WEBVTT 00:00:00.674 --> 00:00:08.311 - Well, it's the witching hour, so I will call the meeting of the Monroe County Capital Improvement Board 00:00:08.311 --> 00:00:15.655 - of February 18th, 2026 at 3 p.m. to order. I wanna make a brief announcement that good news and bad 00:00:15.655 --> 00:00:22.999 - news about Mr. Baer. Good news is he got sworn in as a member of the board. The bad news is is that 00:00:22.999 --> 00:00:27.038 - by state statute, if you attend two meetings remotely, 00:00:27.490 --> 00:00:34.260 - you cannot participate or vote in another meeting until you attend in person. So this being the third 00:00:34.260 --> 00:00:41.296 - meeting that Mr. Baer is attending consecutively remotely. When we had our special meeting on our January 00:00:41.296 --> 00:00:47.934 - meeting, he cannot participate in our meeting today, nor can he vote in our meeting today. However, 00:00:48.322 --> 00:00:54.934 - when we get to comments from the public, he's allowed to participate as a member of the public. So when 00:00:54.934 --> 00:01:01.356 - we get to comments from the public, I will specifically ask him if anything has not yet been said in 00:01:01.356 --> 00:01:08.031 - this meeting that he would like to say to all of us. So with that, and you can't count towards a quorum, 00:01:08.031 --> 00:01:14.389 - not that we, you know, we've got a quorum, so we can't even call his name today. So I see that he's 00:01:14.389 --> 00:01:17.886 - there, at least I see JB and I assume that's Mr. Baer. 00:01:18.018 --> 00:01:25.089 - So I will ask Jace to take the role. John Weichart. Present. Doug Bruce. Here. Jim Silverstein. Here. 00:01:25.089 --> 00:01:32.368 - Joyce Pulling. Here. Adam Teese. Here. Galen Cassidy. Here. Okay, thank you. Item number two is approval 00:01:32.368 --> 00:01:39.508 - of consent agenda, which includes the minutes of our January 21st meeting, the minutes of our February 00:01:39.508 --> 00:01:46.302 - 5th meeting, our claims, and the financial report. And if we could have a motion to approve that, 00:01:48.610 --> 00:01:55.484 - So we have a motion for approval. Is there a second? Second. It's been seconded. So are there any questions 00:01:55.484 --> 00:02:02.230 - or discussion or comments about the minutes or the claims or the financial report? OK, seeing and hearing 00:02:02.230 --> 00:02:08.913 - none, item number three, Treasurer's Report. Oh, yeah, we better vote on it, hadn't we? OK, so why don't 00:02:08.913 --> 00:02:15.596 - we vote on it? John Weichart? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes. Jim Soberstein? Yes. Joyce Polling? Yes. Adam Tease? 00:02:15.596 --> 00:02:18.142 - Yes. Galen Cassidy? Yes. OK, thank you. 00:02:18.690 --> 00:02:24.848 - Now, on to the Treasurer's Report. Mr. Silberstein, do you have any report you'd like to make? Jeff 00:02:24.848 --> 00:02:31.438 - Underwood has spent a lot of time bringing me up to speed on numbers. And for my first Treasurer's Report, 00:02:31.438 --> 00:02:37.842 - I have to say I have no report. OK. I would say that's an excellent job by both of you then. Very good, 00:02:37.842 --> 00:02:44.308 - very good. Item number four, President's Report. I wanted to report to you that I have approved a change 00:02:44.308 --> 00:02:47.326 - order for a sanitary extension due to unforeseen 00:02:47.522 --> 00:02:56.680 - elevation in the amount of $23,479. Approved that yesterday. The sanitary extension was an unforeseen 00:02:56.680 --> 00:03:06.018 - condition in the sanitary line pipe elevation that was exposed to meet IDEM's minimum regulation slope. 00:03:06.018 --> 00:03:15.177 - An additional 20 feet of pipe section had to be replaced, and that's why we have this additional cost 00:03:15.177 --> 00:03:16.254 - of $23,479. 00:03:16.450 --> 00:03:23.225 - So I approved that with the authority to approve such change orders under $25,000. And I think we have, 00:03:23.225 --> 00:03:28.958 - Deb, I think we have now a cumulative running total for the log that we wanted to show. 00:03:43.618 --> 00:03:52.724 - So we will forward this to all of you when the meeting's over, but we will keep a running total for 00:03:52.724 --> 00:04:02.194 - you, a log of these contingency change orders. And as you can see, we are now a contingency use to date 00:04:02.194 --> 00:04:11.481 - of 634, 658, which represents 26% of the contingency budget. I wanted to mention that we only had one 00:04:11.481 --> 00:04:12.574 - this month. 