CARLSBAD — For the past three years, the city has ramped up its efforts to outline the prospects for a new City Hall.
As part of one of the five major city goals in those years, including 2018, the council is actively looking at replacing the aging facility, which was constructed in the 1950s.
Deputy City Manager Gary Barberio and Curtis Jackson, the city’s real estate manager, updated the council on Sept. 17 on the progress of the goal and the city’s next steps.
“This goal calls for both a City Hall to house the majority of the administrative functions of the city, but also to locate that City Hall on a site that could accommodate on a future, larger civic center complex,” Barberio said. “A civic center would possibly serve as a community gathering place.”
In 2016 and 2017, the council approved a goal to break ground for a new City Hall and civic center by 2023, The new City Hall would consolidate a majority of city’s departments and employees, Barberio said.
Currently, staff is spread across numerous buildings across the city, which hinders collaboration and efficiency, he said. In addition, the city is running out of space to accommodate its staffing needs.
“It’s very difficult for communications and collaboration,” Barberio said. “We’re also running out of space in our current facilities.”
To pay for the new facility, the city established the Communities Facilities District 1 in 1991, which levies taxes on new development to fund specific public buildings. Barberio said the city will have between $50 million and $110 million to spend depending on the location and timing of construction.
The city is considering four sites, which include the current location on Carlsbad Village Drive and Pio Pico, Pine Park, the abandoned Farmers Insurance Building on El Camino Real and Faraday Avenue and the Faraday Center, which currently holds numerous city departments. MIG, Inc., was awarded the contract for the scoping and space analysis.
Jackson said the report anticipates a staff increase from 278 to 333 due to consolidation, thus two building sizes were presented to the council. The first is a single-story 141,761-square feet building, while the second is a 184,289-square-foot multi-story facility.
In addition, the city held two public workshops and completed several surveys reaching more than 1,200 residents, Jackson added.
The next steps, Barberio said, will consist of a public outreach program with residents including a public workshop and online survey with a goal of establishing conceptual plans for each site. In addition, the plans would also include civic uses.
For example, Barberio said the Cole Library would be expanded and the rest of the property evaluated.
The City Council is slated to choose a site in early 2020 or provide further direction.
Phil Urbina, who is running for the City Council seat in District 4, which covers south Carlsbad, said the two northern sites — the current location and Pine Park — leaves out residents from the southern part of the city.
“If the council chooses to build this great community center here in the Village area, a large portion of the city will choose not to access it,” he said. “It’s too far away. I would urge you to consider areas more centrally located.”
Additionally, all new city-owned buildings must be constructed to be at least LEED Silver-rated facilities to be energy efficient and green.
A cultural arts component, Barberio said, was not part of the CFD, however, whatever land remains could accommodate one. Currently, a venue feasibility study for a new cultural arts building is ongoing, although the funding would come from another source, he said. If the project costs more than $1 million, it would require approval from voters.
1 comment
Spend, spend, spend.
Comments are closed.