In its first Civic Center Master Plan study session since late last year, Fremont City Council Tuesday selected a design for the facility’s urban plaza, meant to be the “heart” of Downtown.
A consensus of council members favored an option, developed by San Francisco-based landscape design firm SWA Group, with a more linear layout than the alternative presented. City officials envision the plaza as a space to hold large events and festivals while also serving as a daily gathering space for the public. There will be space for performances with lawn and amphitheater seating as well.
“The urban plaza is at the heart of the civic center,” Cliff Nguyen, Fremont urban initiatives manager, said. “It’s bookended by the future administration building and it’s going to be built in the first phase with the Fremont Downtown Center, that’s the first building we will be building.”
Groundbreaking for the first phase is anticipated in 2017. Cost of the Downtown two-story community center and plaza is $30 million. Phase two, expected to begin in 2020, will involve the construction of a $161-million city hall, a seven-level glass and steel tower with a three-story atrium and “grand archway” entrance.
Meanwhile, construction of a $37.4-million public parking garage with 300 spaces and a possible residential component has been deferred to a future date.
Total cost is estimated at $191 million. However, a funding gap of $88 million is projected, according to the latest version of the master plan. Up to 75 percent of the funding would involve proceeds from the sale of 10 surplus properties in the past couple of years. For example, the city sold a 7-acre parcel on Palm Avenue for $22 million last summer.
Final designs for phase one, including cost plans, are expected to be presented to the council in June or July, said Assistant City Manager Jessica von Borck.
Adopted in 2014, the master plan identifies a 5.7-acre site on the northeastern corner of Capitol Avenue and State Street for a large public plaza, city administrative offices and other potential community-focused uses, as well as adjacent parking facilities for staff, visitors and nearby businesses. At the moment, the property is partially occupied by Town Fair Shopping Center businesses and the city’s Family Resource Center.
Most city departments and services — excluding police, detention, animal control and maintenance — would be consolidated at the center.
Rene Bihan, of SWA Group, said the footprint of the plaza is about the size of Union Square in San Francisco and the Bay Street plaza in Emeryville.
“It’s a sizable space, but it’s not gigantic but something that I think is very comfortable in terms of a downtown plaza,” he said.
Events and programs could include a farmers’ market, movie nights and food truck offerings, he added. Public art displays and incorporation of a large 20-foot by 50-foot digital display screen and a “light fountain,” with LCD lights or other technology, instead of a water fountain, are also being considered. Capacity is projected at up to 2,500 people.
About 60 percent of the design is planned as hardscape with the remaining 40 percent being landscape, such as high canopy trees and grass or artificial turf.
Mayor Bill Harrison, who sought a water fountain, said he liked the idea of a light fountain with the possibility of adding a water feature in the future. Rental of the plaza for events, such as a corporate launch party or concert, could be a revenue source, he added.
Flexibility of uses in the plaza is key and the plans presented reflect that, Harrison said.
“I think you’ve laid out a course and a plan that can get us there,” he added.
On Dec. 15, council members gave staff and the consultant, San Francisco-based Studios Architecture which developed the Civic Center master plan, suggestions for attractive, accessible, secure and safe designs with flexibility for multiple uses.
Also, council members focused on sustainable features in the design of the buildings, which are to be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED Gold standards. Possibilities include natural ventilation, photovoltaic solar panels, geothermal heating/cooling and water recycling.
Contact Julian J. Ramos at ramos@themilpitaspost.com or 408-262-2454 or follow him on twitter.com/julianjramosmp. Visit us on our social media sites at facebook.com/FremontBulletin and twitter.com/FremontBulletin.