SR-303-011 (8)
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MAY 8 \990
CARS:BFM:JVD:jvdeliot
City council Meeting: May S, 1990
santa Monica, California
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STAFF REPORT
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TO:
Mayor and City Council
FROM:
City Staff
SUBJECT:
RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHOR I ZE THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE FIRM OF
ELLIOTT/MALONEY FOR PREPARATION OF A MASTER PLAN
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF VIRGINIA
AVENUE PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the city council authorize the City
Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with the firm of
Elliott/Maloney for preparation of a Master Plan for the
development and improvement of Virginia Avenue Park and Community
center.
BACKGROUND
Virginia Avenue Park encompasses four acres of developed parkland
and .44 acres of adjacent land which was purchased in August,
1988. Present park buildings include the Thelma Terry Center, a
3 , 717 square foot community center, which houses part of the
Recreation Division staff and also serves as office space for the
Police Community Center, a 3,552 square foot maintenance
warehouse which conta ins equipment and suppl ies for the city t s
Parks Division, outside restroom facilities, and a temporary
trailer which houses computers for community classes and
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training. The newly purchased .44 acre parcel has a 2,600 square
foot brick building which has been declared seismically unsafe
and consequently closed to public use. This parcel also contains
a single family residence of 1,000 square feet which has also
been closed.
outdoor park facilities include a children's play area, benches,
and two half-court basketball courts. Virginia Avenue Park
serves a diverse population of youth, teens, adults, and senior
citizens. Weekly recorded attendance for the Park averages 1,208
persons.
The objective is to develop all of Virginia Avenue Park into
usable park space, to improve aesthetics as well as user safety
and security, to increase the utilization of existing structures,
and to ensure that the redevelopment of the Park is compatible
with the needs and desires of the surrounding community.
DISCUSSION
Request for Proposals and Review Process
A Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project was issued on
January 22, 1990. Proposals were received from seven firms:
Willdan Associates, Rios/ Pearson, Burton and spitz, Donadj iera
and Koenig, Heimberger Hirsch and Associates, Recreation Systems,
Inc., and Elliott/Maloney. A review team including the Director
and Assistant Director of Cultural and Recreation Services, the
City Engineer, a Recreation Program Coordinator based in virginia
Avenue Park, a Senior Administrative Analyst from Community and
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Economic Development, and two public members of the Virginia
Avenue Park Advisory Board met to rank, shortlist, and finally
interview three firms based on the following criteria:
experience, design strength, overall qualifications of the design
team, and attention to public process.
Recommended Firm
Based on the interview and application of the above criteria, the
Selection Committee recommends that the firm of Elliott/Maloney
be selected to prepare the Master Plan for the development of
Virginia Avenue Park. Factors in the selection of this firm were
the following:
1. Experience in preparing Master Plans for more than
twenty-five parks in fourteen different Southern California
cities;
2. The successful design of twelve municipal projects in nine
cities;
3. All references contacted confirmed that the firm of
Elliott/Maloney are thorough, excellent with public process,
have good design capabilities, and have excellent creative
vision;
4. The firm exhibited proficiency in engineering, maintenance
issues, and water management concerns;
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5. The firm demonstrated extensive knowledge regarding the City
of Santa Monica and an understanding of the community which
surrounds Virginia Avenue Park.
Scope of Services and Fee
The firm of Elliott/Maloney will review existing conditions at
virginia Avenue Park and procure detailed site information. The
firm will attend a minimum of six community meetings to gain
public input, including, but not limited to, the Recreation and
Parks Commission, the virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board, and
community groups who use the Park and it's facilities. Using
staff and community input, a minimum of two schematic landscape
plans vlill be provided with detailed site plans and artistic
renderings. A preliminary cost estimate will be developed for
each plan. After further review by staff and the community, a
preliminary plan will be developed incorporating all information
from the schematic plan plus information presented from staff
reviews. An updated cost study will also be presented for staff
review. From this process a rendered Master Plan will be
prepared with a final construction estimate. The proposed fee
for the Master Plan is $47,000 and is compensation for all costs
and expenses, including reimbursable costs.
Project SchedUle
Upon approval of the recommendation herein, staff will begin to
negotiate and execute a contract. The completion of the Virginia
Avenue Park Master Plan is scheduled for November I, 1990.
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FINANCIAL/BUDGETARY IMPACT
Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in funds for this project are in
the 1989-90 Parks and Recreation Unit Tax, account number
53-740-501-25690-8924-99188.
Funding
for
the
overall
development, as recommended by the completed Master Plan, will be
the focus of future grant applications as well as the potential
monies to be received from the proposed Los Angeles County Bond
Act or the Alcohol Tax Initiative.
RECOMMENDATION
staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager
to negotiate and execute a contract wi th the firm of
Elliott/Maloney for the preparation of a Master Plan for the
development and improvement of Virginia Avenue Park and Community
Center.
Prepared by:
Barbara Franklin-Moran, Director
Cultural and Recreation Services
Janis Van Dyck, Assistant Director
Cultural and Recreation Services
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