HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 10-10 PreMeridian City Pre-Council Meeting October 10,
2006
The Meridian City Pre-Council meeting was called to order at 5:30 P.M. on
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 by President Councilman Shaun Wardle.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird, Shaun Wardle, Charlie
Rountree and Joe Borton.
Staff Present: Bill Nary, Ted Baird, Shelly Houston, Caleb Hood, Brad Watson,
John Overton, Reta Cunningham, Keith Watts and Will Berg.
Item 1. Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
X Shaun Wardle X__Joe Borton
X__Charlie Rountree X Keith Bird
_X_ Mayor Tammy de Weerd
Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda:
Bird: Mr. President.
Wardle: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we adopt the agenda as published.
Rountree: Second.
Wardle: It has been moved and seconded to adopt the agenda. All those in
favor.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 3. Presentation of Site Plan and Elevations for New City Hall
Building Design (results from the City Hall Building
Committee): Steve Simmonds
Wardle: We are all excited to see what the Committee has come up with. I am
going to introduce Steve Simmonds with LCA to lead us through our
presentation.
De Weerd: Lombard, Conrad Architects.
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October 10, 2006
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Simmonds: Thank you Madame Mayor and members of the Council. As I said
earlier we have been working with the Committee for the last couple of months
on the various concepts – originally with site concepts after we establish our
goals and mission for the project and re-verified the program to look at different
site concepts, options and opportunities for this project. Over the last several
months we had a lot of good input from the Committee, a lot of exchange of
various ideas along with staff and those folks that have also served quite
diligently to assist us in solving some of the issues at hand. Tonight what we
want to do is just give you a very brief walk through as to what where we have
been to date and basically our solution. We bring you tonight a final solution we
presented to the Committee last week and we felt that went very well, some
successes there and certainly there is final tweaks. This is conceptual in nature.
As you will see tonight, but as you know it is an evolving process. The design
process is ever evolving and it will move over the next several months. We are
in charge along with the contractor, Petra Construction to be ready in the spring
to get this project going, which we are all on board to do. So, tonight we will walk
you through a few of our design assumptions, theories and those sorts of things
that we bring to the table for you to evaluate and put input to and then we will do
what we need to with your direction to finalize this concept and move onto the
next schematic and design development phases if you will. I have with me
tonight, Lexi Townsend who is going to run some of our audio visuals tonight, if
everything goes right. But, we do have backup and I think you also have a
packet with this. The only thing different than what you have before you is we
have tweaked a few things on the site plan a little bit different than the packet
you have there. As I said that is ever evolving. We anticipate the next charge
after we move on is to have our site designer sit down with the Committee and
spend a lot of time going through the grounds if you will, the site and revising and
going through that and with our site concepts, looking at some of those things
that we want to achieve and tweaking those and moving on. Like I said, we
(inaudible) our intent was to resolve the building concept, elevations and those
sorts of things tonight and last week as well. But, we did bring to bear some
ideas because that somewhat drives the evolution and solution of the building.
So, we have got there, but we will spend sometime with the Committee later on
revising those and going through those, but we will go through some of those
ideas as well. So, let me just start since we have got that working. Should I
move the boards now that we have got that up on the screen? Can you guys
see the boards? See it okay? So, architectural is a process where we look for
themes and for imagery and those sorts of things that are unique to a community
to be able to drive the solution that we are proposing. So, as we worked the past
several weeks with the Committee there are lots of things that came to bear
about what is unique about Meridian, the community, its history and its future.
