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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem A: Update on City Hall ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Update on City Hall Meeting Date: July 9, 2012 Agenda Item Number: A Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Mike Penwell www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5547 ISSUE STATEMENT The purpose of this work session is to provide an update on planning efforts related to City Hall. BACKGROUND At the March 16, 2011, work session, the council directed the City Manager to develop and implement a transition plan for moving all remaining City services out of City Hall by June 30, 2012, and to develop a phased approach to building a new city hall at the current site utilizing available resources. The council also directed the City Manager to return with a funding plan for the project. This is both an update on those efforts and an opportunity for the council to provide input. At the June 22, 2011, work session, a brief update was provided to the council on efforts to relocate existing City Hall functions to a combination of temporary, longer-term, and permanent space while the plan for a new city hall is finalized and approved by the council. An update on the culmination of those efforts will be provided at the work session. At the same June 22, 2011, work session, the council expressed general approval to proceed with the staff-presented plan for reaching a final decision on the two primary options being considered for City Hall: the new building option and the major renovation option. The plan included soliciting input from the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) that included review and comment on previous City Hall studies, and analysis of the urban context around the City Hall site. The final report can be found at http://www.eugene- or.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=176. The plan also included retaining two architects for the purpose of developing and evaluating strategies for achieving both the new building and major renovation options within a proposed budget for review and input by a citizen advisory committee. The architects selected were Poticha Architects for the major renovation option and Rowell Brokaw Architects for the new building option. Conceptual cost models were developed and refined by Turner Construction. The City Hall Advisory Committee (CHAC) members provided a broad variety of viewpoints by people with knowledge of accessibility, design, construction, finance, development issues, downtown issues, and/or historical preservation. The CHAC members are listed in Attachment A. S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120709\S120709A.doc The objective of both studies - aided by feedback from the CHAC - was to develop strategies and discussion points that could assist staff and decision-makers when considering City Hall options. The committee met on four occasions with the consultants and staff in the fall of 2011, and these meetings provided the primary structure for the completed studies. The final report on new building strategies produced by Rowell Brokaw Architects can be accessed at http://www.eugene-or.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=170 and the final report on major renovation strategies by Poticha Architects at http://www.eugene-or.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=169. Each report contains a cost model developed by Turner Construction detailing the elements and assumptions that make up the cost-model for each option. The feedback from the CHAC on the consultant work suggested two overarching conclusions: 1) either the new building or major remodel option could probably be successful, depending on what the City wanted to accomplish; and 2) a great deal more analysis was needed— especially for the new building option - to flesh out the opportunities, challenges, benefits, and risks of the options. In the months since completion of the final reports, a number of City staff have been engaged in additional analysis relating to funding strategies, occupancy options, and developer interest in potential public/private opportunities on the full-block site. Meetings with various members of the development community have indicated strong interest and a variety of ideas for redeveloping the City Hall site including phase 1 of a new city hall. Recently, as this additional staff work was nearing completion on the two options, a third option emerged as a potentially more cost-effective possibility: use of the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s (EWEB) administration building and conference room building. EWEB’s rd recent purchase of a building on West 3Avenue, as well as the work EWEB has completed on the administration building (such as the roof and HVAC system), prompted a conversation between City and EWEB staff to see whether it made sense to provide the council with a third option. That conversation has not progressed yet to know whether this is a viable option; if it becomes viable, staff will present this option to the council at a work session after the council’s summer break. RELATED CITY POLICIES The City Hall planning process relates to the council goals of an effective, accountable municipal government, a safe community, and sustainable community growth and change. COUNCIL OPTIONS The council is asked to provide feedback on the information presented at this work session. The council will be asked to take action at a future work session to select a city hall development option. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION There are no specific recommendations for this agenda item. S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120709\S120709A.doc SUGGESTED MOTIONS There are no suggested motions related to this agenda item. ATTACHMENTS A.City Hall Advisory Committee FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Mike Penwell Telephone: 541-682-5547 Staff E-Mail: michael.j.penwell@ci.eugene.or.us S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120709\S120709A.doc Attachment A City Hall Advisory Committee NameTitle/RoleCompany/Organization Liz CawoodPresidentCAWOOD David DoughertyPrincipalDougherty Landscape Architects Andrew FisherBoard MemberHistoric Review Board Eric GundersonPrincipalPIVOT Architecture David MandelblattChairDowntown Neighborhood Assoc. Mary OttenAccessiblity Committee MemberHuman Rights Commission Hugh PrichardPartnerPrichard Partners, Inc. Stephanie SeubertPartnerEvans, Elder & Brown Brian SmithAssistant V. P. for AdministrationUO Dept. of Finance & Admin. David SuchartManagement Services DirectorLane County