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01/15/1993 - 10:32 am SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING City Hall Project January 15, 1993 The City Commission of the City of Clearwater met at City Hall with the following members present: Rita Garvey Mayor/Commissioner Richard Fitzgerald Vice-Mayor/Commissioner Sue A. Berfield Commissioner Arthur X. Deegan Commissioner Mayme W. Hodges Commissioner Also present were: Michael J. Wright City Manager M. A. Galbraith, Jr. City Attorney Mary K. Diana Assistant City Clerk The Mayor called the meeting to order at 10:32 a.m. for the purpose of discussing the following regarding the City Hall project. 1. Establish overall direction of the Project Goals Stewart Donnell, project managing consultant, stated the goals will establish the project mission statement which will form the foundation of all ongoing efforts required for the City to reach their objective. He indicated the intent of the City is to design, construct and commission a new City Hall administration building of approximately 130,000 square feet and a parking structure to accommodate about 425 cars on its property in downtown Clearwater according to needs currently identified which will be confirmed by a professional programming and needs analysis. The City wishes to have beneficial occupancy in approximately 24 months (from December 1992) or around December 1994. The facilities are to be designed and constructed following a design/build procurement route under the guidance, control and direction of the project management consultant. This route will provide quality architecture and functional and efficient building engineering systems all to be achieved at a realistic and economical price both in initial capital and ongoing life cycle costs. The DCI/RRHR team will want this confirmed, amplified and quantified by the City during this meeting or shortly thereafter. An opinion was expressed it was premature to assume the City wants and/or needs a 130,000 square foot building and a request was made this figure be deleted from the assumption. Mr. Donnell said this was an approximate figure and would need to be confirmed by the Commission. He said reference to size could be deleted and replaced with the language "appropriate and adequate facilities" to house City staff. Mr. Donnell reported on what has been done to date and indicated all reports, drawings and documentation that deal with existing City buildings are currently being studied allowing for the commencement of the services outlined in the proposal. Dean Rowe, DCI/RRHR team, said there is a real need to establish the size of the facility and asked that each Commissioner give their ideas on what the goals for the project should be. Due to Commissioner Hodges being new on the Commission, the Deputy City Manager reviewed the buildings/departments to be consolidated along with the number of staff in each facility. In response to a question, it was indicated the Affirmative Action Office (AAO) operates under the City Manager and the goal of consolidation is to bring the AAO into close proximity with the City Manager. A question was raised how many employees would be in the consolidated City Hall facility, and it was indicated 281. This number did not include any from the Police Department. There was discussion regarding when the purchase of the Sun Bank Building was under consideration for a consolidated City Hall, the proposal included accommodating the police dispatch operation. The City Manager said there were no available funds at this time to build a new police facility and additional information is necessary to address this issue. He felt they could be accommodated at their existing site by adding to the building. An opinion was expressed the building should not be expanded due to its deplorable condition. An opinion was given that considering accommodations for the Police Department was a critical point in the decision making regarding a consolidated City Hall as the former Sun Bank Building proposal included accommodating a portion of the Police Department. The City is now looking at additional expenses outside of building a new City Hall and it was felt this issue needs to be addressed before deciding on the size of a new City Hall. The City Manager indicated he did not consider moving a portion of the Police Department to the current City Hall location because of its proximity to the Police Department and size constraints of the site. Concern was expressed the City was not accomplishing what was originally intended in consolidating City offices. It was pointed out the proposal for the Sun Bank Building included the capability of accommodating a portion of the Police Department in close proximity to the PD at no additional expense except for moving. Mr. Rowe said he reviewed the Sun Bank study indicating one report showed that image is very important to the Commission and indicated the Commission needed to determine this image and what it should project. The City Manager said the City is currently occupying approximately 90-100,000 square feet of space in the four buildings being reviewed for consolidation plus a community room. In considering the addition of the Police Department to the proposed City Hall site the parking need would increase upwards of 200 cars and an additional 30-40,000 square feet. He questioned whether or not the activities of the Police Department should be commingled with the activities of City Hall. There was discussion regarding the present Police Department site including a significant amount of land. The City Manager asked direction regarding the Police Department needs. An opinion was expressed it was not appropriate to mix office use with public service agencies such as fire and police. It was pointed out the issue of the Police Department was raised because it was factored into the use of space in the Sun Bank building. It was felt the City needs to consider future requirements as the current Police Department building is inadequate for its operation and the Library has had problems. There was discussion regarding the police building and whether or not it should be replaced. It was pointed out the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is located here, there is sheltered parking next door and the building has auxiliary power. Discussion ensued regarding the Police Department needs being run on a parallel track with the City Hall project in order to determine overall construction costs. In response to a question, it was indicated moving Communications out of the main police building was considered when looking at purchasing the Sun Bank Building as