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04/15/1997 - City Council Special 00118 MINUTES OF A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 15, 1997 EAGAN, MINNESOTA A special meeting of the Eagan City Council was held on Tuesday, Apri/15, 1997 in the lunch room of the Municipal Center Building beginning at 5:00 p.m. Those present were Mayor Egan and City Councilmembers Awada, Blomquist, Masin and Wachter. Also present were Fire Chief Jensen, Director of Finance VanOverbeke, Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa, Director of Public Works Colbert and City Administrator Hedges. The purpose of the meeting was to review preliminary drawings and cost estimates for a new Fire Administration Building and consider options for the improvement of Rainier Lane. FIRE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING City Administrator Hedges stated that the Fire Department Executive Committee has been meeting on a regular basis with the architectural firm of Boarman, Kroos, Pfister, Vogel & Associates to review preliminary drawings and cost estimates for a new Fire Administration building. Mr. David Kroos of the architectural firm stated that along with the Fire Department Building Committee, they have reviewed all the space needs and program needs to determine appropriate office space, meeting space, training rooms, basement for storage and the 24 hour ambulance living space for storage space. He further stated that after examining the program elements, it was necessary to design building options that would fit a tight piece of property. City Councilmember Awada asked about the elevation of the proposed building in relationship to the residential subdivision located immediately to the west of the project. Paul Mickelberg also representing the architectural firm, provided drawings for a single level and two story building and how each impact the elevation surrounding properties. He provided further review of the each of the three options stating that plans varied from one story to a one story offset to a two story with full basement and a two story with no basement. He further spoke to the barriers and plusses and minuses for each of the plans. City Councilmember Awada asked about the use of ramps as opposed to the installation of an elevator and also could the City eliminate a portion of the ambulance space to scale back the square footage of the building. City Councilmember Wachter asked if there are any alternatives for location of the ambulance and, further, what site is best suited for the ambulance in the community. City Administrator Hedges stated that he was not aware of any sites the ambulance could occupy and that the central part of the City which is the WescotUPilot Knob intersection is the most suitable location for the ambulance facility. Paul Mickelberg further presented the two story proposal as the preferred option and explained all three levels in detail, including the full basement. He stated that this plan best fits the property to accommodate the parking lot, least disturbance of existing trees and compliance with other City development standards. Mr. Mickelberg further addressed the training room options and other details about the two story proposal. Eagan Special City Council Meeting Apri/15, 1997/Page 2 00119 City Councilmember Masin asked if the City were to consider in the future a full-time Fire Department, would the building be adaptable for that purpose. Fire Chief Jensen stated that if the building is ever needed for full-time fire purposes, the office space, training room and sleeping quarters that are proposed for the ambulance function would all be adaptable. Paul Mickelberg, representing the architect, stated that there are three price scenarios to review. He stated that site option number one, a 12,000 square foot building proposal with no basement and a reduction of programs in the amount of $1,494,045; site option number two, a 14,060 square foot building with no basement at $1,804,407 and site option number three at 17,673 square feet and contains a full basement and satisfies the entire program needs and future expansion for the Fire Department at $2,114,251. City Council member Awada asked about the budget that was set for the project. City Administrator Hedges stated that the preliminary budget for the project was $1.5 million. City Council member Awada then asked about alternative sites suggesting that it might be less expensive to design and build a single level facility on a part of the municipal campus or another site location. City Councilmember Wachter stated that it was his knowledge that the site for the Fire Administration Building was determined by the City Council to be at the WescotUPiJot Knob site during 1996. City Administrator Hedges researched the May 1996 minutes and it was determined that demolition of the existing Fire Administration building with a new building at that location was the site agreed upon by the City Council. Paul Mickelberg stated that it was his opinion that a one story building with potentially more site development would not create that much savings over the building designed at the existing site. He further stated that quality is also an issue if the building is to be a gateway and consistent with the Police and Municipal Center complex. City Councilmember Wachter stated that quality is important for the number of years the building will be used by the Fire Department and community. He further stated that the City should not build anymore publiC buildings without a full basement which, in his opinion was a mistake when the Police Department Building was designed without a basement. City Councilmember Blomquist stated that she was in agreement with Council member Wachter about including a full basement. She further asked if there are some potential reductions such as furniture. City Councilmember Blomquist stated that she would like the building plans revised, with some cost reduction, however, again emphasized the need for the full basement. Mayor Egan stated that the number of square footage is not the problem, it is the cost per square footage. Fire Chief Jensen stated that in order to meet the program needs for both training and administration, the basement and ambulance space would need to be eliminated. Any other change to square footage would require more expansion in the near future if the program needs are not met at this time. Both City Councilmembers Wachter and Blomquist suggested that as an alternative the space over the ambulance base be given consideration for administrative office space. City Councilmember Blomquist stated that this option may allow the overall footprint of the building to be reduced providing some cost savings. Mayor Egan stated that he would like the architects and Fire Executive Committee to look at a redesign with approximately 11,000 square feet, retaining the basement. City Councilmember Awada asked if the building could be redrawn without a basement but to include the shell over the ambulance and use that space for storage. The architect, Paul Mickelberg stated that without a basement, the heating and cooling systems would need to be located in the shell above the ambulance bay, consequently, there would be no storage or office space. Eagan Special City Council Meeting April 15, 1997/Page 3 0('120 After further discussion and guidance by the City Council, City Administrator Hedges recapped the direction to the architects which includes a redesign, at approximately 11,000 square feet plus a full basement, a shell over the garage ambulance bay areas that would shrink the overall square footage of the two story building as designed and to look at other means of cost reduction including, but not limited to, furniture. Mayor Egan stated this captures the direction given to the architect and executive committee. City Councilmember Awada asked that the timeline for construction be further reviewed. She stated that if there would be a cost servings for a delay into 1998 and to prevent winter construction, that should be given consideration. The architects stated they would include this in part of the options in their evaluation. Mayor Egan stated that this item should be placed on a work session for either April 29 or May 13. RAINIER LANE Director of Public Works Colbert stated that the City Council received a petition from four of the six property owners abutting Rainier Lane, requesting the paving of Rainier Lane only. He stated that after completing a feasibility report and cost estimate, there are some cost benefit issues that need to be addressed for direction by the City Council. Due to time restrictions leading to the need for adjournment. Mayor Egan stated that this item would be considered at the end of the regular City Council meeting. OTHER BUSINESS April 15, 1997 Date There being no Other Business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m. ~~LH