RTD DUS Update

RTD printed the below letter regarding their recommendations for the future uses of Denver Union Station. RTD staff will present the full recommendation and conclusions at a panel meeting Tuesday April 5, 530PM at 1600 Blake Street, Rooms T & D. The session is open to the public: March 29, 2011Denver Union Station - Interested Member of the Public: On March 10, our key stakeholder group completed their work on a recommendation for Union Station future uses and the process for moving forward with redevelopment efforts.The stakeholder group includes City and County of Denver, Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA), Downtown Denver Partnership, Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association, Lower Downtown District Inc., Union Station Advocates, and Historic Denver.They recommended that RTD advance the following redevelopment/reuse goals and secure a development partner through a competitive RFQ/RFP process.

1. New destination uses must activate the building during peak and non-peak transit times.


2. New uses will energize Union Station as the regional transportation hub.


3. New first floor uses will give life to the adjacent public realm and vice versa.


4. The central train room must remain the focal point of the building and adjacent public realm.


5. Redevelopment must preserve the historic integrity of the building.


6. New uses should serve the neighborhood and the station district area.


7. New uses must allow the building to be financially independent or have a dedicated funding source.

RTD staff will present the full stakeholder recommendation and the conclusions of an RTD-convened three-member panel of banking and real estate experts to the RTD Board's Planning and Development Committee at their regular meeting: Tuesday, April 5 at RTD offices (1600 Blake St. in downtown Denver) 5:30 p.m., Rooms T&D in the basement At the same time, the RTD staff will affirm their support for the stakeholders' recommendation, including the RFQ/RFP process. The committee meeting format allows for Board discussion and for questions from the Board to the stakeholders, the expert panel members and staff. It does not include a public comment period, though the session is open to the public. Copies of the April 5 presentation will be posted on the following web site after the meeting and your input is welcome anytime at: www.rtd-fastracks.com/dus_1 We hope to see you there!

USA Social Media

Union Station Advocates has decided as a board to re-engage the social media for our organization. The group will now formally engage with Twitter, Facebook, and this Blog to help encourage involvement by our members and followers. We encourage you to Follow Us on Twitter and Fan Us on Facebook!

Union Station Advocates Makes Final Recommendations

After months of conversations, the public process for the Denver Union Station Historic Building has been completed. Union Station Advocates, by discussing with various stakeholder groups and interested citizens, has submitted a final recommendation. Below is a summary of our final recommendations:

Overview
o Redevelopment goals
o Criteria to apply to any redevelopment idea (in an expanded submittal)
o Illustrative scenarios – apply the criteria to three possibilities
o Process

Goals

1. New destination uses must activate the building.
2. New uses should serve the neighborhood and the station district area as well.
3. New uses will energize and reestablish Union Station as the regional transportation hub.
4. New ground floor uses will give life to the adjacent public spaces and vice versa.
5. The central train room must remain the focal point of the building.
6. Redevelopment must preserve the historic integrity of the building.
7. New uses must allow the building to be financially independent or have a dedicated funding source.

Scenarios
We examined three scenarios and discussed whether each could meet the goals. While each has advantages and challenges, we determined that all three are viable alternatives that can realize the goals.

Scenario 1
1st Floor Retail attraction (specialty market or unique store)
Destination restaurant
Includes Amtrak and transit services
2nd Floor Office single tenant or multi-tenant
3rd Floor Office single tenant or multi-tenant

Scenario 2
1st Floor Hotel function
Hotel restaurant
Includes Amtrak and transit services
2nd Floor Hotel rooms and back-of-house
3rd Floor Hotel rooms

Scenario 3
1st Floor Civic or cultural destination
Destination restaurant
Includes Amtrak and transit services
2nd Floor Civic/cultural and office space
3rd Floor Office space

Process
Denver’s historic Union Station is one of region’s most significant standing structures. Its role as the centerpiece of Metro Denver’s FasTracks regional transit system will reaffirm and likely increase this significance. The successful reuse of the Historic Station is critical to the success of the entire Denver Union Station redevelopment, including the transportation elements and adjacent public spaces in which the citizens within the Regional Transportation District are investing considerable dollars. It will be very important to assure that the ultimate use of the historic station is determined through a process that encourages broad participation and elicits creative and financially sound solutions. The DUS Stakeholders believe that their goals and supporting criteria will have the greatest chance of being realized if RTD solicits proposals from a number of developers and evaluates the proposals to select the best solution for the historic station.

