DRAFT – REV 2
Central District Development Project
19th Street - Housing and Parking
Community Advisory Committee
Committee Report
March 31, 2016
The University of Kansas is undertaking a 45 acre development in the university’s Central District. The area of development is between Irving Hill Road and 19th Street, and between Naismith Drive and Iowa Street. The Central District Development Project includes razing the Stouffer Place Apartments and existing Burge Union, constructing new streets, utilities, a parking garage and surface parking lots, a new power plant, an integrated science building, a new union facility, play field, a residence hall with dining facilities and new apartments.
I. Community Advisory Committee
Pursuant to a Cooperation Agreement between the City of Lawrence and the University of Kansas, an ad hoc Community Program Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed to review the portion of the development that is within 150 feet of 19th Street. The scope of review by CAC includes the new residence hall with dining facilities, the apartments, associated parking, streets and play field. The CAC will provide advice to the university’s Building Committee on some of the design features of the new housing facilities and new dining hall, including their form, texture and materials. In addition, the CAC will make recommendations about how to address the mutual interests of both the community and the university in accordance with the Cooperation Agreement performance requirements. This process is intended to address the needs of the university and to provide a mechanism for meaningful involvement of the community and the neighborhoods in the design process.
Members of the committee are Commissioner Stuart Boley (Schwegler Neighborhood), Megan Bost (Schwegler Neighborhood), Barry Swanson (KU/Chair), Scott McCullough (City), Chuck Soules (City), Steve Evans (University Place Neighborhood), Pam Burkhead (University Place Neighborhood), Bob Nugent (City Transit), Geoff Stricker (Edgemoor, developer), Donna Hultine (KU Parking) and Diana Robertson (Housing). Also attending many of the meetings were people involved in the project planning, design or associated responsibilities, Tim Caboni (KU Public Affairs), Pam Bray (KU project director), Danny Kaiser (KU Transit), David Woosley (City), Mike Berry (PEC), Joe Stramberg (Treanor Architects), Mark Reiske (KU project manager), Kim Grunewald (KU Legal), Jim Modig (KU/Presenter), Chris Hirst (CBG, contractor) and Peter Wyatt (CBG). Committee meetings were held on November 11, 2015, December 16, 2015, January 21, 2016, February 24, 2016 and March 31, 2016 (minutes pending). Enclosed are copies of the minutes of the meetings.
II. Set-Back and 19th Street Improvements
The Cooperation Agreement between the City of Lawrence and the university states that “any new construction within 150 foot buffer shall have a height no greater than its set-back from the public right-of-way adjacent to the nearest City-maintained street, and on-site parking pursuant to City requirements shall be provided for student housing structures built within the 150 foot buffer area.”
The university started the design of the housing facilities utilizing the existing right of way along 19th Street. The City had future plans for street improvements along 19th Street. In a cooperative effort, the City accelerated the conceptual design of the street improvements to help coordinate new utility placement, City and university street connections, and assessment of potential adjustments to the right of way requirements to accomplish the work. The architects worked with the City and PEC (design engineer for the street improvements) to establish an assumed adjustment of the right of way to accommodate increasing the street width and associated sidewalk on the north side of the street. The options for expanding the right of way included private property on the south side of the street and university property to the north. The university agreed to expand the right of way to the north to minimize the impact on the neighborhood. The existing right of way varies along the north side of 19th Street. The proposed right of way line would be more consistent from Naismith to Iowa.
Right Of Way Adjustment Impact
Because of the proposed right of way, the initial designs of the residence hall had to be adjusted to attempt to address the setback requirements. The west wing of the residence hall was shortened, and in order to meet the number of beds required, a wing of the facility extending north towards 18th street was increased in height by one story. The revised design met the setback requirements utilizing the existing right of way.
On the apartments, the setback requirements were met by utilizing the existing right of way with the exception of a small area at the east end of the apartments. The ground level goes uphill from the east end of the apartments. The height of the building becomes shorter as you go from east to west. With the proposed right of way alignment, the current design does not meet the required setback. The CAC recognized that a right of way expansion to the south could have a detrimental impact on the private property owners on the south side of 19th Street. Expanding the right of way to the north would be a benefit to the community and the proposed street improvements. The expanded right of way allows the street to include bike lanes, center turn lane and a mixed use sidewalk on the north side of 19th Street. The land use agreement setback is based on the right of way. The following provides a different perspective by looking at the distance behind the street curb to the face of the building. Using this approach, the height of the buildings do not exceed the setback from the curb. Under the proposed street design, the east end of the residence hall/dining, the building would be 26 ft. 9 inches behind the curb. For the west end of the residence hall, the building would be approximately 62 ft. 6 inches north of the curb. At the apartments, the building would be 50 ft. 8 inches to 51 ft. 1 inch behind the curb. The CAC recognizes the proposed change in the right of way to the north would result in the building designs that would not meet the required setbacks. Assessing the height of the building and the distance behind the curb gives another perspective of setback. If you use the distance behind the curb in lieu of the right of way, the buildings heights would be in compliance. After careful review of the setback requirement, the CAC recommends the City Commission consider waiving the setback requirement for the residence hall/dining and apartments.
For the 19th Street improvements, the City hired PEC to prepare the master plan/concept design for the street. The CAC had the opportunity to review the proposed street improvements and provided comment on the design. The committee was supportive of developing a shared walkway set back from the road on the north side of the street. There was discussion about safety concerns and the need for walkway lighting. The university will explore the lighting options and consider the purchase and installation of the lights.
In the review of the dining hall loading dock design, the CAC recommended the screen wall at the dining dock area be extended to the west to provide additional screening. The design was modified and the CAC approved the revised design.
III. Utilities
The City’s road improvement project presented the opportunity for utility improvements in conjunction with the Central District Project. Prior to the Central District Project, the City implemented water line improvements along Ousdahl between 23rd Street and 19th Street. The utilities currently proposed to be improved along 19th Street includes sanitary sewer, storm sewer and the water line. The City and the university agreed to share in the cost of the water line improvement.
Regarding storm water detention, the original development plan called for an underground facility for storm water detention adjacent to 19th Street. During the project development it was determined that the same result can be achieved utilizing a surface pond located north of 18th Street in the area of the athletic fields. This was reviewed by the committee and was an approved design solution.
Pursuant to the Cooperation Agreement, the university will comply with the City’s storm water, sanitary sewer and potable water requirements. Copies of the utility impact studies were provided to the City.
IV. Traffic and Parking
During the committee’s review of the Central District Development Project, there were concerns expressed about the possibility of increased traffic on Ousdahl in the area of Schwegler School, particularly coming from the university south to 23rd Street and from 23rd Street going north to the university. This input resulted in a design change to install a traffic diverter to control north and south-bound traffic through the Ousdahl and 19th Street intersection. CAC recommends this revised traffic control design. Within the Central District Development Project, funds have been identified to assist in the cost of signalizing the 19th and Ousdahl intersection.
The Central District Development Project includes the construction of parking lots and a parking garage. The university provided the CAC with the number of parking spaces to serve the apartments and residence halls, historical data on the number of permits sold, and a traffic study. Utilizing the historic data approach to calculate the parking demand, the number of parking spots will exceed the calculated demand. Attached is the summary of the parking supply/demand document. The CAC recognizes that City code requires a parking ratio of one vehicle per bedroom; however, given the historic data and the increase of on-campus parking, the CAC recommends the City Commission consider waiving the one parking stall requirement per bedroom, and rather utilize the university’s historic data calculated parking demand to establish the parking stall requirement for these housing facilities.
There were many other design elements reviewed, discussed and recommendations presented by the CAC. Details of those issues can be found in the minutes of the meetings.