00:04:13.378 --> 00:04:19.626 - mid-February, obviously already, and we expected if we would have contingency change orders related 00:04:19.626 --> 00:04:26.000 - to the construction project that we would have had as we were coming up out of the ground. So I can't 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:32.498 - anticipate that we'll never have another one, but we certainly are having fewer, and we're dealing with 00:04:32.498 --> 00:04:38.934 - fewer issues, fewer unforeseen circumstances as we move forward. So happy to answer any questions that 00:04:38.934 --> 00:04:39.934 - you might have. 00:04:40.610 --> 00:04:48.615 - about today's, the one I mentioned today for $23,479 or for the running total. All right, seeing none. 00:04:48.615 --> 00:04:56.620 - Construction update, Weddle Brothers, Mr. Sherry. Thank you, John. Andrew Sherry, project manager with 00:04:56.620 --> 00:04:59.262 - Weddle Brothers. Share my screen. 00:05:05.154 --> 00:05:10.721 - Okay, so a few things to talk about today in the presentation. I wanted to run through some safety, 00:05:10.721 --> 00:05:16.343 - the connector details as far as what was done over the last few weeks with the bridge connector that 00:05:16.343 --> 00:05:22.411 - we've got done, construction progress, upcoming activities, and then side note with the building information 00:05:22.411 --> 00:05:28.145 - modeling as we progress into the interior side of the building and all the systems and everything that 00:05:28.145 --> 00:05:34.046 - we're trying to do, just show the background and the pre-planning that's going into that level of detail. 00:05:34.146 --> 00:05:39.328 - From a safety standpoint, so we currently have over five separate contractors on site. They may have 00:05:39.328 --> 00:05:44.510 - third parties involved. We're averaging around 30 to 40 employees every day on site. That could have 00:05:44.510 --> 00:05:49.692 - an influx whenever we have concrete pours or different activities. This will continue to increase as 00:05:49.692 --> 00:05:55.131 - we start additional scope and activities. So as we free up more masonry work, we're free up more interior 00:05:55.131 --> 00:06:00.467 - work. Those crews will continue to grow in size. We've had over 150 participants in safety orientation. 00:06:00.467 --> 00:06:02.878 - That's employees and visitors to the job site. 00:06:03.074 --> 00:06:09.210 - We're working in all areas of the project site. So the south lot, the roof, the elevated decks, we have 00:06:09.210 --> 00:06:15.228 - concrete bores going everywhere, subgrade prep and underground utilities. We are all over the project 00:06:15.228 --> 00:06:21.422 - site. A lot of planning, a lot of logistics, a lot of safety mindset that's went into this. So the other 00:06:21.422 --> 00:06:27.735 - day we were walking the job site and just in the main exhibit hall we had seven pieces of heavy equipment, 00:06:27.735 --> 00:06:29.918 - excavators, skid steers, boom lifts, 00:06:30.082 --> 00:06:35.960 - So again, we're pulling all these employees into approximately 30,000 square feet of an area, doing 00:06:35.960 --> 00:06:42.074 - all these different activities. And again, no safety incidents to report. Just great kudos to the whole 00:06:42.074 --> 00:06:47.952 - team that's out there, the safety mindset. We start off every day with a daily hazard analysis. Not 00:06:47.952 --> 00:06:52.126 - only our careers, but we require all of our subcontractors to do that. 00:06:52.290 --> 00:06:57.947 - We document that and save that. So they run through what they're gonna do that day. What are potential 00:06:57.947 --> 00:07:03.878 - hazards and how can you eliminate those potential hazards? So again, I think that it's had a great turnout. 