For the past year Staff has been working with Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (CalTrain), the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the owners of Murphy Square to develop a multi-modal transit center on Evelyn Avenue. A multi-modal transit center would enhance the public transit component of the downtown plan and solve some of the parking problems faced by the City, as well as CalTrain.

The benefits to the City and the Redevelopment Agency include the construction of new parking spaces in the area to support the expanded use of public transit, as well as support the existing businesses in the area. Funding for the development is anticipated to come from a number of sources. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has committed $50,000 for planning and design fees and $861,000 for construction of the train station and pedestrian plaza. This grant has to be under contract by September 2000. CalTrain has committed $2,000,000 for construction of the parking structure.

The multi-modal center has been ranked at the top of the list for County Measure A and B discretionary funds for $5.5 million. Please note that these funds are not related to City Measure A and B pavement management funds discussed in previous report to Council. The primary criteria used to prioritize projects for Measure A and B were project readiness and local support. The proposal for Measure A and B funds goes to the Valley Transportation Authority Board November 5^th, 1999 and to the County Board of Supervisors in December. If all the project funds are approved the City will have almost $8.5 million for the multi-modal center. This will be sufficient to build the parking structure, the new train station and adjoining public plaza area and improvements to the exciting CalTrain parking lot. The bus facilities along Frances Street would be designed and constructed in conjunction with the Block I public plaza.

On May 11, 1999 the Redevelopment Agency Board approved a contract with Gordon H. Chong and Partners for the initial design and engineering drawings for the parking garage and surrounding site plan. Gordon H. Chong and Partners recently completed the site plan and elevations for the parking garage and the surrounding area for public hearing review. This included environmental, geotechnical and survey reports.

Staff is recommending approval of Budget Modification #17 for $8,811,000. This includes $8,411,000 of outside revenue sources and $400,000 of City funds for an addendum to the contract with Gordon Chong and Partners for construction and bid drawings for the project (Attachment A). The City funds would come from the Redevelopment Agency in the form of a reduction from its annual repayment of City debt to the General Fund.

Staff from Community Development and Public Works, as well as the Valley Transportation Authority, CalTrain and the owners of Murphy Square have been working on a multi-modal or inter-modal public transit center in the downtown. This type of center would enhance the downtown for the City, having it well-positioned for the future in terms of transit accessibility, as well as help CalTrain find a solution to its parking needs and better coordinate the bus/train connection in Sunnyvale.

Transit Interface

The current Sunnyvale CalTrain Station has a building, outside boarding platforms, almost 200 parking spaces, and passenger amenities (shelters, bike lockers, newspaper racks, etc.). The station is served by 66 weekday, 28 Saturday and 20 Sunday trains. Shuttles and taxicabs take passengers to jobs that are not in walking distance. Additionally, VTA buses are located along Frances Street, which provides direct access into the station. Currently, 852 people board at the Sunnyvale train station in the morning, and 500 people disembark in the morning. It is estimated that the number of people arriving at the Sunnyvale station will increase significantly with the Mozart office development and a more vital downtown generally.

The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (PCJPB) adopted a CalTrain 20-Year Strategic Plan in 1997. This plan identified an immediate need for additional parking and other improvements at the downtown Sunnyvale station. Currently, the CalTrain lot is full, and passengers are parking in the parking lots on the south side of Evelyn Avenue that is planned for the Mozart project and the downtown plaza. VTA also adopted a Strategic Plan in 1996, which contained an expansion plan for bus service. VTA needs an upgraded transit center in Sunnyvale to support this growth.

The City, CalTrain and the VTA undertook a jointly funded study in 1998 to develop a plan for a multi-modal transit center that included expanded parking; bus related improvements and upgraded passenger facilities. The plan coordinated with and supported the City’s plans for the downtown. The study determined the needs of transit, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian circulation into and out of the station, determined the functional requirements for the Transit Station including parking, ticketing, services, facilities, and commercial opportunities. The study also included a conceptual plan of the parking structure, train station, and the physical connection to the proposed public plaza on Evelyn Avenue and Frances Street.

A Request for Qualifications for architectural and engineering services was issued in February 1999 and the team led by Gordon H. Chong and Partners was chosen based on their architectural and engineering expertise coupled with extensive public outreach and community building experience. On 11 May 1999, the Redevelopment Agency approved the consultant services agreement with Gordon H. Chong and Partners for the design of the parking garage and surrounding area.

The Downtown Specific Plan policy P.LUC-14 states:

"Consider a multimodal transit station centered around the CalTrain Station and Evelyn Avenue."

The Redevelopment Plan includes:

"seeking opportunities to invest where activity will produce results such as: 1) identification and purchase of strategically located property as it becomes available and where it is important to accomplish the long-tern plan, and 2) investment in strategic parcels (including City owned land) where it would increase the potential for strategic land assembly and redevelopment activity."

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has committed $50,000 for planning and design fees for the initial design phase and $861,000 for construction of the train station and pedestrian plaza. This grant has to be under contract by September 2000. CalTrain has committed $2,000,000 for construction of the parking structure. The multi-modal center has been ranked at the top of the list for County Measure A and B discretionary funds for $5.5 million. The primary criteria used to prioritize projects for Measure A and B were project readiness and local support. The proposal for Measure A and B funds goes to the Valley Transportation Authority Board November 5^th, 1999 and to the County Board of Supervisors in December. If all the project funds are approved, the City will have almost $8.4 million for the multi-modal center. This will be sufficient to build the structure, the new train station and adjoining public plaza area and improvements to the CalTrain parking lot. The bus facilities along Frances Street would be designed and constructed in conjunction with the downtown City public plaza.

Consistent with Section 33445 of California Redevelopment Law, the Agency can make the following findings: The parking structure is a benefit to the project area and no other reasonable means of financing the structures are available. The Agency’s contribution to the cost will assist in the elimination of blight in that area by providing additional parking to serve the businesses in the area and facilitating additional retail uses that will draw additional business to the area. The Agency does not have sufficient tax increment revenue to construct the structure and the City does not have sufficient unallocated capital funds to construct the structure. The project is consistent with the Redevelopment Agency’s Implementation Plan in that the Agency’s role includes land assembly to stimulate surrounding private reinvestment, to increase business retention and attraction, tax generation, and re-establishment of a vital downtown core.

Gordon Chong and Associates have completed the design phase of the project. Attachment A outlines the consultant costs to complete the project up to and including bid documents. Staff is recommending approval of Budget Modification #17 for $8,811,000 which includes an addendum to the contract with Gordon Chong and Associates for $400,000 for construction and bid drawings of this project. If the Special Development Permit is approved and this addendum is approved, the consultants can begin working drawings immediately. The bid package should be ready by March 1, 2000 with a construction start scheduled for May 2000. The structure should be complete in ten to twelve months.

A budget modification in the amount of $8,811,000 is requested. This includes outside revenue sources totaling $8,411,000 and an additional $400,000 of City funds. The City’s portion will fund the consultant to provide construction documents and bid packages for the parking structure and surrounding area improvements. The source of this $400,000 is a reduction to the Redevelopment Agency’s debt repayment schedule to the City in FY 1999/2000. The previously budgeted repayment amount for FY 1999/2000 IS $731,581. This budget modification would reduce this to $331,581, ultimately reflecting a reduction in the General Fund’s 20 Year RAP Reserve of $400,000.

This budget modification will enable the City to use the CalTrain, VTA, County Measure A and B discretionary funds, and the MTC grant in a timely manner to assure that the parking structure is built and maximizes the potential for $8.411 million of outside funding.