SR-410-001 (27)
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JUt 2 8 1987
C/ED:EDD:PC:JPM:DJG:pw
council Meeting: July 28, 1987
S~nta Monica, California
TO:
The Mayor and city council
FROM:
City staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Approve the Conceptual Design Plan for
the Third Street Mall and Downtown Assessment District
Improvement Project
INTRODUCTION
A major component in the development of the Third Street Mall and
Downtown Assessment District Improvement project is the
establishment of a design concept for the Mall project elements.
This report transmits and recommends that the City Council review
and approve the conceptual design prepared by the Project
consultant, ROMA Design Group, in order to guide the preparation
of the next phase of design work.
BACKGROUND
The development of the Third street Mall and Downtown Assessment
District Improvement Project is a joint effort between the Third
street Development corporation (TSDC) and the city. The
architectural and engineering team led by ROMA Design Group and
their sub-consultants Halcyon Ltd. I Jaykim Engineers, Inc. and
Beck and Graboski Graphics have participated in all phases of the
pre-design and conceptual design process. The process for its
completion is as follows:
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JUl 2 8 1987
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o
Pre-Oesiqn
Review existing information and
conditions on.the Mall:
Develop a full understanding of
objectives and issues related to the
project.
o
Concept Development
Prepare and evaluate alternative
design/development options:
Establish a preferred design concept
for development:
o
Design Development
Solicit public review.
Develop the design
improvements on basis
concept.
of Mall
of approved
o
Construction Documents
Prepare bid documents for Mall
construction.
o
Construction
Provide assistance during
construction with interpretation and
implementation of contract
Documents.
Incorporated into the process is substantial public participation
and input.
individual
To date, over thirty separate in-depth group and
interviews
have
been
undertaken
with
nearly
seventy-five representatives of the Third Street Development
Corporation, property owners, merchants, City Council, City
staff,
and other concerned parties,
to develop a full
understanding of obj ecti ves and issues related to the proj ect.
Two public workshops have been held on the Mall to address
physical design issues, as well as Mall improvement budget
priorities and retail Merchandising and marketing strategies.
These workshops were attended by well over 350 people from the
Mall District and the surrounding community.
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Along with the public workshops, a Steering Committee met with
the Consul tant on a regular basis .to review background
information, alternative design strategies and implementation
priorities.
The
steering
Committee
consisted
of
Mayor
Pro-tempore Herb Katz, Councilperson Dennis Zane, representatives
of the TSDC and various Mall interest groups, and city staff from
the Community and Economic Oevelopment and General Services
Departments.
This working Committee was responsible for
providing direction to the Consultant throughout the Pre-design
and Conceptual Design Phases.
The Conceptual oesign Plan is the consensus of direction by the
Steering Committee,
Planning Commission,
TSDC Board,
the
Architectural Review Board, and the general public. The concept
plan package includes:
1) A Concept Plan Diagram describing the location and type
of improvements proposed for the project area.
2) A more detailed Concept Plan Diagram and prototypical
cross sections for the Third street blocks describing
the activity zones and design approaches for the various
Mall improvements.
3) A marketing strategy and a proposed retail/restaurant
mix for the Third street blocks.
4) A strategy for the distribution of budgeted amounts and
proposed improvements to be implemented.
At the end of the Design Development Phase the Architectural
Review Board, Third street Development Corporation Board,
Planning Commission and ci ty Council will have another
opportunity to review the proposed design of the Mall and will be
responsible for the adoption of the final design plan.
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DISCUSSION
The purpose of the Conceptual Design Plan is to present the major
concepts, design features, types of ilnprovements, budgeting
priorities and phasing strategies recommended to revitalize the
Third street Mall. The proposed concept Plan as outlined in this
report and the comments received on its review will be used to
prepare the final Mall Design Plan.
Through the process of the pre-design interviews and workshops
with the Steering Committee and the public, a preferred physical
design concept has been identified for the Third street Mall and
surrounding areas, including Second and Fourth streets. This
concept includes a proposal to open the three blocks of the Mall
to limited vehicular access when pedestrian use is minimal. As
envisioned at this time, a two-lane roadway would allow vehicles
to access the Hall under a restrictive basis. Eventually, if
pedestrian traffic grows sufficiently, the City could again ban
automobiles on the Hall permanently, allowing for a flexible
design plan. The concept of opening up the Mall to limited
traffic is designed to provide the city this flexibility.
Allowing limited vehicular access in this fashion will help the
Mall achieve a "critical mass" of visitors and shoppers which is
necessary to create an inviting environment. The limited vehicle
access would be controlled by the use of removable bollards at
the entrance and exit of each access route allowing efficient
management of vehicle access. Because the Third street Mall is
2,000 feet long and 80 feet wide, it often has the appearance of
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being deserted even when people are present, and that discourages
others from wondering onto the Mall. Th~ concept plan at this
stage would allow for vehicular traffic during nighttime hours
when the Mall is particularly desolate. The access concept would
help bring life to the Mall, especially during the nighttime
hours, while providing sufficient space on the wide Hall for
pedestrians, outdoor dining and other amenities. since the
two-lane access route would be of limited width, there would
remain approximately 30 feet of sidewalk on each side allowing
for the pedestrian streetscape. Outdoor dining (currently
permitted 12 feet into the Mall) would be retained with remaining
room for kiosks and a promenade area. With these wide landscaped
sidewalks, the Plan still preserves the feel of the pedestrian
Mall.
