Subject: CONTRACT FOR URBAN DESIGN SERVICES, EAST GARDNER SPECIFIC PLAN
The Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement recommends that the City Council approve a consultant agreement, for a maximum compensation of $82,500, with the ROMA Design Group for urban design services to be included in the preparation of the East Gardner Specific Plan.
BACKGROUND
The East Gardner Specific Plan area is generally bounded by Hwy 280, South 6th Street, Keyes Street and South First Street. This area is a part of and located within the larger Spartan-Keyes Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Improvement Plan area and is also part of the City’s Housing Opportunities Study area.
A specific plan for this area will allow the City, property owners and the community to take advantage of the many opportunities in this area to create a new neighborhood that complements the Downtown as well as existing neighborhoods to the east, south and west. Opportunities for creating a unique new community include large underutilized or vacant parcels, a large aggregation of Victorian houses, several historic industrial buildings that have outlived their original uses and a mixture of other properties that have probably exceeded their economic life span.
The development of the specific plan is already underway and the consultant, the community and staff have begun to sketch out the broad outlines of an exciting new community that could include high density and affordable housing, including loft and live/work space; a new park; new commercial uses; and a variety of arts related uses, all in a pedestrian oriented format. The area is already home to significant numbers of artists who live and/or work there and the Spartan-Keyes community is anxious to encourage an even stronger arts presence. The specific plan is being developed with the assistance of the Spartan-Keyes Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC), the same NAC that is also working on a Neighborhood Improvement Plan for the larger community.
ROMA Design Group was selected through a Request for Qualifications process to prepare one or more of the phases of the City’s Housing Opportunities Study (HOS). The East Gardner Specific Plan is one of the identified phases of the HOS. ROMA has extensive planning and urban design experience and is well qualified to provide the urban design expertise required to help reshape the character of this unique area. In addition, ROMA staff is extremely successful and skilled at working with diverse communities toward the establishment of common goals.
Budget Reference
Fund: 001: General Fund/443: Low/Moderate Housing Income Fund
APPN: 0582 (PBCE Non-Personal Services)
Budgeted Amount: $52,500 from Housing Opportunities Study
$30,000 from PBCE Neighborhood Revitalization
Program
Budget Document: FY 2000-01 Operating Budget, Page 581
The preparation of this memo and contract was coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and Risk Management.
JAMES R. DERRYBERRY, DIRECTOR
Planning, Building Code Enforcement