[CALL TO ORDER]
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THE REGULARLY CALLED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
IT IS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2025, AND THE TIME IS 5:35 PM FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO CALL ROLE CHRISTIE.
WOULD YOU MIND DOING THAT? YES.
SO ARE WE GOOD? WE'RE GOOD? OKAY.
AND, UH, WE'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES WE'VE EVER HAD.
UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AND I UNDERSTAND WE DO HAVE PEOPLE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE HAVE SOMEONE SIGNED UP ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, BUT NO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, SO WE COULD GIVE THEM THE OPTION TO SPEAK NOW OR WHEN THAT ITEM IS TAKEN UP.
AND WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR? TED EUBANKS.
WOULD YOU RATHER SPEAK NOW OR WHEN THE ITEM COMES UP NOW? ALRIGHT.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on July 16, 2025.]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.I HOPE EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO READ OVER THOSE.
UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS, CHANGES, AMENDMENTS? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT? SO MOVED.
UM, I GUESS WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND.
[2. Presentation by David A. Colligan, Chief Operating Officer, Rally Austin, regarding possible downtown site developments.]
THE MEET OF THE AGENDA.THE FIRST ITEM IS A PRESENTATION BY DAVID, A COLLIGAN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, RALLY AUSTIN, REGARDING POSSIBLE DOWNTOWN SITE DEVELOPMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING MY MIDDLE INITIAL IN THERE.
DAVID COLLIGAN HERE WITH RALLY AUSTIN.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO BE ABLE TO, TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT.
AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, AGAIN, REALLY GLAD TO BE HERE.
THE REQUEST CAME IN FOR US TO SPEAK ABOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT ITEMS. THE FIRST INTRODUCING OURSELVES, WHICH ALWAYS GLIDE TO DO SINCE WE'RE A RELATIVELY NEW AGENCY.
THE SECOND WAS LOOKING AT OUR 2026 BOND PROPOSAL FOR THE FORTHCOMING BOND ELECTION, WHICH WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
WE PUT IN A PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING, UH, AND NOW WE CAN SPEAK MORE OPENLY ABOUT WHAT IS THE DETAIL OF THAT REQUEST.
UH, AND THEN THE THIRD PART OF THE REQUEST FOR ME TO BE HERE TONIGHT WAS TO LOOK AT CERTAIN PROPERTIES FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND OUR CONNECTION TO THEM.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY DEEP CONVERSATION.
UH, AND THE TWO ARE NOT CONNECTED, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR PROPOSAL IS NOT FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC SITES, RATHER PROGRAMMING, UH, FOR THE 2026 BOND.
UH, AND THE SITES THAT WE'RE ASKED OF, WE HAVE, I CAN GIVE YOU SOME KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT ON, ON WHAT IT IS OUR DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN TO DATE, UM, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUBSTANCE THERE.
UH, SO I CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU OR I CAN GO THROUGH ELEMENTS OF IT.
WHAT I FIGURED I WOULD DO IS START OFF WITH AN INTRODUCTION OF OUR ORGANIZATION, UH, CAPTURE WHAT IT IS, WHAT WAS REQUESTED FOR THE POTENTIAL SITES FOR DEVELOPMENT.
AND IF WE WOULD LIKE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO OVER OUR 2026 BOND PROPOSAL, YOU WOULD SEE ELEMENTS THAT CERTAINLY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO WORKING ON THESE SITES THAT YOU'VE REQUESTED.
UM, YOU MIGHT SEE EVEN MORE RIGHT? THAT, THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR WORK HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO HAPPY TO KIND OF TAKE IT, UH, AS, AS YOU ALL WOULD LIKE.
RALLY AUSTIN, FORMERLY THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WE ARE THE FIRST MULTIPURPOSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION REQUESTED BY THE COMMUNITY AND CREATED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IN 2020.
MULTIPURPOSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE HERE BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST IS, AS THE CITY SETS OUT TO CREATE
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ONE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT OR SUPPORT, ONE PARTICULAR TYPE OF PROJECT, THEY ESTABLISH AN AGENCY, COMMONLY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, AND IT GOES ON WITH ITS SINGLE PURPOSE, RIGHT? UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DOESN'T REALLY UNLOCK THE TRUE POTENTIAL OF THIS TYPE OF ORGANIZATION.AND WHEN WE LOOK AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS AND DELIVERING FOR AUSTIN, WE ARE THEN ABLE TO UNLOCK THE TRUE POTENTIAL, WHICH IS GROWING THE FINANCIAL PIE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE IN LINE WITH OUR MISSION.
SO I'LL KIND OF TALK MORE THROUGH THAT.
WE WERE REQUESTED LOOKING AT MAJOR PROJECTS LIKE THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, CREATION OF A CULTURAL TRUST, SO BIG FORWARD THINKING, UM, IDEAS OR CONCEPTS FOR DELIVERY.
WE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE'VE GOT A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH I'LL COVER, UH, SOON, BUT WE'VE GOT AUTONOMY TO BE ABLE TO WORK, UM, AND WE'RE GIVEN DIRECTION.
WE'RE ALSO THEN INCENTIVIZED TO SEE THOSE PROJECTS THROUGH FOLLOWING DIRECTION.
AND AGAIN, WE CAN BRING OTHER FINANCIAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO THE TABLE, WHICH WILL HIGHLIGHT THROUGH SOME OF THIS PRESENTATION AS WELL.
A LOT OF TIMES THE CITY IS NOT ABLE, ABLE OR ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THOSE FINANCING TOOLS.
WE'RE ALSO A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT.
SO THAT ALLOWS US TO WORK MORE FUNCTIONALLY WITHIN THIS SPACE OF REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
YOU'LL SEE OUR MISSION HERE FOCUSED ON INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT IT IS OUR BOARD IS, IS DEFINING INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT.
AS WE WORK WITH REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT HERE IN AUSTIN, WE WERE ALSO TASKED BY THE CITY TO BE MORE OF A REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WHENEVER I SHOW YOU THE BOARD AND THE NUMBER OF, UH, UH, OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE AT A REGIONAL LEVEL AS WELL.
HERE WITHIN AUSTIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR PORTFOLIO AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE TRYING TO HELP EXPLAIN TO THE COMMUNITY THREE DIFFERENT RALLIES THAT WE'VE GOT WITHIN OUR CURRENT SCOPE OF WORK.
AND THAT'S JUST US PLAYING OFF OF OUR NEW NAME, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT A RALLY FOR ARTS, MUSIC AND CULTURE, A RALLY FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, AND A RALLY FOR CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENT.
I'LL HIGHLIGHT THAT FOCUS SHORTLY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR BOARD, UM, A VERY ACTIVE AND WORKING BOARD NOMINATED BY DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS ACROSS AUSTIN TO BETTER REPRESENT A FULL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECTRUM, BUT ALSO THE FULL COMMUNITY.
SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN CURRENTLY HAS SEVEN SEATS WHERE WE'VE GOT TWO THAT ARE NOMINATED BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE THAT, UM, THAT ARE BROUGHT FORWARD AS THE DIRECTORS OF REAL ESTATE AND THE DIRECTOR OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE MUSIC COMMISSION, ARTS COMMISSION, ARTS COMMISSION, AND THE SERVE PRESERVATION, UM, COMMISSIONS WHO NOMINATE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL.
THESE OTHER BODIES ALL NOMINATE INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD.
COUNCIL APPROVES THAT BOARD ON A REGULAR ANNUAL BASIS, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A ROTATION OF SEATS OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
BUT OF COURSE, YOU'LL SEE HERE MAJOR INSTITUTIONS, A NUMBER OF WHICH HAVE PUBLIC, UH, REAL ESTATE, RIGHT? UM, TO BE ABLE TO BRING MORE OF THAT COLLABORATIVE SPACE TO HOW ARE WE DEVELOPING WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTS TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A GLIMPSE OF OUR CURRENT PORTFOLIO.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT A 160 MILLION OF REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS UNDERNEATH OUR WORK WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WITHIN THAT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR AFFORDABLE SPACE, CREATIVE CULTURAL SPACE, ALL OF WHICH WE BELIEVE REALLY HELPS TO PRESERVE THE SOUL OF OUR CITY WHILE CREATING JOBS AND BEING THAT ECONOMIC STIMULUS.
YOU'VE GOT THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS UNDER OUR RALLY FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
BLOCK 16 AND 18 IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN DEVELOPING OUT THOSE TWO SITES OFF OF EAST 11TH STREET.
THE CULTURAL TRUST, THE PROGRAM IN DEVELOPMENT, UH, SUPPORTING CURRENTLY SIX DIFFERENT VENUES WITH MORE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT, UM, INTO DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND WE'RE STILL FOCUSED ON A CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
AND WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS IS WE NEED TO BE THINKING BIGGER.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THE EXPANSION OF I 35 A CONVENTION CENTER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT WE CAN INTERACT WITH THOSE PROJECTS TO BRING MORE COMMUNITY VALUES AND TO BETTER NEGOTIATE SOME OF THE NEEDS FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THAT DEVELOPMENT.
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE ME TALKING THE TERMS LIKE LEVERAGE, ECONOMIC IMPACT, BECAUSE REALLY WE, WE SEE BEYOND
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WHAT IS THE PUBLIC ASSET, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW IT IS WE'RE INTERACTING WITH THE MARKET, NOT JUST TO DRIVE ECONOMIC BENEFITS, BUT ALSO OUR COMMUNITY BENEFITS AS WELL.I'M GOING TO FAST FORWARD THROUGH THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, UM, BECAUSE IT FOCUSES IN ON OUR 2026 BOND PROPOSAL.
HAPPY TO COME BACK, BUT THIS IS LIKELY A CONVERSATIONAL IN ITSELF, ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY IT DOES A REALLY STRONG JOB OF ILLUSTRATING HOW WE CAN BE WORKING BETTER HERE IN AUSTIN WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
UM, I WANTED TO GET TO THIS SLIDE BECAUSE IT SPEAKS TO, UH, THE, THE ACTUAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE REQUESTED FOR US TO SPEAK ON BEHALF, UH, AND LOOKING AT DOWNTOWN MORE SPECIFICALLY.
NOW, YOU DID SEE WITHIN THAT SLIDE FOR THE BOARD, WE DO HAVE A NOMINATION AND SOMEONE WHO IS, UH, APPROVED FOR THE BOARD THAT COMES FROM DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
SO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS ALWAYS A PART OF OUR DISCUSSION, AND IN FACT, WE'LL BE BRINGING ON A NEW BOARD MEMBER.
UM, I BELIEVE NEXT MONTH, DAVIN, WHO'S THE NEW, UH, CEO FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, WILL BE SEATED ON OUR BOARD.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE CONNECTIONS.
FIRST, WE WERE ASKED ABOUT THE OLD MUNICIPAL BUILDING, AND THAT'S A GREAT ASK.
AUSTIN WAS ARTICULATED WITHIN A RESOLUTION THAT WAS PROVIDED YEARS AGO, UM, AS THE AGENCY THAT WOULD BE OVERSEEING DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, AND I, I, I SHOULD HAVE MAYBE LISTED HERE WHAT EXACTLY THE ROLE FOR US WAS.
BUT I THINK COUNCIL DIRECTED CITY STAFF TO EXPLORE, UH, THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND HOW IT IS WE COULD BE OF SUPPORT IN THAT.
I THINK AT ONE PART IN THE RESOLUTION, IT EVEN SAID TO POSSIBLY TRANSFER THE PROPERTY TO RALLY, WHICH WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UM, HOWEVER, WHEN THE REQUEST FILTERED ITS WAY THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION, IT CAME TO US AS HOW WOULD YOU UTILIZE THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THIS FACILITY FOR CREATIVE PURPOSES.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAD IN MIND.
I'M NOT SURE THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL HAD IN MIND WHEN THEY APPROVED THEIR RESOLUTION.
THAT SAID, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OBSTACLES FOR HAVING CREATIVE CULTURAL SPACE ON THE FOURTH FLOOR IF YOU'VE BEEN IN THE FACILITY ITSELF.
UM, HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ON LEVEL, UM, FLOOR THROUGHOUT THAT, THAT FOURTH FLOOR.
ALSO, JUST GETTING TO THE FOURTH FLOOR REPRESENTED SOME ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, AND IT WASN'T THE BEST USE FOR CREATIVE SPACE.
SO OUR RESPONSE BACK TO THE CITY IS THAT WE DID NOT THINK WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO CREATE THAT TYPE OF CREATIVE SPACE SOLELY USING THE FOURTH FLOOR FOR THAT USE.
THAT SAID, ULI, WHO IS ANOTHER BOARD APPOINTEE OR MEMBER OF OUR BOARD, UM, STEPPED FORWARD AND THEIR CHAPTER HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE WORKED WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE MUNICIPAL COURTHOUSE, SORRY, THE ALL CITY HALL, UM, FOR POSSIBLE USES.
AND ULI STEPS IN AND DOES THIS FREQUENTLY.
THEY'LL LOOK AT POTENTIAL PLAYS FOR PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT AND, AND HAVING A, A MEMBERSHIP OF ARCHITECTS AND DEVELOPERS AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS.
THEY COME TOGETHER AND THINK MORE COLLECTIVELY AND CREATIVELY ABOUT WHAT CAN GO ON SET YOUR THIRD BULLET POINT, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE HEADQUARTERS THERE, THEY DID A SIMILAR EXERCISE FOR THIS, SO YOU CAN GET MORE OF THAT INFORMATION OF WHAT IT IS THEY'VE POSTED THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR SOME DIFFERENT ARTICLES ONLINE.
THAT SAID, WE RAN THROUGH AN EXERCISE WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS SEEKING RALLY AUSTIN TO POSITION THE FORMER CITY HALL AS A CREATIVE SPACE.