Basically, it is the center of the Treasure Valley. That came up a lot as to the
center of a lot of things that happen here, agricultural, transportation, growth, the
things that we are having and we are seeing today. This building and this
solution to this project should reflect the values of the community. Realizing
those values are unique to each and every one of us here. Everybody has it in
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October 10, 2006
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their hearts as to what those values might be so as we are evolving through this
process, hopefully that reflects some of each and everyone of the Committee
members and you folks as well as to what those values are and we are allowed
to look at those various options and try to reinforce some of those values to
expression of architecture and site design. The amount of glazing in that the
building should reflect some sort of openness to invite the public in. As
community servants you want to have that open house where people feel
welcomed to come in and do the business that has to be done. This building
should reflect a sense of community pride, but also of seriousness. It is a civic
project. There is business that happens there, so we want to be able to have
that sort of seriousness as you approach the building, very structured solution,
but also allow the plaza as an opportunity where people would want to
congregate to exchange ideas and to spend some time. As a community, after
hours and weekends and those sorts of things there is a lot of opportunities here
in Meridian for that. So, the plan, the screen walls and things that we are going
to show you tonight kind of reflect that sense of order, that sense of somewhat
free flowing and some of Meridian’s past and also a structure and an expression
of structure, so we look to honor the past to create a message for future
generations as to what this project is. It will be here long after, most of us,
certainly me anyway so it is our intent to build a project that stands a test of time
that is a solid civic project that is here for many, many years. So it is kind of a
key term is a solution should be an architectural expression of Meridian’s historic
past and their future as to where they want to go and what they have been in the
past. You are very familiar certainly with the design guidelines. They look at
trying to bring those sorts of historic nature buildings to the street, to the front so
that people can enjoy that and many of our historic structures have that around
and certainly you have some in the city as it is so we have those street frontages
for people to have the opportunity to have sidewalk cafés, interactions. A lot of
things are in the guidelines that we tried to express in certain wings of this
building and we will go through that as well. So, it is kind of an effusion of
historic past and progressive future if you will. These images that are here – I
don’t know if you can see those, they are in your packets right ahead of you in
this center picture board. Right in the center. It all evolves around this piece –
where you see these punched openings. That is representative of a more
progressive architecture, if you will. Kind of a punched openings looking at the
rhythm, the pattern, the things that make us feel comfortable. When we look at
buildings, how sun reflects off of windows, how the shading, the repetition of
rhythm and there are certain things about buildings that we know that we like as
humans. There are certain things that bother us, disorganization and other
things and pertinences that are placed on buildings for no rhyme or reason. So,
we started looking as architects at some of the simplistic of design, this kind of a
statuesque if you will, punched openings grid (inaudible) a very nice refined
solution to a building. The other photographs around the perimeter are more
representative of historic structures somewhat in a modern interpretation.
Bringing in modern materials in masonry and mixing the masonry together of
different color lines and grids, detailing that we have that we can certainly pick up
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on this building as well. These are sun shades so, therefore, if we were following
lead and looking at some of those opportunities for sun shading and energy
conservation this is a modern interpretation and very nicely done. So, you start
looking at these sorts of details in the brick between these two columns here that
we have the (inaudible) to do that are cost effective (inaudible) of what materials
we end up with, you know we will look at some of those options. So, this is kind
of an evolution of progressive architecture and historic opportunities that we think
that this building can express. Let me go to the site plan real fast. On the City’s
website and I think on the Chamber’s website, there is information about
Meridian’s past and the future and where they are going to go and where they
are looking to grow to. This picture up behind us on the screen is the New York
Canal. Meridian was (inaudible) along Five Mile Creek many, many years ago
for the obvious reasons – water. Water is so important to our existence here in
this Treasure Valley and the irrigation that plays a part and a major role in our
lives and existence, so we felt that was very important – the merging of irrigation,
water and agriculture and that is what this town was founded on in a distribution
of agricultural products and those things. So, this is a construction of the New
York Canal, a very engineered structure, very straightforward, design solution
and those sorts of things. So, how does that play into our design solution for the
Plaza? Well, you are seeing here the outline of the building component. This
was an orientation of the building that the Committee felt was the most desirable
and agreed to. You start to see as you are coming in from the city center you
see a very straightforward organizational kind of pathway similar to the New York
Canal with water and those sorts of amenities that come out of the brick wall
here along with a community flower garden. We did talk with (inaudible)
Extension Office at the University of Idaho to see if perhaps there are volunteers
that would like to maintain a garden. They are very much interested in doing just
that and looking at a flower garden, representative there again of the agricultural
base of the community. As you come to the plaza there is a theme where the
water would come down through a trough that is being used to irrigate these
various planter boxes if you will and then runs under the plaza into a fountain in
front of the building, underground again and then to a more kind of curl linear
free flowing of a creek if you will, kind of a rock structure that is representative of
a five mile creek in the history Meridian and where it evolved from. So, as you
enter from the parking lot on the south side, a free flowing more of an organic
solution back to a structured New York Canal kind of them, if you will. There are
different patterns that play in the concrete that kind of represent water as well
and the importance of water in our community. The structure here is an
amphitheatre for community gatherings. We see that we could have shows and
little things that could happen in this plaza. People could sit on these and you
see representation of this grass structure. We would clad this in the brick. The
contractor is going to go through those bids later on, but we did have a number
in to salvage the masonry material from the dairy behind us, the old Creamery,
excuse me and be able to utilize that brick for many things along the site that we
are looking at here to build the brick, the brick walls and those sorts of things.
So, that is what this is showing there. As you came up the south there is a
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walkway that peels off into a little tree (inaudible) is what these are called. Little
meditation places, if you will to set on benches – these are small sidewalks that –
people can sit there read books, the community can sit there, children can sit
there and enjoy the space in the civic plaza if you will behind the amphitheatre.
