HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-11-13; City Council; 10907; Design Of Cole Library & Carlsbad City LibraryCl+ OF CARLSBAD - AGENP” BILL
STATUS REPORT ON THE DESIGN OF THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY AND THE COLE LIBRARY FEASIBILITY STUDY
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive a status report on the progress of the design of the Carlsbad City Library Project and the Cole Library Feasibility Study. No formal City Council action is required at this time.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
On April 10, 1990, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 90-102 approving a consultant agreement with the architectural firm of Cardwell/Thomas and Associates of Seattle, Washington in association with James McGraw Associates of San Diego, California for the design of the Carlsbad City Library Project. The library design scope of work also included an evaluation of the existing Georgina Cole Library facility and preparation of expansion alternatives. Additionally, the City Council approved an increase in the existing library program space for the Carlsbad City Library from 58,000 square feet to 64,000 square feet. At this time, staff wishes to make a status report to the City Council on the design progress as well as several other issues regarding both projects.
Carlsbad City Library Desian
Over the last six (6) months, several significant advancements have been made on the design of the proposed Carlsbad City Library to be constructed on a six (6) acre site within the Plaza Paseo Real retail center located at El Camino Real and Alga Road.
To briefly review the design history of the project, the City Council approved a consultant agreement in July of 1989 in which the City retained Mr. David R. Smith, Consulting Librarian, to assemble the now completed Carlsbad Citv Library Buildins Proaram. This document is the foundation upon which the design of the Carlsbad City Library and the Georgina Cole Library Feasibility Study are based. The Building Program contains extensive information on current and future public library needs and services. The Building Program has been an invaluable tool as a design guideline through all phases of the projectIs development.
Progress on the design of the Carlsbad City Library project has been accomplished primarily through a series of design workshops with the project design team consisting of the architects, library staff, the City's Consulting Librarian, City staff, and the City Council approved 16 member Library Building Review Committee. Each of the workshops has been conducted in an environment in which positive interaction and input among all participants has been emphasized. To help prepare and assist the design team, on May 11, 1990 the design team conducted a tour of three (3) Southern California public libraries. During this tour, design team members viewed firsthand the outcome of library projects similar in scope and size to the proposed Carlsbad City Library Project noting
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several desirable and undesirable features. This exercise has proven to be invaluable in assisting the design team during the design workshops.
The design of the new Carlsbad City Library facility is now nearing completion of the conceptual design stages including schematic design and design development. The completion of these important early planning phases places the project within the previously established design schedule. The project is scheduled to be reviewed by the Planning Commission on December 5, 1990. Assemblage of final construction documents including detailed plans and specifications will begin shortly thereafter. The project plans will be released for competitive bidding in the Spring of 1991 to be followed by a one (1) year construction period. It is estimated that the new Carlsbad City Library will be open for public use on or about July 1, 1992.
The new Carlsbad City Library will consist of a 40,000 square foot floor at ground level and a 24,000 square foot second floor. The first floor has been designed to contain the library sections of general circulation and customer assistance, fiction, browsing, current periodicals, and audiovisual. The Children's Library is located in a separate wing off the first floor and surrounds a protected outdoor courtyard for children's reading activities. Adjacent to the Children's Library is a multi-purpose room that can be used for children's story-hour programs and as a general purpose meeting room. Flanking the library's main entrance on the left is a 192-fixed seat, sloped floor auditorium to accommodate various library programs. On the right side of the entrance is the Art Gallery which will display traveling juried art exhibits. The Friends of the Library Bookstore is also located on the first floor immediately adjacent to the main entrance. Staff functions on the first floor include circulation, media services, and technical services.
The library's second floor houses reference and non-fiction. The decision to place these two (2) important library functions on the second floor was made after a series of discussions among the architects, library staff, the consulting librarian, and the Library Building Review Committee. While other alternatives were considered, the placement of reference and non-fiction adjacent to each other locates the more serious and traditionally quieter library functions together on the second floor. The more popular library functions generating the most number of service transactions, requests for assistance, and other library functions will be located on the first floor.
The exterior of the building has also been designed around the library user. Fronting the building is a vehicle drop-off area leading to a covered arcade and continuing through a small exterior courtyard and the library's main entrance. The purpose of these exterior design features is to distinguish the library atmosphere
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and entrance from the other uses in the Plaza Paseo Real shopping center complex and provide other opportunities for outdoor use of the entry courtyard area.
Ongoing design tasks include selection of interior schemes and identification of furniture, specialized operating equipment, life safety and security systems, coordination with utility companies, and preparation of construction drawings and contract documents.
Additionally, three (3) artists have been selected by the Arts Commission to work with the architects and the project design team to create and incorporate public art into the building.
Project Site Desisn
The six (6) acre project site and its associated development requirements have presented a major challenge to the design team. Several of the parking areas, access points, adjacent slope conditions, and other factors have established design parameters within which the library building design has evolved.