SO YOU'LL FIND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT REPORT WITH ULI THAT SPEAKS TO THE USE OF THAT SPACE FOR CREATIVE PURPOSES.
THAT WAS NOT THE RESULT OF THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
HEALTH SOUTH IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD YEARS AGO.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF, UM, WHERE IT IS, THE PROJECT LANDED IN FINAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH CITY STAFF, THEY DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PAUSE ON THE PROJECT.
CONVERSATIONS HAVE NOT REALLY MOVED FORWARD WITH RALLY AUSTIN, ALTHOUGH WE ARE ALWAYS HERE AS A PARTNER TO THE CITY TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT IS WE CAN HELP TO, TO REALIZE A STRONGER VISION FOR, UH, ANY SITE THAT THAT IS PUBLICLY OWNED.
UM, WE HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT BACK INTO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BRINGING THAT PROPERTY TO MARKET, UH, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SO WE CAN MEET THE MARKET WHEN THE PROPERTY IS READY.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND WILLING TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN PLAY A ROLE.
SIMILARLY WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT
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HEADQUARTERS.WE HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED TO WEIGH IN ON THAT DISCUSSION.
UH, ULI HAS PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MAYBE SOME COMMUNITY USES AND RESOURCES, UM, BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO US FOR POTENTIAL TRANSFER OF PROPERTY AND HOW WE CAN BRING IT TO MARKET AND, AND ASSEMBLE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THOSE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FOR THE CITY.
WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY WORKED ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A PART OF OUR ILA WITH THE CITY INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO CONDUCT THE FINANCIAL STUDY THAT NEEDED TO BE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT A POTENTIAL TURS.
SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF INDEFINITELY, BUT OUR WORK WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO FULFILL THAT OBLIGATION.
WE WOULD HAVE MANAGED THE TURS, HAD THE TURS MOVED FORWARD TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
IT'S STILL A PART OF OUR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR I 35.
WE WERE TASKED BY THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT THE CORRIDOR THAT WOULD BE EXPANDING AND WHERE ARE THE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS SITES TO BE ABLE TO SECURE CERTAIN COMMUNITY BENEFITS AROUND AND ADJACENT TO THAT EXPANSION.
AT, AT ANY POINT IN TIME WHEN THE CITY MAKES A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, IT SHOULD BE THINKING THAT WAY.
WE SHOULD BE THINKING STRATEGICALLY ABOUT WHERE IT IS.
WE CAN BE LOOKING TO MAYBE ACQUIRE OTHER SITES AND HELP TO REALIZE CERTAIN COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT CAN'T NECESSARILY BE ACHIEVED DIRECTLY ON SITE.
RALLY SITS IN THAT SPACE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR PARTNER IN THAT CAPACITY.
WE, WE PROVIDED A REPORT TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UM, AND, AND THEY'VE BEEN USING THAT AS A PART OF THEIR DELIVERABLES FOR THE FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH I 35 AND THE CAPS.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN, UH, A, A PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE, THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER AND SITES ADJACENT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN IT CAME TO, UH, UNWRAPPING SOME OF THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE SITES, WE WERE NOT TASKED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE TRANSFER OR THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THOSE SITES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY WHAT IT IS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE TO SUPPORT THE CITY EXPLORING WORK IN DOWNTOWN IN TERMS OF CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
AN AGENCY LIKE OURS BEING MULTIPURPOSE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OR A PHILADELPHIA, UH, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THEY WORK IN THESE SPACES OF MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
UH, THEY OVERSEE SMALLER PROGRAMS OR MAYBE EVEN JUST RESPONSIVE TO MARKET CONDITIONS.
YOU CAN DO A VARIETY OF THINGS.
WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS HAVING THE ASSETS AND THE REVENUE STREAMS THAT THEN ALLOW US TO WORK AS A, A TRUE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
AND THEN WE CAN SUPPORT THESE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS SEPARATE FROM THE CITY.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK AUTONOMOUSLY AND SUPPORT PROJECTS THAT ARE IN LINE WITH OUR MISSION.
THAT SAID, WE CONNECTED WITH DEVON TO HAVE MORE OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT THESE SITES.
WE DID END UP TALKING ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN STRATEGIC INITIATIVE, THE NEED TO SEE ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS AND PIECES WITHIN DOWNTOWN AND THE DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE MORE COMPREHENSIVELY, WHETHER IT'S THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER, I 35, UH, THE, THE, THE, UM, CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDORS BEING REMOVED.
THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY, BUT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE OF A STRATEGIC APPROACH IS SOMETHING WE SUPPORT.
AND WE CERTAINLY STAND TO BE A PARTNER TO INDIVIDUALS DEVELOPING OR HAVING SITES, ESPECIALLY THOSE PUBLIC AGENCIES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA FOR MORE CONVERSATION.
I SUPPOSE I CAN TAKE QUESTIONS NOW.
AND IF NEED, WE CAN GO BACK TO BOND OR I CAN ALWAYS COME BACK, UH, TO REVIEW OUR BOND PROPOSAL WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER PDA.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UNDER POTENTIAL SITES, UH, YOU DESCRIBE, UH, THE OLD MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
IS THAT THE, UM, THE HISTORIC CITY HALL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? CORRECT.
AND I MEAN, THAT'S THE FIRST SUGGESTION.
UH, I WOULD USE HISTORIC TERMINOLOGY, NOT OLD, YOU KNOW, AND IT, IT'S HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT AND, AND THAT BUILDING IN PARTICULAR, THE ORIGINAL OR THE, AN EARLIER CITY HALL THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1905 IS STILL THE CORE OF THAT BUILDING.
AND STRUCTURALLY, THAT THAT COULD BE, YOU, YOU DESCRIBED THIS, THESE UNE UNEVEN FLOORS.
SO I MEAN, I, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THERE WOULD BE STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE BUILDING BECAUSE YOU BASICALLY HAVE A BUILDING WITHIN A BUILDING.
AND SO THAT COULD, UM, IMPACT, YOU KNOW, PLANNING FOR WHAT
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IT'S REPURPOSED FOR.AND, UM, THAT'S, I THINK JUST HAVING THAT CLARIFICATION, UM, IN YOUR LIST AND, AND ALSO OUT THE GATE, UM, WHEREVER YOU END UP, UM, LANDING, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS DOWNTOWN IS, UM, HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT, THE LAYERS OF HISTORY.
AND, UH, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THERE BE INCORPORATED, UH, INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY, UM, IN, IN ALL YOUR PLANNING.
UM, I, I THINK THAT THAT'S KEY, UH, TO BEING SUCCESSFUL AND LANDING, UM, IN A PROPER LOCATION DOWNTOWN.
THESE ARE JUST SOME SUGGESTIONS.
UM, SO, UM, I FIND A LITTLE DISCOURAGING THAT SEEMS NOTHING IS GOING ON WITH HEALTH SOUTH OR THAT THAT'S BEEN PAUSED BECAUSE THAT'S AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE PIECE OF REAL ESTATE.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, WE HAVE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SHORTAGE OF CULTURAL VENUES.
WHAT IS THE PATH? CAN THERE BE A PATH FORWARD OR, I KNOW IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN YOUR COURT, BUT SURE.
IF WE COULD BRING MY PRESENTATION BACK UP.
I'D LIKE TO JUST GO TO ONE SLIDE.
AND I BELIEVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS, IS THE DEPARTMENT THAT IS FOCUSED ON, UM, THAT PROJECT, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REQUESTING AS A FOCUS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING USING THAT SITE.
UM, THE, THE POINT THAT WE ALWAYS DO TRY TO REMIND FOLKS OF IS THE CITY OWNS A A, A NUMBER OF PARCELS.
WE'VE NEVER REALLY SEEN A FULL INVENTORY OF THEM.
UM, BUT THEY ARE BEING USED FOR CITY PURPOSES.
WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO STUDY THE NEEDS, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEST USE OR WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE ON SITE.
JUST THAT PROCESS IN ITSELF TAKES TIME.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO MEET THE MARKET.
UM, THIS, THIS EXISTS ON A VARIETY OF OTHER SITES OWNED BY THE CITY.
I BROUGHT UP THIS SLIDE BECAUSE I WANTED TO POINT TO OUR WORK ON BLOCK 16 AND 18.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 50 PLUS YEARS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, WHERE THE URBAN RENEWAL BOARD, UH, HAS BEEN PROVIDING PLANS.
YOU HAVE URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THESE LAST TWO ASSETS OWNED OFF OF EAST 11TH BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S THE REALLY LAST CHANCE FOR THEM TO HAVE BLACK REPRESENTATION IN EAST AUSTIN.
THAT'S HOW THEY SEE IT, RIGHT? SO WHEN THEY WERE APPROACHING THE DEVELOPMENTS AND WORKING THROUGH THE CITY, UM, TRYING TO GET OR REALIZE A PLAN OF ACTION, THEY INVITED US IN FOR A CONVERSATION.
AND WITHIN A A ONE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE 50 YEARS OF INFORMATION AND DATA AND HISTORY, UM, AND, AND BRING THAT INTO AN RFP PROCESS WITH THE BOARD, AND THEN FIND THE DEVELOPER WHO WOULD STEP FORWARD AND DEVELOP.
AND, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THAT SITE.
ALONG THE WAY, WE ALSO RAISE AN ADDITIONAL CLOSE TO $130,000 TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT EXERCISE AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THE CITY CAN DO.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS, WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE JUST ABLE TO WORK QUICKER.
WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO MOBILIZE FUNDING AROUND IT.
'CAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT NOW WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT IS PRETTY MUCH WELL UNDERWAY IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT WOULD BE ON SITE.
THERE'S SOME LAST MINUTE OR NEEDS AND ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE GONNA COME INTO ACTUALLY, LIKE, PROGRAMMING THE SITE AND WHAT IT WILL BE.
AND WE'VE GOTTA ADDRESS THE FINANCING PACKAGE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO SHINE AND PULLING TOGETHER A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES.
SO I, I POINT TO THAT AS AN EXAMPLE TO SAY YES, WHEN WE ARE INVITED INTO THE CONVERSATION, UH, AND THERE IS A, A STRONG ROLE FOR US, WE CAN PLAY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS TO SUPPORT DELIVERY OF THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR YOU BEING INVITED IN? WHO MAKES THAT DECISION? UM, YOU KNOW, SO THE WAY THAT WE'VE SEEN IT PLAY OUT IS MAYOR AND COUNCIL WOULD PROVIDE A RESOLUTION, UM, ASKING FOR CITY STAFF TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE BACK, UH, AND TO WORK WITH RALLY.
I, I THINK FOR ME, I WOULD PREFER FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO TASK RALLY BECAUSE THEY REALLY DO HAVE THAT OPTION, RIGHT? TO HEAR FROM US DIRECTLY, TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUR WORK DIRECTLY AND TO, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE BEST CONFIGURATION FOR THE USE OF THE SITE.
I THINK WHERE THE CITY GETS A LITTLE CONCERNED
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IS RALLY'S GONNA TAKE A SITE THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST SITUATION FOR THE DEAL THAT WE NEED TO STRUCTURE.IT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR THE CITY TO OWN HEALTH SOUTH, RIGHT? AND WE WORK WITH A DEVELOPER AND WE CONFIGURE IT A CERTAIN WAY.
UM, AND THERE'S CERTAIN BENEFITS OR VALUES FOR, FOR WHERE IT IS THE PROPERTY WILL BE IN THE FUTURE OWNED BY WHOMEVER.
IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR A RALLY TO HAVE OWNERSHIP FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES, THEN THAT MAKES SENSE AS WELL.
IT CERTAINLY HELPS TO BOLSTER AND BUILD OUR CAPACITY AS AN ORGANIZATION.
SO THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO CONSTANTLY FUND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO GROW THE FINANCIAL PIE INSTEAD OF STAYING LIMITED TO WHAT THE CITY CAN PROVIDE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WELCOME TO HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE OFTEN PULLED IN BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN HEARING MORE AND MORE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, UM, WHO ISN'T PREPARED TO CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY.
RIGHT? UM, SO WE'RE ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN THE FUTURE WHEN LOOKING AT CITY OWNED PROPERTY, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS THAT PROPERTY WITHIN THEIR AREA, DIRECTING US TO, TO, TO WORK, UH, AND BRING BACK MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE SITE.
YEAH, I WANTED TO LET, LET ME GIVE YOU A PREAMBLE BY SAYING THAT I'M A HUGE, LET ME GIVE YOU A PREAMBLE BY SAYING I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF, UH, RESIDENTS DOWNTOWN, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF US THAT WOULD LO LOVE TO QUADRUPLE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DOWNTOWN IN SHORT ORDER, JUST AS WILL WYNN HAD, UH, SUGGESTED WE DO IN 2005.
UM, SO HAVING SAID THAT, WHAT, UM, WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR, UM, THE HEALTH SOUTH USAGE? ARE YOU SEEING IT AS MORE OF A INNOVATION DISTRICT USE, OR WOULD YOU STILL JUST LOOK AT DA DIFFERENT WAY OF MANAGING THAT AND STILL HAVE IT BE RESIDENTIAL? I WOULD IMAGINE THE COMMUNITY WOULD REQUEST A VARIETY OF USES.
UM, I WOULD IMAGINE A PRIORITY THAT SURFACES TO THE TOP WOULD BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IF NOT THE ENTIRE COMPLEX, A PORTION OF THE COMPLEX.
THE FUNDING SOURCES ALSO HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN MAKE POSSIBLE ON THE SITE.
UM, I, I SHOW SOME EXAMPLES OF FROM ACROSS THE NATION OF HOW IT IS WE OTHER PEER CITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE, UH, PUBLICLY OWNED SITES FOR THESE TYPES OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, DAVID'S VISION,
I I TURN TO THE COMMUNITY FOR, FOR, FOR THEIR VISION.