There is a small structure here located on the east side of the property that
connects – there is a connection directly out the front of the plaza from the city
hall directly across the adjacent properties. We talked to those property owners
about the opportunity to make that connection and reinforce perhaps a plaza in
this area between their properties to connect over to the street as well and look
for retail opportunity. I mean, they have a certain captive audience and folks
here and customer base at the city hall when consolidate your employees in this
building. So, there is an opportunity to enjoin the properties and reinforce that
connection across to the east. This little structure here we envision being built
out of salvaged brick materials to have a couple of small potties in there for
public gatherings for a farmer’s market and those sorts of things, but also is we
are calling it a heritage pavilion. I have talked to the folks in the Historic Society
about looking at materials that we have put on there, displays, movable banners
and things that we attach to the salvaged wood products that we will take out of
the Creamery to have those sorts of reflections of Meridian’s past and there are
several opportunities for us to develop along with the communities as to where
those might go in and where those might be. So, we have tried to create those
sorts of opportunities for folks to there again, to look at some of the historical
importance of the city and opportunity to display those for everyone to enjoy. So,
this brings a lot of that to bear at this point. So, any questions so far? The floor
plan and I will just touch on this briefly. This is an evolving process as well.
What we have done today is we have gone through the various programs with
the departments. We have had a couple of meetings with the department heads
and as to where certain departments should lie and where they should fall. This
is going to be worked out in much more detail. This is a blocking diagram that
illustrates at least our first couple of passes as to where those departments
should lie and where they could lie, but we will spend a lot more time going
through those, working with the department heads and with the rest of the
committee to figure out exactly who should be where and at what level they
should be. This is our latest interpretation and the reason I show you this is
because you can see the symmetry of the building and this is the first floor going
directly in the front, a major grand lobby, a two-story lobby and then into the
Council Chambers. So, not unlike what you have here, only a much grander,
larger space. We see the importance of the Council Chambers and basically
where the laws and the zoning laws of Meridian are in this facility so this is very
important that you just come in to understand the reverence of that and the
importance of space if you will. Then the various departments will spin off of
that. On this side you are seeing the Public Works and here is Planning. The
reason we are showing those various wings is they come off the building is
because those also have the, perhaps if the need, the opportunity to have public
enter from the parking lot through separate entrances and not have everybody
go through the main entrance of the building so we could bring those off the
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street, off of Broadway as well as off the parking lot. Once that is worked out and
we are trying to balance security and those sorts of things as well. But, those
are – some of these departments are the ones who certainly have the most foot
traffic and user based that comes into this, so that is why they are placed where
they are. The other floors which are in your packet kind of show as we go up,
the second level can step or excuse me the third level steps out onto the roof of
the second level if we choose to have roof decks and those sorts of things.
(Inaudible) is a three-story weathered basement, three-story of 78,000 square
feet roughly.
(Inaudible--)
Bird: Mr. President.
Wardle: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Steve, that 78,000 does not include basement, does it?
Simmonds: No that is correct. It does not.
Bird: It is – so we are total (inaudible) basement about 90,000?
Simmonds: Correct. The departments as programmed now have growth in
there for the next 10 to 15 years for each one of those to expand. So, there is
certainly growth within the building itself. What you are seeing here is going
back to our image board and this is the main elevation that would face east, the
plaza. So, you start seeing materials of brick masonry looking out – these are
the various wings where Planning and Public Works would be, the two-story
wings on either side that have that – following the design guidelines (inaudible)
historical base in context with the awnings that come with the punched openings
and the brick masonry with the accent brick and copings that would come along
through that, very down to a human scale so people at street level feel that they
are not overwhelmed with a three or four-story building above their head which
pulls them into the plaza. The central icon, of course, is we are using day
lighting concepts to be able to get the light into the well, into the center of the
lobby space within the building bringing it through these north windows here as
well as protecting the south glazing on this side of the major atrium, if you will as
well. Curvilinear glass, therefore reflecting, there again, the curving nature of the
building as well as of the plaza itself. So, this is the modern interpretation of a
stone clad, masonry clad – those materials are up in the air right now working
with the contractor – once he gets a hold of these and we take your input and
looking at exactly what we can afford to put on the building, but we are
envisioning some sort of stone masonry or pre-cast so that material would be
here and brick masonry and accents would be on various wings in the stair
towers. This curvilinear roof structure, as you can see this is the side looking
from Broadway back of the building – this is the stair tower and the glass that
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October 10, 2006
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goes up through that stair tower. The roof awning is at street level and you can
see glazing going into that atrium space here. But, this curvilinear roof, metal
roof is representative of the agricultural buildings that we see around there. We
would also reflect that same curved roof on our heritage pavilion and that wood
structure in front of that. They kind of tie that in that exists currently now and the
one far east building of the Creamery that is currently there. We are salvaging
some of those materials as well for reuse. So, this starts bringing down the
agricultural look of that as well. This is the Meridian Road piece. The Council
Chambers will sit down at the first level where we don’t need the day lighting, but
above that on the lobby spaces and up in the attorney spaces we would have
that window of opportunities there. The windows are set back somewhat on the
third floor, but this is a curved, punched opening and you can start to see – we
have a model to show you as well. We will take that to show you and bring it up
to you so you can see that a little bit better and easier to understand. Because
that face of Meridian does curve and soften the building somewhat. There again,
you are seeing that same punched stone materials and then the brick masonry.
