HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-07-26 City Council (13)City of Palo A]lto
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT:ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES
DATE:JULY 26, 1999 CMR: 310:99
SUBJECT:UNIVERSITY AVENUE TRAIN DEPOT ENHANCEMENT
PROGRESS REPORT
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
Since November 1996, the Downtown Palo Alto Train Station Committee (Committee) has
been discussing potential plans for making improvements to the University Avenue Depot.
The Committee is headed by Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer,
Susan Frank and Council Member Dena Mossar, and consists of other representatives from
the business community, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (SCVTA), Stanford
University, the Chamber of Commerce, Peninsula Cooridor Joint Powers Board (PCJPB) and
the City of Palo Alto.
On April 22, 1997, Council unanimously adopted a proposal by then-Council Members Jean
McCown and Vice Mayor Lanie Wheeler to enhance the University Avenue Depot.
Specifically, staff was directed to:
"Pursue ways in which Palo Alto and the other agencies involved at the Depot,
principally Stanford University, the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board and the
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency, could make the Depot a more welcoming
place, including: enhanced tunnel maintenance, secured bicycle storage, improved
signage and general improvements to landscaping and cleanliness, and potential use
of the station building for compatible uses."
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Council approved $50,000 in the 1997-98 Budget as seed money to improve the condition
of the Depot and $20,000 for a potential bicycle storage facility. The Committee
recommended three projects that could quickly and easily make the facility more user
friendly: better directional signage, a thorough pruning of the foliage to improve the line of
sight of incoming/outgoing trains, and heavy steam cleaning of the walkways. All three
projects were completed by the end of 1997.
On June 2, 1997 (CMR:268:97), the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the submittal
of a request for grant funding to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
in the amount of $127,000 for a bicycle parking facility in the Depot baggage room. On
March 16, 1997, Council accepted the grant from BAAQMD and added City funds of
$22,000 for the construction, staffing and administration.
In March of 1997, staff issued a Request For Proposals for an operator of the valet bicycle
facility.
DISCUSSION
Following is an update of the progress made on various projects at the Depot:
Enhanced Tunnel Maintenance
In the Spring of 1998, City staffcontracted for monthly power washing of University Avenue
and the subways leading to University Avenue. Since that time, complaints about the
cleanliness of these tunnels have dropped significantly.
Secured Bicycle Storage
On June 29, 1998 (CMR:288:98), Council awarded an operating agreement to Palo Alto
Bicycles, Incorporated to provide for a secured bicycle parking facility (bikestation) at the
Depot. Palo Alto Bicycles parmered with project HOPE to provide enough staffing to keep
the bikestation open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on
weekends. On April 23, 1999, "Bikestation Palo Alto" officially opened the doors to a
completely renovated, full service bicycle facility. The facility not only provides for valet
parking but also minor repairs, sale of accessories and bicycles rentals. When the bikestation
opened, the PCJPB had awarded a contract for the ADA work on the Depot, but the restroom
renovations would not be completed until the end of Summer 1999. In order to meet code
requirements and open the bikestation in April, a portable ADA restroom was located near
the bikestation. The restroom was accessible 24 hours a day until June 10th, when continued
vandalism forced staff to recommend that the restroom only be accessible during the hours
the bikestation is open.
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ADA And Restroom Accessabili.ty
In the summer of 1998, the J-PB submitted plans to provide station-linked commuter signage
and to improve the Depot to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requirements. City
staff awarded a contract to Garavaglia Architecture for review of the plans to insure that the
renovations would preserve the historic integrity of the Depot. The plans included
renovation of the restrooms, and the Committee has begun to explore ways that the restrooms
could remain open longer than the current hours of 6:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Staff proposes
to extend the hours to match the bikestation’s (6:00 am to 8:00 pm weekdays and 9:00 am
to 6:00 pm on weekends and holidays). Currently, the restrooms are cleaned twice daily and
a security guard is on duty from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The twice daily cleaning will
probably be sufficient; however, security service may need to be extended an additional two
hours.
Subway Lighting
On November 4, 1998, the Committee submitted a plan to the Historic Resources Board
(HRB) to provide air and light into the four subways leading to and from University Avenue.
The HRB rejected the Committee’s proposal, recommending instead that the original glass
brick be replaced. The glass brick used in the Depot when it was constructed in 1939 is no
longer made. Garavaglia Architecture did some preliminary research and discovered
Coming Glass can produce a glass brick that is similar to the original. Staff proposes to
continue to use the services of an Architect that specializes in historic preservation to design,
order and oversee the installation of the glass brick. It is anticipated that work should be
completed by next summer. The Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel, as a condition of approval for its
new facility, agreed to set aside $20,000 for improvements to the south side sub-ways leading
to University Avenue. Staff proposes to use these funds to purchase and install the glass
brick in those subways.
Painting
In the Fall of 1998, the SCVTA painted the outside of the Depot. Dennis Backlund, member
of the Historic Resources Board, provided valuable assistance to make sure the approved
color scheme matched the original 1939 colors of the Depot. Shortly thereafter, the PCJPB
painted the north-bound passenger waiting area to match the colors of the newly painted
depot.
Future Improvements
The SCVTA has issued a request for proposal to re-roof the Depot. It is anticipated the re-
roofing will be completed by the end of September 1999. In addition to the ADA
improvements to be installed this summer, the PCJPB proposes to install an ADA accessible
at-grade crossing in October or November of 1999. Once the at-grade crossing is installed,
the PCJPB will most likely discontinue public access to the east- west tunnel at the north end
of the Depot.
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Staff plans to contract for architectural services at the Depot over a three year period. The
architect would be responsible for designing and overseeing the re-construction work at the
Depot. The work remaining includes glass brick for the subways leading to University
Avenue and directional signs that would be designed to compliment the historic features of
the building and interior renovation.
There have been several suggestions for use of the interior space in the Depot; however the
suggested uses: 1) were not compatible with the other depot users, 2) were not transportation
related and 3) did not provide a service for either the bus or train passengers. The interior
of the Depot will need considerable renovation, and it appears more prudent to wait until the
majority of the renovation is complete prior to the occupancy by an additional user.
RESOURCE IMPACTS
Council approved $50,000 in the 1997-98 General Fund Budget as seed money to improve
the condition of the Depot. $15,500 of these funds has been used to complete the three
projects identified (signage, steam cleaning and landscaping improvements), to contract for
architectural services, to amend the JPB’s specifications for ADA improvements to protect
the historical significance of the facility, and to provide for a temporary, portable, ADA
restroom facility to meet current code requirements.
On March 16, 1998, Council also approved $44,000 as its share of a $171,000 grant with the
Bay Area Quality Management District to provide for a valet bicycle parking facility in the
bagroom of the Depot. The grant provided for the construction and 18 month operation of
the facility. The bikestation opened in April, and the operator is already exploring alternative
funding sources to sustain the operation of the facility beyond the 18 month period.
PREPARED BY: William W. Fellman, Manager, Real Property
DEPARTMENT HEAD APPROVAL:
Carl Yeats /
Director, Adrfiinistrative Services
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
Emily Harrison
Assistant City Manager
CMR:310:99 Page 4 of 5
CC:Downtown Palo Alto Train Station Committee
Leonie Batkin, Stanford
Arlene Patton, Joint Powers Board
Jim Unites, Valley Transportation Authority
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