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- analysis of leased space in downtown Santa Ana; <br />- drug court status; <br />- funding sources for the IDEA Center (to be located in the YMCA building); and <br />- City of Pasadena's ban on overnight parking. <br /> <br />Mayor Pulido thanked Arthur for her excellent and comprehensive presentation. <br /> <br />RECESS - 7:17 P.M.-7:34 P.M. <br /> <br />W.S.B. CITY HALL RENOVATION PROJECT <br /> <br />Roger Torriero from Crdffith Realty briefed the Council on the status of the City Hall renovation <br />project. He opined re-use of the old Police Building was infeasible because the building which had <br />been built in the 1950's was structurally unsound, small (38,000 square feet), and contained asbestos, <br />hydrocarbon and lead hazards. He indicated a new building with a "l-stop shop" for development <br />customers could be constructed and paid for using the City's current rent payments to house <br />employees in downtown Santa Ana. <br /> <br />Ernesto Vasquez and Steve Gaffney from McLarand, Vasquez & Partners showed the Council a <br />model of the proposed replacement building. Vasquez noted the 4-story glass-facade facility would <br />contain 32,000 square feet on the ground floor and 72,000 square feet in total, provide better <br />handicapped access to City Hall, and establish a City presence on Ross Street. <br /> <br />Torriero cited benefits of a "l-stop shop," stating such a design was more business friendly, allowed <br />for faster collection of revenues, increased staff productivity and permitted better management <br />accountability and efficiency. He also noted demolition of the old building would remove the existing <br />hazardous conditions. <br /> <br />Finance and Management Services Executive Director Rod Coloma explained the project would <br />allow the City to convert a liability (rent) to an asset (ownership) and provided the Council with a <br />"Summary Analysis of Beneficial Fiscal Impact." Coloma further explained the $11.7 million project <br />cost could be funded by issuing Santa Ana Financing Authority tax exempt Certificates of <br />Participation, with repayment over a 30-year period at the rate of $885,000 annually (amount of <br />current rent payments). He also noted current interest rates were very favorable, and that approval <br />of the bond issuance was scheduled for Authority approval on December 15, 1997. <br /> <br />Torriero, Vasquez and Coloma responded to Councilmembers' questions regarding the project. <br /> <br />Councilmembers identified the following issues for further investigation by staff: <br /> <br />- possible purchase of the Otis and Spurgeon buildings; <br />- analysis of projected maintenance costs; <br />- conversion of Civic Center underground parking area to office use; <br />- liability of the existing building hazards and remediation costs; <br />- relating the proposed building to downtown Santa Ana; <br /> <br />CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 329 NOVEMBER 17, 1997 <br /> <br /> <br />