Mayor Becker Details Next Steps in Public Safety Buildings Project

Mayor Ralph Becker announced today a preliminary schedule for how Salt Lake City’s new Public Safety Building project will unfold in the months to come. This announcement follows the highly successful Public Safety bond campaign in which over 65% of Salt Lake City residents endorsed funding construction of a new Public Safety Building and Emergency Operations Center in Salt Lake City.

“While there are numerous details yet to be determined about the exact timing of the project, we want to give the public a sense of what we know so far. This will be the first of many communications about the project over the coming years as the conceptualization, design and construction of these buildings unfold,” said Mayor Becker.

Becker continued, “For the past eight months, my office has been tracking public input and comments and feeding that information back into the planning process. We will continue to incorporate public input as the project moves forward.”

Immediately following the election on November 3, the City issued a Request for Qualifications for a project manager to oversee the public safety building process. The City received eight responses; a selection committee is currently evaluating those responses before making a recommendation to the Mayor. Once the project manager is in place, that individual will help the City further detail the next steps in the planning process including the selection of the designer/architect, timing of the project and exact budget for the project.

During the past spring and summer the City hosted 11 open houses regarding the location of the proposed public safety complex. At those meetings 10 potential sites were presented to the public for review. Based on the information gathered and evaluated over the spring and summer, the preferred site was determined to be the Barnes Bank Block (the block on the east side of 300 East between 400 and 500 South). Since that time, the City has continued to evaluate new site ideas as they’ve come forward from the public.

There will be a Public Safety Buildings workshop this Monday, Dec. 7, 2009 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake City Library in Conference Rooms A, B, and C. The public is encouraged to attend. The workshop will include a presentation on site evaluations and analysis, as well as a discussion on how to make the civic campus one of the great places in Salt Lake City. The workshop will be facilitated by the Salt Lake City Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The City expects the Public Safety Buildings project to follow the preliminary schedule listed below:

December 7	Public Safety Buildings Workshop
December 8	Results of the workshop sent to the Mayor
December 8-18	Additional input, public comment on the workshop and all aspects of the project is gathered by the Mayor’s Office via e-mail, phone calls and the website www.slcgov.com/psb
December 18	Mayor makes final PSB/EOC site determination
December 18	PSB/EOC Project Manager RFP Selection Committee makes recommendation to the Mayor
January 5	Mayor announces PSB/EOC project manager
January 10	RFP process for selection of designer/architect is posted on City website and advertised
Note: Designer/Architect Selection Committee will include representatives from the Salt Lake City residential, business and architectural communities appointed by the Mayor
January/February TBD	City exercises options on PSB/EOC site properties
Mid-March	PSB/EOC Designer/Architect RFP Selection Committee makes recommendation to the Mayor
Late March	Mayor Announces PSB/EOC designer/architect
Late Spring TBD	RFP for selection of building contractor is posted on City website and advertised
Date TBD	Opportunities for public input throughout the process and will include public comment on:           w Building Design           w Public Spaces           w Public Art
Note: The City will seek innovative ways to keep the public informed throughout the planning and development of the project. For instance, there will be webcams to watch the construction and an interactive project website to keep the community informed about progress and to help coordinate construction activity.
Date TBD	Mayor’s Neighborhood Discussion Group to be established and will include:           w Library Representative           w Leonardo Representative           w The Roasting Company Representative           w Central City Neighborhood Representative           w UDOT Representative           w Library Board Representative           w Area Merchants and Residents
Note: The purpose of this group will be to gather input and feedback from those immediately affected by the project and share developments on the project as it unfolds.
March TBD	City closes on PSB/EOC site properties
1st Quarter 2010	Necessary Master Plan change           w This will go through the normal public process and will include Planning Commission and City Council
2nd Quarter 2010	Zoning Amendments           w Rezone property to public land           w Resolve use of Barnes Bank Building
Note: Zoning amendments will go through the formal Planning Commission and City Council public process.
2010 TBD	First round of bonds issued by City Council
2010 TBD	City Council confirms the sale of the bonds