HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 464-09TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
DATE: DECEMBER 14, 2009 CMR:464:09
REPORT TYPE: INFORMATION
SUBJECT: Status of the Public Safety Building Feasibility Study Mezzanine Build-
out Option
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
DISCUSSION
On June I, 2009, Council terminated the option agreements for two properties located at 2747
and 2785 Park Boulevard, originally identified for a new Public Safety Building, due to the
City's current financial position. As an alternative to immediate construction of a new facility,
Council asked staff to look at land-banking options. In addition some council members
expressed interest in exploring other options including build out of the un-used second floor
space in the existing police building, also known as the mezzanine.
Land-banking options remain an alternative given that none of the Park Boulevard properties
have sold. Recent local reports indicate that the commercial real estate market remains weak
given the amount of vacancies throughout all bay area cities including Palo Alto. Additional
locations for land-banking or land for a possible split facility will continue to be evaluated and
considered. Staff will return with possible land-banking sites and split facility sites when
additional information on split facility details and needs are determined.
Staff has also been analyzing the feasibility of building out the existing second floor (mezzanine)
of the police building. For this purpose staff has assembled a design team which includes
structural engineer Doug Hohbach of Hohbach-Lewin, Inc. and architect John Northway of
Stoecker & Northway Architects, Inc. Both Mr. Hohbach and Mr. Northway are very familiar
with the City'S infrastructure and facility issues. Mr. Hohbach served on the peer review team
that looked at the Library Bond and Public Safety financing plan; and Mr. Northway served on
the Public Safety Building Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF). The design team also includes
Cambridge CM, Inc., who was the manager for the Civic Center Improvement project and is very
familiar with the Civic Center complex. The feasibility team also includes staff from the City
Manager, Police, Planning, and Public Works Departments and the Attorney's Office.
The options include locating the entire Police Department at the Civic Center, including using
the existing City Council Chambers, as well as an option to have a split facility with the
Emergency Operations Center and 9-1-1 dispatch center offsite in a new essential service
standard building. All the options include the Police Department occupying areas currently
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being used by the cafeteria, print shop, mailroom and central filing. If the Council is displaced,
4,100 square feet of space would need to be identified elsewhere to relocate the Council
Chambers. The print shop, mailroom, central filing and cafeteria comprises an additional 5,700
square feet of area that would need to be relocated elsewhere or possibly these functions could be
outsourced. The Civic Center option will also involve adjustments to the Civic Center's
underground parking garage to accommodate the Police Department parking requirements. This
will significantly reduce parking for pubic and staff as well as increase the parking in-lieu fee
which the project would be required to pay.
The design team is evaluating code and efficiency issues as well as developing cost comparisons
for various options to accommodate the programmatic needs of the Police Department as
established by the BRTF within the Civic Center footprint. The current structural evaluation of
the building is less restrictive than the prior one.
While it appears there may be potential structural opportunities to address Police Department
space needs within the existing police wing including the second floor (mezzanine), there are
other issues that affect the overall project viability. These issues include finding space for those
other current uses in the proposed space such as the print shop, mail room, lunch room, and
Council Chambers etc. which would need to be relocated in order to provide the needed space.
Further, it is likely that the Police Department would need to be temporarily relocated during
such construction. A site and cost for such relocation will need to be identified. Staff requires
additional time to fully evaluate the costs and trade-ofTs of these options and issues. This
feasibility study should be complete by the end of this year and will be presented to Council in
early 2010 for review and direction.
RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for the feasibility study is included in Capital Improvement Program Project PE-98020
Public Safety Building.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This is a planning and feasibility study and therefore not a project subject to environmental
review under Section 15262 ofthe California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
PREPARED BY: c3~~
HOLLYBO
DEP ARTMENT HEAD:
Director of Public Works )-kv~'
stEVE EMSLIE
Deputy City Manager Special Projects
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CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
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