it provided an opportunity to upgrade the facilities to comply with ADA. It was pointed out communications is an area in which the handicapped are historically used. In response to a question, it was indicated Communications will not be relocated to the City Hall site. The City Manager said there is enough City-owned land surrounding the Police Department site to expand or build a new facility. He said the parking garage is in close proximity to the police building and the Community Redevelopment Agency owns the vacant square block across the street. In response to a question, it was indicated the parking garage is partially owned by the City and could be used in case of emergency. There was discussion regarding whether the EOC should be located in City Hall and it was felt it worked well at the Police Department location. Majority consensus was to not include the EOC in the new consolidated City Hall but to keep it at its present location in the Police Department. An opinion was expressed the Police Department and the City Hall offices should be two distinct operations and at the present time there was no need to discuss the Police Department's future plans; these could be considered later in the process. The City Manager said he hopes this year to start the planning process. He felt future growth will be in the patrol units with expansion being at the Beach or Countryside stations. An opinion was expressed, due to traffic flow, it would be better to have the Police Department located in a separate building. An opinion was expressed it would be beneficial to have the entire Police Department in one location as it serves to be more efficient in its operation. It was felt a comparative analysis needs to be made on new construction costs versus existing building costs as it was not anticipated there was a need for a new Police Department building in the near future. It was thought a new PD should not be incorporated into a new City Hall; however, a campus type arrangement was found favorable. Concern was expressed regarding the cost of building a new City Hall as the Sun Bank building purchase price included part of the Police Department and now the City is looking at two separate buildings. Majority consensus was to consider the Police Department needs on a parallel track with the City Hall project and to have staff come back with a separate plan for upgrading and/or expanding the Police Department including costs. There was discussion regarding money previously budgeted from "Penny for Pinellas" for a new station; however, when it became evident the county projections were going to be less than anticipated, this project was taken out of the budget. The City Manager said he will be bringing to the Commission recommended modifications to the "Penny for Pinellas" project list. Discussion ensued regarding the Commission's goals and a recommendation was made general goals should include the opportunity for one stop shopping for citizens. It was felt the City should be conservative and try to meet common standards for office buildings, be cautious in determining whether or not existing facilities can be used, provide user friendly environments both to the public and to the employees with the public being the first priority, be energy conscious in choices in architecture and building standards and follow ADA regulations and other norms. The City Manager recommended there be a designated public parking area for convenience. It was also felt access to the building should be convenient and safe. Concern was expressed in continuing to use current City facilities if a lot of wasted space exists and caution was urged in considering the use of current buildings. Opposition was expressed to using existing buildings if not cost effective. The Deputy City Manager said the Commission may want to consider using the term "value engineering" in setting their goals where the long term value is looked at rather than just the initial cost. Discussion ensued in regard to the importance for a user friendly environment for both the public and the employees and a convenient flow between departments. It was felt the City needs to be environmentally sensitive to the site stating the location is beautiful and the building will project an image for the City. There was discussion in regard to the design of the School Board offices. An opinion was expressed the layout is somewhat confusing and a historical look was favored rather than the art deco type exterior. Discussion ensued in regard to open versus closed office areas. An opinion was expressed that an open environment is favored as it is more convenient and has been used successfully in many organizations and would aid in future remodeling. An opinion was expressed there needed to be a blend between open and closed areas. An objection was made to a utilitarian approach indicating consideration should be given to conveying an image of the community and it was felt there needed to be a blend. Majority consensus was for a blend between open and closed office areas. Discussion ensued in regard to the space requirement utilization plan done by Willingham & Associates not including offices for the Commissioners and it was recommended there be at least a designated space. It was indicated a recommendation will be made to the Charter Review Committee next year to consider expanding the job of City Commissioner. It was felt the Commissioners should have individual offices and a work station for clerical help. An opinion was expressed there is no need at the present time for individual staff members for each of the Commission but this should be included in the long range plan. Discussion ensued in regard to the Commission using the City Manager's staff for clerical support. A recommendation was made to incorporate in the design of the new City Hall a designated clerical work station to support the Commission. Majority consensus was to provide an office for each Commissioner and a designated clerical workstation. Discussion ensued in regard to the design and size of the Commission chambers in the new City Hall. It was felt the design should be square or round rather than rectangular as is currently. A question was raised if different seating is required for both the work sessions and commission meetings and it was felt there should be both formal and informal seating. It was felt a separate conference room, large enough to handle the use and seating of 25 to 30 people in the audience and a table to accommodate 10 is needed. It was noted this room could also be used for administrative hearings, sister city conferences, etc. Discussion ensued in regard to a raised dias