The south and the north elevations are pretty much the same no matter which
direction you look at that. Any questions so far?
Borton: Steve I have just a basic question. Are you envisioning that we have a
steel super structure and then whatever the materials are (inaudible--) are not
bearing on that?
Simmonds: No, we talked about it. As a matter of fact we talked with Wes
Beddis with Petra about those various materials and that is exactly what we are
envisioning. He is going to look at some other (inaudible) perhaps. He said
lately as we both have spikes in our material costs, concrete, masonry and some
other things – things are starting to come around differently and so he is going to
investigate those materials and look at that and give us some input back. That is
why when we start looking at these materials and I showed you some of our
images of the opportunities of detailing reveals, punched and some little brick
detailing. We haven’t shown that at this conceptual nature because we don’t
know exactly what those materials are going to be yet. We are going to work
with them and as we refine the design we are going to bring those kinds of
details back for you to see.
Bird: Mr. President.
Wardle: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Steve, would you hit -- for everybody’s benefit on sunshades what they do
and –
Simmonds: Oh, absolutely. The sunshades and we are going to at the end of
this presentation we also have what we call a sketch-up. It is a modeling
program we used during a design process. You have all seen probably 3-D
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October 10, 2006
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really nice renderings of facilities. This is a little step before that to be able to
look at those things. Lexi will show how this building will shad itself and shad the
plaza and some other things during summer, 6:00, June 21st
, December and
those sorts of things so we will be able to see a little bit better. Certainly the
orientation running north, south of the building is not certainly ideal from the
shading aspect from the eastern sun, so we are going to use glazing to kind of
minimize that on this space here to kind of deal with those and then other
glazing’s down below. Just probably for the sake of information the Committee
took a tour of the Banner Bank building and I think we have seen a lot of that in
the press. That is a LEED certified building that would say – a speck office
building if you will. Had a lot of neat ideas that they are bringing to bear in that
building and we have used some of those ourselves in other office buildings, but
there is opportunity to do similar sorts of solutions on this facility, there again,
making it very energy efficient, very cost effective for the citizens and trying to
get the most bang for the buck for the building that we can – very nice open
spaces looking at inside of the building. Certainly some hard walled offices
where we need to have of those things that we don’t see ever in moving really –
core spaces if you will. But, for the most part a lot of the employees and folks will
be in movable systems, furniture and those sorts of things that we can have
some flexibility with. The Banner Bank had, for example, under four distribution
systems for air – allow a lot of movement, a lot of things that can happen above
the floor level – much more comfortable spaces. Things happen and things
move, we can bring boxes in, move electrical outlets and those sorts of things in
the floor structure as opposed to moving them out of walls. So, a lot of neat
things. We have a project over in Pocatello that is under construction and we are
involved in that and have the same exact applications. So, the Committee was
very high in looking at those and we are envisioning looking at those sorts of
solutions into this building as well. Let’s bring up the model. I think I will just set
this here -- we are going to set this (inaudible) and it gives you a little better idea.
Here are the wings at straight level at the south end of the parking, where we
could have separate entrances off the parking lot as well as off of Broadway,
reinforcing this plaza and a structure of it and leading you right into the front door
of dual stairs that would come up in ramps that would lead into the central part of
the facility, then you see the curve element that softens along Meridian Street
allowing for identity -- if we so choose to do that for signage for folks because
this will become an arterial (inaudible), so we also have at the community’s
request minimized the activity that is happening out at the intersection for safety
reasons and we just put some benches and things for busses (inaudible). This
allows also the building’s orientation. One of the key goals that the community
had was to protect the site from the wind and the noise happening along this
arterial. So, the building becomes a protection of that space for sound and for
wind and those sorts of things that are happening. There is an existing parking
lot that is currently there, depending on what this property owner does, this could
become more of a plaza space or whatever. This gives you a good feel of the
scale.
