City Council Meeting Date: May 2, 2023
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: David Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Consider Approval of Transit Hub Building Exterior and Authorize Preparation of Plans and Specifications.
Body
Action Requested:
Staff recommend the City Council consider a motion to approve the Transit Hub Building Exterior and Authorizes Preparation of Plans and Specifications.
Summary Report:
The Council approved an agreement with Collaborative Design Group (CDG) in October of 2022 for the Northfield Regional Transit Hub and pavilion. CDG and the project team have been working through the building layout and exterior with project stakeholders over the last six months. The staff project team includes Public Works Director David Bennett, Engineering Manager Sean Simonson, City Planner Mikayla Schmidt, Assistant City Planner Revee Needham, Save the Northfield Depot representative Alice Thomas, and Facilities Manager Jayson Dwelle.
The project is directly adjacent to the historic 1888 Northfield Depot (Depot), a local heritage preservation site. The project team reached out to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to determine if SHPO review of the plans was required or not. SHPO confirmed that the Depot is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places and that SHPO does not have authority over the project. The project team has been collaborating with the Save the Northfield Depot (STND) organization and the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) to review the building exterior and site layout and function. Comments from the Save the Northfield Depot organization are attached. On March 1, 2023, CDG Architect Bill Hickey presented the Transit Hub and pavilion plans to the HPC. The HPC does not have authority over the proposed project if the new pavilion and transit hub does not connect to the Northfield Depot, however the HPC was asked to comment on the proposed plans due to the historic nature and the adjacency to the Northfield Depot. The HPC summarized their comments in a letter, attached, which was approved at their April 5, 2023 meeting
Both the HPC and STND have discussed whether the pavilion should be connected to the Northfield Depot’s roof. Ultimately, both concurred that the new pavilion should not connect to the Depot’s roof for a variety of reasons. The architects revised the plans to reflect this change, with the Depot not connecting to the new pavilion. Both the HPC and STND commented on the massing and scale of the new Transit Hub in relation to the historic Depot. Both the HPC and STND commented on the architectural details of the new pavilion and Transit Hub, such as the brackets and columns. The STND also commented about the need to plan for ice runoff from the roof and pavilion, extending the fencing and brick columns along the railroad tracks, and expanding the accessibility and functionality of the complex. Additional comments provided by the HPC and STND will be further incorporated in the final plans.
Bill Hickey, the Architect with CDG, will share the building rendering and request feedback from the Council. The goal tonight is for Council to approve the building exterior to move this project to final plans and specifications.
The building will follow the City’s Sustainable Buildings Policy utilizing B3, which is also a requirement of the state funding received for the project.
Alternative Options:
None Recommended.
Financial Impacts:
The 2020 project estimate of $1,750,000. This will be funded by the General Obligations Bond Proceeds that was allocated by the State of Minnesota to the City in the 2020 5th Special Session.
Table 1. Summary total project cost for construction 2021.
Expense
Description Cost (2021)
Transit Hub Building 724,000
Pavilion 485,000
2nd Street Railroad Quiet Zone 265,000
Overhead 285,000
Total Project Cost 1,750,000
Revenue
City of Northfield Proposed Only necessary if 2023 bids exceed bond appropriation
TIF4, Reserves, Debt
State of Minnesota Bond Appropriation $1,750,000 (100%)
Total Project Revenue $1,750,000
Tentative Timelines:
Project Timeline is attached.