Title
CRA Project Summary (NB)
Explanation
As a regular informational item on CRA agendas, Staff provides a brief update on selected referrals, redevelopment projects and development agreements under review. This monthly update is typically a limited sampling of the CRA's many on-going projects, as opposed to a complete list.
CRA Wide
NW 5th Ave Commercial Building - 802 NW 5th Ave - PPI has been selected as the Construction Manager (CM) for this project. The design team has completed Design Development documents and is working with the CM on value engineering. Staff will provide a 60% construction document update at the August CRA, which will include an updated budget. The preliminary budget was based on a top-down estimate which was to be revised once an Architect and CM were both added to the project. Now that the CM is onboard, staff will be able to present a budget that should be within +/- 10% of the final cost.
CRA Sustainability Policy - Staff has begun reviewing the draft policy with the advisory boards and taking members' feedback. To date, staff has received numerous comments and questions from the CPUH and FAPS advisory boards. Staff anticipated completing the first round of comments in June; however, ERAB and Downtown were not able to hold discussions that month. Staff anticipates reviewing the policy with the remaining boards by August.
University Avenue Medians - BBI, Inc, a construction management firm under contract with the CRA, held a pre-bid meeting on July 16th. The project consists of adding new landscaping and irrigation to nine existing roadway medians on University Avenue from NW 18th street to East 15th Street. Work is expected to begin in August.
University Avenue Improvements - Staff is continuing to monitor the Downtown planters, which were given a new planting scheme in late-May. So far the project appears successful. This is a limited pilot study to determine if a more comprehensive planter project should be initiated. The pilot will conclude in December and a determination will be made whether to expand the project. In addition, bike rack designs are being reviewed for installation.
Eastside
Eastside Fencing Projects - The CRA is planning to replace fencing on two major sites in the Eastside Redevelopment Area. The first site is the School Board of Alachua County bus depot, where the perimeter fence along SE Hawthorne Road, SE 18th Street, and East University Avenue is proposed to receive new decorative fencing. Landscape enhancements are also being considered. The second site is the Williams Elementary and Lincoln Middle School complex, where the perimeter fence along SE 7th Avenue, SE 15th Street, and SE 11th Avenue is proposed for replacement. The CRA is partnering with the City Parks and Recreation Department on this project and will potentially use funding from Wild Spaces Public Places. Staff is preparing cost estimates and budgets for review by the Eastside advisory board.
Kennedy Homes - The RFP has been issued. Responses are due September 30th
SE 2nd Ave Parking - Staff is working to scope a project to address parking improvements within the ROW along SE 2nd Ave.
Redevelopment of 1712/1714 Hawthorne Road - Responses to the RFP were due on June 22nd. No bids were submitted. Staff is currently discussing various marketing options with the CRA Attorney. Staff will bring forth recommendations at a future CRA meeting.
Potential Eastside Expansion Areas - ERAB will work with Staff to consider necessary changes to the Redevelopment Plan. This timeline coincides with Strategic Planning for the Eastside Area.
Southeast Gainesville Redevelopment Initiative - The SEGRI special area plan was not considered at the April 23rd meeting of the City Plan Board as Planning staff recommended continuing the items to a later date. Planning has not yet rescheduled these items on a City Plan Board agenda.
Cotton Club - Fundraising is underway, and a new roof has been installed
Eastside/5 Points Redevelopment Project - ERAB heard a presentation from Rodney Long Realty in October 2008 and received a detailed summary of the issue from Staff at the December 2008 and February 2009 meetings. ERAB has thoroughly discussed this issue, as requested by the CRA.
Exterior Paint Program- Staff will conduct an outreach program for potential applicants for the Exterior Paint Program.
Downtown
Boundless Playground at Depot Park - The organization Boundless Playgrounds Inc., states on its website that it "partners with local communities to build inclusive playgrounds where children of all abilities can learn and play together." The playgrounds are not designed for any one user group but instead are intended for diverse abilities among children. The Felburn Foundation, based in Maryland but with strong ties to Florida, has partnered with the state Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT) to fund the construction of boundless playgrounds. There are currently 18 boundless playgrounds in Florida including Tampa, Orlando, and Ocala. Mickey Thomason with OGT contacted CRA staff in July 2008 to discuss the possibility of funding a boundless playground at Depot Park. The proposed funding level is $250,000. CRA staff has provided Mr. Thomason with background on the Depot Park site as well as the project schedule. Mr. Thomason recently made a formal request to the Felburn Foundation to fund a boundless playground at Depot Park and is awaiting approval. The CRA is in the process of reviewing the park concept and determining if a playground is still desirable and feasible at the Depot Park site.
Bethel Station - RFP responses have been received and are currently under evaluation. Tenant selection will occur in July/August. JoyTech Construction is more than 50% complete with its demolition and repair of the building. No major issues have been discovered during this phase. Completion is on schedule.
Lynch Park - The project has received approvals from DRAB, the Porters Oaks HOA, Parks & Rec Advisory Board, the CRA, the City Commission, and all stakeholder departments within the City/GRU (water, electric, public works, arborist, GPD, Park & Recreation, etc). Plans for the park are now 100% complete and ready for construction. CRA staff is working with the CM and plans to begin construction in July.
