIONS THROUGH OUR SITE.
UM, THIS IS A, A HUGE SCALE, A IPP PROJECT.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT, UH, $17.7 MILLION THAT WE'RE SETTING ASIDE FOR ART IN THIS BUILDING.
UH, THIS IS THE SINGLE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC ART TO DATE FOR AUSTIN.
WE'VE SELECTED 10 ARTISTS, UH, TO BE A PART OF THE PROJECT FROM THE BEGINNING BECAUSE WE ARE, UH, TAKING THE FIRST 10 AND THE FIRST, UH, APPROXIMATELY $12 MILLION, UH, OF THE A IPP MONEY AND CREATING ARCHITECTURALLY INTEGRATED ARTWORK.
SO YOU SAW THE SOFFIT IS, IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING A CNC STONE, UH, AS A VENEER FOR THE BUILDING.
UH, THAT WILL BE ARTWORK, UM, CANOPIES, UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MORE TRADITIONAL MAYBE MURALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPENING AS WELL.
THE ARTISTS, WE REALLY GREAT BUNCH OF ARTISTS, UM, THEY ARE, UM, UH, REALLY TALENTED, REALLY WIDE RANGING, UM, GOING FROM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE EMERGING AS ARTISTS, UH, SIGNIFICANT FOR THEIR WORK, UH, TO VERY, UH, ESTABLISHED ARTISTS LIKE DEBRA ROBERTS, UH, WHO IS KNOWN OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN, MUCH MORE THAN SHE IS HERE IN HER HOME.
AND THIS WILL BE HER FIRST PUBLIC ART PROJECT HERE IN AUSTIN, FIRST PERMANENT WORK.
UM, AND SO SHE'S THRILLED ABOUT THIS.
DIEGO MI, MIRO RIVERA IS AN UP AND COMING ARTIST, UM, WHO IS GOING TO BE HELPED ALONG WITH THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THE ARCHITECTURALLY INTEGRATED NATURE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'VE GOT A WHOLE TECHNICAL SUPPORT STAFF WITH THE ARCHITECTURE FIRM WHO ARE GONNA BE TAKING THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS, DOING DRAWINGS AND, AND WORKING OUT HOW TO GET THEIR THINGS BUILT AND INSTALLED AND BECOME A PART OF THE BUILDING.
[00:25:01]
UH, SO THIS IS FANTASTICALLY, UM, UH, JUST AN AMAZING PROCESS SO FAR.UM, AND THE ARTISTS ARE JUST ABOUT REALLY READY TO GET STARTED ON THE CONCEPTUAL WORK, BUT THEY'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING.
SO THIS IS JUST AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE SPACES THAT, UM, THAT MAY BE, UH, USED FOR THIS.
UM, AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS OUTSIDE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, UH, VISUALLY, UM, WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER IS NOT OPEN, WE THINK THAT'S A, A REALLY COOL, UH, COMMUNITY BENEFIT FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, AND THEN ALSO, UH, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF, $6 MILLION, UH, BEYOND THAT, WHICH WILL BE THE TRADITIONAL A IPP PROCESS.
UH, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, MOSTLY INTERIOR WORK, BUT SCULPTURES OUTSIDE PAINTINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, MULTIMEDIA, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO PROBABLY THE STUFF THAT YOU'RE MOST INTERESTED IN, UH, AS A COMMISSION, I'M GUESSING, UH, BY THE INITIAL QUESTIONS, UH, THAT WE GOT BEFORE COMING.
UM, THIS IS A MASSIVE PROJECT.
UM, THERE ARE LOTS OF MASSIVE PROJECTS GOING ON IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE LOTS OF MASSIVE PROJECTS COMING FOR DOWNTOWN.
UM, UH, WE ARE KIND OF THE FIRST OUT, UH, AND WE ARE BREAKING A LOT OF GROUND IN TERMS OF COORDINATING AND, UH, ESTABLISHING PROTOCOLS, UM, AND, AND TOOLS TO HELP DURING THIS TIME OF GREAT GROWTH, UH, AND REALLY EXCITING PROJECTS IN DOWNTOWN FOR OUR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED SOME ENABLING PROJECTS.
UH, WE'RE DOING A LITTLE, LITTLE PROJECT FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TRANSFORMERS IN OUR BUILDINGS.
WE'RE DOING SOME JUMPER CABLES FOR 'EM, UH, TO MAKE SURE THEIR NETWORK STILL FUNCTIONS AFTER THE TRANSFORMERS ARE OUT.
WE'VE GOT SOME CHILLED WATER LOOP WORK TO DO FOR, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY AS WELL.
UM, UH, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE A LINE GOING THROUGH OUR SITE.
UH, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO RELOCATING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR, UH, THE RED LINE STATION AND CAP METRO, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME OF THEIR EQUIPMENT ON OUR BUILDING, AND WE NEED TO MOVE THAT, OBVIOUSLY BEFORE WE DEMO.
SO YOU SEE, DEMO IS STARTING PRETTY SOON.
UM, APRIL WILL, YOU'LL REALLY START TO SEE ACTIVITY.
YOU'LL START TO SEE, UH, THE TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES GO UP.
UM, UH, YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME INCREASED ACTIVITY WITH DEMO THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE BUILDING.
UH, PERIMETER FENCING, ALL THAT SORT OF MOBILIZATION STUFF WILL START HAPPENING IN APRIL.
AND THEN IN MAY IS WHEN IT REALLY GETS UNDERWAY.
AND THEY'RE REALLY GONNA START ATTACKING THE DEMOLITION AND EXCAVATION OF THE BUILDING.
YOU NOTICE THAT THE DEMO AND EXCAVATION PHASES OVERLAP AS WELL AS THE EXCAVATION AND BUILDING.
AND IF I HAD DESIGN UP THERE, THOSE WOULD OVERLAP ALL OF THOSE.
UH, SO FAST TRACK, FAST MOVING, UH, LARGE PROJECT, UM, THAT WE'RE TAKING A LOT OF CARE IN HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT THIS AND COORDINATING WITH A LOT, WELL, ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, UM, HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF IMPACT AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WHILE THIS PROJECT'S GOING ON.
SO JUST, JUST FOR YOUR BEARINGS, THE DEMO AND EXCAVATION HAS OVERLAPPED BECAUSE DEMO WILL BEGIN IN THE SOUTH SIDE AND KIND OF MOVE AROUND.
CLOCKWISE EXCAVATION IS GOING RIGHT BEHIND IT.
UH, THERE'LL BE, THERE'LL BE A DIAPHRAGM WALL THAT GOES IN IN ORDER TO MAKE THE EXCAVATION POSSIBLE.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY POURING THE FOUNDATION BEFORE WE, OR PART OF THE FOUNDATION BEFORE WE EVEN START EXCAVATING.
UM, AND THAT'LL FOLLOW, UH, IN A CLOCKWISE MANNER ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SITE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, BEFORE EXCAVATION IS EVEN DONE, WE'LL START WORKING ON THE FOUNDATION AND LOWER FLOORS AND ERECTING STEEL.
UM, SO VERY, VERY, UH, COMPLICATED, OVERLAPPING, INTERESTING PROCESS TO GET THIS DONE.
SO WHILE THAT'S HAPPENING, UH, OF COURSE THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE'RE COORDINATING VERY HEAVILY WITH, UM, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
WE HAVE, UM, EVERY OTHER WEEK MEETINGS WITH THEM CURRENTLY, UH, ON A REGULAR MEETING BASIS.
BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT LOTS OF, UM, INTERMEDIATE MEETINGS THAT HAPPEN IN BETWEEN THOSE, UM, AND HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM ON DEVELOPING THIS TRAFFIC AND CONTROL PLAN SO THAT THEY CAN INTEGRATE THIS INTO ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UH, IN THE CITY.
UH, AND AGAIN, UH, HAVE AS LEAST IMPACT AS POSSIBLE ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
PART OF THIS THAT, UM, WELL, I'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THIS JUST REAL QUICKLY.
UM, WE ARE, OF COURSE, NORTH IS, IS UP.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT RED RIVER BEING A ONE LANE, UH, PASS THROUGH NORTHBOUND FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, STILL KEEP THE VALET OPEN FOR MOONSHINE GRILL THERE.
UH, THIRD STREET WILL BE, UH, AN ENTRANCE AND AN EXIT WAY, UM, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY KIND OF FLIP DIRECTIONS AT, AT ONE POINT.
UM, AND, UM, AND SO THERE WILL STILL BE TRAFFIC GOING THROUGH THERE.
UH, WHEN, WHEN THE PROJECT BEGINS, UH, THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, WE ARE, AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT, UH, DOING A NEW DISTRICT CHILLING PLANT FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
[00:30:01]
ONE ON THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT'S BEING DECOMMISSIONED, AND WE NEED TO BUILD A REPLACEMENT IN ORDER FOR US TO, TO OPEN UP OUR BUILDING.SO IT'S BECOME PART OF OUR PROJECT.
