City of Seattle
Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Library
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUPPORTING THE REQUEST FOR
STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATION
For The Northgate Community Center, Branch Library and Urban Park Projects
Submittal Due Date: 2:00 PM, September 17, 2002
INTRODUCTION
Seattle Parks and Recreation (Parks) and the Seattle Public Library (Library)
are jointly seeking statements of qualifications and proposals for site planning,
design, and construction services for the new Northgate Community Center,
Branch Library and Urban Park. The selected consultant will work with Parks,
the Library and the community to fully explore design concepts and alternative
siting schemes to select a preferred site plan for the 3.55-acre site located
at the NE corner of NE 105th Street and 5th Avenue NE. The Community Center
will be 20,000 square feet, the Park will be 1.67 acres, and the Library will
be 10,000 square feet. A full description of the Library project and universal
building program is available at the following Web site addresses:
http://www.spl.org/capplan/libforall/nlb/nlbdir.html and http://www.spl.org/lfa/neighborhoodlibs/ubbp/ubbpcontents.html.
Questions about the Library project can be directed to David Kunselman at
(206) 386-4096 or david.kunselman@spl.org.
Information regarding the Community Center and the Park can be obtained by
contacting Tim Motzer at 684-7060 or by e-mail at tim.motzer@seattle.gov.
BACKGROUND
- The Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan, which includes the Northgate Overlay
District, was adopted by Resolution # 28752 in 1993. The plan identified a
need for a new Park in the Northgate area. The plan also provided the text
for the pedestrian overlay zone that further defined permitted uses and building
frontages adopted by ordinance.
- The Libraries for All Capital Plan was approved by Seattle voters in November
1998 and now includes $5,139,000 for acquisition and construction of a new
10,000 square foot branch library with a capacity for a collection of 40,200
books/materials.
- The Community Center Levy Program was renewed by Seattle voters in 1999,
providing $8,206,000 for construction and acquisition (if needed) for a new,
20,000 square foot full-service Community Center at Northgate. (The construction
contract bid amount, excluding sales tax for the Community Center, is $4,181,011.)
- The Pro Parks Levy Program was approved by Seattle voters in 2000 and provides
$3,000,000 for the acquisition of a park site in the Northgate area. The acquisition
budget was supplemented by an additional $350,000 in King County Conservation
Futures Tax. The levy also provided $1,031,000 toward the development of the
Park. (The construction contract bid amount, excluding sales tax for the park,
is $660,108.)
- A multi agency (City of Seattle, King County, and Sound Transit) major public
planning process and study was organized by the Planning Commission and completed
in December 2000. The study identified four alternatives for the development
of Northgate as a major urban center.
- Development of the Northgate Work Plan Matrix was an attempt to establish
an implementation framework for the Plan with current plans, projects and
other resources. This was completed in April 2001. A Northgate area plan review
and evaluation update was also completed in 2001. This update established
a Northgate plan vision to transform an auto-oriented suburban shopping area
into an urban center.
- The Fifth Avenue NE Streetscape Design Plan, adopted in May 2002, provided
suggested design elements, guidelines and implementation strategies needed
to transform 5th Avenue into the main pedestrian corridor for the Northgate
Urban Center. The Seattle Department of Transportation has submitted a grant
application that could fund up to 1.3 million dollars in street improvements
to implement the 5th Avenue plan. The grant funds may be used to implement
such things as the pedestrian connection between the Northgate Mall and the
site at the current signaled east entrance, installation of median landscaped
strip, and relocation of existing bus stops/shelters. If received, grant funding
would be available sometime in October 2003.
- Parks and Library conducted a site selection process that resulted in the
decision to locate all three facilities on a 3.55-acre site located at the
NE corner of NE 105th Street and 5th Avenue NE. The City Council approved
the acquisition per Ordinance #120870 and the site was purchased on August
14, 2002. The site, purchased as one parcel, contains a total of 154,594 square
feet with 41,020 square feet for the Library; 40,980 square feet for the Community
Center, and 72,594 square feet for the Park. Exact location of each entity's
ownership on the site is yet to be determined.
- The Library and Parks are developing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) defining
how the two agencies would work together during the site planning process
and beyond. This MOA will eventually address operation issues and the effort
is ongoing.
VISION
Parks and Library envision a site planning process that includes preparing
alternative site concepts that locate the Library, Community Center, and Park
on the site along with parking and pedestrian amenities. The planning process
would include developing schemes that show the possibility of the Library
and Community Center as separate structures, as linked or attached structures,
and as a single structure all integrated with the Park. The alternatives need
to reflect the fact that the Park can be located anywhere on the site but
requires 31,000 square feet of level area to provide for active recreation,
a new play area, and a public gathering area. The Park's connection to Thorton
Creek should also be considered. A development that provides a means to implement
the 5th Avenue pedestrian streetscape corridor plan with a strong linkage
to the Mall is envisioned. Also envisioned is a development that provides
maximum access to users, maximizes efficiencies and program objectives, provides
facilities that have maximum flexibility to adapt and/or grow to support changes
in function, program, and community needs, and maximizes green and sustainable
practices in design and construction.
SCOPE OF WORK
It is anticipated that planning, design and construction will be completed
within three phases as described below. Public involvement will be an element
in phases 1 and 2.