Lot 10 Redevelopment - Responses have been received and are being evaluated
Depot Park - The CRA is moving forward with park design. CRA staff hosted a design workshop on July 14th in the Community Design Center to obtain stakeholder input. Approximately 40 people attended from the community. The landscape architecture firm of Carol R. Johnson and Associates facilitated the stakeholder discussion and will incorporate the comments into a revised master plan. The master plan is the initial step toward developing construction documents for park elements. The rehabilitation planning for the Depot Building is moving forward. The Plan Board has approved the rezoning request for the park site and the ordinance is being prepared for submittal to the City Commission. GRU reported in June that the remediation is delayed so that the start date has shifted from August 1 to October.
Downtown Community Plaza - CRA Staff is leading the community through a place-making evaluation process to identify how fundamental design issues affect the usage of Gainesville's central civic square. By understanding that universal truths about healthy public spaces apply to the Plaza, the community will be able to formulate useful strategies that will result in lasting change and improved community utility of the civic square.
Hampton Inn/Lot 9 Redevelopment - The hotel is on schedule to open this summer. Construction should be complete in July, with the hotel open for business prior to the beginning of football season.
Porters Neighborhood Improvements -The CRA has 30% plans for undergrounding utilities and providing CRA standard streetscaping along SW 3rd St from Depot Ave to SW 4th Ave. Staff is now working with the City's Land Rights Coordinator to address significant ROW issues along the corridor. These issues must be addressed prior to proceeding with construction documents.
GRU Redevelopment - Staff has received a finalized document from GRU, which incorporates small changes made subsequent to the November presentation to the CRA board. Staff is currently formulating implementation strategies and steps to move forward.
CRA Streetscaping for Depot Ave - The CRA and Public Works Department have coordinated to add CRA streetscaping materials to the Depot Ave Reconstruction project. Streetscaping elements will include brick sidewalks, crosswalks, and decorative lighting. This project is scheduled to begin construction fall 2009.
CPUH
SW 13th Street Medians - CRA staff has authorized Zamia Design to commence designing new landscaping for the two existing medians on SW 13th Street adjacent to the pedestrian overpass near Archer Road. This project was generated during the CPUH strategic planning process. The plans will be completed this summer with construction anticipated in late 2009 contingent on approval by FDOT District 2.
SW 13th Street Bus Shelter - The site is located near the Wildflower development on SW 13th Street. RTS is moving forward with site development. Engineering plans are nearly complete and Public Works is contracting with Joytech Construction, Inc. for installation.
Depot Rail Trail - Staff is currently developing a lighting standard that is suitable for use on the rail-trail; which is on this agenda. Two decorative retaining walls were recently installed along the Depot Ave Rail-Trail between SW 11th and 13th streets. GRU purchased the retaining walls in order to stabilize the sloping banks alongside the trail and to protect recently installed electrical equipment. The CRA selected the decorative materials while GRU oversaw the design and installation.
Tumblin Creek Watershed Management Plan - Staff is evaluating the feasibility of constructing a sub-regional stormwater underground exfiltration basin beneath the proposed development of One College Park, in the College Park/University Heights redevelopment area. This would serve as a pilot project for large scale stormwater exfiltration and Public/Private partnerships for creative stormwater solutions.
SW 7th Ave Roadway Improvements - The scope of improvements include resurfacing the roadway, improving drainage, on-street parking, and installing permeable concrete. The design contract is being routed, with design work expected to begin August 2009.
SW 2nd Avenue Master Plan - The CRA continues to pursue a comprehensive vision for redevelopment along the SW 2nd Avenue corridor. The goal of this initiative is to formulate a plan that is based on a thorough understanding of the infrastructure issues and market forces (including the closure of Shands at AGH) that will impact redevelopment.
SW 8th Ave Improvements - Design is underway to produce 60% construction drawings. Included in the list of planned improvements are reconstruction of the roadway from SW 9th St to SW 10th St, narrowing driving lanes for inclusion of on-street parking, undergrounding aerial utilities, sidewalk reconstruction to widen and include clay brick streetscaping, clay brick crosswalks, American Disability Act Public Rights of Way Access Guidelines (ADA PROWAG) compliancy, street trees, and decorative roadway and pedestrian scale lighting.
SW 13th Street Pedestrian Overpass Enhancement Design - The Design Competition is on hold.
Rails-to-Trails Signage - The City Commission has adopted the CRA's design for guide signage for the City's rail trail system. CRA is currently facilitating the design of the mounting system.
FAPS
FAPS Heritage Trail - CRA staff has authorized Dix Lathrop Associates to begin preliminary design research for the Heritage Trail Project, a new initiative to highlight the past, present and cultural heritage in the Fifth Avenue and Pleasant Street neighborhoods. The project was generated in the strategic planning process and consists of creating a physical system of markers to reveal the significant personal histories that are associated with these communities. Staff and Dix Lathrop are planning to present initial research and a design concept to the FAPS advisory board on July 28th.
FAPS Strategic Planning - The FAPS advisory board has completed the strategic planning process, and the advisory board approved the annual budget as well as a 3-year "roadmap" of projects to implement in the Area. The board has developed a framework for evaluating potential project opportunities and created a "roadmap" to help allocate resources and schedules to ensure implementation of redevelopment goals.
NW 5th Ave Streetscape Phase II (600-1000 BLK) - on this agenda.
A Quinn Jones House - on consent agenda
Fiscal Note
None at this time
Recommendation
CRA Executive Director to CRA: Receive project update from staff.