A Request for Proposals (RFP) would clearly communicate the project goals that have been identified though this DUS Stakeholder/Expert Panel public process. The RFP can make clear the funding and timing of the core and shell improvements that are part of the current DUS redevelopment project budget and also can include applicable federal procurement requirements. The RFP should set forth absolute requirements such as assured financing, satisfactory accommodation for AMTRAK and other essential elements of a successful reuse plan. The DUS Stakeholders believe that an RFP process will provide RTD with the best chance to receive creative and diverse proposals both from a spatial and a financial perspective and give them more choice in their ultimate decision for the successful reuse of the historic station.

Criteria
New destination uses must activate the building.
The new uses should serve the neighborhood and the station district area as well.
New uses will energize and reestablish Union Station as the regional transportation hub.
New ground floor uses will give life to the adjacent public spaces and vice versa.
The central train room must remain the focal point of the building.
Redevelopment must preserve the historic integrity of the building.
The new uses must, in the aggregate, allow the building to be financially independent, or the uses should have a dedicated funding source.



We would like to thank all of our supporters and interested citizens who have helped us form these final recommendations!

Union Station Tour this Saturday!

To all of our wonderful supporters,

Union Station Advocates, in partnership with Denver InFill, is hosting one of our semi-biweekly tours of the Union Station development. Join us this Saturday morning to learn about the history of the project and the development as it moves forward.

Saturday March 5
10-11AM
Meet in front of the historic station at 17th and Wynkoop at 950AM.
Tours begin promptly at 10AM.
Suggested donation for the tour is $10/person and all proceeds go to help Union Station Advocates in our cause and efforts.

Hope to see you Saturday!

DUS Stakeholder Meeting

This week, Union Station Advocates attended a stakeholder meeting for Denver Union Station. Below are the updates from the meeting, as well as agenda and current goals.

Based on feedback over the last month, RTD executive management has decided to delay by one month the presentation to the Board of a recommended action. We now have one more stakeholder meeting set up on March 10th at which we will be presented the recommendation from the Expert Panel. The Stakeholder Group will have the opportunity to finalize our recommendation with full knowledge of the Expert Panel’s recommendation. RTD staff will use the feedback from the Expert Panel, DUS Stakeholder Group and EPS (financial consultant) to create a recommendation that will be presented to the Fastracks Monitoring Committee on April 5th and the entire RTD Board will take up the matter on April 19th. There will be opportunity for additional public comment at the April 19th Board meeting.

Agenda:
Goals:
- Set Schedule
- Review Draft Recommendation

3:00 Schedule – Bill Sirois, RTD
3:40 Continuation – Stakeholders’ recommendation to RTD discussion
4:00 Adjourn

Stakeholder Recommendation:
Overview:
DUS Historic Building Stakeholders

• DUSPA - Elbra Wedgeworth, Jerry Glick
• City and County of Denver - Diane Barrett, Ellen Ittelson
• Union Station Advocates -Anne Hayes, Ron Straka
• Downtown Denver Partnership - John Desmond
• Lower Downtown District Inc. - Holly Barrett, Chris Shears
• Historic Denver - Annie Levinsky, John Olson
• Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association - Mike West
  

Recommendations cover these topics

• Redevelopment goals
• Criteria to apply to any redevelopment idea (in an expanded submittal)
• Illustrative scenarios - apply the criteria to three possibilities
• Process

Goals
1. New uses must activate the building.
2. New uses will return Union Station to the transportation hub it once was.
3. New uses will give life to the public plazas and vice versa.
4. The central train room must remain a focal point.
5. Redevelopment must preserve the building's history.
6. New uses should serve the neighborhood and the station district plan.
7. New uses must allow the building to be financially independent or have a dedicated funding
8. source.

A more detailed set of criteria that expands this list of seven goals is attached.

Scenarios
We examined three scenarios and discussed whether each could meet the goals. While each has advantages and challenges, we determined that all three are viable alternatives that can realize the goals.