00:07:03.878 --> 00:07:09.370 - It's very tight project site, but great success. So at any time there are around 15 to 18 pieces of 00:07:09.370 --> 00:07:14.971 - heavy equipment on the job site. This does not include the days that we have concrete trucks, vehicle 00:07:14.971 --> 00:07:20.573 - job trucks, or additional vehicles, testing agencies, things like that. So with two main entrances to 00:07:20.573 --> 00:07:21.342 - the job site, 00:07:21.538 --> 00:07:27.506 - That's a pretty substantial feat. Here are a few photos I just wanted to include. In the top left picture 00:07:27.506 --> 00:07:33.193 - you can see just around the sanitary line and the deep foundations. On the south side of the project 00:07:33.193 --> 00:07:38.879 - there are four large excavators here with our material lay down. On the right hand side this is some 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:43.102 - of the bedrock that we did whenever we exposed the existing sanitary line. 00:07:43.202 --> 00:07:48.893 - And then on the bottom left, it's hard to see, but that's the seven to eight pieces of heavy equipment 00:07:48.893 --> 00:07:54.584 - where we're doing our slab on grade sequence one and sequence two. So trenches are open. The utilities 00:07:54.584 --> 00:08:00.220 - are stepped up through the ground. There's just a lot of different moving parts and pieces. Connector 00:08:00.220 --> 00:08:06.133 - details. This was a huge milestone for the project. We had around 12 working days, not including weekends. 00:08:06.133 --> 00:08:11.713 - The crews were able to complete structural steel erection, structural steel detailing, including all 00:08:11.713 --> 00:08:13.150 - welding, the adjustments. 00:08:13.250 --> 00:08:19.694 - Roof and floor decking concrete pouring and final fall protection cables and posts so If anybody remembers 00:08:19.694 --> 00:08:25.837 - the snowstorm that we had that was the day that we planned on doing our closure was that Sunday night 00:08:25.837 --> 00:08:31.981 - We had to work with the limited travel restrictions with crews out of Indianapolis for our barricades 00:08:31.981 --> 00:08:38.063 - and things like that We ended up closing college down on Tuesday, and we still hit our same end date 00:08:38.063 --> 00:08:41.918 - that we showed in our schedule of June of 2025 Again that was a 00:08:42.050 --> 00:08:49.085 - A great feat, a lot of pre-planning, a lot of long days for the crews out there. Wednesday that we started. 00:08:49.085 --> 00:08:55.665 - Wednesday that we started, I think, that we started, I think, 22 or 22. And that's the day that they 00:08:55.665 --> 00:09:02.179 - set the columns. And then every connection on the bridge out there had about 60 inches of welds. So 00:09:02.179 --> 00:09:08.953 - not only after that was erected, both of together, but the welding and all the detailing that went into 00:09:08.953 --> 00:09:11.038 - that, again, just a great feat. 00:09:11.490 --> 00:09:17.072 - would like to note that city engineering did note that over the entirety of our closure that we had 00:09:17.072 --> 00:09:22.822 - no complaints. So that was a great milestone there too. We didn't know what to expect. There was a lot 00:09:22.822 --> 00:09:28.627 - of communications, a lot of planning that went into that. While we had the road closed, we were calling 00:09:28.627 --> 00:09:34.433 - them on a constant basis and saying, hey, you know, we have this, especially with the snow. We had city 00:09:34.433 --> 00:09:37.726 - crews with the plows and stuff help us whenever we went to 00:09:37.858 --> 00:09:43.380 - to close the road down, they plowed, they oversalted the roadways. There was just a lot of help. So 00:09:43.380 --> 00:09:48.901 - here are a few pictures on the left hand side here, you'll see the crane set up right in the middle 00:09:48.901 --> 00:09:54.423 - of college, about 120, 130 feet high at that point. In the middle picture, you'll see what it looks 00:09:54.423 --> 00:09:59.999 - like up there prior to them pouring the floor. So that's looking from the east towards the west. And 00:09:59.999 --> 00:10:05.686 - then the concrete pump on the right hand side whenever the day that they pumped that Thursday, the day 00:10:05.686 --> 00:10:06.846 - before we opened up. 00:10:10.178 --> 00:10:15.383 - Construction progress, so structural steel update. All structural steel around the main exhibit hall 00:10:15.383 --> 00:10:20.691 - has been set besides the back of house area. So the kitchen, the mechanical spaces, that is what we're 00:10:20.691 --> 00:10:26.102 - calling sequence seven. That follows the sanitary line and all that south work. So crews are now working 00:10:26.102 --> 00:10:31.358 - on final detailing, the clips, welds, the pour stops. So after they erect that, they have to put pour 00:10:31.358 --> 00:10:36.872 - stop down, all the decking so we can pour the concrete out. The low roof and high roof decking has started 00:10:36.872 --> 00:10:39.294 - on the building, including the exterior patio. 