Civic Center Parking Structure Design Gets Green Light

By Elizabeth Schneider

Sept. 11 -- Expressing the highest regards for the design of the new Civic Center parking structure, the City Council unanimously approved the initial design plan and authorized staff to move forward with the public review process.

Designers described the structure -- between the Courthouse and Fourth Street -- as a "gateway" to the civic center that will consist of approximately 900 parking spaces on five levels above ground, including rooftop parking, and one and a-half levels below ground. (Additional parking cannot be placed underground due to a large underground storm drain.)

The biggest concern was raised by the Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel, which worried that the proposed "community room" -- which exceeds the 56-foot height limit outlined in the Civic Center Specific Plan -- could possibly block the ocean view.

Tuesday's approval comes 18 months after the council gave the go ahead for a preliminary financing plan and selected the JCM Group for construction and management of the project. The council obtained ARB, INC. International Parking Design and Moore Ruble Yudel for the design-build team.

During a community workshop held by the Civic Center Working Group to review preliminary design concepts for the parking earlier this June, a series of plans were presented to the public with the intention of inviting comments and suggestions.

In order to break-up the massive building a number of special design concepts were worked into the project, said John Ruble.

The use of light-colored, pre-cast concrete, similar to the façade of City Hall, and narrow glass panels of different hues will allow air to circulate through the building, frame views into and out of the structure, as well as light and illuminate the building at night.

The south facade of the building will consist of solar and colored glass panels, and the ground floor could be used for tenant spaces, said Ruble.

Council members Bob Holbrook, Ken Genser and Herb Katz raised questioned the possibility of leasing ground floor tenant spaces, some of which would be only 20-feet deep.

"What can you do in that space?" asked Genser.

The council members were assured that some of the lower-level spaces were larger than others and that if need be the spaces could be lengthened.

Katz also added that the absence of landscaping around the structure needed to be addressed.
"A 320 foot long building with no landscaping - it's brutal."

Raising the height issue was the counsel for the Double Tree Suites hotel, Barabara Higgins, who told council members her clients had concerns over the preparation of the draft EIR, due to be released in a few weeks. Higgins also warned that the absence of an alternative design plan precluded the council's approval of the conceptual design under CEQA.

Higgins added that her clients were also worried that the community room would have a fiscal impact if the ocean view promised in rooms on the 7th and 8th floors are "taken away."

Andy Agle, assistant Director of Planning and Community Development, indicated that the hotel stands at least 80 feet in height.

According to the staff report the community room would "add significant cost elements and reduce overall parking capacity."

Mayor Michael Feinstein commented that the question over money for the community room was whether to spend it "here [the parking structure] or somewhere else."