Introduction
Assignment: What are the operational needs of the site, now and in the future?
Description: An architect usually begins by developing a "site program" that includes space needs, interdepencies and other factors. By drawing from several recent studies of the yard and nursery and connecting the Group with PP&R personnel, this assignment will help the Group acquire technical expertise before the design process begins.
Homework Approach
Special note: at the meeting on Monday night, we debated splitting this topic into (at least) two separate topics. If the ideas you want to add are specific to one topic or another, please note it to me and we'll figure out how to mark that differentiation.
By June 1st, when the architect begins work, what do we need to know?
- Jon: A clear inventory of current space use
- Chad: (Hort.) How much greenhouse space is needed?
- Chad: (Hort.) Can the current greenhouse fit those needs either as is, or moved/modified?
- Kristine: Inventory of current space use to include notation of any limitations or flexibility, e.g., functions/equipment that have to be at ground level, that require maneuvering room to access, that can be stacked.
- Kristine: Clear projection of needed space for various functions in, e.g., 2 years, 10 years, 25 years, 50 years
- Don: Parks has commissioned several studies of the Horticultural Functions at the MTCY&N. Why were those studies commissioned? What were the results? Why is there a continuing push to have further studies? How does a move to zones affect the functions at the MTCY&N? Why has a written service delivery plan been so hard to uncover?
- Dawn: It would be good to get statistical information about how much plant material Horticulture production provides to the whole Park system (what overall percentage) vs. how much plant material is purchased from outside vendors. Can/should the re-design of their facilities help to increase future production? If so, how much?
- Jon: How do security concerns dictate the organization of the site in terms of some spaces or activities needing more security and protection than others?
What else will we want to figure out as part of the process?
- Chad: (Hort.) In the future for PP&R, what role is Horticultural Services going to play with concern to greenhouse production?
- Kristine: Whether relocation of any Parks’ functions/employees located elsewhere to MTY&N would result in beneficial synergies or efficiencies that are desirable; may have to be assigned priorities depending on space limitations.
- Don: What are the possibilities of a horticultural center sited at the yard? What are the possibilites for expanding the Community Garden functions? How can the maintenance functions be integrated efficiently and safely with functions that have public participation on the site (i.e. a Hort center, community gardens, model healthy garden etc.). How can the historic resources be conserved in light of above?
How do we want to answer these questions?
- Jon: In very close consultation with the people who work on site
- Jon: Extract as much information as possible from studies and analyses that have been conducted in recent years.
- Jon: Hear from Eileen Argentina and Dave McAllister about current operations in the yard and nursery
- Don: Reports and policy documents need to be made available to the ...PG, which would include a written service delivery plan.
- Dawn: Can we please hear from the heads of the specific department (Ballfields, Locksmith, Paint Dept., Horticulture, Wood Shop, etc.), the people who do the hands-on work? What do they consider to be the biggest needs/challenges in their workspaces? I'm remembering how the Paint Dept. described their ventilation system as "open the door"...and the man repairing tractors that didn't fit into his shop, forcing him to work outside all year under an awning. I think they would add specific, valuable knowledge to our understanding of what the Yard's real needs are.
What are the important products?
- Kristine: Report document
- Don: A clear vision of how this valuable piece of park land can maintain historic uses and enhance its usefulness to the public.
- Dawn: A specific set of listed recommendations of the critical needs of the facilities for current operations (including necessary corrections needed to facilities), critical needs for future forecasted operations, and a "less-than-critical" wish list of other improvements that would benefit the facilities nicely.
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I think some basic background should be considered before we meet with bidders to begin the design phase
The original Olmstead Plan Map and a quarter section map with a zoning overlay, that will provide perspective.
An aerial overview that can be posted on the wall for all, at each meeting , along with the above maps.
An existing site map exists as well as a proposed new site map also within the 1999 facilities plan.
Additional site work was done by Greenleaf in August of 07 with layout proposed that included another proposed layout. All research and accompanying documents related to that work including correspondence with bureaus about the issue we now are researching.
The Alpha survey, and environmental study were completed in the summer of 07.
If any soils work was done? that would be useful
Understanding that the property ownership resolution and street or access development needs to be dealt with right away as all else is reactive to those requirement like setbacks, building heights,...
Traffic flow into and out as well as within... all depend on this.
All of Robin's and Henry's (and that groups') work on the proposal brought to council in Nov of 06 and any further refinement for the Jan 07 version of the facilities plan.
This would include all work done to consider the implications of services delivered from the central yard and each outlying facility site as PPR was proposing then. There must be reasons for constructing the matrix of facilities use as PPR did. Let's bring that work into the library.
the existing greenhouse is situated centrally in the yard and should remain where it is. current value is $500k+ and it was upgraded approximately ten years ago to last for 70+ years.
recent traffic studies for Division and surrounding streets to assess impact of proposed curb cuts for any new access.
There are four different Hort studies that I have, that interested parties will need to review, plus the most recent one done in 07
Please provide these to the group and post to the site for all to access
We need a comprehensive list of IGAs from the past ten years.
We need to know what current production requirements are.
Mayor Potter proposed and council passed a resolution requesting (requiring) bureaus to cooperate to create efficiencies.
We need an inventory of all outside vendor contracts for plants or production for all bureaus, to evaluate just which PPR can fill.
A means to evaluate the contributions of volunteers involved in Hort and plant production and maintenance.
We need an inventory of other PPR grow sites and their current and past production and what they grow. Also what their size is and potential production might be.
A written service delivery plan and expectations of services as required from all facilities. PPR should be telling us what their requirements are and we will work to provide a site to accommodate those requirements. Certainly, if they can verbally deliver this, they can do so in written form.
All communications between the bureaus and PPR during their construction of the matrix offered as the Maintenance Facilities Plans of Oct 06 and Jan 07.
To have these interactions now would save time and effort as well as money.
We have many of the e mail communications indicating ongoing discussions about land use issues in need of resolution. Many of these will be the same as we face. It would be useful to post those relevant to the discussions of specific codes and requirements and the decisions required to go forward. If the bureau contacts had issued written findings we'd like those.
that's a start.
Mark
I just met with PP&R's security lead and somebody from the ONI crime prevention program. They gave me some great ideas about addressing security and also gave me some leads in terms of workplace safety. I added a bullet above because there is a concept called "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design" that might be good for us to think about while we're talking about how the yard and nursery operate on a daily basis.