UH, WHEN THAT STARTS CONSTRUCTION, WE WILL CLOSE DOWN RED RIVER, UH, ENTIRELY, UH, IN FRONT OF THERE, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING TWO MASSIVE PROJECTS GOING ON NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
UM, SAME CONTRACTOR AND EVERYTHING.
WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE PASSING BETWEEN THOSE.
UH, SO THAT'LL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.
UH, AND THEN WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY, UH, AND WE'RE, WE'RE JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AWAY, I THINK, FROM FINALIZING THIS.
UH, THE BIKE LANE, THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY THAT COMES THROUGH, UH, LOOKING AT USING, UH, RED RIVER, UH, ONE BLOCK OF FIFTH STREET BACK ON NAUS, UH, BACK OVER TO TRINITY, AND THEN THIRD STREET, UH, CONTINUING ON FOR THAT ON TRINITY.
UM, WE AREN'T GONNA HAVE ANY, UH, VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
UM, THERE WILL STILL BE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SITE, UH, BUT TRINITY WILL BE NORTHBOUND AND YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LEFT ON EAST SECOND, AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO TRAVEL UP, UM, ANY FURTHER.
WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS, UH, THEIR, UH, STATION THERE AT FIFTH AND TRINITY, UH, ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, INGRESS AND EGRESS OF THEIR STATION.
UH, SO WE'VE MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR PLANS AND TO OUR FENCING AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING, UH, SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GET OUT AND IN EASILY, UH, DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING ALONG CESAR CHAVEZ.
UM, WE ARE GONNA MAINTAIN TWO LANES, UH, GOING EACH WAY AND A DEDICATED LEFT TURN LANE TO GET INTO, UH, TRINITY, UM, THAT SERVICES THE, UH, FOUR SEASONS, UH, HOTEL AND RESIDENCES, AND THAT'S WHERE THEIR SERVICE VEHICLES GO, AND ALL OF, UH, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE HEAVY TRUCKS AND THINGS THAT, UM, COMING IN OUT OF THERE.
UH, AND THAT WAS A REQUEST THAT THEY MADE DURING, UH, SOME OF OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE'VE DONE, UH, A LOT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH, UM, RESIDENTS WITH THE HOTELS, WITH, UH, BUSINESSES WITHIN A HALF MILE RADIUS, UM, SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'VE TAKEN THEIR FEEDBACK, AND THIS IS A, A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT WE INSERTED THIS LEFT TURN LANE.
THAT WILL MEAN WE'LL HAVE TO DO SOME WORK TAKING THE, THE BUMP OUTS, UH, OUT OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF ESOR CHAVEZ.
UH, AND WE'RE COORDINATING HEAVILY WITH THE WATER LINE, WHO WILL STILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION WHEN WE START ALL OF THIS.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY, UH, DEMOBILIZE AND WHATNOT, WE'LL ADJUST THEN AS WELL.
UM, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, AGAIN, WE'RE KEEPING FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC WHILE PROVIDING PROTECTED, UH, PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ALONG THE NORTH SIDE, UH, AND, UH, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, OF COURSE, COMMUNITY CONCERNS, UH, WITH ACCESS.
SO HERE'S JUST A LITTLE BLOW UP OF, UM, THE BIKE DETOUR.
SO YOU SEE HOW, UH, THAT RIGHT GREEN ARROW COMING ALONG, LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY, WE'LL CROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND GO NORTH ON A, UH, A BI-DIRECTIONAL, UH, TEMPORARY BIKE LANE, UH, THAT WILL GO UP TO FIFTH STREET AND AROUND, UM, AND BACK DOWN TO THE TRINITY BIKE LANE.
AND THEN THEY WILL ALSO, UH, GO ALONG THIRD STREET, UH, AT THAT POINT.
AND THIS IS JUST THAT UPPER SECTION.
UM, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
I PULLED THIS FROM THE FILES YESTERDAY, UH, WITH COMMENTS.
UM, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING TEMPORARY SIGNALS IN FOR THE CYCLISTS, UH, AT NATURE'S AND FIFTH, UM, AND LOOKING AT HOW TO HANDLE PARKING AND EVERYTHING FOR THE HILTON.
UH, THERE ARE RESIDENTS THERE IN THE HILTON, SO WE'VE HEARD THEIR CONCERNS, UH, ABOUT THAT ACCESS.
AND WE'RE INCORPORATING ALL OF THESE, AGAIN, VERY CLOSELY WORKING WITH, UH, TPW ON THIS.
UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS HAS ALSO JUST HIRED A CONSULTANT, UH, TO DO A, UH, AN OVERALL LOOK AT ALL THE TRAFFIC CONTROL PLANS.
SO IT'S A COORDINATED EFFORT, UH, THAT WILL BE THEN PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC AND AVAILABLE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
WE'RE ALSO, AS PART OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS, UH, OFFERING NOTIFICATION SERVICES FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY SORT OF LANE CLOSURES OR ANYTHING, UH, THAT'S GOING ON THERE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, TPW ON, UH, HAVING MESSAGES UP ON THE TRAFFIC SIGNS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY'RE CALLED, BUT IT'S PART OF THE MMC AND, UH, AND TRAFFIC CONTROL, UH, CITYWIDE AND IN DOWNTOWN IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND SO WE'LL HAVE A HOTLINE TO THEM, LETTING THEM KNOW, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING DOWN A LANE OR DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND THOSE MESSAGES WILL, UM, BE ABLE TO GO UP VERY QUICKLY DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, A LARGE PROJECT.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, A LOT OF MOVING PIECES, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF TRUCKS COMING IN AND OUT OF THE SITE DURING THIS PROCESS.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME BREAKOUT OF THE DIFFERENT TIMEFRAMES IN THIS.
SO, APRIL OF THIS YEAR THROUGH, UH, THROUGH JULY, UM, THAT'S
[00:35:01]
GONNA BE ALL THE ENABLING STUFF, THE MOBILIZATION AND THINGS HAPPENING THERE.UH, ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE BEGINNING OF DEMOLITION.
BUT WHEN WE REALLY GET INTO IT, AND, UH, AND EVERYTHING IS FULL BORE BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND 600 TRUCKS A DAY.
UM, THAT 570 THAT'S, THAT'S LISTED THERE, OF COURSE, THAT'S, THAT'S A PEAK.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOT DEMO AND EXCAVATION GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE TRUCKS, UM, UH, KIND OF CONTINUOUSLY MOVING THROUGH THE SITE THAT BOILS DOWN TO DURING WORKING HOURS.
IT'S A TRUCK, UH, COMING OR GOING EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES.
UH, WE'RE COORDINATING VERY CLOSELY WITH CAP METRO AND THEIR, THEIR FOURTH STREET STATION.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY OUT THERE FROM THEIR CONTRACTOR, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THEIR TRACKS, UM, ARE CLEAN AND, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE FOR WORK WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS.
UM, AND AGAIN, COORDINATING WITH TPW AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
SO, TRUCKS ARE GONNA BE COMING IN, UH, GENERALLY GOING SOUTH TO NORTH.
UM, NORTH IS TO THE LEFT ON THIS IMAGE.
UM, THE IDEA IS THAT CAESAR CHAVEZ WILL BE THE MAIN ENTRANCE, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE UP RED RIVER AND TRINITY NORTH INSIDE OF GATES.
THEY'LL DO THEIR, THEIR LOADING THERE, UM, AND THEN MOVE NORTH, UH, OUT, DOWN TO SEVENTH STREET, BACK TO I 35.
AND EITHER WAY, DEPENDING ON, UM, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, THIS IS DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE BACKUPS, UH, WITH TRUCKS, WITH LARGE TRUCKS, AS YOU KNOW.
UM, MOST TRUCKS HAVE HAVE THAT DREADED BEEPING NOISE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WORST THINGS ABOUT CONSTRUCTION SITES.
UH, WE'RE WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE ALL OF THE, UH, TRUCKS, UM, EQUIPPED WITH THE, THE OSHA WHOOSH SOUND.
NOT SAYING THAT SOMEBODY WON'T SNEAK IN WITHOUT, BUT THIS, THIS WHOLE PLAN IS DESIGNED TO, UM, UH, NOT NECESSITATE ANY BACKING UP BY THESE LARGE TRUCKS.
UH, WE ALSO ARE PUTTING NOISE MITIGATION, UM, UH, REMEDIATION, UH, DEVICES, UH, INTO EFFECT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THINGS LIKE TRYING TO PUT DOWN A, UM, A LAYER OF DIRT IN THE TRUCKS BEFORE THE ROCKS GO ON, ONCE THEY GET DOWN TO THAT LEVEL WHERE WE'RE HITTING LIMESTONE.