In particular, accompanying the previously approved increase in program space from 58,000 square feet to 64,000 square feet is a corresponding increase in the parking requirements. Based upon the City's existing parking standards, the Carlsbad City Library Project would be required to provide a total of 427 parking spaces to support solely the library use on the site. This number is arrived at by dividing the 64,000 square foot facility by the parking ordinance's requirement of one (1) parking space for every 150 square feet of library floor space. Taking into account the parking ordinance allowed 15% net reduction for a mixed use commercial center in which the library facility will be located, the net parking requirement to support the library totals 363 parking spaces.
The project architects have informed the City that it is physically impossible to accommodate the required library parking in addition to the shared parking provided under the reciprocal parking easement on the City's parcel because of the size of the building and other site constraints. In an attempt to resolve the apparent parking problem for the library project, several options have been considered.
Option 1: Request a variance in the parking standard to require less parking for the library.
Discussion: All projects constructed in the City, both public and private, are required to be parked at the code requirements. Staff does not believe a variance in the parking standard for this project is appropriate.
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Option 2:
Discussion:
Option 3:
Discussion:
Option 4:
Discussion:
Option 5:
Discussion:
Purchase additional land to accommodate the required parking spaces.
The City has contacted the shopping center development representatives who have indicated that other acreage within the overall shopping center is not available.
Construct an underground parking structure beneath the library building.
While this structure can be designed and constructed, it will add approximately $1 million to $1.2 million to the project costs as well as require a significant redesign of the library building itself. This translates into a delay in the project of approximately six (6) months. The cost to design and construct the underground parking structure is currently an unbudgeted project expense.
Construct an at-grade parking structure adjacent to the library building.
This structure can be designed and constructed at an additional cost of approximately $500,000. While delay to the project schedule will be minimal, its installation will require significant reconstruction of the parking areas recently completed by the shopping center complex. The cost to design and construct the parking structure is currently an unbudgeted project expense.
Reduce the size of the library building thereby reducing the parking requirements.
This option requires a reduction of approximately 3,000 square feet of library building floor space either by eliminating one (1) major component of the library building program or spreading the 3,000 square foot reduction throughout the building. There is concern this option will reduce the quality of the overall library building program and the level of service desired of the facility.
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Option 6: Re-analyze the City's parking standard for library space to determine its validity.
Discussion: This option involves a staff study of the origins of the existing parking standard for library space and an analysis of national, regional, and local public library parking standards where available. The Planning Commission on October 17, 1990 adopted Resolution of Intention No. 184 authorizing City staff to conduct a parking study of library facilities and standards in an effort to determine the validity of the City's existing parking requirements for library use. It is anticipated this study will be completed and will be considered by the Planning Commission on December 5, 1990. If it is determined that the existing City parking standard is too restrictive, the Commission will consider modifying the parking standard for library use. For comparison purposes, a library parking requirement of one (1) space for every 200 square feet of library floor space can very easily be accommodated on the Carlsbad City Library Project site. It should also be noted that the parking standard under the City's ordinance which was applied to the overall Plaza Paseo Real shopping center development is one (1) parking space for every 200 square feet of building floor space.
At this Council meeting, staff will make a presentation of the status of the project which will include discussion from the project architect and library staff.
Georaina Cole Librarv Feasibility Study
In addition to the design of the new Carlsbad City Library, the architect's scope of work included an evaluation of the existing Georgina Cole Library facility and an identification of renovation and expansion options. This work has been completed with portions of the Feasibility Study attached as an exhibit. The recommendations contained in the previously adopted Master Plan for Carlsbad Library Services as well as the Cole Library Feasibility Study include two (2) alternatives for renovation in 1992 and two (2) alternatives for expansion in 1998. These are referred to as Alternative 1992-A and 1992-B as well as Alternative 1998-A and 1998-B. The recommendations of the architect team are identified as Alternative 1992-B and Alternative 1998-B, respectively.
Alternative 1992-A addresses life safety improvements, accessibility improvements, and improvements to interior finishes and furnishings. Alternative 1992-B addresses these recommended improvements at the same time supplying an additional 3,000 square feet of public library service space by providing public access to the south mezzanine. Alternative 1992-B is a cost effective
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solution yielding additional library space at an increase of approximately $200,000 over the 1992-A option. With the proposed expansion of the building in 1998, the additional incremental investment in selecting the 1992-B option should be viewed as an investment in the long-term life span of the building as well as allowing for the full use of the building during the 1992-1998 time period.
Recommended Alternative 1998-B which is the ultimate expansion of the Cole Library facility from the current 24,600 square feet to a total of 50,000 square feet of library space also appears to be the most cost effective approach. Neither the architects nor City staff believe that the complete demolition of the existing Cole Library facility and the construction of a new building is an appropriate nor economical approach to providing expanded public library space. Rather, expansion of the existing facility can be accommodated very easily on the site and can be accomplished in a much shorter time period thereby resulting in less disruption of public library services at this facility.
Staff and the architects will be making a detailed presentation of the various options identified in the Georgina Cole Library Feasibility Study.
Purchase of Property for the Carlsbad City Librarv Project
The existing agreement between Carlsbad Retail Associates and the City of Carlsbad for the purchase of the library site was approved by the City Council on May 23, 1989. This agreement provides that in addition to the basic property costs, the City would pay its pro-rated share of site improvement costs, property taxes, and interest costs on the basic property cost. Carlsbad Retail Associates would provide the City with a rough graded site of six (6) acres in size including specified on and off-site improvements upon which the City will build its library. The agreement also provides that Carlsbad Retail Associates would construct a certain portion of the parking area for the library that is subject to the reciprocal parking easement with the shopping center. The construction of this parking area has been completed and the cost for this work totaling $47,925 will be charged to the construction phase of the library project.
All conditions of the agreement with Carlsbad Retail Associates have been satisfied and the City is therefore ready to close escrow on the property on November 15, 1990. Attached is an exhibit which summarizes the final costs for the property purchase as established in the agreement with Carlsbad Retail Associates. The final City share of site improvement costs may vary slightly from that shown in the attached exhibit because work is currently underway and precise final costs will not be known until all work has been finalized and formally accepted.
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FISCAL IMPACT:
The following is the revised, preliminary estimate for the Carlsbad City Library Project:
Land purchase and site improvements Library Programming Services Architectural Design Services: - New Carlsbad Library Design - Cole Library Feasibility Study - Reimbursable Expenses Construction at $135 per square foot Construction contingency (10%) Furnishings, fixtures and equipment at $25 per square foot Collection development Construction management: - Architectural oversight - Resident inspection services - Special building inspection of structural steel, elevator, and related building issues
$ 2,566,051 45,000
795,750 50,000 82,505 8,640,OOO 864,000 1,600,OOO
400,000
150,000
100,000
25,000 25,000 75,000 65,000
10,000
- Soils and materials testing Utility service fees and connections City project management Title, appraisal, and legal work Miscellaneous including document reproduction, dedication plagues, dedication ceremonies, photographs and exhibits, etc.
TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT BUDGET
The following is a summary of the Carlsbad City Library Project:
35,000
$15,528,306
available funding for the
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J(As:$ 10/1~~9~
I : : :&j&p&&& j : j j : j : ! ; : &&;s ; : yaai: ‘. ::
: L::: : i::: yp@@:; ..; : : : f!@g& .;.. Fund/@ * II Public Facilities Fees I 4,006,OOO 1 01 4,006,OOO 11
Melio-Roos District Bonds 0 11,200,000 11,200,000
TOTAL 4,8DW388 11,200,MKl 15,206,000
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.. ~;333sf ., .j.,34;M)Q sf ..: ..
.Estimates Estimates 1 I
Land Acquisition
Construction
improvements and
Books
TOTAL
Previous Cost Estimate Based on 58,600 sf @ $135/sf
Current Cost Estimate based on 64,000 sf @ $135/sf
Additional parking improvements not included
Total Funding Available 15,206,OOO
Current Cost Estimate 15,528,306
Funding Over (Under) Costs I (322,306)
The currently appropriated Public Facilities Fee Funds totaling $4,006,000 were intended to fund
the land acquisition, site improvements, and all related design costs for the Carlsbad City Library
Project. Construction funding for the 64,000 square foot library has been identified to be
produced from the Mello-Roos District. The estimated $322,306 funding shortfall identified above
will be recommended to be funded from available Public Facility Fee Funds in the 1991-92
Capital Improvement Program budget.
ltemized costs associated with renovating the Cole Library in 1992 and expanding the Cole
Library in 1998 are identified in a companion Agenda Bill entitled Recommendations for
Proposition 85 Librarv Construction Bond Act, Preapplications. In the event Proposition 85 State
Bond Funds are not secured for either project, there is the potential for phasing all costs
associated with both the renovation and expansion projects. This could potential occur over a
series of budget years when Public Facility Fee Funds become available.
EXHIBITS:
1. Executive Summary of Cole Library Feasibility Study.
2. Carlsbad City Library Land Purchase and Site Improvement costs.
Exhibit 1
Page 1 of 15
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Exhibit 2
Basic Property Cost
City Share of Site
Improvement Costs
Interest Costs
Property Taxes
TOTALS
Parking Area Built
Up-front by Shopping
Center Developer
(Charged to construction
phase of Library project)
Total Due CRA on
11 /15/90 closing date
CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY
LAND PURCHASE COSTS
PRELIMINARY FINAL
$1,253,221.20 $1,253,221.20
$ 656,449.20 $ 908,434.90
$ 134,273.70 $ 325148.20
0 $ 31,321.59
$2,043,944.10 $2,518,125.80
$ 47,925.oo
$2,566,050.80
VARIANCE
0
$251,985.70
$190,874.50
$31,321.59
$474,181.79