and theater style seating in the chambers and communication needs being factored into the proposal. It was suggested that maximum ability to communicate be established as a goal. There was discussion regarding a state of the art sound system including cable TV, media jacks, etc. It was felt having a separate media section should be investigated. A recommendation was made to include a waiting room where meetings are audible. There was discussion regarding the public's ability to address the Commission on both sides of the chambers. Debra Costello, Associated Space Design, asked the Commission to provide specific words to describe the building. A recommendation was made for an appearance that is not dated with preference being given to a historical or traditional theme. In response to what type of image the Commission would like to project, it was indicated friendly, orderly, governmental but not institutional, distinct enough to readily identify a City Hall, professional, reflective of the climate, environmentally sensitive and energy efficient. It was noted the building and roof should be low maintenance. Mr. Rowe said the building should look like it belongs fitting in with the climate of its location. The meeting recessed from 11:58 a.m. to 12:14 p.m. Budget and Joint Parking Discussion ensued regarding what funds will be budgeted or available for this project. The City Manager indicated there is $7.5 million in the budget for the project with another $2.2 million reflective in the CIP plan for next year. Mr. Donnell said normal construction costs of any facility would include demolition of structures on the proposed site, hook-up of services, building construction, building interiors, site work, landscaping, water features, driveways, parking garage or garages, renovations to existing buildings if contemplated, all design and management fees, interior and exterior landscaping,audio systems, etc. In response to a question, it was indicated because the quality levels are not known square footage costs can not be determined. He said interior and exterior architectural quality, acoustics, qualities of finishes, etc. will influence building costs and could vary considerably. An opinion was expressed the City should not be looking at being state of art on everything in terms of quality. A question was raised if a long term building is being considered, what items should not be state of the art. A question was raised whether the City is considering a joint parking agreement and it was indicated the City has been approached by Calvary Baptist Church and Peace Memorial is considering such an agreement. It was felt a joint parking facility could influence the cost; however, such an arrangement can cause conflicts. Discussion ensued in regard to encouraging the Calvary Baptist Church to participate in a joint parking agreement. Majority consensus was to explore all options for a joint parking agreement in sharing the costs of a parking garage. There was discussion regarding purchasing an existing building costing less and it being difficult to justify building a new building exceeding those costs. It was pointed out that renovations to an existing building to accommodate the move needed to be considered in addition to the purchase price. An opinion was expressed that building from scratch is not necessarily the best solution for the problem; however, it was indicated if the City is going to build, at least $10 million would need to be dedicated to the project and it was felt it would be considerably more. It was pointed out determining the cost without identifying the size of the building would be very difficult. Mr. Donnell suggested preparing a needs list pricing everything in a programmatic way. If found to be too expensive, the program could be refined into an affordable project. It was felt $10-15 million could be used as a guideline with the spread being justified due to not knowing the size of the building. It was felt the City should be conservative and frugal; however, also realistic in determining future needs. Mr. Donnell asked if the Commission is looking for a 30, 80 or 100 year building as this could impact on certain materials. It was felt at least a 30-year building should be considered due to changes in technology. The final design and flexibility of the building could add extra life. It was noted the existing City Hall is approximately 30 years. Majority consensus was to go with a $10-15 million figure as a guideline for the project which could later be refined. Growth Discussion ensued in regard to the need for flexibility regarding space availability in the new City Hall; however, it was felt there should not be a lot of empty space and the City should stay try and stay close to the projected numbers. The City Manager indicated the enclave issue could impact the City as there are about 25,000-30,000 people in the enclaves which could affect the planning, code enforcement, engineering and building areas. It was pointed out strategies have been presented previously regarding voluntary annexations, and an opinion was expressed at that time it was doubtful whether any of the strategies would work. It was noted there is a legislative bill regarding enclaves that has a good chance of passing in the near future. A question was raised if the building could be designed in such a way that it could be added to later on. It was indicated this would be more prudent to do now as it is more expensive to add on at a later date. Discussion ensued in regard to how far into the future we should look when projecting growth. There was discussion regarding the Willingham study and an opinion was given the work force figures were inflated. It was pointed out citizens are demanding the City workforce be reduced. A view was expressed there would be no substantial growth in the next ten years. A question was raised if Clearwater is experiencing densification as in other cities. An opinion was given it is difficult to predict potential density and it was felt there is a possibility for multi family construction in some areas which could increase density. An opinion was expressed a 10 percent growth factor over a 20 year period was not excessive. In response to a question, it was indicated 10 percent growth was being based on the 281 employees to be consolidated into the new City Hall. It was felt the building should be built in such a way to allow the potential for increased staff if needed. In response to a question, it was indicated square footage of the building will be determined after square feet per person is decided. Majority consensus was to consider a growth factor of 10 percent. Space