Item A: City Council Priority Issue - City Hall Complex

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the comments from designers was how sprawled out we are as a city and how flat we are. They observed that we will have a hard time achieving the mixed use that we desire if we do not achieve higher density urban usage in the core… you have to consider what you are trying to accomplish over time As to access by public safety vehicles, doesn't that depend on where those services will be located? Under Downtown vitality, don't we need to weigh the displacing of prime private development sites? Does that mean the sites are privately owned or that since they could be prime private development sites, we should not use them for public purpose? Poling No comments. Pryor Up is more thoughtful of available space. Up is also a lot more expensive to build. We’ll need to be comfortable with the price tag. Taylor The one that I have a problem with is “not displace prime private development sites”. Why? And for whose benefit? I disagree with the criterion. THA Responses Re prime private development sites: the "not displace prime private development sites" criterion seeks to recognize that although a new City Hall has the potential to enliven downtown through its siting and design, the siting needs to consider potential impacts to good quality private-sector development (such as active mixed-use development the council has been seeking for the former sears site). The criteria are intended to spur discussion among the council members and the mayor, so we’d like to hear your comments on whether the criteria includes all the essential site selection issues that need to be addressed during the coming Council Workshop, Community Forum, and Council work session. Re future vertical expansion: Horizontal expansion was identified because that possibility is defined by the site selection process. While future vertical expansion is possible and will be part of the discussion for site and concept design, it is rarely realized due to code changes and the disruption and expense of building on top of an existing building. Vertical expansion is best realized by constructing additional floors along with the initial construction and leasing to another organization (similar to the library) or building additional floors without interior finishes and systems (a less expensive initial cost), and finishing it incrementally as the city needs the space. L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M060809\S060809A.doc