00:10:39.490 --> 00:10:44.966 - On this photo in the bottom, you can see the patio area that has been decked. And then this picture 00:10:44.966 --> 00:10:50.770 - was from last week. They're actually flying through on roof decking. We're really hoping to start putting 00:10:50.770 --> 00:10:56.245 - roofing material on the project within the next three weeks. If we remember, the slide on grade had 00:10:56.245 --> 00:11:01.940 - five total sequences. So sequence one has been poured. Sequence two is scheduled to be poured tomorrow. 00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:06.430 - That means that the whole eastern half of the project will be poured in concrete. 00:11:06.594 --> 00:11:12.514 - and have a floor. And then sequences three through five will be between now and April. So one thing 00:11:12.514 --> 00:11:18.138 - I wanted to note on the slide lawn grade preparation. So we see the underground, we talk about 00:11:18.138 --> 00:11:24.118 - the underground and stone and then pouring concrete, but here are just a few activities that we have 00:11:24.118 --> 00:11:27.966 - to do. So we get in and install our deep utilities in Backville. 00:11:28.066 --> 00:11:33.401 - Then we come in, put the geogrid down in all of our compacted stone, roll that in with heavy equipment, 00:11:33.401 --> 00:11:38.582 - install all of our shallow utilities and backfill, so all of our conduits, things like that. Then we 00:11:38.582 --> 00:11:43.814 - fully encapsulate under slab with a vapor barrier. We tie rebar, place forms along the perimeter, and 00:11:43.814 --> 00:11:49.098 - then isolate every column. So every column out there is isolated from the actual pour itself. And then 00:11:49.098 --> 00:11:54.381 - we pour the concrete. And then the next day, they come in and saw cut. So there's a lot that goes into 00:11:54.381 --> 00:11:56.382 - that process. Here are a few pictures. 00:11:56.546 --> 00:12:02.378 - On the top left, you can see the Northeast restroom. And then, so that's our deeper rough ends. On the 00:12:02.378 --> 00:12:08.493 - right-hand side, this is after we placed the geogrid and the stone, so they're running some of our conduits 00:12:08.493 --> 00:12:14.269 - for our floor boxes. On the bottom left, it's hard to see, but that's all the rebar. So the rebar and 00:12:14.269 --> 00:12:19.931 - the slab is on baskets. It's six inches on center both ways. And then again, our formwork. And then 00:12:19.931 --> 00:12:22.366 - the bottom right is the sequence one pour. 00:12:24.162 --> 00:12:29.429 - The building envelope masonry work has started with the brick work starting this week along registers 00:12:29.429 --> 00:12:34.645 - lot on the southeast side of the project. This picture was from last week is probably six foot tall. 00:12:34.645 --> 00:12:39.551 - I think right now they're 22 ish somewhere in there. Exterior column wraps are starting today. 00:12:39.551 --> 00:12:44.715 - So our framing, sheathing and exterior wall rough ends, which is electrical and plumbing are taking 00:12:44.715 --> 00:12:49.982 - place. Our roof deck continues with roofing installation starting again in approximately three weeks. 00:12:53.858 --> 00:12:59.284 - Interior work with the slab pours, we're able to jump on the interior walls too. So this picture was 00:12:59.284 --> 00:13:04.711 - taken right after lunch this morning. This is the first course of the south corridor on the interior 00:13:04.711 --> 00:13:09.707 - side. Interior masonry walls are starting today. We'll follow our slab progression, which is 00:13:09.707 --> 00:13:15.134 - a counterclockwise orientation. Our in-wall rough-in, so as they lay these masonry walls, mechanical 00:13:15.134 --> 00:13:20.775 - and electrical and plumbing is starting also. So they build up, they rough that in. And then door frames 00:13:20.775 --> 00:13:22.494 - are being installed today also. 00:13:22.594 --> 00:13:28.625 - All doors, frames, and hardware are on this week, and we have door frames starting today in these walls. 