UH, SO THE CONTRACTOR'S VERY AWARE, UH, THAT NOISE IS AN ISSUE, UM, AND, UH, DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
THEY'RE ALSO VERY USED TO WORKING DOWNTOWN.
UH, OUR CONTRACTORS ARE JE DUNN AND TURNER, A JOINT VENTURE.
THEY'VE BOTH BUILT VERY LARGE THINGS IN DOWNTOWN AND UNDERSTAND, UM, AND RESPOND VERY WELL TO THE CONDITIONS HERE.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THIS IS MOSTLY WHAT YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN.
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY UNIQUE, UM, UH, VERY WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE, NOT ONLY FOR CONVENTIONS, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE, UH, AND WORK AND, YOU KNOW, VISIT HERE WHO ARE AUSTINITES.
AND IT'S REALLY BECOME GOING, GOING TO BECOME A PART OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND REALLY A PART OF THE IDENTITY OF AUSTIN, AGAIN, ALONG WITH CITY HALL, ALONG WITH THE, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, UH, THIS IS FITTING IN AND CREATING, UM, HOW PEOPLE THINK ABOUT AUSTIN.
UH, AND, AND I THINK, UH, IT'S A VERY WONDERFUL WAY TO THINK ABOUT AUSTIN.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
I LIVE AT THE FOUR SEASONS, SO I'M OBVIOUSLY VERY
UM, I THINK, UH, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THAT YOU DID A GREAT PRESENTATION HERE.
AND ALSO LET ME SAY THAT I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE SOME MASS TIMBER ELEMENTS, BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY HUMANIZING AND THEY'RE ALSO VERY SUSTAINABLE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH SOUND MITIGATION ON THE TRUCKS AND STUFF, BECAUSE AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN AROUND ENOUGH CONSTRUCTION SITES, I KNOW THAT THAT'S PROBABLY 80% OF THE WORST NOISE.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WOULD HANDLE OR NOT, BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT IS, IS IN A NUMBER OF THESE DRAWINGS, YOU SEE LARGE SCREENS UP, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE LIGHTED SCREENS AS OPPOSED TO BANNERS.
AND, UM, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING, HOW TO MITIGATE THAT AT NIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE RESIDENTS AND HOTEL GUESTS WHO WANNA SLEEP, AND IF YOU HAVE LIKE BLARING GIANT LIGHTED THINGS AT NIGHT, THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM.
AND I'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT IT IN MY BUILDING, SO I WANTED TO HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THEM.
SO WE'RE ENVISIONING THAT SPACE AS BEING AVAILABLE FOR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
BANNERS, CLEAN, UM, UH, CLEAN SIGNS.
UM, NEXT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TECHNICAL TERM IS FOR, UM, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE PROJECTION.
UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE INSTALLING A PROJECTOR PROJECTION AS PART OF THE PROJECT, UH, AT LEAST TO BEGIN WITH.
[00:40:01]
A POSSIBILITY AT THIS POINT.SO, UM, DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT'S GONNA GONNA LEAD, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE LED SIGNAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT'S BLINKING ALL NIGHT LONG.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WERE REALLY CONCERNED WITH, AND THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.
UH, FIRST, YOU KNOW, LEADING THE PROJECT, I ASSUME THERE IS AN IMPORTANT AND MEANINGFUL, UH, INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY, UM, THAT'S LEADING THE PROJECT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY, UM, CONNECT DIRECTLY TO PROGRAMMING THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROJECT, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATING, UM, EMBRACING, UM, THE RICH AND DIVERSE HISTORIES OF THIS SITE, CONNECTING TO OTHER PARTS OF, OF THE DOWNTOWN.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND NOT HAVING INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY AS A, A FOOTNOTE, BUT A LEADING FORCE THAT, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY IMPACTS DESIGN AND, AND GETTING TO THE DESIGN.
I'M ASSUMING AS IT'S BEING DEVELOPED, YOU'RE AT 25% THAT THE DESIGN WILL BE FLEXIBLE, UH, FOR MULTI-USE.
AND AS, UH, THE WORLD EVOLVES AND CHANGES HERE, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, HAVING MULTI-USE, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATING, UH, EMERGENCIES ALONG WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE INTENDED, UH, PROGRAMMING OF THE SITE, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING THAT FLEXIBILITY.
UM, SO IT, IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT, AND THANK YOU FOR LEADING IT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY'VE SELECTED THE RIGHT PERSON.
OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
JUST, UM, HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS I WANTED YOU TO CONFIRM.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE RENDERINGS THAT THE SKY BRIDGE FROM THE FAIRMONT IS REMAINING.
UM, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THE ONE FROM THE HILTON WILL BE REMOVED? CORRECT.
THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN AS PART OF THE DEMOLITION, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY BUILDING ON THAT SITE, UH, CURRENTLY.
UH, BUT OF COURSE, WHEN THERE'S A FUTURE EXPANSION, THAT'S A, A POSSIBILITY AGAIN.
UM, AND THE NEXT ONE, I, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PHRASE THIS, BUT, UM, THE WAY THAT DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN ARE OVERLAPPING, WILL, THE LOGISTICS OF THAT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSE SOME CONFLICTS THAT WILL INCREASE CONSTRUCTION COST.
HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT COMPARED TO A LONGER SCHEDULE THAT WOULD THEN PROBABLY AFFECT YOUR REVENUE FROM OPENING THE BUILDING? HAVE, HAVE YOU MADE THAT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS? UM, WE WILL BE OPEN FOR THE SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON OF 2029.
HOW, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE, WE'VE BUILT AS MUCH CONTINGENCY IN THE SCHEDULE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE REALLY FANTASTIC DECISIONS THAT WAS MADE VERY EARLY ON IN THIS PROJECT WAS TO GET OUR DESIGN TEAM AND OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM ON BOARD AT THE SAME TIME, SO THAT AS WE'RE DESIGNING THE BUILDING THERE, WE HAVE THAT CHECK FROM OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM OF, HEY, THIS IS WHAT THIS IS GONNA COST.
THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF DESIGNING AND, AND GETTING THESE COST ESTIMATES IN LOCKSTEP WITH EACH OTHER AS WE'VE BEEN GOING ON AND, AND FEEL AT THIS POINT REALLY CONFIDENT WITH WHERE WE ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YES, CONFLICTS WILL ARISE, BUT, UM, SORT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING THROUGHOUT AS WE'VE BEEN DOING THESE COST CHECK-INS IS THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN THIS ON A PROJECT THAT, WHERE EVERYONE HAS BEEN THIS CLOSE, THIS EARLY ON.
UM, SO HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE, UM, BUT WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT AND THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL BE OPEN FOR SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON IN 29.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
JUST A QUICK ONE, UH, I BELIEVE AN EARLIER VISION OF THE PROJECT INCLUDED A MUCH TALLER BUILDING THAT WOULD HAVE, UH, HOUSING AS PART OF IT.
UH, COULD YOU COMMENT ON WHERE WE WENT? SO, YES.
UM, AN EARLIER VERSION OF IT, UM, DID CONTEMPLATE A, UM, A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ON, ON A PORTION OF IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO TIMING AND COST CONSIDERATIONS, WE HAD TO WALK AWAY FROM THAT PROJECT.
WE BRIEFED COUNSEL ON THAT, I BELIEVE IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL OR TO YOU ALL IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT PART OF THIS PROJECT.
YES, SCHIFF, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
WONDERING IF YOU HAD CONSIDERED WELL CERTIFICATION AS PART OF YOUR SUSTAINABILITY, AND IF THAT WAS BEING IMPLEMENTED? UM, THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRACKING, UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY, UH, WITH THE LEAD, UM, AND, YOU KNOW,
[00:45:01]
INTERIOR, AIR QUALITY LIGHTING, UM, ACCESS TO OUTDOOR SPACES, THAT SORT OF THING, UH, THAT CHECKS A LOT OF THE BOXES OF WELL RATING MM-HMMUM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A POSSIBILITY, UH, BUT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY TRACKING IT.
UM, UH, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET THERE.
HOW MUCH, IF ANY, RETAIL IS ENVISIONED AT THE GROUND LEVEL? I DON'T HAVE SQUARE, UH, I DON'T KNOW THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL, UH, LOCATIONS ALONG TRINITY MM-HMM
UH, YOU SAW ONE AT THE ENTRANCE, A VERY PROMINENT, UH, CORNER PIECE, UH, THERE AT THE SOUTH SIDE OF SECOND STREET AND TRINITY, UH, JUST BEHIND THE, THE TRAIN.
UM, AND THEN A COUPLE OF MORE MOVING UP NORTH ALONG TRINITY.
UM, THOSE ARE GONNA BE OUTFITTED.
SO THE, THEY'RE VERY FLEXIBLE.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL TIE THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, UM, GREASE TRAPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR RESTAURANTS.
