TITLE: Title
The 203 South Greensboro Project -Public Hearing on Schematic Design and Project Cost
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to provide the Town Council an opportunity to receive public comment on the 203 South Greensboro Project schematic design and cost estimate.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning, Finance, Economic Development
CONTACT INFORMATION: Patricia McGuire 919-918-7327, pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org>; Arche McAdoo, 919-918-7439, amcadoo@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:amcadoo@townofcarrboro.org>; Jon Hartman-Brown, O: 919-918-7319 | C: 919-391-7846 , jhartman-brown@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:jhartman-brown@townofcarrboro.org>,
INFORMATION: Public outreach for this project and hearing includes flyers, mailed notice, emails and other social media releases, public engagement sessions, signs (digital and posters ) on the property, at Town Hall during early voting and on Election Day, and all around town. Information on the project survey has been included in this outreach and surveys have been made available on the site. The concept development process for the 203 Project restarted in late June.
With design concepts building on the 2018 engagement and design, the updated program includes approximately 51,000 square feet and associated parking to support the following:
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Orange County Southern Branch Library |
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Carrboro Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources |
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Orange County Skills Development Center Certified Nursing Assistant Program/Durham Tech |
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WCOM Radio |
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Seed Library, Teen Space, Multi-purpose performance space |
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Virtual Justice Center |
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Orange County Guardian ad Litem program |
The schematic design incorporates features that were derived from public input in 2018, with the principle change being the substitution of the Skills Development Center activities for the Arts Center space. The design also responds to the revised synergies that result from the new partnerships and opportunities between the building users, and is planned to result in a high-performing, energy-efficient, LEED Gold-equivalent building
Agenda materials and a copy of the presentation from mid-October are available for review at <http://townofcarrboro.org/DocumentCenter/View/8143/201013_THE-203_Town-Council-Presentation_FINAL-LR?bidId> or with other materials at The203Project.org <http://www.townofcarrboro.org/1151/The-203-Project>. A presentation on the final schematic design package will be provided at the public hearing Tuesday evening. The cost of the schematic design has been estimated by two parties and a reconciled estimate is in preparation. At present, the estimate is breaking down as follows:
Site $ 1.3 M
Building $ 16.9M
Parking $ 6.3M
These costs total approximately $24.5 million, which is about 10 percent above the current cost summary. Staff of the Town and Orange County, with Perkins + Will and consultants are working to identify all avenues for adjusting the design so that costs are in line with the current budget expectations. Please note that furnishings and finishes are to be budgeted separately through a Capital Improvements Program item and would likely also include audio-visual equipment, multi-purpose performance space equipment, rooftop PV array and parking management equipment.
Staff have consulted with an economic impact analyst regarding the benefits of new employees, building users and visitors to the Carrboro economy. The public parking associated with the 100 spaces in the current lot are being secured elsewhere in the downtown through leases with property owners. That information and a summary of the financing strategy for this project will be provided at the public hearing Tuesday evening.
Two amendments to the land use regulations have been identified as needed to support the building design. The first would allow parking structures up to a maximum of 60 feet in height where the Downtown Neighborhood Protection Overlay zone provisions apply. The second would clarify that town-owned and operated facilities that exceed two stories are subject to issuance of a zoning permit. Engineering staff from Kimley-Horn beginning permit plan development are examining the tree cover potential closely in relation to the requirement for 15 percent tree cover. Staff will advise the Council if a revision to this requirement is expected.
The current schedule anticipates moving forward to design development, permitting and construction plan preparation, so that construction could begin in the fall of 2021. This schedule is anticipated to allow opening of the new facility in late 2022.
An agenda item that will allow the Town Council to approve the schematic design and the project advancing to the next design step will be prepared for consideration on November 17th.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: To be determined in relation to direction resulting from the receipt of public comment.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Town Council receive public comment on the schematic design.