- Phase 1: Site Planning: Inventory/site assessment/analysis and development
of alternative site schemes/plans
- Phase 2: Design: Schematic design, design development, preparation of detailed
construction documents and permitting
- Phase 3: Construction: Bidding, construction administration and observation
The selected consultant shall initially complete Phase 1. Parks and Library
reserve the right to award additional work for Phases 2 and 3 to the team
that completes the site plan or to one or more of the finalist teams selected
in the initial selection process.
PHASE 1: SITE PLANNING
The scope of work for this initial phase may include the following activities,
to be further developed in the consultant contract:
- Participate in a kick-off meeting with Parks and the Library to review
project parameters, gather available materials, identify additional information
requirements, and review schedule and products.
- Conduct site visit with Parks and Library design team.
- Gather and review relevant background materials relating to the project.
These materials may include, but are not limited to 1993 Northgate Area Comprehensive
Plan, 2000 Multi agency study; 2001 Northgate Work Plan Matrix and Northgate
Plan Review and Evaluation; the 2002 Fifth Avenue NE Streetscape Design Plan;
SPU Draft Thorton Creek Watershed Action Plan (currently in draft form); Library
Universal Building Program; Northgate Community Center Design (Building) Program;
Northgate Park Design Program; GIS maps; existing surveys; assessor's maps;
utility maps; environmental reports; traffic studies; drainage plans; and
as-built documents.
- Conduct an inventory and analysis of existing site conditions. Address issues
including, but not limited to, site character and function, drainage, soil
conditions, grades/steep slopes, vegetation and view corridors and sun exposure,
traffic impacts, site access to vehicles and pedestrians, utilities, security,
and potential impacts to adjacent properties.
- Contact and/or meet with relevant City of Seattle representatives as needed
from Parks, Library, Seattle Transportation (SDOT), Seattle Public Utilities
(SPU) and Department of Neighborhood (DON), and Department of Design and Construction
and Land Use (DCLU).
- Summarize the existing site conditions, constraints/opportunities, and all
other issues affecting the use of the site. The summary should address the
following:
a. Existing site characteristics
b. Automobile, pedestrian and bus circulation and access
c. Infrastructure availability/constraints related to streets, utilities,
and drainage
d. Needs, issues, and concerns identified in the Northgate Plan; WorkShop
Report; Plan Update/Evaluation/Implementation Matrix; 5th Avenue Streetscape
Plan
e. Zoning-Northgate Pedestrian Overlay District
f. Other pertinent issues
- Meet with Parks and Library to discuss the project (assumptions, parameters
and constraints), review the inventory data and obtain ideas regarding siting
alternatives for the Community Center, Library and Park.
- Develop alternative siting schemes/plans using the information obtained
in the inventory/analysis phase based upon the alternatives noted in the Vision
section. Evaluate stacking of the building or buildings to minimize the footprint
of the buildings to maximize open space and reduce impervious surfaces. Evaluate
alternative parking schemes incorporating the grade change on the south portion
of the site and potential use of the steep slopes. Siting schemes need to
reflect steep slope area assigned to each use. Consider the Mall entrance
and traffic light as fixed related to providing a major ingress and egress
point to 5th street and the Mall. Provide a matrix evaluation of the pros
and cons for all alternatives and variations to provide Parks and the Library
with a basis upon which to make a decision. Develop a preliminary cost estimate
for each major site alternative that provides cost information relative to
each alternative.
- Present alternative siting schemes with matrix and recommendation to Parks
and the Library for review. Following the review and comment by Library and
Parks, present revised siting schemes, matrix and recommendation with updated
cost estimate(s) for review and discussion with Parks and the Library.
- Meet with Parks and Library as needed to determine a preferred site plan.
- Present preferred site plan to the Design Commission.
- Present selected site plan at a community meeting for review and comment.
- Present final selected site plan to the Parks Board and the Library Board
upon request.
- Develop final cost estimates for revised final concept and site plan.
- Incorporate revisions to the final selected site plan if there are substantive
comments from either the Park Board or the Library Board.
- Final report from Consultant including items such as text, drawings, graphics,
matrix, and cost estimate.
PROJECT SCHEDULE
Upon the selection of the site planning consultant by the Parks Superintendent
and the Library Board, Parks and Library will enter into contract negotiations
for the site planning phase. The consultant should provide a project schedule
that completes the work in a period of approximately three months.
TENTATIVE CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS/SCHEDULE
Information Conference: September 4, 2002
Submittal Deadline: September 17, 2002
Staff Shortlist: Week of September 23, 2002
Committee Shortlist Recommendation: Week of September 30, 2002
Community Open House: Week of October 14, 2002
Interviews: Week of October 14, 2002
Approval by Superintendent and Library Board: October 22, 2002
CONSULTANT SELECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The consultant selection advisory committee described in the RFQ will be
likely to include the following representatives:
- Library Board Steward
- Parks Board President
- Parks and Recreation Manager
- Director of Library Capital Program
- Director of Parks Capital Program
- Library Capital Projects Manager
- Parks Project Manager
- Branch Library Manager
- Design Commission Representative
- 2 Community Representatives
Return to Building
a New Northgate Branch
Content Modified: 06 September 2002
06/30/2003