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October 10, 2006
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(Inaudible)
Rountree: Let’s get her built.
De Weerd: I know I am ready to move in.
Bird: Tell Wes to get started tomorrow.
De Weerd: He already knows that. I mean, the minute our eyes lit up –
Wardle: Steve, I have a question about the roof structure. Are you envisioning
that as a – you mentioned agricultural or are we talking (inaudible) steel
materials or is that still up in the air?
Simmonds: No, we were looking at a metal galvanized roof material. A couple
of things – we have altered the design and we talked to Wes about that is
depending on – we could have roof toppings and other things that are going to
be in here. This could be an open structure in certain areas and still have it
come across as open air – it is a little early, still, but that is the form that we
would like to carry through there. We normally – you know, once we have a
product that people are comfortable with, we normally do finish models a little bit
more detailed. This is a mass study model to get us – to be able to convey those
forms to you because it is a little hard to comprehend in some cases. This is a
sketch up program that we have been working on to let you see some of the
sunshades and some of the things that will happen there and now Lexi – this is
looking from the south, so I will let her show you exactly what would happen on
June 21st
of the plaza and then December 21st
and those sorts of things. Colors
don’t matter because we are limited colors on this program, so that is why I didn’t
want to show you that first. So, this is June 21st
at 5:00. You start to see, you
know, once folks start to come into that plaza in the evenings at 5:00, you start to
see some of the shadows that would happen there – the shading, water running
through some greenery and some of those things that would soften this plaza
space.
Townsend: This is just showing the sun on the plaza throughout the year and
then you can look at the back.
Simmonds: So, we are able to rotate this around and look at this during our
studies. This project we will take it to the lighting lab and the folks here that we
do a lot of studies and light studies with and build a larger model of this, be able
to look at the different aspects of the natural daylight going into the building and
energy conservation, so that is part of the design process a little bit later on. So,
you will take that central light (inaudible--) then put into a large space and look at
the true sun angles and it will be able to assist us in size and exactly the depth
and how long that the sunshades should be. So, this is along Meridian Road.
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October 10, 2006
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Townsend: This is Meridian Road in the morning.
(Inaudible--)
Townsend: This is about 3:00 on January 21st
.
Simmonds: Okay.
Townsend: This is about 12:30 in January.
Simmonds: One of the things that we noticed about this building orientation –
one of the good things is it would certainly have the morning sun to melt the ice
and snow in the winter time. Now, if we have ice and snow in the evening, it is
being blocked by the sun so we do need to make sure we deal with those sorts
of things with maintenance and de-icers and those things on that plaza. So, as
you can see this is not the wiz-bang fly around video yet, but this is just a design
tool that we use to look at different things. So, like I said the next step would be
for us to start to enter this building into the computer system, working on this
building shell itself with your blessing and certainly it is an evolving – you know
we will be looking at different materials, tweaking the plans as we actually go
through departments and lay those out now. But, there is an opportunity now for
the Committee to work close at hand with the site designers and us to really
spend more time in looking at how we want to utilize that plaza and where we
want to go from there. We had a lot of concepts from amphitheatres and from
heritage pavilions and community gardens if you want flower gardens. All very
neat things, and whether that is what we end up with and who knows, but that is
the next step for us in the site design and then to move on. With that is there
any questions?
Wardle: I just have a couple of questions, Steve for the building lighting itself
and I understand we are in the early stages are you envisioning utilizing up-
lighting from the landscape or are you going to build that into – I guess I am not
seeing a (inaudible) material –
Simmonds: No, there isn’t a (inaudible) and what we found on other civic
projects there are a couple of things with maintenance and vandalism and so I
am concerned about (inaudible) and we will put it like on private buildings and we
will put up-lighting and landscape and that becomes an issue with maintenance
and vandalism and keeping them waterproof. We haven’t gotten there yet, but
often times like we did on the Ada County Courthouse there are opportunities on
these other roof structures to melt things that are hidden and up light different
areas off these various wings. So, we are not there yet, so I apologize I cannot
answer your question totally on that. But, we will look at those sorts of things
because I am concerned about those things because they do get vandalized.