Scenario 1
1st Floor
- Retail attraction (specialty market or unique store)
- Destination restaurant
- Includes Amtrak and transit services

2nd Floor
- Office single tenant or multi-tenant

3rd Floor
- Office single tenant or multi-tenant

Scenario 2
1st Floor
- Hotel function
- Hotel restaurant
- Includes Amtrak and transit services

2nd Floor
- Hotel rooms and back-of-house

3rd Floor
- Hotel rooms

Scenario 3
1st Floor
- Civic or cultural destination
- Destination restaurant
- Includes Amtrak and transit services

2nd Floor
- Civic/cultural and office space

3rd Floor
- Office space

Process
To secure the best possible future use for Denver Union Station and the best possible development
agreement for RTD and the public, we recommend (all but 1, TBD) that the RTD Board issue a request
for proposals and select a development partner in a competitive process. Two considerations with
respect to this process will be the timing of project funds for core and shell improvements and
identifying Federal procurement requirements; resolution of these will make it possible for potential
development partners to create viable proposals.

Criteria
We recognize that it may be difficult to satisfy each and every item in the list that follows and we recognize that pursuing some of these objectives may foreclose the ability to pursue others. Nonetheless, we believe it is important to consider all of these objectives.

New uses must activate the building.

• Uses should draw in visitors, residents and workers in Lower Downtown, the Commons neighborhood and downtown Denver, as well as create a destination for people everywhere in the Denver region.
• A majority of new uses should be destination-oriented uses which meet the needs of transit users in peak and non-peak times and the needs of Lower Downtown, the Transit District and adjacent areas at all times.
• Uses should draw in travelers on bus, light rail and commuter lines and enhance the transit/traveler experience:
• Those who will move quickly through the station to catch a train or bus and those who travel to the station and then move quickly through the station to their downtown destination·
• Those who will use their limited time in the building on the way to or from a transit trip for a quick bite to eat or a cup of coffee or to get a piece of information about their travel
• Those who arrive and have time to shop, eat a leisurely meal, or walk through an exhibition that entertains, instructs or inspires.
• Those who will be there for arriving or departing travelers.
• New uses should give the building life day and night, seven days a week.

New uses will return Union Station to the transportation hub it once was.

• The central train room, as an integral part of the public realm that connects Wynkoop Plaza and the new train hall, needs to be accessible at all hours of transit operations.
• Uses in the train room should relate to the new train hall and create a visual connection through the historic central train room on the new train hall side of the building.
• New first floor uses should activate the central train room, including accommodating Amtrak's needs with sufficient square footage in appropriate locations.
• Suggested uses must recognize that the Union Station Project as a whole is a transportation project, and new uses must be compatible with FasTracks and Amtrak customers.

New uses will give life to the public plazas and vice versa.

• Uses on the first floor of the north and south wings must relate to and take full advantage of the public plazas on the Wynkoop side of the building, drawing users into and out of the building and creating east-west pedestrian movement.
• New uses on the ground floor of the historic building and in the new wing buildings offer an opportunity to activate the plaza space and should complement each other.

The central train raam must remain a focal point.

• The central train room should not be substantially divided and the volume of space should maintain visual access to both sets of grand windows to the east and the west. Users should perceive the central train room as a singular space.
• While the integrity of the central train room is important, this should not exclude the possibility of using the mezzanine as an integral part of the space and making it publicly accessible.
• Uses adjacent to the central train room (on both first and second floors) are critical to help activate the space, provide natural surveillance (eyes on the space) and provide a visual connection from the exterior to and from the central train room.

Redevelopment must preserve the building's history.

• Individual architectural features identified as original throughout the Historic Structures Assessment, regardless of their construction date, and the various finishes and materials that make up the walls, floors, and ceilings should be given every consideration for retention prior to planning for modifications.
• Critical deficiencies, as outlined in the Historic Structures Assessment, should be addressed in any plan going forward and repairs to serious deficiencies should be given careful consideration when choosing any use or layout.
• The central train room restoration should make the train room active while utilizing and preserving some or all of the benches in some configuration (repositioning, relocating or making them movable).
• The uses must fit the physical constraints of the building envelope.

The new uses should serve the neighborhood and the station district plan.

• The uses should support and complement the development program in the rest of the station district, Commons and Lower Downtown neighborhoods.
• It is important to encourage uses unique to Denver, the transit district, Commons, Lower Downtown.

The new uses must, in the aggregate, allow the building to be financially independent, or the uses should have a dedicated funding source.

• Using historic preservation tax credits, even though that could require selling the building to a private interest for at least some period of time, should be considered in financing the restoration and revitalization of the building.
• Public/private partnerships should be encouraged as a way to meet the dual need for the building to serve the citizens of Denver, and to be financially self sustaining.
• Uses must generate revenue for building renovation and cover building operations.
• Uses must support tax generation in the project area which is essential to repay project debt.