THOSE ARE THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE SURROUNDING THAT SITE, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE AROUND THAT SITE ON A DAILY BASIS, THE CONNECTIONS TO THE SITE.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THIS SITS AT A KEY LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY, RIGHT? WHERE YOU'VE GOT TRAILS, YOU'VE GOT PARKS, YOU'VE GOT DOWNTOWN, YOU'VE GOT MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE ALL AROUND IT.
SO BY WORKING WITH A GROUP LIKE DAA, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO ELEVATE AND SEE THINGS FROM A HIGHER PERSPECTIVE.
SO OUR VISION IS, IS NOT WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE RELY ON THE COMMUNITY, WE ELEVATE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION, AND WE TRANSACT WITH THE PRIVATE MARKET.
AND THAT'S THE REAL VALUE IN WHAT WE BRING THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
AND PART, PART OF THE REASON I ASK IS, UH, WE DID REVIEW THIS CASE WITH PEOPLE FROM THE CITY THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION DID, AND THERE, HONESTLY, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE AMENITY RICHNESS OF THAT AREA.
THE GROCERY STORE THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE AREA DID NOT GO IN.
UM, WE HAVE A, A LOT BETTER SITES, UH, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LOW INCOME THAN O OVER THERE.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S A TARGET, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE ADOBE CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE PRACTICAL THAN GOING TO WHOLE FOODS OVER ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, SO THAT, THAT WAS ONE, ONE SIDE I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT.
ANOTHER IS, UH, THE, THE HOBBY BUILDING.
ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THAT AT ALL WITH THAT RUN, REDO? NOT AT THIS TIME, NO.
THAT'S A STATE PROJECT MOSTLY.
I THINK IT, IT IS A STATE PROJECT, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE ARE NOT, AND AGAIN, WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SET UP AND WE ARE PREPARED TO WORK WITH ALL PUBLIC PARTNERS.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH A ISD.
WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO SITES THAT THEY OWN, UH, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT TO THOSE, THOSE SITES.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW IT IS WE COULD POTENTIALLY WORK WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AS WELL AS THE STATE IN THE FUTURE WITH THEIR LY OWNED SITES AS WELL.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS JUST MY, MY PERSONAL TAKE ON IT IS, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF THE ENTITLEMENT NEAR THE WATERFRONT.
SO THAT'S A NATURAL PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD BECAUSE THAT'S
[00:30:01]
THE ONLY PLACE THEY CAN, BUT ACTUALLY, IT'S KIND OF A HIGH RENT DISTRICT.AND IF YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO PUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THERE, THEN YOU MAY BE CLASHING A LITTLE BIT WITH WHAT YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, AND THERE ARE OTHER AREAS NORTH OF THERE THAT ARE CERTAINLY HAVE, UH, LOWER LAND PRICES.
UM, AND I, I GUESS THE OTHER THING HAVE, HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED AT THE OLD DOWNTOWN LIBRARY AT ALL? 'CAUSE THAT'S ALMOST LIKE RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RAIL STOP AND IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT RIGHT NOW, IT APPEARS TO BE USED FOR STORAGE, AND THAT'S, THAT'S EXTREMELY VALUABLE IN STRATEGIC LAND.
WE'VE NOT BEEN ASKED TO LOOK AT THAT SITE.
YES,
AND, AND, UH, CERTAINLY ENJOYED WORKING, UH, WITH RALLY AUSTIN ON SOME, UH, INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS.
UM, SO I'M AWARE OF HOW MUCH YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH VERY LIMITED RESOURCES.
UH, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS TWOFOLD.
WOULD SUPPORT OF THIS BOND HELP CLEAR SOME OF THOSE ROADBLOCKS FOR YOU GUYS TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THIS? UH, AND THEN THE SECOND HALF? UM, JUST FOR CONTEXT, I'M AWARE OF SOME OF THE GREAT PROJECTS YOU GUYS HAVE COMPLETED WITH, UH, THE HOLE IN THE WALL, UH, WITH THE MILLENNIUM EU AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX.
CAN YOU EXPAND ON THOSE A LITTLE BIT FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSION HERE? YEAH, FOR SURE.
UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND BRINGING MY PRESENTATION BACK UP.
I'LL JUST VISIT A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
UH, SO IN TERMS OF THE BOND ITSELF, WE ARE FOCUSED ON TAKING THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE CREATION OF THE, THE PROGRAMMING FOR CULTURAL TRUST.
THE CULTURAL TRUST PROGRAMMING IS FOCUSED ON HOW IT IS WE'RE ABLE TO PRESERVE OUR LOCAL ICONIC CREATIVE AND CULTURAL VENUES ACROSS THE CITY, AGAIN, UH, THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
SO TO DATE, THE PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE $27 MILLION OF FUNDING.
UM, WITH THAT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND WE'VE SECURED THESE SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OR INVESTMENT IN THESE SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
NOT ALL 27 MILLION IS TALLIED HERE.
WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO NEGOTIATE THROUGH PROJECTS.
THIS WAS DONE THROUGH A REQUEST FOR OUR PROPOSAL WHERE WE TURNED TO THE COMMUNITY AND SAID, DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACQUIRE YOUR SITE? COME TO US.
LET US KNOW ABOUT THESE PROJECTS.
CAN WE WORK WITH YOU THROUGH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS? WILL YOUR LANDLORD LET YOU DO THAT? LET'S, LET'S TRY TO FIND SOME CONTROL OF YOUR SPACE AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLE WHILE ALSO MAKING IT SAFE AND A FUNCTIONAL PLACE FOR YOU AND THE AUDIENCE AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO AUSTIN ENJOYING THIS PART OF OUR ECONOMY.
UH, SO, SO WITH THAT, WE COLLECTED, I BELIEVE, ABOUT 40 RESPONSES THAT TOTALED 350 MILLION IN NEED.
WE HAD 27 MILLION TOTAL TO WORK WITH, AND THAT'S OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I COULDN'T HIT THE GROUND WITH ALL 27 MILLION.
THAT SAID, UH, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE THESE SIX PROJECTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING MORE ON THE BOARD ANY WEEK NOW.
UM, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE BENCHMARK ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO THIS WORK, UM, OVER LIKE AN 11 YEAR PERIOD OF TIME, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE 80,000 SQUARE FEET IN THREE YEARS.
OUR TEAM SECURED 53,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND IF I ADDED THE ADDITIONAL $20,000 THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO SECURE ON BLOCK 16 AND 18, WE'RE AT 80,000 SQUARE FEET IN A THREE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.
SO WE TRULY CREATED SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE LOOKED AT ACROSS THE WORLD, BECAUSE CAST SAN FRANCISCO, WHO I'M COMPARING THIS TO, IS A, A BENCHMARK.
UH, SO, SO THE CULTURAL TRUST, WHICH IS WHAT PAT WAS SPEAKING TO, IS HOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY TO SECURE MORE OF THESE SPACES.
AS THAT RELATES TO OUR BOND PROPOSAL, WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THE CULTURAL TRUST.
WE ARE PUTTING IN A NUMBER OF DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON ACQUISITION OF SITES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN THE GRANT OR LOAN PROGRAMS. SO WE CAN CONTINUE WORKING IN THOSE SPACES WHERE WE CAN'T COMPLETELY ACQUIRE A SITE WHILE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT OUR CREATIVE, UM, BUSINESSES THAT ARE HELPING TO, UH, OPERATE IN THOSE SPACES.
WE TURN, AND WE, WE, WE TAKE THOSE LESSONS OF WORKING ON THIS SMALL SCALE, AND WE'D LIKE TO ALSO SEED A COMMERCIAL TRUST WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO
[00:35:01]
ACQUIRE SITES WHERE OUR LOCAL ICONIC LEGACY BUSINESSES OR OPERATING, THESE ARE THE RESTAURANTS YOU GO TO EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT THAT ARE LOCAL.UNLESS YOU'RE A CHILI'S PERSON, AND I DON'T HATE ON THAT, THAT'S YOU.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES.
WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PLACES THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY AUSTIN AND HOW WE CAN PRESERVE THEM HERE.
AGAIN, PER BEING ABLE TO ACQUIRE SITES, WORK THROUGH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WITH THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THEN HELPING TO TRIAGE THROUGH GRANT LOAN PROGRAMS, THE FINAL ELEMENT OF OUR PROPOSAL IS BEING ABLE TO BRING A TRULY WORKFORCE, AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT TO AUSTIN.
WE SEE THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS ARE STEPPING UP TO CREATE SPACE THAT YOU CAN LIVE AND WORK IN AS A CREATIVE.
AND WE WOULD LOVE TO BRING SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS HERE TO AUSTIN.
UM, AND BY, BY BEING ABLE TO ACQUIRE SITES TO DO THIS, UM, BUT ALSO BY BEING ABLE TO HAVE GAP FINANCING, WE CAN WORK WITH THOSE PARTNERS TO SECURE THOSE SPACES.
AND IF I THREW UP AN ILLUSTRATION, YOU'D BE LIKE, WOW, THAT'S, THAT'S PERFECT.
AND IN SOME CITIES, CREATIVES ARE PAYING $160 A MONTH TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN LIVE AND PRACTICE OR PUT TOGETHER THEIR ART FORM.
AND SO, KNOWING NOT ALL CREATIVES LIVE AND WORK IN THE SAME PLACE, UH, THAT SURELY IS AN OPTION WE'D LOVE TO MAKE AVAILABLE.
UH, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, AGAIN, TRIAGING BY PROVIDING A SERIES OF GRANT LOAN PROGRAMS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AFFORDABILITY AND LIVING HERE AS A CREATIVE, AS WELL AS THE AFFORDABILITY OF WORKING HERE AS A CREATIVE.
SO MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME BACK AND SHOW YOU, UH, THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BENCHMARKED ACROSS THE NATION.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT CREATING ANYTHING NEW.
IT'S BEING DONE IN TONS OF OTHER MARKETS IN PURE CITIES.
WE'D JUST LIKE TO INNOVATE AND, AND APPROACH THIS MARKET DIFFERENTLY WITH NEW PRODUCTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING THROUGH OUR BOND PROPOSAL.
NOW, ANY OF THESE PORTIONS OF DOLLARS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THE PROJECTS OR LOCATIONS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO COMPLETELY TAKE THIS OFF OF CONVERSATION.
THERE MAY BE DOLLARS FROM THE AUSTIN CULTURAL TRUST THAT WE CAN PUT TOWARDS SOME OF THESE SITES FOR CREATIVE PURPOSES.
WE MAY BE ABLE TO STACK SOME OF THESE FUNDS WITH, UH, OTHER FUNDS, RIGHT? OR, OR, UM, BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER.
SO I, I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THESE OFF AND SAY THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF THE SITES THAT YOU ALL ARE SPEAKING ABOUT.
IT'S JUST WE HAVEN'T HAD DIRECT CONNECTION TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK MORE ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS REQUESTING ON THOSE SITES AND HOW WE WOULD, UH, SUPPORT THE CITY WITH THEM.
OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[3. Presentation by Pat Buchta, Chief Executive Officer, regarding Austin Texas Musicians.]
OUR AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION BY COMMISSIONER BTA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER REGARDING AUSTIN, TEXAS.THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I'M, I APOLOGIZE I WASN'T ABLE TO ADD FRAN TO THE, UH, FRANCIS TO THE AGENDA AND TIME, BUT FRANCIS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS WELL.
HI, MY NAME IS FRANCIS FERGUSON.
UH, MY CAREER HAS BEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN, UM, CHURCH, UH, CONGREGATION AND SESSION AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH PAT ABOUT, UH, THE DOWNTOWN HUB PROPOSAL INDEED.
UM, AND, UH, SO GREETINGS EVERYONE, AS I'M, I'M SOMEWHAT NEW TO THIS COMMISSION STILL, BUT NOT NEW, UH, TO DOWNTOWN.
I THINK I PLAYED MY FIRST GIG ON SIXTH STREET IN 1991 AT STEAMBOAT IN A PUNK BAND.
SO, UH, I THINK I'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK THE CLICKER HERE, BUT, YEAH.
SO, UH, OUR ORGANIZATION, AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, HAS BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT SIX AND A HALF YEARS.
UH, WE DO ADVOCACY, UH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, POLICY WORK FOR MUSICIANS.
WE DO, UH, EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, JUST REAL BRIEFLY, UH, ONE OF OUR FIRST PROJECTS WAS TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO, UH, PULL A PORTION OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES TO CREATE, UH, WHAT WE NOW CALL THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, THE FIRST EVER SUSTAINABLE, UH, PUBLIC FUND FOR MUSIC IN THE US.
UH, WE'VE ALL ALSO WORKED WITH COUNCIL TO CREATE A CITY STANDARD PAY RATE FOR MUSICIANS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT TODAY, UH, WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF AN OVERALL DOWNTOWN PLAN.
AND I'M SO GLAD THAT DAVID JUST PRESENTED, UH, HERE, BECAUSE THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT HERE
[00:40:01]
TODAY.UM, SO AS IT RELATES TO, UH, DOWNTOWN OUR, OUR MUSICIANS HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, WE SERVE ABOUT 6,000 OF THEM IN, IN, WITHIN OUR MEMBERSHIP.
UM, AND BY AND LARGE, UH, AFTER DETAILED SURVEYS AND POLLING OF OUR MEMBERS, WE HAVE FOUND THAT MUSICIANS ARE A LITTLE RETICENT TO CONTINUE, UH, COMING DOWNTOWN TO PLAY AND TO WORK.
UH, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE ISSUES, UH, FOR THAT, OUR SAFETY, UH, PARKING, UH, PERFORMANCE PAY RATES, WHICH WE CAN'T EVEN ADDRESS TODAY.
