SR-1000-008 (12)
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City Council Report
City Council Meeting: October 24, 2006
Agenda Item: --.&.C
To:
Mayor and City Council
From:
Craig Perkins, Director - Environmental and Public Works Management
Subject:
Approval of Revised Big Blue Bus Facility Expansion Project
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council approve the revised plan of the Big Blue Bus
Facility Expansion Project.
Executive Summary
The Big Blue Bus (BBB) needs to expand and upgrade its facility to provide for its
expanding fleet of alternative fuel buses and vehicles and to improve the operations
facilities. As originally considered, the expanded facility included a new Maintenance
Facility to provide adequate repair bays for the growing fleet; a new
Administration/Operations Building on Colorado Avenue to accommodate the increase
in staff; and two levels of subterranean parking below the Administration/Operations
Building.
The project suffered from the dramatic cost increases experienced throughout the
construction industry over the last three years. This resulted in a reduced project scope
to include only the urgently needed Maintenance Building, yet retaining a site that could
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be considered for a new Administration/Operations Building with subterranean parking
in the future. In the revised plan, the Maintenance Building is moved north fifty feet to
allow use of the existing Administration Building. There will also be an aesthetic,
pedestrian-friendly screen wall around the surface parking area to both create a
pleasing presence on Colorado Avenue and to provide the security required by transit
facilities. This staff report outlines the site plan that provides for the Maintenance
Building's new location, responds to security and sidewalk treatment along Colorado
Avenue and ih Street, and retains area for a new Administration/Operations Building
with subterranean parking in the future.
Discussion
On October 10, 2006, City Council expressed concern that the relocation of the
Maintenance Building might compromise the potential of the site along Colorado
Avenue for a future Administration/Operations Facility and underground parking.
The impact of relocating the Maintenance Building was studied in relation to the future
Administration/Operations Building and subterranean parking. Although the design of
the future Administration/Operations Building could change, the approved design was
used in the analysis. In the attachment, the site plan shows the area of the proposed
Administration/Operations Building impacted by the Maintenance Building's move north.
As originally designed, the Administration/Operations Building would lose 5,600 square
feet of programmed area. However, this lost square footage could be easily retrieved
by minimal redesign. This rectangular site area along Colorado Avenue could easily
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provide 36,000 square feet per level, even with the landscaping areas remaining as
large as currently designed.
The attachment also shows the subterranean parking levels as changed by the new
Maintenance Building location. Because the subterranean parking area would be less,
for two levels it's estimated that 90 spaces could be provided. Should a greater number
of spaces be ultimately required, an additional level could be added.
Security Issues
Perimeter fencing completely around the transit facility is necessary in order for the Big
Blue Bus to maintain conformance with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
security recommendations. The results of a technical assessment of transit security
issues conducted in 2005 indicated that fencing and barriers surrounding the facility
should be a minimum height of 10 feet. The screen wall designed to separate the
surface parking lot proposed along Colorado Avenue from public access is consistent
with FT A recommendations. The recommendations of this report were reviewed with
the Police Department. Other FT A security recommendations are already being
implemented at the site.
Prior Council/Commission Actions
On February 27, 2001, City Council approved the BBB Facility Expansion Plan and
certified the Final Environmental Impact Report for the project. The Fuel and Wash
Facility has been completed. On April 27, 2004, City Council approved the conceptual
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plan and on September 28, 2004, City Council provided input and approved the
schematic design of the overall project.
The Planning Commission approved the project on January 19, 2005, and the
Architectural Review Board approved the project on October 17,2005.
City Council awarded the Design-Build Contract to Morley Construction Company and
approved the Guaranteed Maximum Price for the Access Center Project (Phase 1) on
May 9, 2006.
BudqetlFinanciallmpact
There are no budget or financial impacts as a result of this report. The budget for the
construction of the Maintenance Building and site improvements (revised Big Blue Bus
Facility Expansion Project) is $80 million.
Prepared by: Miriam Mulder, Architect
AP?11Jl
Craig ~rkins
Director - Environmental and Public
Works Management Department
Forwarded to Council:
~ont Ew II
City Manager
Attachment
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