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Wardle: My next question has to deal with (inaudible) switches, the clock and
there was discussion in the Committee about making that a center piece or is
there a consensus on the need – I guess I am just –
Simmonds: Yes, there was discussions earlier on about having a clock or a
clock tower or a kiosk with a clock or some nature of that for people to kind of
identify an icon, if you will. A kiosk for informational sake or whatever that might
entail with the Committee and what you folks think ought to be on that kiosk. It
never really has a definition of what kiosks are. So, there is a need or an
expression at least as I recall for a clock on the facility. Now, this is certainly –
there was one that was possibly donated – a multi sided clock. This is much
larger than that. This is roughly at a scale of eight feet across, a much more civic
solution if you will – a clock icon or whatever it might be. There are a lot of
opportunities (inaudible) and like I said this evolves and we will get into that more
detailed, but there is also on our site design some opportunities to build or utilize
a donated clock and (inaudible--). Another thing is that people can recognize
from downtown, there it is and it leads us right into the center of the building
complex if you will. So, right now that was just a design solution that we put on
there. It hasn’t really been a yeah or we don’t want it kind of thing because it
was never pinpointed yet and we are still looking at the overall concept if you will.
Wardle: I guess my specific question was and certainly I agree this is a much
more classical look. I have seen some structures which incorporate a screen for
announcement server and things like that and (inaudible--). So, I didn’t know if
that was no point of discussion.
Simmonds: (Inaudible) brought that up we probably would of fought that one for
awhile and having (inaudible) boards on the site of a specific building. At least
let us get down the street before you do that. No, right now we are keeping it
very classical, very straight forward, very clean and trying to make simple forms
and an expression of those forms. We will be revising materials and evolving it,
but this is kind of where we are headed for the concept phase.
Borton: Mr. President.
Wardle: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Steve, can you share with us some of the tradeoffs you and the
Committee discussed with the north south orientation verses an east west,
energy costs and site design?
Simmonds: Sure. Lexi, do you have the site plan on here or not?
Townsend: I am just switching gears here.
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 10, 2006
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Simmonds: This building runs north south with Meridian Road and then
Broadway Road right here. It is a challenging site to put a building this size on
anyway, so we went through about seven or eight different site concepts, running
the building much smaller footprint, four stories and taller, running east west,
north south. East west is ideal for a solar orientation of an office building or any
building for that matter. It allows us the opportunity to block southern sun much
easier and efficiently because it faces due south with shades that we can easily
predict the sun angles and things, too. Of course, the north brings in a nice
diffuse light without even the necessity of shading that at all and then east and
west wings we can deal with as well. But, you have a lot smaller exposure on
the east and west. That was discussed quite a bit with the Committee. There
were a lot of folks that felt very strongly for the sake of energy conservation and
those sorts of things and that is the direction that we needed to go, but ultimately
this won out for the reason of usability. The Committee felt that with a noise that
was created in the future along Meridian Road that would happen here, this
would create a much nicer experience for as far as a civic plaza and for the user
of the facility for the community at large. Till they have the building itself to
become the noise buffer to be able to have presentations and things that we
even talked about perhaps some way of having folks and families coming here
and looking at movies and things in the summer evening and projecting that up
to where they can sit up on the amphitheatre and look at those sorts of things
and be on the side of the building somehow or some screen that is brought out,
tent structures and things that could be brought out on poles and things that kind
of create that. Although there is somewhat of an energy compromise, perhaps
by this orientation we think we can deal with that just fine and we have been
looking at a lot of other solutions to that, i.e., the materials that are going to go
into the building, the systems that go in the building and ultimately we will be
bringing all of those up and looking at the costs and pros and cons to that. It was
a close vote, but this was basically the concept that the Committee voted for. It
does allow a better connection in all reality to be able to flow through the site
much better from the downtown core right through the building and back to the
parking that we have on the south, which is what we envision that a lot of the
folks will be coming to Planning and Zoning and the high users will be coming
into this direction anyway by automobile traffic verses coming from downtown.
So, this orientation did allow for a lot of that to happen as well. One of the – now
that we have this back up here – I did talk to the – you know there is a mill right
next to us here, Zam Zows owned. That could be there. I know he is looking at
doing something different there, but the next four to five years at best he said we
would probably be there until he decides whether he can afford to move or what
he wants to do. That operation is somewhat hazardous, you know as greens –
the hazardous occupancies and there is a lot of volatility there. We had worked
that out to take some of our brick that we are going to salvage, if we chose to do
that and build lower (inaudible) walls along this eastern property line as well that
people could, there again, sit up against or the community could sit up against
and read books and relax. But, also there is a natural grade barrier there
anyway, so we could use those as small retaining walls and keep people from
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 10, 2006
Page 13 of 18
just meandering over to that space, which he would prefer not to have them over
there until such time that these are developed into something different. It is kind
of a long answer to your question, I know.
Rountree: Mr. President.
Wardle: Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: Steve in the discussions ultimate site recommendation – any
contemplation about future expansion?