UH, AND ALSO GREEN ROOM SPACE FOR, YOU KNOW, PLACES TO LIKE A, WHAT WE WOULD CALL A THIRD PLACE, A PLACE TO HANG OUT, UH, SAFELY, UH, IN BETWEEN GIG TIME.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A, WE'VE, WE'VE MADE THIS ARGUMENT BEFORE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR MUSIC ECONOMY IS DIRECTLY TIED TO OUR TOURISM ECONOMY, WHICH IS ALSO DIRECTLY TIED TO, UH, OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN HEALTH IN, IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MUSICIANS BY AND LARGE ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LEAVING DOWNTOWN, THEY'RE LEAVING AUSTIN.
UH, AND THEN I THINK WE ARE ALL AWARE OF BUSINESSES MOVING OUT OF, UH, DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
SO I THINK, UM, I COULD READ THROUGH THIS, BUT I THINK YOU GUYS GET THE IDEA.
UH, SO MUSICIANS, I'LL JUST REITERATE HERE.
WE, UH, NEED A PLACE TO BE ABLE TO WORK DOWNTOWN IN A WAY THAT'S SAFE AND ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE, AND I THINK REALLY, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS THING FOR A COUPLE YEARS, UH, UH, CLOSELY WITH, UM, ACTUALLY WITH ANN GATLING HANES, FORMERLY OF RALLY AUSTIN.
UH, AND, UH, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE, I I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY ACTION TODAY, BUT SINCE I'M JUST ANOTHER WORKING MUSICIAN OUT HERE WHO'S TRYING TO FIGURE THESE THINGS OUT, UH, I WOULD WELCOME ANY HELP, UH, WITH THIS PLAN.
UH, SO OUR THREE-TIER PLAN, UH, CONSTITUTES REDEVELOPING, UH, EXISTING DOWNTOWN SPACES TO SERVE AS A GREEN ROOM CREATIVE HUB.
UH, NUMBER TWO, UH, CREATE A PARKING SOLUTION IN PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY DA JOSE GARZA, WHO IS, UH, JUST ANOTHER MUSICIAN.
HE'S ACTUALLY ON OUR BOARD, AND HE DOES HAVE THREE, UH, GARAGES, UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT.
UH, AND TO BOLSTER OUR EXISTING GIG BUDDY PROGRAM WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE THAT PROVIDES SAFE, UH, ESCORT, UH, FOR MUSICIANS.
UH, SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ONCE AGAIN ABOUT THE, UH, MUNICIPAL, UH, BUILDING AT EIGHTH AND COLORADO.
UH, WE WILL NOT CALL IT THE OLD CITY HALL, BUT THE HISTORIC, UH, CITY HALL CHARLES
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, UH, SIX 60,000 SQUARE FEET, I BELIEVE, UH, OF SPACE ACROSS.
UH, THERE ARE THREE FLOORS OR FOUR FLOORS.
IT'S THREE FLOORS IN THE BASEMENT.
UM, AND, UH, I WAS ABLE TO TOUR THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO WITH, UH, ANNE FROM RALLY AUSTIN.
AND, UH, IF THERE'S A WAY TO FACILITATE, UH, ANOTHER TOUR FOR ALL OF US COMMISSIONERS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO SEE WHAT THE POTENTIAL IS, UH, WITHIN THAT SPACE.
UH, BUT WE, AGAIN, THREE STORIES OF FULL BASEMENT WITH A GARAGE, UH, HYDRAULIC, UH, LOAD IN, UH, THIS IS THE OLD CITY, I'M SORRY, IT'S IN THE PRESENTATION, CHARLES, THE HISTORIC CITY HALL.
BUILDING AT A COLORADO HOLDS A IMMENSE POTENTIAL AS A CREATIVE OF FOR MUSIC, THEATER, AND DANCE.
IN FACT, UH, WHEN WE TOURED THE SPACE, I THINK THE IDEA WAS MAYBE THAT EACH FLOOR COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, BE ASSIGNED TO EACH DISCIPLINE.
MUSIC GETS A FLOOR THEATER, GETS A FLOOR DANCE, GETS A FLOOR, UM, AND WITHIN, UH, THE STRUCTURE, UH, ON EACH FLOOR, THERE'S, UM, A VERY LARGE RECTANGULAR MEETING SPACE, UH, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF KICKED AROUND THE IDEA OF HOLLOWING THAT OUT TO ALMOST CREATE MORE OF AN AMPHITHEATER, UH, SPACE AT THE BOTTOM, SO THAT THAT COULD BE OPEN FOR SOME SORT OF TOURISM PURPOSE.
SO WE POLL OUR GROUP MEMBERS TO DETERMINE THE BEST USES OF THIS SPACE, UH, FROM OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
AND OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, GROUP MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR A GREEN ROOM SPACE, UM, A SAFE AND SOBER PLACE.
UH, BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MOST OF OUR MUSICIANS IN WORKING IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE SOBER.
UH, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN KEEP GOING OUT AT NIGHT AND DOING THIS THING.
UM, UH, A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO BEFORE AND AFTER DOWNTOWN GIGS.
SO YOU HAVE A SOUND CHECK AT 6:00 PM BUT YOUR GIG'S NOT TILL NINE OR 10 O'CLOCK.
WHAT DO YOU DO DURING THAT TIME? UH, SO WE, YOU KNOW, PROPOSED THIS GREEN ROOM SPACE TO HAVE A PLACE TO NETWORK, UH,
[00:45:01]
PREP, CHANGE YOUR STRINGS, SEND BOOKING EMAILS, WORK ON MARKETING.UH, I THINK AT THAT TIME WE HAD ALSO TALKED ABOUT, UH, SPACE FOR ARTS NONPROFIT OFFICES, UH, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SIMS FOUNDATION OR A, YOU KNOW, HOME HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSICIANS AND ENTERTAINERS CAN ALL BE IN ONE SPACE TO CREATE THAT SYNERGY FOR MUSICIANS TO COME ACCESS THOSE RESOURCES.
UH, LOCKOUT SPACE FOR, UH, BACK WHAT WE CALL BACKLINE, WHICH IS REALLY JUST A GEAR MM-HMM
UH, MUSICIANS, UH, THAT THIS IS A WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE REHEARSAL SPACES ANYMORE, WHAT EXIST USED TO EXIST, UH, WHAT WE CALL THE MUSIC LAB AND THINGS LIKE THAT, OR NO LONGER.
AND SO WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE SPACE, UH, TO REHEARSE OR TO KEEP OUR GEAR SOMEWHERE SAFE AND, AND LOCKED OUT.
UH, POTENTIALLY A GREEN SCREEN FOR MUSIC VIDEOS, PERFORMANCE SPACE FOR TICKETED EVENTS, UH, AND THEN A PUBLIC FACING ENTRYWAY, UH, POSSIBLY FEATURING THE SOUTH AUSTIN MUSEUM OF POPULAR CULTURE OR, OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF INTERFACE THERE.
UH, AS DAVID HAS JUST TOLD YOU, THAT'S A BIT OF A LONG TERM, UH, PROJECT.
SO, UH, WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN THE MEANTIME IS, UH, JUST ACROSS CONGRESS OVER AT EIGHTH AND COLORADO, UH, OR EIGHTH AND BRAZO, I'M SORRY, SAME STREET, BUT JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY.
UH, WE HAVE TALKED TO US, OUR FRIENDS AT CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ABOUT, UH, SOME POSSIBILITIES THERE.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUST EXPOUND A LITTLE BIT ON THAT MM-HMM
SO, CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HAS BEEN AT THAT LOCATION SINCE 1871.
UH, IT'S BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR A HUNDRED AND, UH, 85 YEARS, AND WE'VE BEEN A LONG SUPPORTER OF THE MUSIC COMMUNITY, UM, SOUTH BY HAS PERFORMED THERE.
LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE PERFORMED THERE.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN EARLY VENUE FOR BILLIE EILISH.
UH, UH, A, UH, VENUE FOR DONOVAN, VENUES FOR PEOPLE DOING RECITALS, VENUES FOR BOOK PEOPLE PER, UM, AUTHORS, VENUES FOR ANYTHING FROM COUNTRY TO CLASSICAL.
THIS PARTICULAR, OUR SANCTUARY IS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED BY MUSICIANS, UM, PERHAPS NOT METAL, BUT ALL KINDS OF OTHER MUSICIANS AS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, UM, THE, THE ACOUSTICS ARE REALLY LOVELY, AND IT'S A, A, A LOVELY PLACE TO SIT.
UM, SO ANYWAY, AS WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING OUR OWN FUTURE AS A DOWNTOWN CHURCH, WHICH WE'RE DEDICATED TO BEING, AND WE'RE DEDICATED, WE ARE, OUR, OUR KIND OF BRAND IS DELIBERATELY DIVERSE AND FULLY INCLUSIVE, AND INTRODUCED US TO PAT AND GIVEN OUR LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH MUSIC.
AND IT ABSOLUTELY MAKES SENSE TO ME AS SOMEBODY WHO'S WORKED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEREFORE THINKS ABOUT BUSINESS AND PUBLIC BENEFIT, THAT IF WE WANNA REMAIN A CITY KNOWN FOR LIVE MUSIC, WE HAVE TO BE A CITY THAT OFFERS SOME CORE INFRASTRUCTURE TO LIVE MUSICIANS.
WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 82, IT WAS STILL PRETTY EASY TO BE A, A LIVE MUSICIAN AND JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LIVE ON, YOU KNOW, FUMES LIKE, OR ETHER OR WHATEVER WE ALL LIVED ON BACK THEN, BUT NOW THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
AND SO WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS AFFORDABILITY.
BUT, UH, SO ANYWAY, WE HAVE THE CENTRAL PRE HAS BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PAT ABOUT HOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPACES.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS ALREADY IS A PERFORMANCE SPACE AND IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT BY FOLKS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UH, WHAT'S COMMONLY IN CHURCH PARLIAMENT.
IT'S CALLED A FELLOWSHIP HALL, WHICH IS ANOTHER, IT'S FAIRLY LARGE SPACE.
UH, WE HAVE A LOVELY COURTYARD THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OF.
IT'S ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING, UM, GREEN SPACES IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
AND THEN WE HAVE A NUMBER OF KIND OF COZY ROOMS THAT, UM, CAN BE, COULD BE REPURPOSED AS, UH, POSSIBLY AS LOCKOUT SPACE OR AS OFFICE SPACE.
AND, UM, AND SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF, UH, PARTNERING TO MAKE THIS KIND OF SPACE AVAILABLE AND TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TOTALLY RENOVATE AND HAVE A $20 MILLION OR WHATEVER PROJECT TO GO AHEAD AND GET THESE USES GOING IN A BUILDING LIKE OURS.
AND, UM, WE HAVE GREAT PARKING RELATIONSHIPS.
[00:50:01]
DON'T OWN PARKING, BUT I, I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A KIND OF WAY THAT WOULD, AGAIN, SUPPORT A, A VERY OLD, A VERY HISTORIC BUILDING IN AUSTIN, BUT ALSO SUPPORT BRINGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO REALLY SUPPORT THE MUSICIANS AND OTHER ARTISTS IN DOWNTOWN.UM, YEAH, AND SO, UH, WE DID JUST SOME CRUNCHING OF NUMBERS.
SO WHAT IT WOULD, UH, FOR WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO, UH, POTENTIALLY START HOSTING, UH, THESE NIGHTS.
WE WERE PROPOSING INITIALLY, I THINK THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY NIGHTS TO PILOT A PROGRAM, UH, WITH THE IDEA OF, UH, $300 TO RENT THE SPACE FOR NIGHT, FOR A NIGHT, WHICH IS, UH, PRETTY CHEAP IN, IN CONSIDERING, UH, MOST OF OUR SPACES AROUND DOWNTOWN, UH, SECURITY, UH, WE CALL IT SECURITY, BUT WE'D PROBABLY PLUG IN A MUSICIAN, UH, TO STAFF, UH, THE PROGRAM EACH NIGHT AT THAT CITY STANDARD PAY RATE THAT WE ESTABLISHED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
UH, AND THEN JANITORIAL IS JUST $250 PER WEEK.
SO, UH, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS GET A PILOT UP AND RUNNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO FIND, UH, SOME FUNDING TO DO THIS.
UM, I KNOW THE CITY CITY BUDGET IS TIGHT THIS YEAR, BUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS PROBABLY A, A PITTANCE, A MERE PITTANCE, A DROP IN THE BUCKET, UH, TO GET THIS THING UP AND RUNNING.
UM, SO, UM, THAT'S, UH, CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN FRIEND BE GONE.
UM, BUT WE DO, WE DO FEEL THAT, UH, CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN IS, IS ALMOST PLUG AND PLAY, READY TO GO, UH, AS SOON AS WE CAN FIND A LITTLE CHUNK OF FUNDING TO KINDA GET UP AND RUNNING, UH, IN THAT SPACE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I'LL JUST REITERATE, UH, WITH FRANCIS THAT, UM, WE'VE GOT THE COMMUNITY SPACE, WE'VE GOT THE SANCTUARY FOR PERFORMANCES, AND LIKE SHE SAID, WE HAVE, UM, MULTIPLE, UH, ROOMS, UH, THAT COULD BE USED FOR A LOT OF PURPOSES.
WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT SOME OF POTENTIAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CO-OP, UH, TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
WHO KNOWS? UH, BUT THEY DO, AS IF EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR HERE, I'M SURE, BUT THEY TAKE UP ALMOST AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK AT EIGHTH AND BRAS, WHICH IS A LOT OF, A LOT OF SPACE.
SO TO CORRECT THAT, WE TAKE ABOUT A THIRD OF THE BLOCK.
UH, SO MOVING ON THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PARKING, UH, TRADITIONALLY WITH MUSICIANS.
