Resolution - City Manager: Consider a resolution approving the Civic Park project to be located at 1301 Broadway Avenue utilizing the Wind + Water design as created by TBG Partners and as recommended by the Central Business District Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone Board.
Item Summary
On June 9, 2020, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2020-R0187 to approve and adopt the Downtown Master Plan Update as recommended by the Central Business District Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone (CBD TIF) Board of Directors. The plan included many recommendations for downtown redevelopment. Green space is a key component in the City's plan for downtown redevelopment, and one of the recommendations is for a large, centralized Civic Park on Broadway at the former Lubbock Power & Light location. This park will serve as a multi-functional "living room" for all of Lubbock, filling a great need for an iconic and vibrant hub of activity in the heart of downtown.
On December, 15, 2020, the City Council approved Contract 15438 with TBG Partners to provide professional services for the design of a Downtown Civic Park. The scope of work included schematic design and cost estimating for a civic park located at 1301 Broadway. TBG Partners was led by a committee that was appointed by the Mayor, and also conducted two public input sessions throughout the design process. The final schematic design, Wind + Water, was presented to the City Council on August 24, 2021. The construction of the park was presented using a three-phase approach, with the timing of each phase to be dependent upon City Council approval and funding availability:
Phase Three: Tier Two Alternates: $1.57M additional
On Tuesday, September 7, 2021, the Civic Park Advisory Committee unanimously approved a motion to recommend that the City move forward with the Downtown Civic Park at the location recommended in the Downtown Master Plan Update, 1301 Broadway and that, through the CBD TIF, the City move forward with fundraising for, and construction of, the Wind + Water design concept as presented to the City Council by TBG Partners on August 24, 2021.
On Thursday, September 9, 2021, the CBD TIF Board unanimously approved a motion to recommend the following to the City Council:
That the City approve the Civic Park Project; and
That the Civic Park be located at 1301 Broadway; and
That the TIF be directed by the City Council to begin fundraising efforts for the park; and
That the recommended design for the Civic Park construction is the Wind + Water design created by TBG Partners.
Fiscal Impact
None
Staff/Board Recommending
Jesica McEachern, Assistant City Manager Central Business District Tax Increment Financing Board