Simmonds: The building currently, like I said has about – the program is for 2025
roughly within the building. So currently the floor plan shows quite a few areas
that are unassigned and within each department there is additional growth space
to accommodate some of that growth as well. So, the building as discussions
happen would be primarily off into this area behind – if we wanted to move it over
to the east corner and to a wing. Maybe even right through here, Mr. Rountree,
would be a breezeway or connection to the building that you could still come
through, but then have another wing that would sit over here, which would be a
fairly good sized tower – two to three stories. Therefore, what it would also do is
reinforce this plaza that is in here without deterring from that. We would have to
certainly make alterations, but right now the amphitheatre stops about right here
anyway, so we are just disrupting a tree (inaudible). At that point we are pretty
much build out, I would guess. Any other questions?
Wardle: Council?
Bird: I have none. Start bidding January 1st
right?
Simmonds: We keep moving it up. What happened to February?
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Wardle: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: I appreciate how our architect has been able to incorporate and
integrate all of the comments from our Committee and some of the important
elements that they have connected with Meridian and he has also met with the
Historical Society and with the adjoining property owners as we have discussed
and promised and really has tried to open this up so as they redevelop their
pieces as well it will be a real nice compliment and an amenity to our
developments as well. So, they have really left it open to create a lot of different
possibilities and really honoring the comments that we sought from our citizens’
Committee.
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 10, 2006
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Wardle: Council, this would probably be the point of discussion if we would like
to see any major changes. I think we have heard from the architect the materials
are still a question and we will look at those costs, but I think what I am hearing is
we need direction on the layout of the site in addition to the overall proposed
concept. The one thing, Steve, that I can say is the Council has just had some
brief discussions about is – from a customer service standpoint, some sort of a
kiosk or area where people could drive up and have some sort of drop box,
payment type situation and I don’t know where you would incorporate that in, but
I think that is something that bears some thought for our people to be able to
drive up and make payments without having to leave their car.
Simmonds: Okay.
Wardle: I personally like the classical or kind of modern and classical
architecture. I think this design looks great. When I think about what we have
and our citizens have asked for in the downtown core they don’t want a pseudo
historic building. They don’t want it to look like it was recreated and I think we
have done a nice job of – and the Committee has done a nice job of really
putting this together and really brining all those elements into play.
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Wardle: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: I know we spent some time on the curved top that is along the
center. That is similar to the building that we had wanted to save – that the river
runs through right now, but it really was to help preserve that historical and
agricultural element of the Creamery and I believe that Steve did tell you on the
timbers in kind of the history center of that those are all reused timbers that we
are getting from the Creamery site as well as a lot of the brick work as well. We
are reusing as much as we feasibly can and that has also been a goal of the
Committee as well.
Simmonds: We have envisioned reusing the steel iron, cast iron – in the
fireplace, the big door outside the chimney, we are going to reuse that in the
heritage pavilion as an icon in the elevation there.
Wardle: I know we haven’t even talked interior elevations and construction, but I
would assume that keeping with that theme you are going to see some of the
structure exposed and utilizing to make the building (inaudible).
Simmonds: Well, absolutely and I think they are – like I said talking with the
historic folks there, there is a big opportunity that – and I don’t know exactly how
much of that information and those artifacts have been pigeonholed in whose
garage or what, but we did talk to them about bringing those sorts of elements at
their next meeting or couple of meetings and bring those ideas to us and to the
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 10, 2006
Page 15 of 18
Committee as to things that could be incorporated into a building project or an
external display or those sorts of things. So, we are always looking for that. I
mean, the folks that we have on board as consultants who do this design work
do a phenomenal job on site design and making it an experience for the
community, so if we arm them with those sorts of materials and opportunities I
think we will see some very nice stuff – affordable, but nice stuff. So, we did talk
to the Committee about bringing those sorts of things together for all of us to look
at and evaluate as to be able to reuse some of that so that we can all experience
those things.
Wardle: Just a caveat to my comments on the overall design structure and my –
I think it’s very appealing. The one thing that I will say is from the city’s
perspective, I know we talked about it – we are doing a design build on this
project and when costs come in, I think Council and you can correct me if this is
not the sentiment that we are looking at, but when the budgets come back
everything is still on the table in respect to we want a nice building, we want
things to look great, but if we need to revisit some of those because of costs
concerns –
Simmonds: We understand.
Rountree: Mr. President I am not sure what we need this evening, but I guess
my comments are a thank you to all the citizens that participated. I think
between them and the input from staff in terms of needs, Mr. Simmonds and his
firm have done an excellent job of depicting as best one can in a physical
structure what the culture and makeup of a community is and I for one think
conceptually and that is how this has been presented to us this evening is a
concept that they are on the mark and if you need a motion I would move that we
move forward with this concept posthaste and do whatever we can to accelerate
to getting something to our citizens to enjoy and appreciate sometime within the
next year or year and one half.