THIS IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF, OF GETTING SOMETHING DONE THAT BENEFITS OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
UM, SO I'LL CORRECT THE PRESENTATION HERE.
JOSE TOLD ME JUST THE OTHER WEEK, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE GARAGES AVAILABLE FOR THIS PURPOSE.
THESE ARE HIS, UM, ACTUALLY THE JAIL GARAGES ON THE WEST END OF THE DOWNTOWN CORE.
UH, BUT THEY DO SIT VACANT FROM 6:00 PM TO 6:00 AM UH, EVERY DAY.
UH, HE HAS EXPRESSED, UM, AN INTEREST IN, UH, UTILIZING THESE FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING MUSICIANS FREE OR LOW LOW COST PARKING, ALONG WITH, UH, POTENTIALLY SERVICE INDUSTRY, UH, FOLKS WORKING DOWNTOWN IN THE EVENINGS.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY SOME ADMIN COSTS ASSOCIATED THERE, BUT AGAIN, JUST PROBABLY NOT A LOT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OFFERING SOME SUCH A GROUNDBREAKING, UH, SERVICE TO OUR MUSIC AND SERVICE INDUSTRY COMMUNITIES.
UM, THAT CONVERSATION IS ONGOING.
UH, I KNOW HE AND, UH, JUDGE BROWN ARE VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING THIS, UH, UP AND RUNNING, AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO KINDA START MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT OUR HUB OVER HERE AT, AT CENTRAL PREEZ.
WE'VE GOT OUR PARKING GARAGES POTENTIALLY OVER HERE AT THE WEST END OF THE CORE.
HOW DO WE CONNECT THE DOTS? UM, AND OUR GIG BUDDY PROGRAM IS SOMETHING WE PILOTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
UM, IF YOU GUYS ALL ARE AWARE OF THE BLOCK BY BLOCK AMBASSADORS IN THE RED SHIRTS AND KHAKIS DOWNTOWN, UH, WHAT WE DID IS, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD SCHEDULE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, GO PARK, CALL THE NUMBER, AND A BLOCK BY BLOCK AMBASSADOR WOULD COME MEET YOU AT YOUR CAR AND PROVIDE SAFE, UH, ESCORT CARTAGE AND SETUP TO AND FROM GIGS.
SO IF YOU'RE LEAVING, UH, A VENUE, YOU KNOW, AT TWO 30 IN THE MORNING WITH A HANDFUL OF CASH, UH, THESE GUYS WOULD MEET YOU AND GET YOU TO YOUR CAR, UH, SAFELY.
WE, WE DID PILOT THIS PROGRAM A FEW TIMES, BUT, UH, DID IDENTIFY THE NEED.
I THINK, UM, LOCK BY BLOCK ONLY HAS THREE OVERNIGHT EMPLOYEES, AND MOST OF THEIR RESOURCES ARE, UH, DEDICATED TO POWER WASHING THE STREETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT DURING THOSE HOURS.
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UH, A LIABILITY INSURANCE ISSUE WITH PROVIDING THAT TYPE OF ESCORT, UH, UH, IN THE EVENING HOURS.SO, AGAIN, PROBABLY A SMALL, UH, DROP IN THE BUCKET AS FAR AS THE CITY BUDGET GOES, UH, TO REALLY BOLSTER, UH, DA'S, UH, OFFERINGS THERE.
UH, I DID JUST MEET WITH THEM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND THEY WERE INTERESTED IN EARLY PUTTING SOME SUPPORT, UH, BEHIND THIS PROGRAM.
MUSICIANS WOULD PARK, UH, AT OUR GARAGES.
UH, THE BLOG I WALK, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE A SHUTTLE SERVICE HERE.
THEY DO CURRENTLY HAVE TWO VEHICLES.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER LEVINSON AND I KIND OF JOKED ABOUT THE OLD BRINGING THE OLD DELLO OUTTA RETIREMENT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SO WE POTENTIALLY GET THESE GUYS, GET A CIRCULATOR GOING TO VENUES THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, AND THEN HAVE THE, UH, CREATIVE HUB GREEN ROOM SERVING AS THAT CENTRAL COMMUNITY SPACE.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GOING TO COST SOME MONEY, SOME TIME, UH, AND A LOT OF COLLABORATION.
UH, BUT REALLY, I MEAN, AUSTIN HAS PROVEN TO BE A LEADER IN SO MANY AREAS.
AND, AND, AND I THINK ALREADY WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE, I, WE, WE TALK ABOUT THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND I HEAR THAT, UH, DEBATED QUITE A BIT ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHEN I HAVE MEETINGS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN NEW YORK AND LA AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THE THINGS, WHY, WHY I SAY THAT WE REALLY DO STILL RETAIN THAT TITLE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE MUSICIANS HERE THAN PROBABLY CONCENTRATED THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE HERE DON'T EXIST ANYWHERE ELSE.
A HAM ASSUMES A HOME, UH, US FOR, FOR POLICY WORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THESE SERVICES FOR MUSICIANS DON'T EXIST ANYWHERE.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROVEN, UH, FOR DECADES, UH, THAT WE SUPPORT OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK, UH, WITH A PLAN LIKE THIS, UH, AND WITH SOME SUPPORT AND SOME COLLABORATION, PERHAPS WITH RALLY AUSTIN, THAT WE, UH, WOULD BE ABLE TO ONCE AGAIN, CREATE A REALLY GROUNDBREAKING, UH, PLAN AND TEMPLATE THAT PROBABLY COULD BE, UH, UH, SERVE AS A EXAMPLE, UH, TO OTHER MUSIC CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S IT, UH, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER LEVINSON, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT.
UM, AND ALSO, FRAN, I'VE BEEN, I BELIEVE IN YOUR SPACES FOR, UH, SOME LIKE TEXAS TRIPS STUFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I'VE, I'VE, IT'S A LOVELY SPACE.
YOUR SPACES ARE REALLY VERY NICE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY HOUSING FOR MUSICIANS.
IS THAT LIKE PART OF THE YBE, UH, TYPE OF THING? YES.
IN GOD'S BACKYARD TYPE OF
BUT, UH, ONE WOULD BE, UH, LIKE THIS IDEA IS REALLY JUST WE HAVE SPACE AND WE COULD WORK TOGETHER, RIGHT? MAYBE THERE'D BE A LITTLE BIT OF RENOVATION OR, YOU KNOW, PUT A NEW THIS CARPET DOWN, BUT, BUT RIGHT.
THE SPACE IS THERE AND IT COULD BE USED, RIGHT? UM, BUT THE, ANOTHER SCENARIO WOULD BE AN ACTUAL RENOVATION OF A PORTION OF THE SPACE.
IN WHICH CASE ONE COULD IMAGINE, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, SMALL, COULD IT BE HOUSING? IT COULD BE HOUSING.
COULD IT BE CRASH SPACE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
I, I NEED A PLACE TO, I'M PLAYING DOWNTOWN TONIGHT.
I'M PLAYING DOWNTOWN TOMORROW NIGHT.
I LIVE WHERE, WHERE I LIVE, BUT IT'S NOT DOWNTOWN.
AND MAYBE I'D RATHER JUST CRASH HERE.
AND SO COULD YOU CREATE, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY SMALL SPACES THAT WHERE SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, COULD SPEND THE NIGHT.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THE ZONING AROUND THAT AT ALL, BUT, UM, AND THEN WE'VE ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT WHETHER A PORTION OF OUR BUILDING MIGHT BE REDEVELOPED WITH OTHER BUILDINGS ON THAT BLOCK IN ORDER TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A, OF A, OF A MIXED USE, BUT HOUSING.
BUT ANYWAY, THOSE WOULD ALL BE MUCH MORE AMBITIOUS.
WHEREAS THIS, YOU KNOW, IS PRETTY READY TO ADD WATER, AND IT IT IS.
'CAUSE YOU REALLY DO HAVE ALREADY SOME GREAT SPACES THERE, RIGHT? AND WE'VE GOT PARKING VERY CLOSE, AND SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WOULD BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE NOT FREE PARKING, LIKE, UM, THE DA AND, AND JUDGE, BUT, UM, LOW COST.
YOU KNOW, UM, THIS REMINDS ME I SHOULD ADD TOO, UH, BACK ON THE SUBJECT OF THE WHOLE, UH, THE HISTORIC MUSEUM
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RALLY AUSTIN.AND I THINK A, A LOT OF, UM, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, UH, WERE IN THE ROOM AND DETERMINED AT THAT TIME THAT IT WOULD BE PROHIBITIVELY, UH, NOT COST EFFECTIVE, UH, TO RETROFIT THAT SPACE FOR, YOU KNOW, HIGH-END APARTMENT USES AS FAR AS PLUMBING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I, I REMEMBER THAT THEY DID LOOK AT THAT, AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITIVE, RIGHT? BUT IT IS A GREAT BUILDING.
I WOULDN'T MIND ANOTHER TOUR OF IT.
I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THERE IN A WHILE.
UM, BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE FABULOUS THEATER SPACE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY IS A GREAT SPACE QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER
YOU KNOW, THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT MID-CENTURY DESIGN BY ARCHITECT SCHLEMAN, WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY.
AND SO, IN YOUR PLANNING, AND ALSO I, I WOULD RECOMMEND USE VISION PLANNING, NOT MASTER PLANNING.
THE CITY HAS ADOPTED, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT TERMINOLOGY THAT'S, UH, IN THIS CURRENT WORLD MORE POLITICALLY CORRECT VISION, VISION PLANNING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IT FROM THE START AS AN IMPORTANT HISTORIC RESOURCE, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING A DESIGNATION, YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE, I SHOULD KNOW THIS, BUT I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY OPEN DOORS FOR POTENTIAL FUNDED FUNDING, NOT JUST FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS VISION, BUT FOR THE PLANNING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING, UH, THIS RESOURCE AND THEN YOUR OTHER ONE THAT YOU'VE INDICATED, THE, THE HISTORIC, UM, MUNICIPAL CITY HALL BUILDING, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE SAME THING.
AND SO IT SEEMS YOU'VE NARROWED IT DOWN TO WHERE YOU LAND TO THESE TWO LOCATIONS.
AND, AND SO IN YOUR PLANNING, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IT THROUGH, UM, PRESERVATION LENSES, UH, I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT THAT WILL LEAD AGAIN TO, UM, MOST LIKELY POTENTIAL FUNDING, UH, TO, UH, TO REALIZE YOUR, YOUR VISION.
SO, WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT STEPS? HAVE YOU, DO YOU HAVE A BUDGETING PROCESS SET UP? DO YOU HAVE PARTNERS IDENTIFIED? HAVE YOU BEEN SPEAKING WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS? LIKE, WHAT'S THE PATH? GREAT QUESTIONS.
AND MY ANSWER TO ALL OF THAT IS, UH, UH, VERY LITTLE
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, I THINK THIS VISION PLAN IS, IS KIND OF THAT STEP TO SORT OF TEE OFF OUR NEXT STEPS.
UM, WE HAVE SPOKEN SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THIS, CERTAINLY, UH, AND, UH, WITH, UM, AND FROM RALLY, OR FORMERLY FROM RALLY AUSTIN, UH, THE BUDGETING, WE'VE ONLY APPLIED, UH, TO THE GREEN ROOM, UH, SPACE.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY NEED TO TAKE THOSE NEXT STEPS AS FAR AS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, WITH PARKING AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE, WITH THE GIG BUDDY PROGRAM.
I THINK, UM, I'M SO NEW TO THIS TYPE OF POLICY THAT I WOULD WELCOME ANY SUGGESTIONS, UM, IN COLLABORATION FROM THIS COMMISSION.
COMMISSIONER KOAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, BOTH OF YOU.
UM, I, AFTER REVIEWING THIS, THE CRAWL, WALK, RUN APPROACH MAKES GOOD SENSE TO ME IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, TORAN POINT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE CHURCH NOW, LIKE FOR WHAT THAT IT CAN DO.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST SAYING YES TO THE PARKING GARAGES MAKES A TON OF SENSE BECAUSE I THINK AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR COMMISSION AT THE CITY COUNCIL, WHEN YOU CAN SHOW, HEY, WE TRACKED OUR METRICS FOR SUCCESS.
WE HAVE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE.
WE KNOW HOW MANY, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW HOW MANY, UM, YOU KNOW, MUSICIANS PLAY ON A NIGHTLY BASIS, AND OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE THAT BY 10% EACH QUARTER.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THAT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, BUT IF WE WERE TO GET THIS MUCH MORE, WE COULD DO, YOU KNOW, GO EVEN FURTHER.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY THE IDEA IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE GREEN ROOM, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY GET THAT UP AND RUNNING WITHOUT TOO MUCH EFFORT.
UM, HAVE SOME PROVEN SUCCESS THERE.
AND THEN MAYBE, UH, FIND MORE SUPPORT FOR THE REST OF THE PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD BE, I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED TOO, IN, UM, AFTER THE GREEN ROOM INITIATIVE PILOT HAS TAKEN OFF, UM, WHAT, WHAT THOSE METRICS OF SUCCESS HAVE LOOKED LIKE IN TERMS OF FEEDBACK FROM MUSICIANS AND THE INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF GIGS.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IDENTIFYING PARTNERS, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE INTERFACING WITH, UH,
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STREAM REALTY AS THEY'RE DEVELOPING A LOT.UH, THINGS DOWNTOWN AND, UH, OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS THERE.
SO AS TO PARKING, I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT WHERE YOU STAND WITH THE, UH, GARAGES, AND I'M ASSUMING THESE ARE OWNED BY THE COUNTY? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, UH, I, THERE'S A WILL THERE.
UH, I KNOW JOSE'S BEEN A LITTLE BUSY WITH OTHER
UH, BUT THIS IS SOME, THIS IS A KIND OF A PASSION PROJECT OF HIS AS, UH, THAT SPEAKS TO HIS, HIS OWN MUSICIANSHIP AND, AND, UH, UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S MY WORDS.
