AGENDA #2.1

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Public Forum on Conceptual Master Plan Concepts for Development of Town Parking Lots 2 and 5

 

DATE:             May 24, 2004

 

 

Tonight’s Public forum provides citizens an opportunity to comment on draft conceptual plans for developing Town Parking Lots 2 and 5.

 

The Council Committee on Lots 2 and 5 reviewed an initial set of conceptual plans on May 10 and 12, 2004. The consultant is now refining those ideas based on the Committee’s recommendations. The initial plans are available on-line at www.townofchapelhill.org and have been on display in the First Floor Conference Room at Town Hall.

 

On Wednesday, May 19, we posted on the Town’s website the consultant’s work in progress. The consultant may bring additional materials for a Council Committee meeting this afternoon, May 24.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Town Parking Lot 2, at East Rosemary and South Columbia Streets, and Town Parking Lot 5, on West Franklin and Church Streets, are identified in the Downtown Small Area Plan as development “opportunity areas.” The Plan states that developing Town Parking Lot 5 is an opportunity to bring pedestrian activity to this section of West Franklin Street by forming a “visual bridge” linking the developed, pedestrian-friendly sections of East and West Franklin Street. The Plan states that development of Lot 2 could be comprised of a “combination of land uses, a parking deck, or possibly a transit transfer center,” and that development “should bring closure to the building frontages at this intersection.”

 

In February and March 2002, more than 100 people participated in design workshops which focused on both sites and other key downtown properties. Concepts for Lots 2 and 5 all included a combination of mixed-use buildings, significant public space, and structured parking. These concepts are described in a Summary Report presented to the Council in June 2002.

 

On June 10, 2002, the Council formed a Council Committee on Lots 2 and 5 to review in greater detail options for proceeding with a project to develop the two parking lots. On February 24, 2003, the Town Council adopted principles and priorities recommended by the Council Committee on Lots 2 and 5.

 

With the Council’s authorization, the Town in November 2003 contracted with John Stainback of Stainback Public/Private Real Estate to work with the Council and staff in soliciting and analyzing developer proposals and negotiating and executing a development agreement.

 

In March 2004, Economics Research Associates presented to the Council a market demand study which forecast strong demand for apartments and retail space. On March 22, 2004, the Council held a public forum on the findings of the study.  

 

The results of the study formed the basis for the range of uses and amount of development specified in the building program adopted by the Council on April 14, 2004 (see Attachment 1).

 

Using the building program ranges, HKS, Inc., a Dallas architecture firm working as a subcontractor for Mr. Stainback, developed 10 draft scenarios showing the potential arrangement of buildings, public space, and parking, as well as options for building a downtown transit transfer center. On May 10 and 12, the Council Committee reviewed the sketches with HKS and Mr. Stainback and gave direction on issues related to scale, provision of parking, configuration of open space, transit transfer center concepts, and other issues.

 

After completion of the master plans, the next step would be a financial feasibility analysis of the concepts, completed by Stainback Public/Private Real Estate. The Council has the option of deciding whether to proceed after each phase.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Attached is a status report on the designs from HKS, Inc. (see Attachment 2). HKS was asked to revise their initial drafts, incorporating the following recommendations on which the Council Committee reached consensus at its May 12^th meeting:

 

• Study the potential of developing an underground parking deck on Lot 5, the Committee’s preferred option over an above-ground deck, in order to increase the amount of development and open space above grade. The Committee did not rule out the possibility of an above-ground deck.

 

• Include buildings that are of scale appropriate to downtown, but do not limit heights to two stories at the street as recommended by the Downtown Small Area Plan; three to four stories are acceptable. In some areas buildings could be taller than 4 stories, such as adjacent to the Bank of America building.

 

• Study further the concept of a transit center below-grade on Lot 2 and the on-street transit transfer concept at Columbia-Franklin Streets. Also examine the potential to locate a transfer facility on the RBC-Centura site.

 

• Provide multiple public spaces linked together on the sites; provide good north-south pedestrian flow between Franklin and Rosemary Streets.

 

• Configure public space on Lot 5 so that it is open to Franklin Street.

 

• Explore constructing housing on the Wallace parking deck.

 

• Examine the possibility of involving the Town-owned Old Post Office/Courthouse property adjacent to the site at Henderson and Rosemary Streets.

 

• Leave Church Street where it is; do not pursue a transit transfer center on Lot 5 or Church Street.

 

• Explore methods to enhance the pedestrian space on Church Street, and consider closing the street as needed for public events.

                                                          

• Replace existing parking spaces, provide the appropriate number of spaces for the proposed uses, but do not provide extra “surplus” parking.

 

PUBLIC NOTICE

 

The initial plans are available on-line at www.townofchapelhill.org and have been on display in the First Floor Conference Room at Town Hall.

 

On Wednesday, May 19, we will post the work in progress of the consultant on the Town’s website. The consultant may bring additional materials for a Council Committee meeting on May 24. We also are notifying citizens via e-mail and advertising the forum in the Chapel Hill Herald.

 

NEXT STEPS

 

The project schedule contemplates the Council considering approval of conceptual master plans for the sites on June 14, 2004. Should the Council give the authorization to proceed, Mr. Stainback will analyze the financial feasibility of the building program as illustrated in the approved conceptual master plans.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1. April 14, 2004 Resolution Outlining Recommended Building Program for Lots 2 and 5 (p. 4).
2. May 19, 2004 Status Report on Conceptual Master Plans from HKS, Inc. (p. 6).