AgdaPkt 2002-10-07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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review with a specific focus on the downtown urban design issues. Staff is recommending that the firm of Freedman, Tung & Bottomley (FTB) be retained to provide the services needed. FTB is an experienced urban design and town planning firm. They offer specialized services in district revitalization, redevelopment and infill master planning; transit center and station area design; designs for public streets, squares and greens; development standards and design guidelines; district identity enhancement planning; and, general urban design and town planning. Over the past seventeen years they have been involved in the revitalization and redevelopment of numerous cities, including Mountain View, Yuba City, Yentura, Cathedral City, Lodi, Redondo Beach, Fremont, Napa, Whittier, Livermore, East Palo Alto, Phoenix, Arizona and Ames, Iowa. In the late 1980's they worked in Redwood City and developed plans for improvements to Hamilton Avenue and to Broadway. The Community Development Services Director as well as the Downtown Development Manager and the Planning and Redevelopment Manager have all worked with FTB on different projects in different cities and all recommend them to the Council and Redevelopment Board. Michael Freedman, a principal of the firm, was one of the keynote speakers at the Housing Symposium on September 21, 2002. He is a very effective speaker and trainer, as demonstrated by the comments in the evaluations submitted by the attendees. An excerpt from the summary comments is attached and clearly show the skill, clarity and passion Mr. Freedman brings to the subject of town planning, district revitalization and place-making. Alternatives 1. Seek proposals from other urban planning firms. 2. Decide not to hire any urban design firm. Fiscal Impact The combined total compensation and reimbursement of costs payable under the contract is $260,000. Of this amount, $45,000 (plus 10%)will be contributed by Abbott Labs and $215,000 will be the Agency contribution~. The contract is structured so that $50,000 of the Agency's contribution is payable only after an initial $165,000 has been spent, the services have been satisfactory and additional services are required per the determination of the Agency Executive Director. Once the $215,000 cap is reached, the agreement would terminate unless the Redevelopment Board agreed to appropriate additional funds for this purpose. The $215,000 in potential compensation by the Agency requires a motion authorizing the appropriate amendment to the Agency FY2002-2004 budget. Upon receipt of the $45,000 (plus 10%) payment from Abbott Laboratories a general fund ~ Abbott's contribution is an initial deposit of $45,000 to cover FTB's costs associated with their project's plan review, The person assigned from FTB to this task is Alison Kendall. It is possible that the total costs for the plan review may exceed the $45,000 estimate, in which case, as soon as becomes evident that the $45,000 will not cover all necessary costs, the City will request additional funds from Abbott Laboratories. 3