WHAT MIGHT BE THE OBSTACLES? UM, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK THE OBSTACLES REALLY ARE JUST THE TIME, UH, RESOURCES ON HIS END, UH, AS TO PUTTING THIS SORT OF THING IN MOTION TO JUST MAKE IT SO, UM, SO I THINK PROBABLY THE THING WE CAN DO TO HELP HIM GET THERE IS TO PROBABLY IDENTIFY COSTS AND, UH, HOW THE ADMIN ON THAT WOULD WORK OVERNIGHT.
I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE SECURITY COSTS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER PIVOT.
I MEANT TO ASK THIS, UM, ORIGINALLY, I APOLOGIZE.
YOU'RE DESCRIBING A GREEN ROOM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A PERMANENT HOME, UH, FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION.
IS THIS PROPOSAL A COMBINATION OF, UH, OFFICE FOR, FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND A GREEN ROOM? WELL, WE HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, AND I, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THIS PLAN TO SORT OF INTERFACE WITH OUR ORGANIZATION AT, AT, YOU KNOW, BEING A BENEFICIARY OF, OF THESE TYPES OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, JUST AVOID ANY CON CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
BUT, UM, BUT TO ANSWER, UH, THAT QUESTION, UH, COMMISSIONER, YES, WE'D LOVE SOME OFFICE SPACE AT SOME POINT.
WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT SIX AND A HALF YEARS, AND, UH, JUST LIKE A LOT OF NONPROFITS AROUND HERE, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WOULD BENEFIT FROM SOME SYNERGY OF BEING IN A A SPACE.
AND WHILE HE MIGHT NOT WANT IT, WE WERE SUGGESTING THAT VERY THING THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THE GREEN ROOM HERE, THEN BE BEGINNING TO BE HERE, BEGINS TO HELP THE MUSICIANS KIND OF GET IT, THAT THE SPACE IS REALLY AVAILABLE TO THEM IF PAT'S THERE.
AND, AND SO ANYWAY, MY MOTHER, I GET IT ABOUT NOT WANTING THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BUT AT THE CHURCH, THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IT QUICKLY, PERCEIVED THE SYNERGY OF KIND OF IT BEING IN ONE PLACE.
MY MOTHER WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE ME IN CHURCH ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[4. Presentation by Daniel Kavelman, Projects and Policy Manager, Shoal Creek Conservancy, regarding the Cypress and Shoal Creek Public Space Strategy. ]
AGENDA PRESENTATION BY DANIEL KEMAN, PROJECTS AND POLICY MANAGER, SCHO CREEK CONSERVANCY, REGARDING THE CYPRUS AND SCHO CREEK PUBLIC SPACE STRATEGY.IS THAT THE ONE, OH, UM, DO WE DO THE PUBLIC SPEAKING NOW OR, YES, CHAIR.
TYPICALLY THE SPEAKERS ARE TAKEN UP BEFORE THE ITEM.
IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL TED EUBANK ABOUT SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR.
I THINK HE CAN SIT NEXT TO YOU PROBABLY THREE MINUTES.
UM, I'M A CERTIFIED HERITAGE INTERPRETER AND INTERPRETIVE PLANNER.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE PARTS AND REC BOARD, BUT I'M NOT SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF TONIGHT.
I'M ALSO ON THE PALM SCHOOL STEERING COMMITTEE.
I'M ALSO ON TECH DOTS INTERPRETIVE PLANNING TASK FORCE FOR I 35 WHEN AND IF IT'S COMPLETED,
I'M A RESIDENT OF LONG SHOAL CREEK, AND I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON SHOAL CREEK.
WE MAY BE A LEADER IN MANY THINGS.
WE'RE NOT A LEADER IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
TRUST ME, I'VE WORKED IN MANY, MANY CITIES AROUND THE WORLD, AND THAT'S JUST NOT ONE OF OUR STRENGTHS.
WHAT WE DO HAVE ARE A FEW HISTORICAL SITES AND RESOURCES LEFT THAT ARE WORTHY OF BEING PRESERVED, AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE RAILROAD TRESTLE THAT'S ON FOURTH STREET ACROSS SHOUL CREEK.
IN 1871, CHRISTMAS OF 1871, THE TRAIN CAME TO AUSTIN.
IT'S REALLY THE BEGINNING OF AUSTIN AS A CITY.
AND THIS IS THE LAST ICONIC STRUCTURE THAT REMAINS.
SO, I URGE YOU IN YOUR, WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING OFFERING UP YOUR OPINIONS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE LEFT, WHAT IS IT THAT WE
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ARE GOING TO PRESERVE THAT REPRESENTS OUR ROOTS, HOW WE AS A CITY ARE ROOTED INTO THIS LANDSCAPE? AND I WOULD ARGUE THIS RAILROAD TRESTLE IS ONE OF THOSE.YES, WE HAVE MANY OTHER, THERE ARE NEW NEW DEAL BRIDGES UP THE CREEK.
WE HAVE NEW DEAL STRUCTURES OVER IN SILK, OR WE COULD SIT HERE ALL NIGHT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT REMAINS.
BUT THIS IS THE LAST REMAINING TRESTLE, AND I THINK IT'S WORTHY OF OUR EFFORT AND OUR INVESTMENT OVER TIME.
OH, UH, MR. EUBANK, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, AS NOT ONLY A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION, BUT AS A MEMBER OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE DA'S MOBILITY COMMITTEE, I AM WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.
WE ARE PRESSING TO HAVE THAT PRESERVED AND RESTORED BECAUSE IT IS IN FACT, AN ICONIC PIECE OF AUSTIN.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS, UH, FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
I'M THE, MY NAME IS DANIEL KAMAN.
I AM THE PROJECTS AND POLICY MANAGER AT THE SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY.
UM, THE SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY IS A PROUD STEWARD OF THE SHOAL CREEK, WHICH RUNS FROM LADY BIRD LAKE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE HEADWATERS, JUST NORTH OF 180 3 NEAR MOPAC, UM, ALONG THE SHOAL CREEK.
RUNS A TRAIL ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN.
THAT HAS BEEN A FOCUS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, UM, SINCE WE WERE FOUNDED, UM, MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO.
TODAY, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR CYRUS AND SHOUL CREEK PUBLIC SPACE STRATEGY THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER AND PUBLISHED IN 2021 BY THE SHOUL CREEK CONSERVANCY AND THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE WITH HELP FROM 10 A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, THIS PLAN CAME ABOUT, UM, FOR A LOT OF REASONS, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS AT THE NEXUS OF, UH, THAT'S JUST A LOT OF WORDS ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN IS.
UM, BUT THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE TRAIL WHERE, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT MOBILITY FACILITIES OF AUSTIN SORT OF MEET TOGETHER DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING THE BUTLER TRAIL, THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL, AND THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY.
UM, AND THERE IS, OF COURSE, AS MR. EUBANKS, UH, SO NICELY SAID, A VERY IMPORTANT HISTORIC ASSET, WHICH IS THE TRESTLE RIGHT THERE.
AND WE DO THINK THAT THIS DOES DESERVE, UH, EXTRA ATTENTION.
UM, SO THIS WAS, THIS PLAN CAME ABOUT, UM, OVER ABOUT A TWO YEAR PROCESS OF PUTTING IT TOGETHER BETWEEN, UH, 2019 AND 2021.
THE SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY IS GUIDED IN ITS MOBILITY AND TRAIL EFFORTS BY THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL PLAN THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN 2018.
UH, WITH THIS PLAN WERE IDENTIFIED A FEW PRIORITY PROJECTS AND PRIORITY AREAS ALONG THE TRAIL, UH, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE THIRD STREET AREA.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE COMPLICATED AND REALLY IN THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AREA, UM, AND ALSO THE EFFORT THAT WE HAD HELP WITH, WITH, UH, DAA, UH, THERE WAS A NEW PLAN MADE.
UM, WHILE THOSE NUMBERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LOOK A LITTLE LOWER, WE DID TRY OUR BEST.
UM, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON IN 2020 THAT MADE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT.
UM, SO WE HAD TO RUN SOME OF THESE SURVEYS IN OUR, UH, EFFORTS ONLINE.
UM, HOWEVER, THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY 2019 COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT KICKED OFF THE PROCESS AND, YOU KNOW, GAVE A SIGN ON FROM THE CITY TO GO AHEAD AND DO THIS.
UH, WE WENT THROUGH, UH, THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING THE P-A-C-B-A-C AND THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, GAVE US A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
AND THE PLAN WAS EVENTUALLY PUBLISHED IN 2021.
IT INCLUDES A TOTAL OF SEVEN PROJECTS, AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSED ON ABOUT THREE OF THOSE, THE FOURTH OF WHICH IS THE BOWIE STREET UNDERPASS, WHICH AT THIS TIME IS NOT FEASIBLE.
UM, NOR IS THERE ANY INDICATION THAT IT WILL BE FEASIBLE IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THE, UH, NEGOTIATIONS WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD FALLING APART OVER ACCESS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY AT BUOY AND THAT UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
SO, UM, THAT WAS PART OF THE SEA HOME TURS, AND THAT IS HOW WE GET INTO FUNDING, UH, FOR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THE BOWIE STREET UNDERPASS WAS ADDED TO THE SEA HOME TOURS PROJECT LIST IN 2012, AND UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT MOVE FORWARD.
[01:15:01]
AND THE CITY DECIDED TO PUT A HALT TO NEGOTIATIONS IN 2021.AND SO THAT MOVE, UH, THAT MONEY JUST SAT THERE, UH, COLLECTING ADDITIONAL TAX INCREMENT REVENUE.
AND IN LATE 2023, UM, THERE'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT MONEY, GIVEN THAT THE, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE TURS TO BE SHUT DOWN.
UM, AND SO THAT 12 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS SITTING IN THAT FUND GOT DEDICATED TO THE AREA, UM, TO MAKE MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS THERE, INCLUDING, UM, PROJECTS THAT WERE GONNA WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE BUOY STREET UNDERPASS.
UM, THE FUNDING AVAILABLE IS NOT ENOUGH TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE PROJECTS, UM, AND THE REST OF THE FUNDING WILL HAVE TO COME FROM OTHER SOURCES.
UM, THERE ARE SOME POTENTIAL, UH, FUNDING COMING FROM DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENTS AS PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY BENEFITS FEE, UH, AS PART OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
AND, UM, OTHER THINGS WILL COME UP, HOPEFULLY MAYBE THROUGH PRIVATE DONORS, OTHER KINDS OF GRANTS, AND MAYBE THE 2026 BOND PROGRAM.
UM, THE DELTA IN THE FUNDING IS NOT YET, UH, CLEAR BECAUSE THE CITY, UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS NOT YET, UM, MADE PUBLIC THE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE BRIDGE AND THE TRESTLE REHABILITATION.
AND SO THAT DELTA BETWEEN WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED IS NOT YET CLEAR.
THESE LIST OF PROJECTS ARE THE ONES THAT, UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON.
UM, THIS WAS THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DEDICATION OF MONEY IN DECEMBER OF 2023.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT TOP PICTURE WAS SOMETHING CREATED BY THE SHO CREEK CONSERVANCY IN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE TO FIND A BUOY STREET UNDERPASS ALTERNATIVE, WHERE INSTEAD OF FROM THE PFLUGER BRIDGE, YOU GO NORTH UNDER THE TRACKS, AND THEN EAST, UH, THIS WAY YOU'RE GONNA GO EAST ALONG, UM, THE BUTLER TRAIL, OR THE NEW SIDEWALK THAT'S ON THE SOUTH CURB OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND THEN NORTH ON THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL.
UM, ALL OF THESE POINTS WERE USABLE KIND OF BEFORE, BUT NOW WE ARE HOPING THAT THERE'LL BE A HIGH QUALITY ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION FACILITY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS SPEND A LOT OF TIME AROUND SHOAL CREEK AND THIRD STREET, BUT THE, IT'S A KIND OF A STRANGE AND CONFUSING SWITCHBACK SITUATION.
AND SO ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS IS GOING TO BE AN UNDERPASS OF THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL UNDER THE BRIDGE IN TRESTLE.
UM, AND THEN IN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BRIDGE AND, UH, HOPEFULLY A REHABILITATION OF THE TRESTLE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, UH, IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO THE THIRD AND WEST INTERSECTION, WHICH IS ALSO NOT THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD.
THERE'S THAT SLIP STREET POWER PLANT DRIVE, RIGHT? AND, UM, IT FEELS UNSAFE AND IT'S NOT COMFORTABLE.
AND SO ALL OF THIS IS TO MAKE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION USERS, UH, IN LINE WITH ALL THE GOALS SET FORWARD, AND NOT ONLY THE SHOUL CREEK TRAIL PLAN AND THE SHO UH, CYPRESS AND SHOUL CREEK PUBLIC SPACE STRATEGY, BUT ALSO THOSE IN THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND URBAN TRAILS PLAN.
UM, THIS PLAN, UH, THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD IS POWER PLANT DRIVE IN THE CYPRESS AND SHOAL CREEK PUBLIC SPACE STRATEGY.
UM, AND SO WITH THE MONEY DEDICATED TO IMPROVEMENTS AT THE THIRD AND WEST INTERSECTION, THERE'S ALSO ENOUGH TO REALLY MAKE A MAJOR CHANGE TO THIS AREA.
UM, FOUR ALTERNATIVES WERE RELEASED IN JANUARY BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE ALTERNATIVES ONE AND FOUR MOST CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE MARKET PLAZA CONCEPT SET FORWARD IN THE PUBLIC SPACE STRATEGY WHERE THE SLIP LANE IS CLOSED AND THE PARKING AND THAT RIGHT OF WAY BE CONVERTED INTO A PEDESTRIAN AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, UH, BOTH THOROUGHFARE AND PLAZA.
UM, CURRENTLY THE PUBLIC, UH, INPUT IS UNDER REVIEW, AND THAT HOPEFULLY IS GOING TO BE COMING FORWARD SOON, UM, TO BE RELEASED AND A FINAL DESIGN CHOSEN UPON.
I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU, AS MEMBERS OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, WERE AWARE WE TRIED OUR BEST TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THAT SURVEY AND WE'RE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, REALLY WHAT THIS DOES IS MAKE THIS VERY SAFE, UM, AT THE EDGES WHERE NOW THERE'S ONE, UH, WAY TO CROSS BOTH
[01:20:01]
EAST WEST AND NORTH SOUTH AT THIRD AND WEST AND WALTER SEAHOLM AND THIRD, AND WE'RE REALLY NOT LOSING THAT MUCH PARKING SPACE, AND THERE IS A LOT OF PARKING IN THIS AREA.UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALL OF IT CAN BE FREE ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, AND A MUCH HIGHER USE OF THIS SPACE IS THE BEST USE FOR THIS SPACE IS GOING TO BE IN THAT PEDESTRIAN AND ACT OF TRANSPORTATION.
UM, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES MOVING FORWARD AFTER THE INFRASTRUCTURE GETS INSTALLED HERE, UM, HOPEFULLY WITH THIS PLAZA CONCEPT, WHICH, UH, THREE OF THE FOUR ALTERNATIVES WERE, UM, INCLUDING PLAZA PLACE MAKING.
AND MAYBE I HAD AN IDEA OF A METRO BIKE STATION THERE.
UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, UTILITIES GOING ON THERE, SO HOPEFULLY IT MIGHT BE EASY TO PUT SOMETHING IN THERE.
UH, DON'T ASK ME TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING I'VE KIND OF VAGUELY BROUGHT UP AROUND.
BUT, UH, WITHOUT THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT'S CLEARED UP, I THINK IT WILL REALLY COULD BE A GREAT SPACE AND ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AREA, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
THE BRIDGE AND TRESTLE, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE, UH, COMPLICATED PROJECT HERE WITH A LOT OF ENGINEERING CHALLENGES AND, UH, LIKELY GOING TO BE SOME FUNDING CONSTRAINTS HERE AS WELL, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
UH, THE CITY HAS HIRED HDR AS THE ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE ALTERNATIVES FOR THIS AREA, UH, THAT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
UM, THE SHOLL CREEK CONSERVANCY IN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE ARE VERY STRONGLY HOPING THAT THE CITY WILL EVENTUALLY CHOOSE THE ALTERNATIVE THAT IS, THAT INCLUDES A FULL REHABILITATION OF THE TRESTLE.
UH, AS MR. INGS WAS SAYING, THIS IS A VERY ICONIC PIECE OF HISTORY, AND ONE OF THE FEW THAT REMAINS IT IS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD AND REALLY DOES REPRESENT ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT THE, UH, RAILROADS MADE IT, UH, PAST THIS PART OF AUSTIN AND, UH, INTO THE SETTLEMENT OF WATERLOO.
UM, ALL OF THE OPTIONS AS FAR AS, UH, WE'VE BEEN TOLD INCLUDE A SHOAL CREEK TRAIL UNDERPASS THAT IS COMPLETELY FUNDED WITH $5 MILLION FROM THE, UH, MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN, UH, THAT WAS DEDICATED FROM THE C HOME TS.
UM, AND I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANY TIMELINES.
UH, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, OR WAIT PATIENTLY AS THE CONTRACTOR DOES THE VERY IMPORTANT WORK OF PUTTING TOGETHER AND ENGINEERING AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THIS IS NOT ONLY FEASIBLE, BUT HIGH QUALITY.
AND I, ONE MORE UPDATE, UM, UH, THAT SIDEWALK ALONG CESAR CHAVEZ IS COMPLETE.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT HAS BEEN, UM, COMPLETED AS PART OF THAT C HOME MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER IN DECEMBER OF 2023.
AND, UH, THAT'S THE UPDATE THAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
I'M WITH SHO CREEK CONSERVANCY.
THERE'S MY CONTACT AND, UH, THE PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE TO FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS? YES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, DANIEL.
UM, YOU, YOU'VE INDICATED THAT, UM, THERE'S NOT A COMPLETE FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT, AND ESPECIALLY THE PIECE INVOLVING THE, UM, NEW, UM, PEDESTRIAN BUILD OUT, PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, BUILD OUT AND THE, UM, RESTORATION REHABILITATION OF THE TRESTLE, BUT THE FACT THAT THE TRESTLE IS AN IMPORTANT HISTORIC RESOURCE AND IT HAS, UM, HISTORIC DESIGNATION, UM, NATIONAL REGISTER, WHICH, UM, SHOULD OPEN THE DOORS, UH, FOR POTENTIAL FUNDING.
AND YOU'VE INDICATED IT ON YOUR LIST THROUGH HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM, THROUGH PRESERVATION AUSTIN, UM, INCLUDING THE PLANNING, UH, FOR, UH, SAVING THE HISTORIC RESOURCE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S POTENTIAL FUNDING, UH, TO FUND THAT PLANNING PART OF IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I, I THINK THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS, UM, ENCOURAGING, UM, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION APPROACH, UH, I THINK IS, IS GONNA BE THE, THE, UM, THE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THIS PARTICULAR RESOURCE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND HAS THERE BEEN A, A TIMELINE, UM, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE COMPLETION OF THE PLANNING AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN? UM, NO, UH, ENGINEERS TEND TO BE VERY HESITANT TO GIVE EXACT TIMELINES ON THINGS.
[01:25:02]
THE, CURRENTLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS WORKING TO NEGOTIATE OWNERSHIP OF THE TRESTLE MM-HMMUH, UNTIL WHICH THEY'RE, UM, IT'S NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE TO MOVE FORWARD AND, UH, GIVE A BUNCH OF ALTERNATIVES FOR DESIGNING AND REHABILITATING THIS ASSET THAT, UH, IT IS NOT 100% CLEAR THAT THE CITY HAS COMPLETE OWNERSHIP OF.
UM, AND SO UNTIL THAT OBSTACLE IS REMOVED AND THE CITY, UH, I'VE BEEN TOLD IS WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, UM, UH, UNTIL THAT IS REMOVED AS AN OBSTACLE, THEN THE ENGINEERING WORK CANNOT BE COMPLETED.
HOWEVER, UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE TEAM IS MOVING FORWARD, UM, AS IF THE CITY DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK ON THIS.
UM, I'M HOPING IT HAPPENS SOON,
WELL, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY, AND AS AN ADVOCATE, ALL I CAN DO IS, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE THIS TO BE A PRIORITY FOR ALL THE TEAMS INVOLVED.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THE OWNERSHIP HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND IT'S BASICALLY A RAILROAD IMPROVEMENT IN A CITY EASEMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN ABANDONED BY THE RAILROAD.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, THE LEGALITIES OF THAT CAN BE WORKED OUT.
BUT ONCE IT'S READY TO MOVE FORWARD, YOU'VE ALREADY DONE SOME INITIAL WORK ON DETERMINING, UM, THE ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENGINEERING.
AND SO IN THE PAST THERE HAVE BEEN TWO, UM, UM, ANALYSIS REPORTS DONE BY PAT SPARKS RENOWNED, UH, HISTORIC BRIDGE ENGINEER.
AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A THIRD, UM, ANALYSIS OF THE BRIDGE BY A DIFFERENT FIRM.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO, UM, I KNOW THAT SHOLL CREEK CONSERVANCY HAS, UH, DID HIRE SPARKS ENGINEERING, UM, WHO SPECIALIZES IN THIS KIND OF WORK TO COME OUT AND DO AN ANALYSIS OF WHETHER OR NOT, BEFORE WE REALLY GOT GOING ON ADVOCATING FOR THIS PROJECT, WE WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WAS POSSIBLE.
AND SO WE DID HIRE SPARKS A FEW YEARS AGO TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE BRIDGE AND COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF OPTIONS.
THIS DID NOT REALLY AMOUNT TO A COMPLETE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT.
UM, IT JUST LOOKED AT MORE OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND SOME CONCEPTUAL DESIGN WORK, UM, IF THE, THE CITY HAS HIRED, UM, A DIFFERENT FIRM, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ACTUAL, UM, ENGINEERING THAT COULD, THAT IS COMPLETE AND IS, UM, READY FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, I, I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED A THIRD FIRM INVOLVED.
UM, I, I WAS UNAWARE THAT THERE, WELL, I MEANT A THIRD REPORT.
BUT, UM, I WAS, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY INVOLVED AT THE TIME OF THESE, UM, PAT SPARKS REPORTS.
UH, THERE WAS THE SHOAL CREEK HISTORIC BRIDGES COMMITTEE, AND WE WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING PAT SPARKS IN.
AND I RECALL THESE BEING, UM, DETAILED ENGINEERING REPORTS, NOT JUST, UH, UM, FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS.
UM, AGAIN, I AM, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE THINGS, UH, IS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR TO ME.
BUT HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT, THIS IS A VERY DETAILED REPORT, BUT I DON'T KNOW, IT'S, IF IT'S READY TO BE AT THE POINT OF CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE HANDED THAT OVER TO THE CITY, UH, AND THEY'VE BEEN APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THAT REPORT TO MAKE IT, UM, EASIER AND MORE COMPLETE AS THEY MOVE FORWARD ON THE, ON THIS REPORT THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
WELL, UH, I'M ASSUMING, UH, FROM YOUR DESCRIPTION THAT THE ENGINEERING REPORT, THE PANEL ANALYSIS REPORT WILL HELP DRIVE WHICH OPTION, UH, THAT'S BEING PRESENTED WILL BE SELECTED.
UM, THIS IS, WE ARE, WE ARE HOPING THAT ALL THE ALTERNATIVES THAT COME BEFORE THE PUBLIC WILL INCLUDE A REHABILITATION OF THE TRESTLE AND ALL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, UH, THE FACT THAT ONE ENGINEERING STUDY HAS BEEN DONE THAT DOES INDEED SHOW THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE.
SO THIS OTHER ENGINEERING REPORT SAYS THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE OR IT DOESN'T CONCLUDE, OR IT IS NOT PUBLIC YET, NOR IS IT PUBLISHED.
AND, UH, THAT IS IN THE HANDS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AND WHEN WILL THAT REPORT BE PUBLIC? UM, IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THE OWNERSHIP OF THE TRESTLE ISSUE, UH, IS RESOLVED.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT, IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW, HOW MANY HOURS THEY HAVE AVAILABLE AND HOW QUICKLY THEY WORK, UH, HOPEFULLY SOON.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. WILEY?
[01:30:01]
CAN ALL AGREE THAT, UH, 1871 IS GENUINELY OLD AND WORTH SAVING, HISTORIC AND, UH, HISTORIC.AND, UH, SO, SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UM, I'M REMINDED THAT RECENTLY AS WE MOVE INTO THIS CITY CENTER KIND OF PLANNING MODEL, THAT, UM, WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY, SOME OF THE PEOPLE FROM PEACE PARK WERE COMING IN AND SAYING THEY WOULD LIKE MORE MONEY AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE IN WEST CAMPUS TO HELP SUPPORT THE PARK IN THAT AREA.
AND HERE WE HAVE UP, ALL UP AND DOWN SHOAL CREEK, IT'S JUST A STRING OF PARKS.
I DON'T THINK IT GETS PROMOTED MAYBE AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD TO EVERYONE'S BENEFIT, BUT THAT IS THE BIGGEST SECTION OF PARKLAND THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY CENTER IS, IS ALONG SHOAL CREEK, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, UP, UM, BY PEACE PARK.
BUT, UM, I, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS WE DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ON THE WEST SIDE, AND I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY AS I, AS I HEAR ABOUT THE, THE HELP THAT THEY NEED ON PS AND THE HELP THAT YOU NEED HERE, AND, AND AS I WATCH SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS GO FORWARD, AND INSTEAD OF DOING IT AS A PI, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO INDIVIDUALLY CHIP IN TO HELP WITH PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF BACKGROUND ON WHY WE DON'T HAVE A PIT OR ARE WE LOOKING AT ONE FOR THE SHOAL CREEK AREA OR THE WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN? UM, I COULD PROBABLY ACTUALLY GIVE YOU, THERE, THERE WAS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARILY MY PLACE TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE WA I, I KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN DISCUSSIONS, UH, WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE PIT MOVING FURTHER WEST, AND THEY WERE NOT CONTINUED.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IS THAT THAT AREA REALLY IS SO MUCH MORE PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL AS OPPOSED TO BUSINESS.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH BUSINESS OR HADN'T IN THE PAST, AT LEAST THAN ENOUGH BUSINESSES IN THE AREA TO HAVE A PIT.
NOW THAT MIGHT BE CHANGING NOW GOING FORWARD, BUT IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE IN THE PAST.
IS IS, IS THERE SOME REASON YOU CAN'T HAVE, UH, CLUSTERS OF RESIDENTIAL TOWERS BE PART OF A PIT? YEAH, PITS ARE BUSINESS ONLY.
WELL THAT'S WHY THANK YOU, KEN.
COMMISSIONER COLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL PRESENTATION TODAY.
UM, AND MR. BANKS, THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WORDS ON THE TRESTLE TOO.
MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY SEPARATE, UM, A LOT OF YOUR PRESENTATION IN YOUR WORK ALONG SHOUL CREEK, UM, TO MY COLLEAGUE'S POINT, THERE'S A LOT OF PARKLAND, IT'S NEXT TO THE LIBRARY.
I SAW, UM, YOU CALLING OUT PLACEMAKING, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATED.
IS THERE ANY THOUGHT AROUND, UM, CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND ACTIVITIES OR ANYTHING FOR KIDS? JUST BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IS REALLY LOW ON RESOURCES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY WITH IT BEING CLOSE TO THE LIBRARY? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS UP FOR DISCUSSION AT ALL.
UM, DURING THE, THIS IS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE, UH, THIRD AND SHOAL CREEK PROJECT, BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN THE DUNCAN PARK, UM, IMPROVEMENTS WERE BEING DISCUSSED AND THE PLANNING WAS GOING AROUND THAT, UH, THE PLAYGROUND AND, UH, WAS FOR CHILDREN AND OTHER CHILDREN FRIENDLY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE WAS SUGGESTED, THE COMMUNITY AS AN OPTION.
UH, AND IT DID NOT RISE TO THE TOP.
AND THE, THE FUNDING ENDED UP BEING MORE CONSTRAINED, UH, AROUND THE IMPROVEMENTS TO DUNCAN PARK.
THERE WAS ALSO A BATHROOM, UH, THAT, UH, COULD HAVE BEEN ADDED, BUT THAT IT WAS SCALED BACK, UM, AMID FUNDING CHALLENGES.
SO IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, BUT IT, IT WAS MORE AROUND THAT NINTH STREET AREA RATHER THAN FURTHER INTO DOWNTOWN.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS, UH, ONE OF THE NEWEST PARKS IN AUSTIN, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS, IS THE WOOD STREET PARK THAT, UH, WOOD STREET AND, UH, WEST SIXTH, UM, RIGHT BY THAT GSD AND M BUILDING.
AND BY THAT SIXTH STREET BRIDGE THAT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AS PART OF A PARKLAND DEDICATION, IT'S VERY SMALL.
UM, THERE HAS NOT BEEN PLANNING, UH, FOR THAT PARK DONE YET.
UM, AND NOR IS THERE REALLY ANY MONEY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER, UH, NOVEMBER OF 2026, UH, WITH FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR IMPROVEMENTS THERE.
UM, BUT I'M SURE AS PART OF THAT, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS OUT ON THE TABLE FOR HOW, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT PARK, UM, COULD BE
[01:35:01]
MADE.AND OF, OF COURSE, WITH ANY, UH, PARK IMPROVEMENT, UM, PLAY FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN COULD BE ON THE TABLE.
AND I DO, I I AM SYMPATHETIC BECAUSE, UM, AND EVEN IN THE WEST PART OF DOWNTOWN THAT IS VERY PARK RICH, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF, UH, CHILD FRIENDLY, UM, AREAS UNTIL YOU GET UP NORTH OF 15TH INTO PASE PARK.
OTHER QUESTIONS, LEVENSON? UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK WITH POWER PLANT DRIVE AND SUCH BECAUSE I FIND, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT WILL HELP GET RID OF A LOT OF CONFUSION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DRIVE IN THAT AREA, THAT
THEY GO THE WRONG WAY, THEY GO THE WRONG WAY EVERY TIME.
AND IT'S DANGEROUS FOR PEDESTRIANS.
AND SO I WILL BE REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT CLOSED AND MADE A PEDESTRIAN PLAZA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[5. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding Homelessness Response 24-Hour Oasis Access. ]
OF BUSINESS, UM, ON THE AGENDA IS TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE, UM, REGARDING HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND THE 24 HOUR OASIS ACCESS.UM, I WILL READ THE RECOMMENDATION INTO THE RECORD, WHEREAS NEARLY ONE IN THREE PEOPLE EXER EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY OR CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED ALLEVIATING HOMELESSNESS AS A KEY PRIORITY, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN ADOPTED THE STATE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM REPORT AND MODELING AS A GUIDELINE TO INFORM INVESTMENT IN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND WHEREAS THE REPORT STATES THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING HOMELESSNESS SERVICES FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, AND WHEREAS THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO RISE.
AND WHEREAS AUSTIN'S HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM SERVES A DIVERSE POPULATION WITH NEEDS RANGING FROM SHORT TERM ASSISTANCE TO PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS. AND WHEREAS SHORT TERM SERVICES ARE CRUCIAL AND EFFECTIVE FOR MEETING THE URGENT NEEDS OF THE UNHOUSED.
AND WHEREAS THE OASIS IS A SAFE, WELCOMING OUTDOOR SPACE ON THE AUSTIN RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE HOMELESSNESS CAMPUS, PROVIDING A RARE PLACE DOWNTOWN FOR UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS TO SIMPLY BE OFF THE STREETS, AWAY FROM BUSINESS AND OUTSIDE WITHOUT DISRUPTION.
AND WHEREAS THE OASIS PROVIDES A DIGNIFIED PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS LIKE SHOWERING AND RESTING AWAY FROM STOREFRONTS, PARKS OR SIDEWALKS, HELPING TO REDUCE THE VISIBLE EFFECTS OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS WHILE ALSO IMPROVING HYGIENE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND ACCESS TO SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS BY OFFERING A CONSISTENT SUPPORTIVE SPACE, THE OASIS CONTRIBUTES TO A MORE ORDERLY AND COMPASSIONATE DOWNTOWN WHILE FOSTERING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.
AND WHEREAS DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE ARCH AND OTHER HOMELESS SERVICES, THE OASIS PROVIDES DIGNITY, RELIEF AND CONNECTION TO THE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR STABILITY AND WELLBEING.
AND WHEREAS CURRENTLY THE OASIS IS ONLY OPEN TO THE UNHOUSED DURING THE DAY FROM 8:00 AM TO 7:00 PM UM, SEVEN DAYS, I'M SORRY, 8:00 AM TO 7:00 PM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, TURNING OUT ONTO THE STREETS AT NIGHT AFTER 7:00 PM THOSE ACCESSING THE OASIS DURING THE DAY.
AND WHEREAS THE ARCH PROXIMITY TO AUSTIN'S ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT MEANS WEEKEND EVENINGS SEE AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE ACCESSING THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS ALONG SIXTH STREET AND RED RIVER.
AND WHEREAS WITH ADEQUATE FUNDING, THE OASIS COULD REMAIN A 24 HOUR REFUGE FOR THE UNHOUSED ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS GIVING THEM AN ALTERNATIVE TO BEING ON THE STREETS.
AND WHEREAS THE COST OF PROVIDING 24 HOUR ACCESS TO THE OASIS ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS WITH ASSOCIATED SERVICES WOULD BE 75,000 PER YEAR.
AND WHEREAS IT IS THE CONSIDERED OPINION OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION THAT THE BENEFIT OF PROVIDING 24 HOUR ACCESS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS IS WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION RECOMMENDS AND URGES THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PASS A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROPRIATE THE $75,000 NEEDED TO FUND 24 HOUR ACCESS TO THE OASIS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. YES.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
I THINK THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, HAVING GONE ON THE TOUR, I THINK THAT IT'S A GREAT SERVICE THAT THE CITY PROVIDES.
I KNOW THAT IT ONCE WAS, UH, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 24 HOURS, AND I SAID,
[01:40:01]
I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS BODY TO ALSO BE AWARE OF ONE THING THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN.I THINK THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO DEFINITELY START WITH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
UM, BUT CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THIS, THE LONG TERM PLAN OR THE HOPE WOULD BE TO REESTABLISH IT AS A SEVEN DAY A WEEK, 24 HOUR, UM, YOU KNOW, OPEN SERVICE FOR THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.
SO, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WORTH DISCUSSING AS A BODY OR JUST MENTIONING, UH, MY OPINION IN, I LOVE WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAYS AND CALLS FOR, BUT IN READING IT, I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR THAT IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THIS BODY AGREES WITH, THAT IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT FOR MORE DAYS OF THE WEEK DOWN THE ROAD, IF THERE WOULD BE A WAY TO POTENTIALLY INCORPORATE THAT LANGUAGE INTO WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, I WAS SKETCHING SOME NOTES OUT OVER HERE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF, AGAIN, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
YOU HAVEN'T SUGGESTED, THE ONLY THING THAT I SAW IS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD MAYBE CHANGE THE ORDER IN WHICH THE LAST, WHEREAS ON PAGE ONE WAS SWITCHED WITH THE FIRST, WHEREAS ON PAGE TWO AND THEN ON THAT PAGE TWO, WHEREAS I WOULD STRIKE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS SO THAT IT READS.
UM, WHEREAS CURRENTLY THE OASIS IS ONLY OPEN TO THE UNHOUSED DURING THE DAY FROM 8:00 AM TO 7:00 PM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, TURNING OUT ONTO THE STREETS AT NIGHT AFTER 7:00 PM THOSE ACCESSING THE OASIS DURING THE DAY.
AND WHEREAS WITH ADEQUATE FUNDING, THE OASIS COULD REMAIN A 24 HOUR REFUGE FOR THE UNHOUSED, GIVING THEM AN ALTERNATIVE TO BE HOUSED ON THE STREETS.
AND WHEREAS THE ARCHES PROXIMITY TO AUSTIN'S ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT MEANS WEEKENDS, WEEKEND EVENINGS SEE AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE ACCESSING THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS ALONG SIXTH STREET AND THE RED RIVER DISTRICT.
AND WHEREAS THE COST OF PROVIDING 24 HOUR ACCESS TO THE OASIS ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAY NIGHTS WITH ASSOCIATED SERVICES WOULD BE $75,000 PER YEAR.
SO IT REALIGNS WITH THE, THE LAST STATEMENT THAT WOULDN'T BE ADJUSTED IS SAYING THAT WE TURN PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREETS AT 7:00 PM BUT THERE WOULD BE A SOLUTION IF IT WAS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY AND THEN IT WOULD PUT IMMEDIATELY, UH, AHEAD OF THE SUGGESTION ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, THE FACT THAT THERE'S AN INFLUX ON THE WEEKEND DAYS.
SO I DON'T KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY COSMETIC 'CAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY CHANGING MUCH OF ANYTHING.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANT TO SHOW OUR HAND OR BE TOO SUGGESTIVE TO COUNSEL THAT WE'RE, THAT WE THINK THAT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WOULD BE BEST.
UM, BUT AS I WAS READING IT, TO ME THAT LOGISTICALLY MADE SENSE AND SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT TO, TO THE, TO THE COMMISSIONERS, HOW WOULD WE HANDLE THAT? AND, AND IT, AND IF IT'S NOT, IF IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL OR IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, YOU KNOW, I'M OPEN TO THAT DISCUSSION.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS PAR PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE,
SO FIRST THERE'LL NEED TO BE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION AND A SECOND, AND THEN YOU COULD OFFER UP AN AMENDMENT LAYING OUT WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED.
BUT WE'RE CURRENTLY JUST IN DISCUSSION PHASE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY THOUGHT AND MY REASONING BEHIND MY THOUGHT.
NO OFFICIAL MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, I KNOW I MENTIONED IT TO YOU BEFORE WE STARTED THE MEETING, SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION? SO MOVED.
UM, COMMISSIONER SHEPHERD SECONDING, UH, COMMISSIONER LEVINSON MOTION, UM, OPEN FOR DISCUSSION AND WE NOW HAVE, UM, A DISCUSSION ITEM OF SOME EDITS TO THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, DO WE NEED TO REPEAT THAT OR, HONESTLY, I FOUND IT HARD TO FOLLOW WITH IT BEING RIGHT OUT LOUD.
I THINK FOR TRANSPARENCY IT WOULD BE BEST TO SUGGEST, UM, I THINK WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS THAT YOU WERE WANTING TO SWAP THE LAST, WHEREAS ON PAGE ONE WITH THE FIRST, WHEREAS ON PAGE TWO, CORRECT.
AND INSERT SUNDAYS NO, NO, NO, NO.
INSERT SUNDAYS STRIKE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
WHEREAS AS ON PAGE TWO, AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, I WOULD STRIKE ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAY NIGHTS SO THAT IT JUST GOES FROM TALKING ABOUT, UM, TURNING OUT PEOPLE FROM 7:00 PM THOSE ACCESSING THE OASIS DAY AND NIGHT TO THE FIRST, WHEREAS ON THE SECOND PAGE, BUT STRIKING THE DAYS IN THAT, IN THAT SENTENCE.
AND THEN THE SECOND, WHEREAS CLAUSE ON PAGE TWO, YOU WOULD ALSO STRIKE FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS.
I THINK LEAVING THAT, BUT I WOULD, SO THE LAST, WHEREAS ON PAGE ONE WOULD SWAP PLACES WITH THE FIRST, WHEREAS ON PAGE TWO, BECAUSE THE ON PAGE ONE IT TALKS ABOUT THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE ACCESSING BARS AND THEN THAT WOULD GO RIGHT INTO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS IF, IF IT WAS SWITCHED.
SO THE ONLY ACTUAL STRIKE YEAH, THE ONLY IS AT THE TOP OF THE SECOND
[01:45:01]
PAGE, THE WORDS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS AND THEN SWITCHING THOSE.WHERE AS IS IS THAT, IS THAT THE, AND AND I I'M FINE ACCEPTING THAT AS FAR AS YEAH.
BUT DO WE VOTE ON COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL IS MAKING THE MOTION TO AMEND AND CHAIR ISHMAEL SECONDS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO NOW THE COMMISSION CAN VOTE ON THAT AMENDMENT.
NOW YOU'RE BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED.
SO WE NOW HAVE THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED.
DO WE HAVE A VOTE OR JUST A FIRST AND SECOND? OR AGAIN, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, NO OTHER AMENDMENTS, THEN YOU CAN CALL FOR A VOTE.
ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? THANK YOU.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO, I WAS SUPPOSED TO REMEMBER THAT.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
ARE, WE ARE NOW AT, UM, SUGGESTED NEW BUSINESS.DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ALL RIGHT.
IF NOT THEN UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.