00:13:28.625 --> 00:13:34.483 - Our exterior facade, so our masonry work is to be completed at the southeast side of the project, and 00:13:34.483 --> 00:13:40.284 - then we'll continue up to each elevation. So this is the southeast side looking north. The left-hand 00:13:40.284 --> 00:13:46.315 - side there is the brick that we expect to be done within the next two weeks, and then those column wraps 00:13:46.315 --> 00:13:48.670 - right there are what are starting today. 00:13:49.218 --> 00:13:55.434 - We will also be placing blocking and prep work around all of the curtain wall systems. We expect the 00:13:55.434 --> 00:14:01.712 - curtain wall systems to be on site in April. We'll start getting everything installed there. And then 00:14:01.712 --> 00:14:07.989 - exterior framing will progress on the east side and then go to the north elevations for our brick and 00:14:07.989 --> 00:14:14.452 - our column ramps. So building information modeling, BIM, as we like to call it. Again, this is something 00:14:14.452 --> 00:14:18.206 - that it's 3D rendering that all systems go into the building 00:14:18.402 --> 00:14:24.676 - They model this. This allows us to identify clashes where different systems may hit, and then change 00:14:24.676 --> 00:14:31.013 - our plans and alter the plan for the system. So again, this allows for clashes to be identified early 00:14:31.013 --> 00:14:37.535 - in the process prior to us coming in, installing these, and then saying, hey, back to the drawing board. 00:14:37.535 --> 00:14:43.747 - What do we need to do? After areas are designed virtually in BIM and issues are resolved, areas are 00:14:43.747 --> 00:14:48.158 - signed off for prefabrication. We have the whole underslab signed off. 00:14:48.290 --> 00:14:53.649 - These are being prefabricated in shops. A lot of this work is taking place in the south lay down lot, 00:14:53.649 --> 00:14:59.008 - south of the hotel here. But they create these puzzle pieces in large sections, bring those over, and 00:14:59.008 --> 00:15:04.419 - then install exactly to how this was modeled. So it helps enhance our schedule. We currently have duct 00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:09.778 - work, overhead piping, electrical runs, and other scopes being built off site in order to deliver and 00:15:09.778 --> 00:15:15.294 - install when the project is ready. Again, another thing that we do in this model is we take into account 00:15:15.394 --> 00:15:23.088 - even down to the thickness of the insulation. So the pipe insulation, the ductwork insulation, the overall 00:15:23.088 --> 00:15:30.494 - end user maintenance standpoint, can people get in these cable trays and access it. So all that detail 00:15:30.494 --> 00:15:36.030 - goes in here. Again, build that and then build it inside. This picture here. 00:15:36.226 --> 00:15:41.691 - is basically if you took a cut at the roof line above the kitchen in the back of house, that is all 00:15:41.691 --> 00:15:46.664 - the existing or that is all the new systems and equipment that will actually be installed. 00:15:46.664 --> 00:15:52.512 - So fire protection, cable trays, low voltage, duct work, anything that you can think of that is everything 00:15:52.512 --> 00:15:58.086 - that will be above the ceiling in the back of house. This next picture is the high roof. So above the 00:15:58.086 --> 00:16:03.934 - exhibit hall in this, you'll also see all the long span trusses. So we get down to the level of detail for 00:16:04.162 --> 00:16:10.808 - duct work to go in the web spacing of those long spans that are out there, how everything ties together, 00:16:10.808 --> 00:16:17.516 - how do you insulate it. So again, this is just a neat picture to see all those systems in their entirety. 