DUSPA Meeting Feb 3

The DUSPA Board held their monthly meeting on February 3rd. At the meeting, it was announced that Don Hunt would be resigning from the Board due to his new role as Executive Director of CDOT. Other discussions included the schedule for release of unaudited and audited financial statements according to the requirements of TIFIA and RRIF. The Owner Representative reported that the project is now 32.4% complete and that the light rail cutover date has been established to be July 19th. The board planned to visit the Rocky Mountain Precast yard to check on the progress of the vent tubes. New construction activities this month will include the start of installation for the overhead catenaries for light rail, start for above grade demolition west of the historic station to Wewatta. It was noted that Wewatta would be open until August. There are only 3 remaining design packages that require approval/release. The Pedestrian bridge is expected to be released 3/25/11, the redesign of track and throat will be released 3/30/11 and the final public realm design will be released 6/15/11. The Historic Station building drawings for its required new steam boiler is at 50%. The team will tackle the cooling design next. In general, the project continues to progress on schedule.

The meeting agenda was as follows:

REVISED AGENDA
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE DENVER UNION STATION PROJECT AUTHORITY
February 3, 2011
1:30 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.
HOGAN LOVELLS
1200 Seventeenth Street
Suite 1500
Denver, CO 80202
303-899-7300


I. CALL TO ORDER
II. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
IV. ROLL CALL (See Attachment 1)
V. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES (January 6, 2011)
VI. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Resignation of Don Hunt as City Appointed Board Member
B. Finance Committee Report – Claude Pumilia
i) 2011 Plan of Finance Update – Doug McCleod
ii) 2010 Audit Status
C. Selection of External Auditor – Mike West
D. Owner’s Representative Report – Bill Mosher/Mike Sullivan
i) Update regarding Project Progress
ii) Change Order Update
a. Change Order Approval
iii) Update regarding Market Street Station Closing
E. Discussion of Federal Contract Issues – Dawn Bookhardt/Cole Finegan
VII. ACTION ITEMS
A. Approval of Change Orders
VIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION
[The Board may enter into executive session in order to discuss certain matters as permitted under the Colorado Open Meetings Law (C.R.S. § 24-6-402 et seq.) related to financial and contract negotiations, financial management negotiations, and litigation.]
[ACTION ITEMS RESULTING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION]

IX. FUTURE MEETINGS:
A. March 3, 2011
B. April 7, 2011
X. ADJOURNMENT
ATTACHMENT 1

DIRECTORS


Laura Aldrete
Parsons Brinckerhoff
City Director
Jerry Glick
Columbia Group LLLP – President
City Director
[Don Hunt]
Antero – President
City Director
Bill Bianco
Davis Graham & Stubbs
City Director
Elbra Wedgeworth
Denver Health – CGCAO
City Director
Michael West
Michael D. West, CPA – CPA
City Director
Judy Montero
City Council District #9 – Councilwoman
City Director*
Claude Pumilia
City and County of Denver – CFO
Manager of Finance, ex officio*
Marla Lien
RTD – General Counsel
RTD Director
Kent Bagley
RTD – Board Member
RTD Director
Mark Imhoff
CDOT – Executive Director
CDOT Director
Jennifer Schaufele
DRCOG – Executive Director
DRCOG Director
Steve Kaplan
Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell
Met District Director

* Non-voting

Updated DUS Schedule

As the project continues to move forward, we've seen progress on the redevelopment schedule. Below is an updated timeline as given in January by RTD, Amtrak, and Denver Union Station Project Authority:

• Feb. 1: Opening of temporary Amtrak Station at 1800 21st Street.
• Feb. 1: Closure of the pedestrian tunnel from the historic station to the current light rail platform and Mall Shuttle stop.
• Feb. 9: Closure of the Bus/HOV lane behind Union Station and re-routing of peak hour Regional and Express buses to Market Street Station.
• Spring 2011: Construction of Chestnut Place.
• Summer 2011: Opening of the new Light Rail Station and the extension of the 16th Street Mall Shuttle to the station.
• Summer 2011: Closure of Wewatta Street behind Union Station and opening of Chestnut Place.
• Summer 2011: Construction will begin on the next phase of the underground bus facility from Wewatta Street to the west side
  of the historic Denver Union Station building.
• Ongoing: Continued utility relocation.
• Ongoing: Work on the interior of the current phase of the underground bus facility.

Stay tuned for more updates!