HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3812City of Palo Alto (ID # 3812)
Policy and Services Committee Staff Report
Report Type: Meeting Date: 5/14/2013
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Summary Title: Update on City Hall First Floor Renovations
Title: Update on the Proposed Remodeling of the First Floor of City Hall (CIP
PE-12017)
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Public Works
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Policy and Services Committee accept this report on
the status of the project to reconfigure and renovate the first floor of City Hall
funded under Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project PE-12017.
Background
On March 5, 2012, Council approved a Budget Amendment Ordinance (BAO) to
create the new first floor renovation project (PE-12017) and eliminate the existing
project that was limited to renovating the Council Conference Room (CIP PE-
12005). At that time, a contract was awarded to WMB Architects (WBM) for the
design of the project that included the upgrades to the Council Conference Room,
lobby area, and elevator cabs. It also included design of wayfinding
improvements for the entire Civic Center to help visitors navigate to their desired
destinations. See Staff Report ID #2457 for additional details on the background
of the project.
Discussion
During the initial project meetings with WMB, it became apparent that the first
floor renovation would need to be even broader in scope to achieve a more open
government atmosphere to encourage public participation and convey
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transparency. The plan evolved around ideas to relocate Human Resources (HR)
and transform that portion of the first floor into a new Council Conference room
capable of accommodating the public effectively. It also envisions moving the
Utility Department’s customer service staff down to the first floor next to
Revenue Collections. The HR conference room would then become a new larger
conference room that could also be used for Council and staff sessions and the
current (very poor) Council Conference Room would be transformed into a staff
training room.
To relocate HR, a domino effect of other staff reconfigurations and relocations is
necessary. HR would be consolidated on the mezzanine level by displacing the
Information Technology (IT) department staff using the space. IT would be
consolidated on the second floor using more densely configured desks in an open
floor plan similar to what many high tech firms use. IT would also expand into the
portion of the second floor where the Utilities Department’s customer service
staff vacated by moving to the first floor.
The plan accomplishes the goal of consolidating customer service functions on the
first floor and providing improved public spaces to promote public involvement.
In addition, HR and Information Technology Department staff, are currently split
between different floors,will be located together on the same floor, improving
employee interaction and increasing efficiency. The latest concept plan for the
first floor and mezzanine is shown in Attachment A.
The expanded scope onto the mezzanine required additional design fees and
increased the estimated construction costs. It was not feasible to accomplish any
portion of the project construction during the Council break in August 2012.
Preliminary discussions to develop the new plan involved a series of meetings
with staff from multiple departments to determine the impacts of the staff moves
and the space allocations that result from those moves. The design effort is
proceeding and additional funding is being proposed in the FY 2014 budget
document to accommodate the broader scope. Following adoption of the new
budget, staff will return to Council with a formal amendment to the WMB
contract to cover the additional design services needed to complete construction
documents.
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Design Elements
The current design concept includes a glass window wall separating the lobby
from the new public meeting space. Additional public art display walls are
proposed in the lobby. Another potential concept is to create windows from the
mezzanine offices looking down into the lobby.
Wayfinding Elements
Some of the concepts developed to date will be discussed at the meeting.The
Wayfinding elements will be further refined after the other first floor elements
are fully conceptualized.
Council Chamber Carpeting
Since the project will include new carpeting on much of the first floor, WMB has
also assisted with the selection of new carpeting for the Council Chambers. This
carpet will likely be added to the construction scope to obtain better prices due to
the combined large amounts. Council Chamber carpeting is funded in CIP PF-
11001.
Timeline
The project is currently developing the design to suit the needs of the public
spaces and staff affected by the relocations. Design development is expected to
complete by mid June 2013. Final construction documents will then be prepared
and finalized through stages of 60%, 90% and 100% per the original WMB
contract scope. Staff expects to submit plans for building permit by the end of
October 2013. The project will then be issued for bids and construction could
begin shortly after Council adjourns the final meeting of 2013.
Resource Impact
Funding for the expanded scope is included in the proposed FY 2014 capital
budget that will be reviewed by Finance Committee prior to its adoption by
Council. If the final project includes the installation of new carpet in the Council
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Chambers, funds will also be available from CIP PF-11001.
Policy Implications
The project is in conformance with current Council policies encouraging public
participation, open government, and transparency.
Attachments:
·A -Current First Floor and Mezzanine Concept Plans (PDF)
11-139 09.05.12
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WMB ARC ITEeTS