The limited access route is just one of the elements being
proposed as part of the Concept Plan to bring new life, unity and
focus to the Third street Hall. Other key design elements
include a mixture of tall street trees such as the paID, and
flowering broad trees, such as the jacaranda, lining the Mall to
provide a signature and canopy which would help to unify the
entire Mall District and lend visual impact from a distance. The
canopy trees would also provide a shaded walking space for
pedestrians. Different types of light fixtures, banners and
hanging baskets are also included as part of the Mall's new
overall look.
other design elements addressed in the concept Plan include the
addition of street furniture, fountains and other water elements,
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children play areas, center space pavilions and the location of a
central plaza. These components of the Qverall design strategy
allow for the provision of amenities for the users of the Mall's
public open space, while upgrading the quality and character of
the facilities within the Mall.
The addition of pavilions will enliven and activate the Mall, and
also break up the open SO-foot right-of-way creating an activity
zone. By creating a central plaza within the three block Mall
area, a central focal point would be established resulting in an
urban space from which various staging activities may take place.
Finally, the location of street furniture and fountains are
included to provide a sense of uniformity and theme for the Mall
area. The placement of these design elements will be coordinated
with other similar elements to create overall visual order and
cohesiveness throughout the Mall.
Alley improvements are also considered in the Concept Plan. The
primary objectives are to upgrade the image of the alleys as the
initial impression of the Third Street Mall, and to create a more
pleasant pedestrian environment while maintaining the service
functions of the alley. A general program aimed at patching,
repairing, and re-sealing the alleys is proposed in the Concept
Plan. An emphasis on public improvements is designed to take
place at the entrances to the alleys from the cross streets and
at the connections between the parking structures and the
passageways to the Mall through the use of well defined graphics
or paving material.
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New lighting in the alleys as proposed will increase the overall
illumination and at the same time focus special attention at the
passageways from the parking structures to the Mall. The concept
plan proposes the addition of high intensity, theme-oriented
lighting while recreating well-lighted focal points at the
connector point to the passageways. The introduction of banners
in the alleys will provide a festi ve and colorful focal point
within the alley environment. These banners could be changed
seasonally to provide variety and emphasis for special occasions.
The concept Plan suggests landscape and lighting improvements for
Second and Fourth streets, which form the east and west borders
of the Mall Assessment District. The existing Ficus trees would
remain and, where necessary, new trees would be planted to
replace dead trees to create an overall uniform look. Lights
could be attached within the trees to give an added feeling of
identity and illumination to the overall district.
OVerall, the Conceptual Desiqn Plan proposes a balanced strategy
and offers an aesthetically pleasing environment in order to
stimulate and manage the revitalization of the Mall. Conceptual
detail based upon a full range of recommended design options and
teChniques is discussed. As the design process continues, the
city must identify and select a mix of preferred design elements
and budget priorities which will generate the capacity to carry
out the Mall Improvement Project objectives. The final
recommended design plan will clearly define the opportunities and
project elements necessary for Santa Monica to proceed with the
successful revitalization of the Mall area.
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staff anticipates that the final design of Mall improvements and
support documentation will be completed and available for review
and approval in December, 1987.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT
Through the
proceeds
of
the sale
of
Certificates
of
Participation, appropriations will need to be authorized for
$5,571,368 to finance the Mall common area and circulation
improvements.
since the Certificate of participation issuance
did not identify all of the improvements being proposed as part
of the concept plan, additional funds will be required for
implementation. Therefore, additional funds in the approximate
amount of $1,000,000 will be utilized over a two-year period,
namely FY 1988-89 and FY 1989-90. The use of these funds can be
broken down as follows:
Available Funds
Assessment District Improvements
Construction Contingencies/Manager
$4,500,000
1,071,368
General Fund
$5,571,368
1,000,000
Total
$6,571,368
Construction Costs
District and Alleys
Mall Blocks ($1.2 mm/block)
Gateway ($.3mm/gateway)
Plaza
Pavilions ($.2mm/unit)
Overruns/change Orders
$1,000,000
3,600,000
600,000
300,000
400,000
671,368
Total
$6,571,368
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RECOMMENDATION
staff recommends that the City Council review and approve the
Third street Mall conceptual Design Plan and direct staff to
transmit any comments to the steering committee and the
consultant team for consideration in the preparation of the final
Mall Design Plan.
Prepared by: Peggy Curran , Director
Community and Economic Development Department
Jeffrey P. Mathieu, Manager
Darrell J. George, Sr. Administrative Analyst
Economic Development Division
Community and Economic Development Department
Attachment l: Third Street Mall Market OVerview Retail.strategies
Attachment 2: Third Street Mall and Downtown Assessment District
Phase 2: Concept Development
tsmdesi3
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