00:16:17.516 --> 00:16:24.035 - I think better than the BIM model. We want to go ahead and talk about our hard hat update video. I was 00:16:24.035 --> 00:16:30.428 - able to co-star with Mr. John Whitecard in. He got a lot of work done on site that day. So we'll see 00:16:30.428 --> 00:16:33.086 - how this one plays out. Co-star. Co-star. 00:16:36.450 --> 00:16:40.548 - Here we are again. I've taken a little break from all the work I've been doing here on site and we're 00:16:40.548 --> 00:16:42.878 - going to take another tour and see what's been happening. 00:17:06.018 --> 00:17:13.415 - Here we are again, I've taken a little break from all the work I've been doing here on site. And we're 00:17:13.415 --> 00:17:20.596 - gonna take another tour and see what's been happening. Hello again, John Weichert, president of the 00:17:20.596 --> 00:17:27.922 - Capitol Improvement Board. I'm here at the construction site for our expansion project. Amazed at all 00:17:27.922 --> 00:17:32.446 - the progress that's been made since our last hard hat edition. 00:17:32.578 --> 00:17:37.565 - Today's actually the last full day of the closure of College Avenue, and we're excited about that. I'm 00:17:37.565 --> 00:17:42.503 - under the bridge that connects the two buildings. I'm looking for Andrew Sherry from Weller Brothers. 00:17:42.503 --> 00:17:47.344 - He's going to join me today. Oh, Andrew, there you are. What are you doing up there? Waiting on you 00:17:47.344 --> 00:17:52.670 - to come see the best view in town, John. Well, come on down and tell me what's been going on. We can do that. 00:17:55.426 --> 00:18:00.927 - Andrew, the sky bridge will probably be the most identifiable project activity everyone can see. And 00:18:00.927 --> 00:18:06.537 - it is such an exciting new downtown feature. So tell me about what we are seeing and what is happening 00:18:06.537 --> 00:18:12.038 - here. Yes, so as you can see in the last week, week and a half, there's been a lot of work that took 00:18:12.038 --> 00:18:17.594 - place here between the structural steel, all the concrete work, all the prep that had to go into this 00:18:17.594 --> 00:18:23.149 - for this closure to hit these days that we've been planning for. We've got the existing floor that we 00:18:23.149 --> 00:18:23.966 - have to match. 00:18:24.130 --> 00:18:29.090 - We've got the new concrete. We've got the ramps. As you can see here at the top of all this structural 00:18:29.090 --> 00:18:34.049 - steel at these intersecting points, we've got 60 inches of weld. So a ton of detailing that people may 00:18:34.049 --> 00:18:38.865 - not think about, but there's a lot of work that goes into this as we progress and try to get to the 00:18:38.865 --> 00:18:44.113 - final product. You know, and symbolically, Andrew, we've talked about this at the bridge, but it's literally 00:18:44.113 --> 00:18:49.025 - a bridge between the past and the future. As we look across at the current convention center and look 00:18:49.025 --> 00:18:53.214 - at this new construction, this is not really a break from the past. It's a connection. 00:18:53.666 --> 00:18:59.071 - Absolutely. Obviously, this building, the expansion behind us is a monumental piece. But another big 00:18:59.071 --> 00:19:04.423 - piece of that is matching the historical aspect of the existing building. Progressing with our slab 00:19:04.423 --> 00:19:09.775 - here, we've got our nice hole covers to protect our floor boxes. Because once we get this next slab 00:19:09.775 --> 00:19:15.127 - poured, we're going to bring a bunch of scissor lifts in here and start detailing all this decking, 00:19:15.127 --> 00:19:20.639 - all these long-span tresses. Because right now, there's a ton of other members to be tied in up there. 00:19:20.639 --> 00:19:23.422 - They'll remove all this temporary bracing and such. 00:19:23.842 --> 00:19:29.123 - our existing, our new utilities existing in the slab, we want to protect them. Yeah. Not breaking things. 00:19:29.123 --> 00:19:34.204 - But again, our first section of the dance floor. So. Well, that's good. Yeah. And all this, all these 00:19:34.204 --> 00:19:39.336 - stones, what we paid extra for, right? Actually, this step was the base contract. The step underneath, 00:19:39.336 --> 00:19:44.367 - that's what we paid extra for. Oh, it tore you down? Yeah. Yeah. So basically, you had a foot of the 00:19:44.367 --> 00:19:49.349 - stuff that you see right now on the geogrid. And you'll be able to see it over here whenever we get 00:19:49.349 --> 00:19:53.534 - into these trenches. But the step right underneath that is what they wanted to fix. 00:19:53.890 --> 00:20:01.204 - So yes, a lot of stone. Thank you. Oh, look at all of this. Yes, sir. Quite a bit of masonry work already. 