Standards Debra Costello, Associated Space Design (ASD), asked if the information contained in the existing space requirements report was considered to be adequate. An opinion was expressed there was duplication when the figures were determined. Reference was made to the Pioneer and Mudano studies that used federal standards as guidelines. A statement was made the Human Resources and Administrative Departments were triple the federal standards regarding space requirements. An opinion was given the Willingham & Associates figures on a per worker basis as well as total square footage were inflated. Ms. Costello said circulation and layout add to square footage per person figures. Different uses have different circulation factors and adding amenities also need to be considered in this figure. The Deputy City Manager said a report would be provided on how much workspace, ancillary space and additional room space would be dedicated to each employee. A question was raised, if administrative space took into account records storage areas, and it was indicated it did. Ms. Costello said all non-people space had been counted in the square footage per person figures. She said these figures can be broken down to see how this space was assigned. An opinion was given the net square footages allocated for the workstations and layouts were too generous. A request was made for the team to come back with typical industry space standards and justification for the numbers proposed. Ms. Costello said using open plan furniture with vertical storage would cut down on the amount of space required. She said she will apply efficiencies into the industry standards. It was pointed out governmental agencies create a lot of paperwork requiring additional storage. It was felt space savings do not necessarily result in cost savings. It was noted microfilming has helped to eliminate paper. Schedule Discussion ensued in regard to the 24-month schedule and it was noted the schedule had already been approved. It was pointed out this was being brought up today to facilitate changes if any were made. Mr. Donnelly found 24-months to be a realistic timeframe. Miscellaneous Art in Public Places Discussion ensued in regard to whether art should be considered in the design of the new facility. Mr. Rowe recommended the Commission review a slide presentation stressing the importance of art in public places. An opinion was given that consideration needed to be given to what the cost upfront would be to include the art and Mr. Rowe indicated this needed to be incorporated in with the architectural design. Suggestions included local artists doing murals or an artist in resident concept. There was discussion regarding the number of gifts the City receives and wishes to display and by having a local artist build an artistic display case the art could be part of a functional aspect. Public Works Director Bill Baker suggested including the artistic touch in the design of the building whether it be the entranceway, the lobby, etc. It was felt the artistic element could serve a purpose by making a statement. Discussion of art in public places by Vincent Ahern is to be agendaed for a future work session. Majority consensus was to consider art as being a functional part of the project. Community Room Discussion ensued in regard to the need for a community room when the Annex is razed. It was pointed out this need has been identified and the City should consider all options. Discussion ensued in regard to considering locating the community room on the City Hall site and it was indicated the design and space constraints of this site may not allow for its location there. It was indicated the parking element would be critical. There was discussion regarding whether or not to go below the bluff for parking for the community room. It was felt the success of the project depends on availabililty of parking. An opinion was expressed that going below the bluff might be an interesting architectural aspect and would offer flexibility to a tight site. It was noted a decision had been made to consider all options. Employee Amenities Discussion ensued in regard to what employee amenities, such as day care, wellness programs, food service, etc. should be considered. It was felt day care should not be considered as it carried certain licensing requirements. It was felt there are not enough employees to consider a full food service; however, it was requested consideration be given to having a coffee/sandwich shop. Commissioner Hodges left the meeting at 1:10 p.m. Discussion ensued in regard to following state law regarding restroom facilities. Discussion ensued in regard to exterior/interior lighting and it was indicated consideration would be a given to energy efficiency, security, and sophistication when looking at lighting. It was felt the exterior lighting should serve to identify the building. Discussion ensued in regard to using low maintenance landscaping and it was indicated zeroscape is being considered. Discussion ensued regarding whether to consider a drive through or drop off for utility payments as a matter of convenience to citizens. It was felt a mail drop may not work due to last minute payments being credited. Concern was expressed regarding the location of a drive in facility due to the constraints of the site. There was discussion regarding a covered drop off such as a portico or front porch to provide protection from the weather and no opposition was expressed if considered as part of the architectural design. It was pointed out a lot of citizen activity exists especially at the Annex. Majority consensus was to consider a covered entryway if part of the architectural design. 2. Review Procedures Catherine Kreher, ASD, said the report prepared by Willingham and Associates is considered to be 75 percent accurate. She said later today staff will be meeting to compare this information with current information. Ms. Kreher said extensive interviews are not being planned with department managers. The current goal is to validate the 75 percent accuracy. Concern was expressed in considering the report to be 75 percent accurate as it was felt some of the numbers were inflated. Ms. Kreher indicated the projected growth figures in the Willingham study are not being used, they are looking at the adjusted figure for the number of employees, number of files cabinets, etc. She said calculation and measurements figures will be used and validated. Ms. Rice said they will be bringing back a draft mission statement based on the today's comments and they will be providing biweekly updates. The meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.