Bird: If that is the motion I will second it.
Wardle: Thank you Council we have a motion and a second to approve the
concept and to hasten the reality of our new city hall building. All in favor.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Borton: Mr. President, I said aye as well. But to the extent it is ever helpful to
provide more direction, Steve, (inaudible) to Council, I appreciate all the hard
work. I love the concept plan and speaking for myself to the extent that a better
product – this is a product that will last 100 years if not forever for the city, to the
extent taking a little more time creates a better product, I for one, don’t have a
problem having a delay if that is the end result, but I am sure fellow Council
members agree and to the extent there is opportunities to create and capture
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 10, 2006
Page 16 of 18
energy efficiency in this building I am 100 percent for it or at least to be aware
and consider it. If that is a greater expense on the front end, but saves the tax
payers in the long run, I would like to hear about it. I think that is important.
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Wardle: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: That is the sentiments. I know that the representatives, the elected
representatives that have participated in this project have the highest level of
urgency, but with the greatest caution that this is going to be a cost effective
building and that this is a legacy for our community that will serve our
generations to come and I believe that our architect has really integrated a lot of
those into the design elements to be a public building that will draw our citizens
to it to enjoy it for generations to come. That has always been the goal. But, we
appreciate you reiterating that and we are excited to move forward.
Wardle: Steve, one of the – and I know if you set the site design up, I would be
interested to see how that water feature comes to bear and what sort of concepts
we are going to have. As a parent with young kids I am always concerned about
safety as I know everyone is so I think it will be neat to see the concepts that you
can come up with to allow that free flowing design to be incorporated.
Simmonds: You bet. That will be evolving.
(Inaudible--)
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Wardle: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: One other thing that the Committee talked about was how we can
even integrate the designs from the gateway art, using the Meridian perhaps in
the water feature, in the waterfall and those kind of things –
(Tape turned over)
De Weerd: -- for opportunities perhaps to also tie some of our gateway art into
the city hall project to make those connections. So, we are excited with the
energy and the discussion that we have had at those levels.
Wardle: Thank you Steve.
Simmonds: Thank you very much for the opportunity.
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 10, 2006
Page 17 of 18
Wardle: A special thanks to the Committee as well for all their hard work and
staff and everyone involved. Council, that brings us to end of our regularly
scheduled discussion items, is there anything further?
Rountree: I have nothing.
Bird: Before we adjourn is there – we have got over a half hour, could we – we
have got an executive session listed on our regular agenda. We could go into
that and do that if you guys want to instead of just sitting here for a half hour and
then we don’t have to – then we have got a time limit to get back out.
Wardle: Mr. Nary, procedurally is that – can we add an executive session?
Nary: Mr. President you can do that. You can add that to the agenda now and
do that. That is fine.
Wardle: With that I would move that we revise our agenda and add Item 4,
Executive Session for Idaho State Code 67-2345(1)(a)(f)(c).
Bird: So moved.
Wardle: It’s been moved and seconded to add that item to our agenda. All in
favor.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Wardle: I would accept a motion to adjourn into Executive Session.
Rountree: So moved.
Wardle: It’s been moved and seconded to adjourn into Executive Session per
Idaho State Code 67-2345(1)(a)(f) and (c). Mr. Clerk will you please call roll.
Roll Call: Rountree, aye; Bird, aye; Borton, aye; Wardle, aye;
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 4: Executive Session per Idaho State Code 67-2345(1)(a) – (to
consider hiring a public officer, employee, staff member or
individual agent, not to include. This paragraph does not apply to
filling a vacancy in an elective office)(f) – (to consider and advise its
legal representatives in pending litigation);(c) – (to conduct
deliberations concerning labor negotiations or to acquire an interest
in real property, which is not owned by a public agency):
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 10, 2006
Page 18 of 18
Bird: Mr. President I moved we come out of Executive Session.
Borton: Second.
Wardle: It has been moved and seconded to adjourn out of Executive Session.
All in favor.
ALL AYES. MOTOIN CARRIED.
Wardle: This brings us to the end of our regularly scheduled Pre-Council
meeting. I would entertain a motion to adjourn.
Bird: So moved.
Borton: Second.
Wardle: It has been moved and seconded to adjourn the Pre-Council meeting.
All in favor.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:01 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
APPROVED:
/ /
TAMMY DE WEERD, MAYOR DATE APPROVED
ATTESTED: ___
WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK