Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lau Park Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City staff and RDG present conceptual plans for Lau Park arts and environment center, greenhouse and tornado shelter; adoption and funding still pending
Summary
RDG presented schematic designs and an opinion of probable construction cost for renovations and an addition at Lau Park that would add greenhouse production bays, expand parks and rec offices, and create a robust tornado shelter; FEMA funding potential noted and no funding was committed during the work session.
City staff and RDG presented May 6 schematic plans for the Lau Park Arts and Environment Center that combine renovation of the existing building with an addition for parks and recreation offices, greenhouse operations and a tornado shelter intended to serve as a headhouse for greenhouse functions.
Paloma Chapman, RDG Planning and Design, described the design as an early schematic phase that aims to address aging building systems, support greenhouse operations for the city and master gardeners, provide more flexible community spaces and create a FEMA-eligible tornado shelter. Deputy Parks Director Brent Naber and staff said the project was initiated after a 2023 master-plan update and a July 2024 kickoff with partners including master gardeners.
Schematic highlights presented by RDG include reconfiguring interior spaces to enlarge gathering rooms, replacing single-user restrooms to meet current accessibility code, relocating parks and recreation offices into the new addition, and adding two greenhouse bays (Greenhouse Bay 1 proposed for initial construction; Bay 2 shown as an alternate). The proposed tornado shelter/headhouse is designed with heavy precast walls and a mezzanine for storage above the transplanting/classroom area.
RDG presented an opinion of probable construction costs broken into program elements (2025 dollars, construction only): existing building renovation about $700,000; parks and recs addition about $1.7 million; tornado shelter approx. $1.7 million; site improvements and greenhouses with alternates (Greenhouse Bay 1 each bay is ~4,000 square feet and Bay 2 listed as an alternate; an alternate siding package and optional solar array were also shown). Chapman noted FEMA P-361 grant funding can cover up to 75% of tornado shelter construction costs, which staff will explore.
Council members asked about circulation, parking and event flows around the building — noting constrained pedestrian movement on the east side when parking is full — and asked staff to consider staging future parking and pedestrian routing in the broader master plan. Staff said the project is not funded; the council will consider adoption of the schematic on May 8 and capital requests are planned for August and future CIP cycles.
Next steps: staff intends an adoption vote May 8, July work on phasing and funding opportunities (including FEMA shelter funding and potential solar rebates), and an August capital project request to include the project in CIP budgeting. No binding appropriation or contract award occurred at the May 6 work session.