UM, UH, WE'RE WORKING THAT OUT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S, AS YOU KNOW, GREASE TRAPS ARE A CHALLENGE MM-HMM
UM, ESPECIALLY ON A LARGE SITE LIKE THIS.
UM, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THOSE AS FLEXIBLE, UH, AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN STRATEGICALLY LOCATING THEM.
WE HAD A RETAIL STRATEGIST, UH, AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT, ADVISE US ON LOCATIONS, UH, TYPES OF BUSINESSES, UH, THAT SORT OF THING IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE, UH, THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN GET THE, YOU KNOW, BEST, UM, BEST PLACES FOR THESE PEOPLE TO, UH, BE A PART OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'LL GET TO THE PEOPLE ONLINE IN A MINUTE.
UM, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH, AND ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS AND THE CONSIDERATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY.
MY QUESTION IS AROUND, UM, THE CONSIDERATIONS TO THE DISRUPTION OF THE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMY THAT SURROUNDS THE CONVENTION CENTER.
HAVE YOU ALL THOUGHT ABOUT MITIGATION STRATEGIES OR ANYTHING IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT THRIVE OFF OF THAT, THAT ECOSYSTEM? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
WE, UM, WE HAVE, AND WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THE IMPACT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WE ARE, ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH, UM, ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ABOUT AND A HALF MILE RADIUS WITH US.
WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, UH, VISIT AUSTIN, AND THEN, UM, TO SET UP KIND OF A SERIES OF MEETINGS AND TO WORK THROUGH WHAT SOME OPPORTUNITIES ARE, HOW WE CAN PROMOTE THEM WHILE WE'RE CLOSED, UM, AND JUST TO, TO, TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS AND, AND HOW, WHAT THOSE MITIGATION STRATEGIES LOOK LIKE, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THAT.
UM, BUT WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEM AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, I FIRST, UH, JUST WANNA START BY SAYING, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS IN THE BIKE DETOUR.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS AREA ON, ON FOURTH STREET IS THE MULTIMODAL GATEWAY TO OUR DOWNTOWN, WHETHER YOU'RE TAKING A TRAIN, UH, WALKING, BIKING, OR SCOOTERING.
UM, ONE COMMENT AND THEN ONE QUESTION FIRST IS, UM, ON THE DETOUR, UH, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THAT A LOT OF BICYCLISTS WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE ON THAT DETOUR.
INSTEAD OF GOING BACK DOWN TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY TO CONNECT TO THE BIKE LANES ON TRINITY AND SAN JACINTO.
UM, YOU MAY NOT NEED A FULL BIKE LANE THERE, BUT YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ANTICIPATING PEOPLE GOING STRAIGHT TO CONNECT TO THOSE, UM, UH, DESTINATIONS.
SO THAT MAY BE MORE OF A TRAFFIC CONTROL ISSUE, I'M SURE TPW COULD ADDRESS.
UM, THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK, UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME IMPACTS TO THE RED LINE IN TERMS OF HAVING TO MOVE THINGS.
UM, WHAT, THE PART I WAS CONFUSED ON IS, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THERE BEING ANY MOMENT WHEN WE WILL NEED TO SHUT DOWN ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN STATION, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION? UM, SO THE FIRST PART ABOUT THE BIKE LANE, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEVERAL CYCLISTS ON THE, THE CONSULTANT TEAM, UH, AS WELL AS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH TPW.
UM, AND THEY'VE MADE KIND OF A SIMILAR OBSERVATION, UH, THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, PAINT STRIPES AS MUCH AS YOU WANT ON, ON THE ROADWAY AND PUT UP SIGNS, BUT PEOPLE ARE GONNA GO WHERE THEY CAN GO.
UH, SO ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN, AGAIN, A PART OF THESE BIWEEKLY MEETINGS.
UM, VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT FACT AND, YOU KNOW, DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UH, MAKE SURE WE'RE GUIDING, UH, APPROPRIATELY AND, UM, AND HAVING THAT ALL WORK OUT.
UM, THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION, ACTUALLY FORGOT WHAT THAT, WHAT IT WAS, I'M SORRY.
SO, UM, OUR EFFECT ON THE RED LINE IS LIMITED TO THE REMOVAL OF THE HILTON BRIDGE, UH, WHICH WILL TAKE, UH, A COUPLE OF DAYS.
UM, AND THEN MOVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, FROM OUR SITE, UH, UH, TO ANOTHER LOCATION NEARBY THE STATION.
THAT WILL ALSO BE JUST A FEW DAYS.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG THOSE ARE GONNA TAKE 'CAUSE WE'RE STILL KIND OF HIRING PEOPLE AND WHATNOT.
UM, BUT ON THE ORDER OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FOUR DAYS A PIECE, AND WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CAP METRO, UH, WE'RE MEETING, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE, UM, EXECUTIVE LEVEL ALL THE WAY DOWN, UH, TO OPERATIONS AND, UM, AND, UH, TRYING TO SCHEDULE THESE
[00:50:01]
THINGS FOR THE, THE MINIMAL IMPACT TO THEIR SCHEDULE, UH, AND, AND THEIR ABILITIES.UH, ONE OF THE MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, IS WHEN THINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR Q2 STADIUM.
UM, THEY'RE THE, THE SOCCER GAMES IN PARTICULAR, UH, 40% OF THE GATE FOR THOSE EVENTS, UH, RIDE THE TRAIN.
UH, SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GONNA AVOID THOSE.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER HOLIDAYS WE'RE GONNA TRY TO WORK, UH, OUR WORK INTO SO THAT, UM, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY SHUTTING DOWN THE STATION DURING, UH, PRIME TIMES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO VERY CLOSELY, AGAIN, COORDINATING WITH THEM ON SCHEDULING AND HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT THAT WELL AS ALSO HAVE CCS AND TAKE A HOLD.
APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHT ON OVERALL WE'VE, WE GOT FANS.
I TOO, I ONE OF THOSE TRAIN WRITERS, SO THERE YOU GO.
UM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I HAD TWO QUESTIONS, UM, BOTH RELATED AROUND SAFETY.
THE FIRST IS ABOUT, UM, EMERGENCY ACCESS, EMERGENCY VEHICLES, AND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THAT YOU GUYS HAVE LAID OUT, AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN CONSULTING CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THAT.
IT'S GONNA BE A LONG-TERM PROJECT.
AND OUR DOWNTOWN RESOURCES SERVE EAST AUSTIN AS WELL.
SO JUST IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WAS JUST ABOUT WORKER SAFETY ON SITE AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ONSITE HEALTH FACILITIES, UM, FOR STATE STATIONS, UM, AND HOW EMERGENCY VEHICLES WILL ACCESS THE SITE, UM, WHEN NEEDED.
UM, SO OVERALL, UH, WE HAVE BEEN COORDINATING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS, UH, AS WELL AS DOWNTOWN COMMAND.
UM, SO, UH, NOT ONLY ACCESS, YOU KNOW, AROUND OUR SITE, BUT TO OUR SITE DURING CONSTRUCTION, UH, AS WELL AS WHEN THE BUILDING IS COMPLETE.
UH, SO THOSE ARE KIND OF CONTINUOUS DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING.
UH, AGAIN, A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE FIRE STATION THERE AT FIFTH AND TRINITY.
UH, THEY'VE GOT, UH, A LARGE, UM, HOOK AND LADDER, UM, UH, VEHICLE, UM, THAT WE'VE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WITH HOW WE ARE PUTTING UP OUR CONSTRUCTION BARRICADES, UH, HOW WE'VE ROUTED TRAFFIC AROUND.
UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL VERY HAPPY WITH, WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE, THE CONTRACTOR, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS A CITY JOB, UH, HAS EXTRA SCRUTINY FROM OUR SAFETY STAFF AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKER SAFETY, WAGE COMPLIANCE, ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT HAS MORE SCRUTINY JUST BY THE NATURE OF IT'S BEING A CITY PROJECT THAN THAN MOST OTHER PROJECTS.
UM, SO ALL OF THAT IS DEFINITELY BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MR. DER, UH, I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
YOU POINTED OUT THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR CHILLING SYSTEM, HOW YOU'RE DESIGNING IT INTO THE PROJECT.
UM, ARE THERE PLANS TO USE RECLAIMED WATER IN IN THAT SYSTEM? UM, UM, SO WE'RE, THAT'S, DID YOU READ MY EMAIL TODAY?
UH, THAT IS THE HOT COLD TOPIC OF TODAY.
UM, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY OF DOING THAT.
UH, I BELIEVE AUSTIN ENERGY DOES HAVE, UM, THOSE SORTS OF CAPABILITIES ELSEWHERE.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN WATER.
HE HAD ANOTHER, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, ABOUT BRINGING RECLAIMED WATER TO OUR SITE.
UH, CURRENTLY THERE'S NOT, UH, NOT RECLAIMED WATER FOR DOWNTOWN, BUT THEY DO HAVE PLANS TO BRING SOMETHING DOWN PROBABLY FIFTH STREET, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE THAT'S KIND OF TIED TO WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH I 35.
AND SO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHOLDEN TO THAT SCHEDULE.
UH, BUT WE ARE DUAL PLUMBING, UH, OUR BUILDING MM-HMM
UM, AND WHEN WE GET, UM, UH, ACCESS TO THE RECLAIM WATERLINE, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO JUST SWITCH OVER AND, AND START USING THAT.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT FOR THE DCP AS WELL, WITH ALL THOSE CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND TOO.
WELL, I KNOW A FEW YEARS AGO WE HAD IT INSTALLED AT WOOLDRIDGE AND WHICH HAS ALLOWED THE SUSTAINABILITY OF MAINTAINING WOOLDRIDGE AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO A PROJECT THIS SIZE, I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
IT IS VERY DESIRABLE FOR, YEAH.
THOSE COOLING TOWERS TO, TO HAVE RECLAIMED WATER.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
OH, DO WE HAVE ONE MORE? OH, YES, PATTERSON, IS THAT IT? YEAH.
HI, THIS IS ANN CHARLOTTE, UH, PATTERSON.
I'M WITH THE, BOTH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
AND SO THE RENDERINGS LOOK INCREDIBLE, REALLY BEAUTIFUL AND EXCITED TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW THE, THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN INTEGRATED AND ALSO THE, THE INTEGRATION WITH THE URBAN REALM AND, UM, AND JUST TO SEE HOW THINGS ALIGN WITH, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, FROM THE ART AND MUSIC COMMISSION.
UH, SO, BUT SPECIFICALLY I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT HOW, UH, BOTH THE SPACE SPACES IN THE
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CONVENTION CENTER AND THEN PROGRAMMATICALLY, UM, AND FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT, UH, CAN SUPPORT, UH, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN AUSTIN AS WELL AS OTHER CREATIVE BUSINESSES.UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, SET ASIDE, THERE'S ABOUT, I THINK FOUR ISH THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
UM, IT'S A MEETING ROOMS, THERE'S SOME MEETING ROOM SPACE THAT IS ALSO BEING EARMARKED KIND OF AS A COMMUNITY SPACE.
UM, WE ARE, AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY GIVEN US THE CHANCE TO TAKE A PAUSE.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS, UM, TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE RENT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HOW WE, AND TAKE A LOOK AT PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, A NONPROFIT RATE, LOOKING AT, UM, HOW WE INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THAT SCALE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO DIG INTO AND TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ON, ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD.
UM, AS RILEY SAID, WE ARE STILL KIND OF DESIGNING THIS WHOLE THING, UM, BUT WE TOOK TO HEART KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING AND, AND WHAT WAS ASKED OF US.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE KIND OF EARMARKED THOSE SPACES THAT RETAIL SPACE HAS NOT BEEN DICTATED OF, OF WHAT'S GOING IN THERE.
UM, WE'RE KIND OF MAKING IT AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE, SO IT CAN BE JUST ABOUT FOR ANYTHING, BUT WE WANNA HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AS TO WHAT GOES IN THERE.
UM, AS RILEY MENTIONED ABOUT THAT OUTDOOR RENTABLE SQUARE, YOU KNOW, THAT OUTDOOR RENTABLE SPACE, WHEN IT'S NOT CONVENTION CENTER USE, WHAT THAT CAN THAT BE FOR THE COMMUNITY, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO GET INVOLVED BECAUSE WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS THEIR SPACE AS WELL.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE NEXT, I WOULD SAY, COUPLE OF YEARS WORK THAT WE STILL HAVE TO DO UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE, THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADED, UM, BUT STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO DO AROUND THAT.
UH, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT, THAT YOU AND I HAVE HAD DIRECTLY.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT, LIKE WHAT, WHAT'S NEXT WORK IN THE PLANNING FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW THE, THE MUSIC AND ARTS COMMUNITY WILL BE ENGAGED? YEAH, SO WE, UM, I THINK OUR FIRST THING WAS GETTING THIS BIG PUBLIC REVEAL KIND OF DONE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT OUR, OUR FIRST STEPS ARE.
UM, OUR NEXT MILESTONE IS GETTING THROUGH 50%.
DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND SO WE ARE REGROUPING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AS TO WHAT THE NEXT DELIBERATE, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RELATED TO THOSE COMMUNITY SPACES LOOK LIKE.
WE STILL NEED TO KIND OF FINALIZE ALL OF THE RETAIL IN THAT ELEMENT, SO I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THERE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE DO HAVE OUR SURVEY, UM, WE HAVE LAUNCHED OUR WEBSITE.
WE DO HAVE A NEWSLETTER THAT WE'VE PUT OUT, UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE THE QR CODE HERE AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL BE SOLICITING FEEDBACK THERE AS WELL.
WE'RE COMING AND DOING THESE PRESENTATIONS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO MEET WITH WHATEVER GROUPS, UM, THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS TO KIND OF START THAT BALL ROLLING, UM, SO THAT WE CAN START COLLECTING THAT INPUT AND, AND HELP US GET A STARTING POINT OF, OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO LOOKING FOR.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A LOGISTICS POINT OF VIEW TO ENGAGE, UH, BUSINESS CREATIVE BUSINESSES EARLY ON, BECAUSE THERE COULD BE CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION, UM, LOGISTICS TO THINK ABOUT IN THE SAME WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS WILL, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE GREASE TRAP ISSUE THAT YOU REFERRED TO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING INTEGRATED THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS A RECORDING STUDIO OR DANCE STUDIO OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER PERFORMANCE SPACE OR UH, STUDIO SPACE, THERE MAY BE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS, UH, THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CONSIDERED EARLY ON, UH, IN THE DESIGN PHASE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
VERY EXCITING TO SEE HOW IT'S COMING TOGETHER.
UM, DEFINITELY A VERY INVOLVED PROJECT, SO THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ONE WAS ON THE, UM, SINCE THIS PROJECT IS NEXT TO THE CREEK, UM, I GUESS COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL INTERPLAY WITH THAT? YOU KNOW, WILL THERE BE ANY CONNECTIONS TO THE EXISTING TRAIL SYSTEM? UM, AND JUST FOR REFERENCE, I'M ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, SO THAT'S KIND OF SOME OF THE DRIVERS BEHIND THESE QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT IS THAT INTERPLAY ADJACENT TO THE CREEK, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO BRUSH SQUARE RIGHT TO THE NORTH.
AND THEN ON, UM, AFTER CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE SO MANY PEOPLE COMING TO THIS AREA FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, I GUESS ARE THERE ANY MEASURES IN PLACE AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE IN PLACE TO HELP PREVENT TRASH AND OTHER DEBRIS FROM GETTING INTO THE CREEK WITH IT BEING SO CLOSE BY? TALK ABOUT THE DESIGN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO WE'RE, UM, ARE COORDINATING VERY CLOSELY WITH WATERLOO CONSERVANCY, UM, WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, UH, AND
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THEIR PROJECT THAT'S GOING ON THERE.UM, OUR DESIRE IS TO CONNECT THOSE VERY CLOSELY AND VERY SEAMLESSLY SO THAT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S ALL PART OF ONE SPACE.
UM, SO THE IDEA THAT THE CREEK AND, AND THE GREENERY AND, UM, AND THE, UM, KIND OF SENSIBILITIES ARE MOVING UP INTO OUR SITE, UH, FOR ONE EXPERIENCE.
UM, AT THIS POINT, UH, WE HAVEN'T WORKED OUT ALL THE DETAILS, UM, BUT THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF, UM, ACCESS AROUND OUR SITE, UH, TO, UH, THE NEW TRAIL AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE CREEK.
UM, WE'LL, YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO TRAVERSE, UH, OUR SITE ALONG THE CREEK ON, ON OUR SIDE, UM, OF, UH, OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO THAT, THAT WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE FOR, UH, MOVING ALONG UP, UP TOP AT, UM, YOU KNOW, AT GRADE, AT STREET LEVEL, UM, AS FAR AS LATER.
YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, OUR, THE CLIENTS RENT THE CONVENTION CENTER SITE AND, AND WE, AS PART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE CUSTODIAL ASPECT OF IT.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AS THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH IS, UH, TO MAINTAIN THAT SITE AND TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ISN'T A, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DEBRIS ACROSS THE SITE.
UM, YOU KNOW, CAN WE GUARANTEE THAT THERE WON'T BE DEBRIS THAT ENDS UP IN THE CREEK? NO.
BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S A, A CONDITION THAT EXISTS TODAY, AND THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S JUST SORT OF THE NATURE OF AN URBAN CREEK.
UM, BUT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK WORK WITH WALLER OR WITH, UH, WATERLOO GREENWAY AS WE CONTINUE, AND THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIP AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO THOSE KINDS OF, UM, COLLABORATIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WAS GONNA SAY, GOING BACK TO KIND OF THE CORE TENANTS FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, I FEEL LIKE THAT IS A BIG ONE FOR AUSTIN TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THINGS GREEN OR TRYING TO BE GREEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO A THOUSAND PERCENT, SEEING HOW SOME OF THAT IS INTEGRATED.
AND ON A RELATED NOTE TO, UH, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON'S, I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER PUTTING A, UH, SOME KIND OF A RECORDING OF PODCASTING SPACE IN THERE, BUT YOU NEED, YOU'LL NEED TO DESIGN THAT IN FOR THE SOUNDPROOFING
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IVY DISCUSSION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING UPDATES AS YOU GO ALONG.
[3. Staff briefing regarding the Austin Historic Resource Survey by the Historic Preservation Office. Presentation by Sofia Wagner, Planner III, Planning Department. ]
BRIEFING IS REGARDING THE AUSTIN HISTORIC RESEARCH RESOURCE SURVEY BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, PRESENTED BY SOPHIA WAGNER.UH, MY NAME IS SOPHIA WAGNER, UH, PLANNER THREE WITH THE, UH, PLANNING DEPARTMENT, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
UM, JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, BEING HERE AND BEING ABLE TO LISTEN TO OUR PRESENTATION.
UH, TODAY I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY TALK TO YOU ABOUT ONE OF OUR CURRENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, AND IT'S, UH, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY.
UM, THE DRAFT FOR THE SURVEY REPORT IS FINALLY COMPLETE, AND WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMING, UH, PERIOD THAT IS OPENING A WEEK FROM TODAY, UM, MARCH 26TH, AND IT'S CLOSING ON MAY 9TH.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE TIME FOR EVERYONE WHO LIVES WORKS, AND IS JUST INTERESTED IN THE, UM, HISTORY OF DOWNTOWN TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, UH, JUST TO LOOK AT THE ATTACHMENTS AT THE SURVEY.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY, UH, WE'RE HERE PRESENTING IN FRONT OF YOU JUST TO, UH, KEEP, UH, SPREAD THE WORD OUT PRETTY MUCH.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'LL BE COVERING TONIGHT.
UM, WHAT DOES A HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY DO? UH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY.
JUST A FEW, UH, FACTS ABOUT IT.
SPECIFICALLY, I'LL BE SHOWING THE SURVEY BOUNDARY, UM, SOME SCREENSHOTS THAT I GRABBED FROM THE SURVEY DRAFT TO KINDA SHOW WHAT'S INSIDE THE SURVEY.
UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT TIMELINE AND SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AS WELL, AND ALSO TO TALK ABOUT, AGAIN, THE DRAFT AND WHERE TO FIND IT AND, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC, UM, COMMENTS.
UM, SO, UH, WHAT EXACTLY DOES A HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY DO? UM, IT HIGHLIGHTS POTENTIAL HISTORIC PROPERTIES BY IDENTIFYING OLDER BUILDINGS IN AREAS THAT HAVE A HISTORICAL VALUE.
THIS CAN BE WHETHER TO THE AGE, UM, ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OR THE CONNECTION TO THE LOCAL HISTORY.
UM, THE, A HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY INCLUDES FIELD WORK, RESEARCH AND ORAL HISTORIES.
IT ENSURES THAT THESE PLACES ARE RECOGNIZED AND THEY ARE ALSO, UM, AVAILABLE.
ALL THE RESULTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR, UM, PUBLIC USE.
SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT I WANNA NOTE ABOUT, UH, HISTORIC RESEARCH, UH, SURVEY IS THAT,
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UM, IT DOESN'T INVOLVE ANY IMMEDIATE CHANGES TO ZONING OR TAXES.JUST BECAUSE A PROPERTY IS PART OF THE SURVEY DOESN'T MEAN THAT THOSE THINGS ARE CHANGING AUTOMATICALLY.
UM, IT'S JUST AN INFORMATION GATHERING TOOL THAT WE USE, UM, FOR JUST GATHERING INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS OR POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY IS, UH, LOOKING AT BUILDINGS THAT ARE AT LEAST 45 YEAR YEARS OLD IN AUSTIN.
UM, IT LOOKS AT THESE BUILDINGS TO SEE IF THEY MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH HHM, UH, AND ASSOCIATES.
THERE ARE LOCAL, UM, AUSTIN HISTORIC PRESERVATION FIRM.
UH, THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED SO FAR, UH, ON THE DRAFT, UM, ABOUT 1300 POTENTIAL HISTORIC RESOURCES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH THAT THE SURVEY PROVIDES WILL BE USED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE FOR FUTURE STAFF REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN CASES THAT COME BEFORE US.
UM, ALSO THE SURVEY IS GONNA BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC USE.
UM, LET'S SAY SOMEONE OWNS PROPERTY AND THEIR PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED ON, UH, THE SURVEY AND THEY WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
UM, THE PROCESS WILL BE FAIRLY SMOOTH BECAUSE THE RESEARCH IS, UM, ALREADY DONE PRETTY MUCH.
AND ALSO, UH, JUST IF IT PEAKS THE CURIOSITY OUT OF, UH, ANY, UM, OWNERS, THEY CAN JUST, UH, LOOK AT DATA FROM THE PROPERTY.
UM, I'LL BE SHOWING SOME, UH, SCREENSHOTS, UH, LATER ON.
SO THIS IS THE SURVEY, UH, BOUNDARY MAP.
UH, WE HAVE ROUGHLY MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
BOULEVARD ON THE NORTH, UM, I 35 ON THE EAST LADY BIRD LAKE ON THE SOUTH, AND, UH, MOPAC ON THE WEST.
UH, WHAT'S INSIDE THE SURVEY? I'LL, LIKE I SAID, I'LL BE SHARING A FEW SCREENSHOTS OF WHAT THE SURVEY REPORT, UH, LOOKS LIKE, AND, UH, THE ATTACHMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED.
UM, THIS IS THE SURVEY FINDINGS.
UM, IT GIVES A BREAKDOWN OF, UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE SURVEYED, UH, AND IT GOES INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL DIVIDING THE, UM, PROPERTIES BY PROPERTY TYPE, UH, LIKE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION, GOVERNMENTAL.
UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE, ALSO ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS FOR THE SURVEY REPORT.
THIS IS A MAP, UH, THAT IS SHOWING THAT POTENTIAL, UH, OR PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, DISTRICTS BASED ON THE, UH, SURVEY FINDINGS.
SO, UH, THIS MAP INCLUDES THE, UH, DESIGNATED LOCAL HISTORIC, UH, BOUNDARIES, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, RECOMMENDED HISTORIC DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
AND, UM, IT SHOWS ALSO THAT THE BOUNDARY OF THE SURVEY IN GENERAL.
SO THAT'S INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE, UH, SURVEY REPORT.
UH, THIS IS A DETAILED SURVEY FORM.
UM, THERE IS ONE OF THESE FOR EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY, UH, THAT WAS SURVEYED.
IT HAS INFORMATION ON THE, UM, RECOMMENDATION AND ALSO DATA ON WHO WAS LIVING IN THE HOUSE OR IN THE PROPERTY, WHO WAS OCCUPYING IT, UH, PRIOR.
IT ALSO HAS INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THE INTEGRITY, UH, AND JUST GENERAL EXTERIOR IDENTIFICATION.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, THE TIMELINE.
UH, THE PROJECT STARTED IN OCTOBER OF 20, UH, 23.
WE HAD A, A PUBLIC MEETING BACK ALSO IN 2023.
UM, WE HAD A SECOND PUBLIC MEETING THAT WAS HELD VIRTUALLY THIS PAST, UM, MAY.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PHASE.
UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THE SURVEY OPENS A WEEK FROM TODAY, MARCH 26TH.
UH, I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS THE SURVEY ON MY LAST SLIDE.
UM, BUT WE HAVE A PUB, ANOTHER PUBLIC MEETING COMING UP ON APRIL 16TH, WHICH WILL BE HELD, UH, VIA ZOOM.
UM, THUS THE WEBSITE, THE WEBPAGE THAT I'LL BE DIRECTING YOU ALL TO ALSO HAS, UM, THE LINK OF MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING AND HOW TO, HOW TO REGISTER FOR IT.
UM, SOMETHING TO NOTE IS THAT THE PUBLIC MEETING ON APRIL 16TH IS GONNA BE ACTUAL TWO, ACTUALLY TWO MEETINGS.
WE'LL HAVE ONE AT 12:00 PM AND ONE AT 6:00 PM TO GIVE, UM, JUST ANYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE WHICH ONE WORKS BEST WITH THEIR SCHEDULE.
BUT IT WILL BE THE SAME CONTENT, SAME PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT PERIOD CLOSING,
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UM, ON MAY 9TH.AND THEN IN JULY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, WITH THE SURVEY FINDINGS, UH, WITH THAT HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UH, SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS, WILL THE SURVEY CHANGE THE ZONING ON MY PROPERTY? UM, LIKE I SAID, THE ANSWER IS NO.
THAT SURVEY, UH, IS PRETTY MUCH JUST A RECOMMENDATION, UH, THAT CONSULTANTS ARE JUST EVALUATING WHETHER PROPERTIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR POTENTIAL, UH, DESIGNATION.
WE'LL LET SURVEY CHANGE MY PROPERTY TAXES.
THE ANSWER, UM, IS NO AS WELL.
UM, NEXT QUESTION IS, IF I WANT TO CHANGE, IF I WANT TO DESIGNATE MY PROPERTY BASED ON THE SURVEY'S RECOMMENDATIONS, HOW WILL THAT WORK? UM, IF PROPERTY OWNERS CHOOSE TO DESIGNATE, UM, A LANDMARK OR HISTORIC DISTRICT BASED ON WHAT'S ON THE SURVEY, UH, THAT WILL ENTAIL OUR ZONING PROCESS.
AND THE HISTORIC, UH, PRESERVATION OFFICE WILL HELP THE APPLICANT'S GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
UM, IF I CHOOSE TO DESIGNATE MY PROPERTY, WILL MY TAXES CHANGE? UM, MAYBE LOCALLY DESIGNATED LANDMARKS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A PARTIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPT AND PROPERTIES IN LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UH, CAN CURRENTLY RECEIVE A TAX ABATEMENT FOR WORK.
UM, AND THIS IS THE QR CODE, UH, FOR THE WEBPAGE, UH, WHERE THE DRAFT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH.
UH, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE@PUBLICINPUT.COM SLASH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN SURVEY.
UM, WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO CHECK IT OUT.
THE WEBPAGE IS GONNA HAVE, UM, ALSO INFORMATION ON HOW TO REGISTER FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC MEETING COMING UP IN APRIL 16TH.
UM, AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION FOR TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, I, I DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, AS PART OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OF REALLY SHOWCASING THE OPTIONS PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THIS SURVEY, UH, PURSUING, UH, HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN, NOT JUST TAX ABATEMENT, BUT, UH, QUALIFYING FOR, UH, TAX CREDITS, UH, TO HELP SUSTAIN, UH, THE PROPERTY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, PARTNERING WITH OTHER, UM, ORGANIZATIONS, PRESERVATION AUSTIN, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE, UM, OFFERED THESE WORKSHOPS TO PROPERTY OWNERS, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING THE CITY A PARTNER IN THAT AS WELL, I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO REALLY, UH, SHOW THE OPTIONS TO, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND TO THE PUBLIC, NOT JUST, UM, DOES THIS MEAN MY TAXES WILL GO UP? BUT REALLY LOOKING AT, UH, THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF WHAT DESIGNATION WILL BRING TO THESE PROPERTIES.
WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE THAT, UH, RECOMMENDATION AS FAR AS MAYBE A SLIDE ON OUR PRESENTATION, UM, JUST MENTIONING THAT THERE IS MORE TO LEARN, BUT CERTAINLY EDUCATING, UH, POTENTIAL FUTURE HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS ON OUR, UH, TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO DOING.
UM, IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION, IT WAS MUSIC TO MY EARS TO, UH, TO SEE SOMEONE COME UP AND TALK ABOUT BENCHMARKING US AUSTIN AGAINST OTHER MAJOR CITIES, EITHER SIMILAR SIZE OR SIMILAR TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN 20 YEARS.
UM, SO HAVING SAID THAT, WHAT DO WE DO LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES IN OUR HISTORIC AREA? UM, WE HAVE A CITY LIKE PHILADELPHIA THAT HAS A HECK OF A LOT MORE HISTORY THAN AUSTIN AND A HECK OF A LOT MORE RESIDENTS IN THEIR DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND, UH, SEATTLE WAS STARTED ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME TIME, I THINK WITHIN A, A DECADE OF AUSTIN.
AND THEY HAVE SEVEN TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN, AND WE NEED A LOT MORE PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN TO BE A COMPACT AND CONNECTED AND, AND REALLY A FUNCTIONAL CITY.
SO HOW DO WE GO ABOUT AND HOW DOES YOUR GROUP GO ABOUT PRIORITIZING WHAT WE CONSIDER AND HOW WE LOOK AT THAT COMPARED TO HOW THEY DO THINGS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD? THANK YOU.
WELL, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE FOCUS OF THE SURVEY THAT WE'RE RELEASING IS REALLY FOCUSED JUST ON DOWNTOWN, WHAT'S ELIGIBLE POTENTIALLY FOR DESIGNATION, BUT JUST MORE BROADLY SPEAKING, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER OF
[01:15:01]
LAST YEAR AS AN AMENDMENT TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.AND IT REALLY SETS OUT A, A PRETTY, UH, AMBITIOUS AND I THINK PROGRESSIVE APPROACH TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UM, I THINK NATIONALLY IT'S A MODEL FOR HOW PRESERVATION CAN BE MORE RELEVANT AND REALLY WORK WITH CITIES THAT HAVE SUCH EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, UM, LAND VALUES, A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.
UM, SO IT'S, THERE'S REALLY NOT A SIMPLE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, BUT I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT DOCUMENT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY OUTSTANDING AND I THINK WE'LL ANSWER A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, HOW DO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ARE THE CATEGORIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN HOW DOES YOUR PROPERTY BEING GIVEN A CERTAIN DESIGNATION AFFECT POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT, RENOVATION, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND I'M GONNA LET YOU ANSWER IT, BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THESE ARE SIMPLY RECOMMENDATIONS AND INFORMATION.
SO THERE'S NOT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT LET ME LET YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION AGAIN? SORRY,
SO, UM, FOR INSTANCE, WHAT IF MY PROPERTY GETS RECOMMENDED AS POSSIBLY BEING OF HISTORICAL RELEVANCE AND THEN I GO TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN ORDER TO GET A PERMIT TO RENOVATE OR BUILD ON MY PROPERTY? DOES YOUR RECOMMENDATION AFFECT THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CITY TO GIVE ME A PERMIT CAN HELP IF YOU NEED HELP? UM, YEAH.
UH, SO WELL, THE SURVEY FINDINGS WILL HELP STAFF LIKE, UH, LOOK AT THE, WE'LL LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
AND, UM, I THINK YOU CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE ON THAT.
I CAN A LITTLE, SO I MEAN, ANY, UM, ANY DEMOLITION OR PARTIAL DEMOLITION, UM, THAT IS FOR ANY PROPERTY OVER 45 YEARS OLD COMES BEFORE OUR OFFICE, REGARDLESS OF ITS DESIGNATION.
AND HAVING THE SURVEY ACTUALLY CAN HELP US, UM, MORE READILY PROVIDE AND, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE A REVIEW.
SO IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY HELPFUL IN SPEEDING UP OUR TIMELINE.
UM, IF YOU READ THE, UH, CRITERIA THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR DESIGNATION AS AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK, IT'S, IT'S QUITE A HIGH BAR.
IT'S NOT JUST ARCHITECTURAL, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SIGNIFICANCE.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER CATEGORIES.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY EASY TO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK.
UM, BUT WHEN WE DO HAVE DEMOLITION PERMITS FOR, UH, COME BEFORE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, IF THERE IS A PROPERTY THAT COULD POTENTIALLY MEET THE CRITERIA, UM, THE STAFF MAKES A RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
ULTIMATELY THE LANDMARK COMMISSION REVIEWS AND MAKES THAT CALL PROBABLY, UM, GIVEN HOW SMALL OUR OFFICE IS AND HOW MANY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW MANY RESOURCES COME BEFORE US.
OFTEN JUST THE LACK OF RESEARCH CAN BE SOMETHING THAT CAN SLOW THINGS DOWN QUITE A BIT, BUT IT, BUT IT WILL FACTOR IN.
WE DO THAT RESEARCH ANYWAY, BUT HAVING IT ALREADY DONE IS SUPER HELPFUL.
AND I WILL SAY FROM TIME AND TIME AGAIN, YOU HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT SAY, I JUST BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, I INTENDED TO DEMOLISH IT, AND I, NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT IT HAS HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
WELL, IF WE HAVE A HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY THAT CLEARLY TELLS PROPERTY OWNERS, LISTEN, YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE ELIGIBLE AS AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK, OR IF WE WERE TO HAVE A HISTORIC DISTRICT HERE IN THE FUTURE, IT COULD BE A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING TO THAT HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL, IT MEANS THAT A HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY FOUND THAT THE POTENTIAL WAS THERE.
AND I THINK ABOUT THIS AS A TREE SURVEY.
I THINK IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, BUT THERE'S A FAIRLY OBJECTIVE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER A PROPERTY IS POTENTIALLY HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
SO IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO A TREE SURVEY.
YOU'D REALLY WANNA HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT KITA TREES YOU HAVE ON YOUR PROPERTY.
UM, WHAT, WHAT IS THE CALIPER? IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S A HERITAGE TREE THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK WITH? SO I WOULD THINK ABOUT, THINK ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY.
VERY GOOD INFORMATION FOR US AND FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER AND HELP SPEED THE PROCESS FOR WHEN WE DO HAVE THESE REVIEWS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, COMMENT.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING A SURVEY IS REALLY LITERALLY A MEANINGFUL PLANNING TOOL AS YOU'VE JUST EXPRESSED.
AND HAVING THIS INFORMATION COMPILED, UM, FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, FOR, UM, POTENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HAVING THIS DATA AND UNDERSTANDING THIS DATA IS, IT TRULY IS, UH, A, A GOOD PLANNING TOOL FOR THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[5. Update from the liaison from the Urban Transportation Commission on Recommendation Number 20250304-003: Austin Core Transportation Plan and Recommendation Number 20250304-006: Austin Light Rail Draft Environmental Impact Statement.]
OUR AGENDA, OUR DISCUSSION[01:20:01]
ITEMS, AND I BELIEVE, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER HAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT.IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT IS ACCURATE.
SORRY, I WAS LOOKING FOR THE, UH, UNMUTE BUTTON.
UM, YEAH, SO THE, UH, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, UM, ADOPTED A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS I THOUGHT WERE RELEVANT FOR THIS BODY.
UM, I THINK JUST FOR TIMING REASONS, I'M GONNA FOCUS ON OUR, UM, CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK THAT'S, UH, THE MOST NUANCED ONE WE DID.
UM, IT WAS ALSO, UM, ADOPTED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL.
SO, UH, BOTH OF THESE GO FOR BOTH OF THESE BODIES.
UM, SO WE, UM, UH, AND IF YOU MAY RECALL, WE GOT A, A DRAFT VERSION OF THIS PRESENTED TO US A COUPLE, UH, OF MONTHS AGO.
UM, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE THAT THE, UH, PLAN, UH, FIX A GAP IN A POTENTIAL RED RIVER STREET BIKE LANE WHERE THERE WAS GONNA BE NO BIKE LANE FROM SEVENTH TO 12TH STREET.
UH, WE RECOMMENDED LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL ONE-WAY TO CONVERSIONS, EXCUSE ME, SPECIFICALLY ON FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET.
UM, WE ALSO RECOMMENDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUICK BUILD SOLUTIONS.
MOST OF THE, UH, ITEMS IN THERE WERE PERMANENT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PIECES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO WE WANTED THOSE QUICK BUILD SOLUTIONS, FLEX POST, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT COULD BE DONE, UM, MUCH CHEAPER IN THE SHORT TERM.
UM, WE ASKED FOR, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT STREET TREES AND OTHER SHADE STRUCTURES TO BE EMPHASIZED IN IT.
UM, WE ALSO ASKED FOR A PARKING MANAGEMENT, UH, STRATEGY, UH, TO GO ALONG WITH IT.
UM, AND FINALLY JUST THE TIMELINE THAT COINCIDES WITH THE I 35 CABIN STITCH PROJECTS AND OUR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE, UH, IF THOSE CHANGES ARE REFLECTED IN A FUTURE EDITION OF THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
[4. Update from the liaison from the Parks and Recreation Board on the topics discussed at the January 2025, and February 2025, board meetings.]
OUT OF LINE ON OUR SCHEDULE HERE FOR THE AGENDA.SO, UM, COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
UM, JUST A QUICK UPDATE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF STAY CONNECTED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS.
BUT, UH, BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER ON THE PARK SIDE OF THINGS FOR, UH, THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.
UH, NO MAJOR ITEMS RELATED TO DOWNTOWN.
I BELIEVE THE MOST RELEVANT ITEMS WOULD BE, UM, JUST KIND OF UPDATES THAT WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON, UH, THE 2024 CONCESSIONS REPORT.
SO IT TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCESSIONS THAT ARE LOCATED, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND HOW THOSE ARE FAIRING.
UM, AS WELL AS ALL THE FINANCIAL NUMBERS RELATED TO THOSE THAT WAS PRESENTED BACK IN JANUARY.
UM, WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE PARKS BUDGETING PROCESS, AND SO THERE'S A WORKING GROUP THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR PARKS MEETING, UH, NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY.
UM, THEN, LET'S SEE, I THINK RELEVANT TO US ALL, WE HAD A LAND MANAGEMENT AND, UH, WILDFIRE MITIGATION PRESENTATION.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, JUST GENERALLY ACROSS, UH, THE CITY AND LOCAL AREA.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE LIGHT RAIL, WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
UM, TWO MORE THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT.
UH, FROM FEBRUARY, UH, WE HAD A, UH, SENIOR CENTER AND RECREATIONAL FACILITY, UH, ASSESSMENT REPORT THAT COVERS KIND OF THE STATUS OF THOSE EXISTING FACILITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, BASICALLY IT DOES SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL ADDITION OF NEW FACILITIES, UM, PRIMARILY ON THE EAST SIDE, AND IT ALSO EMPHASIZES THE NEED TO REALLY INVEST IN THE EXISTING FACILITIES AND PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AND LASTLY, RECOMMENDATION WAS PASSED, UH, LAST MONTH FOR, UM, CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ON DEMAND CITYWIDE TRANSIT SERVICE.
SO THAT WAS AN INTERESTING RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, GIVING US AN UPDATE JUST TO ALL LIAISONS.
I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY ON ANYMORE.
UM, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE UPDATES FROM ALL THE LIAISONS.
UM, AND FOR EVERYBODY, JUST A REMINDER TO CHECK YOUR CITY EMAIL, UM, OFTEN BECAUSE LATELY WE'VE BEEN SENDING OUT A FEW MORE EMAILS THAN NORMAL ABOUT UPDATES THAT ARE GOING ON.
UM, SO I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, ALSO, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER GILLES, IS THAT RIGHT? IS THIS YOUR FIRST MEETING? HELLO? THIS IS ACTUALLY MY SECOND MEETING.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE WELCOMED YOU LAST TIME, BUT WELCOME THIS TIME.
[01:25:01]
NO, NO, I WASN'T FORMALLY WELCOMED, UM, REPRESENTING THE, UH, DESIGN COMMISSION LIAISON FOR, AND THANK YOU FOR FORMALLY WELCOMING ME.FROM THE ARCHITECT PRACTICING HERE IN TOWN WITH LOW DESIGN OFFICE.
SO HAPPY TO JOIN THIS GROUP AS LIAISON HERE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
ITEMS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE? YES, COMMISSIONER WILEY.UM, YES, I HAD A, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT I ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT DURING CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST MONTH, THAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, CONSIDER BEING A STAKEHOLDER ON THE, UH, UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY PLAN AND REQUEST A BRIEFING TAKE PLACE, UH, TO THE COMMISSION IN, IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE SCHEDULE THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO TAKE IT FORWARD.
UM, I I I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT NOT TAKE A, A SILO APPROACH TO LOOKING AT THE WORLD AND ESPECIALLY IN PLANNING, BUT, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN THAT WOULD MEAN WE NEED TO REALLY BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE FOUR BORDERS.
ONE OF 'EM IS I 35, AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT.
ANOTHER IS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, AND I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHTFULLY LOOKING TO ACTUALLY EXPAND OUR BORDERS SOUTH, UH, OF THERE, UH, AT THE NORTH END.
UM, THAT'S WHERE THE HOUSING IS.
AND
DON'T WE NEED TO HAVE ELECTIONS NEXT MONTH? WE DO.
UH, APRIL IS GOING TO BE OUR ELECTION MONTH.
UM, ALSO FOR APRIL WE HAVE ACTUALLY QUITE A BUSY SCHEDULE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION ON SHARED MICRO MOBILITY PROGRAM.
THERE'S GONNA BE A HOMELESS OFFICE UPDATE.
THERE'S GONNA BE A DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE, UM, I GUESS A PRESENTATION ON THE, AND AN UPDATE FROM THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
AND THEN AN, YOU MENTIONED OUR OFFICER ELECTIONS NEXT MONTH.
UH, JUST A ALSO GENTLE REMINDER, IF THERE ARE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS TO, TO, TO, UH, MAKE FOR COUNCIL, UM, APRIL WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME TO, TO DO THAT PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.
NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO, BUT JUST, UH, JUST, UH, PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
UM, SO ANY OTHER BUSINESS THERE BEING NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
IT IS 6:59 PM THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ON IT, YOU KNOW, IT STARTED AT SIX.