WORKSHOP REPORT - Laserfiche WebLink

THE CITY OF m CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT pL EASANTON® October 6, 2009 Library and Assistant City Manger TITLE: WORKSHOP WITH THE LIBRARY COMMISSION CONCERNING THE CIVIC CENTER MASTER PLAN AND LIBRARY EXPANSION PROJECT SUMMARY In response to the planning concepts included in the Downtown Specific Plan, the City Council authorized preparation of a civic center master plan process to explore the potential for incorporating a new city hall office building on the current civic center site. During this process, but prior to finalizing the civic center master plan document, and in response to a request of the Library Commission, the City Council determined it beneficial to change the focus of the civic center master plan work to include options for expansion and /or relocation of the Pleasanton Library. In response to this direction, the Library Commission and staff have completed three studies related to the potential redevelopment of the civic center site. These include the civic center master plan prepared by Group 4 Architecture Research Planning, Inc., the Pleasanton Library needs assessment study prepared by Kathryn Page Associates, and a Library Technical Study/ Conceptual Library Design/ Preliminary Cost Analysis study prepared by Field Paoli Architects. The Field Paoli study, which is attached to this report, includes a technical assessment, conceptual design and preliminary cost analysis for expanding the Pleasanton Library at its current site and the potential for constructing a new library building at the corner of Main Street and Bernal Avenue. While the three studies provided valuable concepts to address the civic center redevelopment, due to the overall economy, the uncertainty regarding the availability of the 3.3 acre site owned by the City and County of San Francisco located on Old Bernal, and the focus on more advanced capital projects, including the Bernal Community Park Phase I Lighted Sports Fields and the Firehouse Arts Theater, the City Council has not yet fully reviewed the Field Paoli conceptual plan documents. Based on the near completion of the City Council's highest priority capital improvement projects, and the fact that the Council has established a priority for continuing the planning process for expansion of the Pleasanton Library, it is timely to review the civic center planning work completed to date. While staff recognizes that available funding will limit any significant design or construction work on the project, it may be timely to complete the work prepared to date by Field Paoli by incorporating the Pleasanton Library and City Hall building concepts into a more comprehensive site plan. This work would include soliciting additional input from the Downtown neighborhood and the Pleasanton Downtown Association (PDA), further pursing the acquisition of the San Francisco site, and exploring some preliminary project financing concepts. As a result, this joint workshop will include a review of work completed to date and a discussion regarding the appropriate next steps in the project.