Staff is recommending a plaza design and construction budget of $5,721,700. Furthermore, staff is recommending that the City Council award a contract to Amphion Environmental, Inc., of Oakland for professional design services and construction support services for the new Downtown Plaza.

On June 4, 2002 the City Council approved a conceptual downtown plaza design prepared by Amphion Environmental, Inc. (Attachment A) and provided direction to staff on priority for design enhancements, plaza size and schedule. The approved conceptual design consists of a 1.6 acre "Basic" design plaza. Council directed staff to meet the property owners and other stakeholders in the North of Washington area on alternative parking proposals to meets the parking needs and expand the size of the plaza.

Council reordered the plaza enhancement plaza priorities to:

• Include a significant water feature (e.g. waterwall with pump room), restrooms, labyrinth in Tier 1 and move the enhanced self-contained fountain into Tier 2
• Confirm that larger trees along Evelyn and feature lighting (e.g. arbor lighting) should be kept in Tier 1
• Assure that a base for a flagpole is included in the Basic design.

These items will be included as Additive Alternates in the Bid Package. Council further directed staff to explore options that may result in a completed project in a shorter time.

Council endorsed a budget for design and construction of the downtown plaza of approximately $5,721,700. In addition Council directed staff to pursue additional funding for the plaza to enhance design per a revised tiered list of enhancement priorities.

C1.2.4 Maintain public open space areas and require private open space to be maintained.

Policy D.2 Maintain beautiful and comfortable outdoor public places which provide a shared sense of ownership and belonging for Sunnyvale residents, business owners and visitors.

D.2.b Continue to provide courtyards and public plazas around City buildings and encourage at least one large plaza downtown.

D.2.c. Encourage public courtyards and plazas to have: comfortable, shady places to sit, protection from automobile noise and fumes; defined boundaries; and, where appropriate, water elements and artworks.

Policy C.4.f. Support the development of plazas, linear parks and pocket parks along pedestrian pathways in the downtown area as designated in the Downtown Specific Plan.

Goal: Urban Design-2

Increase open space and pedestrian-oriented environments in the downtown.

Policy: Urban Design-2

Maintain beautiful and comfortable outdoor public places which can be shared by Sunnyvale residents, business owners, employees and visitors.

Amphion Environmental, Inc. has completed the conceptual design phase of the plaza. A plaza conceptual design plan (Basic Design) was approved by Council on June 4, 2002. The Council also asked that the Tier 1 enhancements be designed for bidding additive alternates. Additional design fees associated with the additive alternates are reflected in the total project budget.

The following table outlines the probable costs to prepare construction documents, project specifications and provide construction administration, inspections and testing for the Basic Design plaza project. Staff is recommending approval of Budget Modification #32 to accommodate design, construction and administration budget of $5,721,700.

The professional services agreement with Amphion Environmental, Inc, will be a comprehensive, all inclusive work program for the professional design team.

The agreement will result in a coordinated effort to accomplish the City Council and staff objectives of high quality design including landscaping, site planning and circulation Included in the agreement will be the following 10 distinct professional services:

• Landscaping
  • Including Plant Material, Irrigation Design, Lightweight Soils, Grading & Drainage Design, and Site Furnishings
• Structural
• Lighting
• Mechanical
• Electrical

Also included in the professional services agreement will be the preparation of construction documents and specifications. Bid documents will include additive alternates from Tier 1 of the Plaza Enhancements priorities (Attachment B).

The construction support services component of the consultant services agreement will help insure a high-quality project by including the design team in the construction phase.

The consultants can begin working drawings immediately. Based on a 6-month schedule for construction documents, the bid package would be ready in November 2002 with a construction start scheduled by February 2003. The plaza should be complete in six to twelve months from the start of construction.

A budget modification in the amount of $3,031,654 is requested. This will increase the project budget to $6,061,700 ($340,000 already committed for conceptual design and structural upgrades plus $5,721,700 for construction documents, construction and project administration). Staff recommends the appropriation of funds from park dedication fees, Proposition 40 proceeds, and rental income from the Fair Oaks Industrial Park by delaying park construction by two years. These funding sources provide $2,432,000 of the needed funds. $599,654 is still required to fully fund this project with the basic design.

Possible funding sources include defunding lower priority projects and the Non-Recurring Events Reserve. Staff requests that Council direct staff to either evaluate currently funded projects and provide recommendations for defunding or draw funds from the Non-Recurring Events Reserve.

Tier 1 enhancements could add up to $1.6M in additional construction and administration costs. Funding sources would need to be identified to accommodate the costs of the Tier 1 plus enhancements.

* Staff recommends funding from defunding of projects or Non-Recurring Events Reserve.

This report was included in the publication and posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official bulletin board, and the City’s web page. This report is also available at the Sunnyvale Public Library and the City Clerk’s Office.

Alternative 1.

Prepared by:

Erin M. Walters
Associate Planner

Reviewed by:

Trudi Ryan
Planning Officer

Reviewed by:

Robert Paternoster
Director, Community Development

Reviewed by:

Marvin A. Rose
Director, Public Works

Reviewed by:

Robert A. Walker
Director, Parks and Recreation

Reviewed by:

Mary Bradley
Director, Finance

Approved by:

Robert S. LaSala
City Manager