00:20:01.204 --> 00:20:08.039 - Yeah, last time we walked this a few days ago, we were five or six foot high. You see the work that 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:14.943 - this group can do in three days. That's amazing. That's amazing. Yeah. Well, last time I was here, I 00:20:14.943 --> 00:20:20.958 - offered to be a hod carrier and they didn't take me up on it, but I'm glad I didn't get 00:20:21.090 --> 00:20:26.160 - hired for that. As soon as they heard that, they started flying through it. They worked more quickly 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:31.531 - because all they needed was my help, right? Yeah. Well, this is very, very impressive. Yeah. And actually, 00:20:31.531 --> 00:20:36.752 - again, I think we talked about it before, but next week, we're looking at next Wednesday, they're going 00:20:36.752 --> 00:20:41.972 - to come in here and lay out. But this will be our interior wall. It dives into the center line of these 00:20:41.972 --> 00:20:46.942 - columns here. So it follows this saw cut joint. We'll have a little frame set in here, everything. 00:20:48.034 --> 00:20:52.943 - the door friends of the project in your wins that it's just it's just amazing so you know we're out 00:20:52.943 --> 00:20:57.950 - here originally and we were this was pretty much just a level ground and you describe these things to 00:20:57.950 --> 00:20:58.686 - me it was hard 00:20:59.170 --> 00:21:03.783 - It's hard for me to visualize it. We're in here now and it's happening. It's just amazing to look at. 00:21:03.783 --> 00:21:08.305 - Yeah, so when will the masonry work take place? And when will they come out and put the brick down? 00:21:08.305 --> 00:21:12.917 - And how's that fit into all the scheduling? Yeah, so we're looking at having like this wall down here 00:21:12.917 --> 00:21:17.665 - on the south side of the project done next Wednesday. At that point, they'll jump in and bring the block 00:21:17.665 --> 00:21:22.278 - guys in, have this interior wall done, and then immediately the exterior brick, red brick starts. And 00:21:22.278 --> 00:21:25.534 - there'll be a couple of weeks' worth of work for them to face that all. 00:21:25.730 --> 00:21:30.779 - So here's one of the main entrances. And where's the reception area going to be right here? Yeah, the 00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:35.828 - reception desk will be right here. Whenever you walk in the project or the building at the end of it, 00:21:35.828 --> 00:21:40.828 - we'll have a main entrance over here and a main entrance at that corner. So you'll come in. There'll 00:21:40.828 --> 00:21:45.778 - be a vestibule here, double set of doors, lights. You open the doors, and here's your desk. So this 00:21:45.778 --> 00:21:50.827 - is the Northeast entrance here. Yes, sir. And you're coming right in off of Walnut Street, third. And 00:21:50.827 --> 00:21:55.134 - here's the reception area. Yep. Yep. And then you have open corridors, your restrooms. 00:21:55.330 --> 00:22:00.635 - And then again, right now, we can see this beautiful exhibit hall. Basically, this column line in is 00:22:00.635 --> 00:22:05.887 - all exhibit hall, so you'll have your walls all the way to deck, and you'll have various doors that 00:22:05.887 --> 00:22:11.244 - you can go into that. We're coming around from the reception area, and this is the exhibit hall. Yes. 00:22:11.244 --> 00:22:16.653 - So again, you'll have sets of doors here, and then you'll come in. This column line here is the break, 00:22:16.653 --> 00:22:20.382 - so you'll have corridor, and then you come into the exhibit hall here. 00:22:21.282 --> 00:22:27.371 - The exhibit hall, again, we're approximately 30,000 square feet of finished space, wide open ceiling 00:22:27.371 --> 00:22:33.461 - space. We'll have foldable partition walls, so this could be an open area, basketball courts, things 00:22:33.461 --> 00:22:39.490 - like that. Or you can have different rooms with our folding partitions that come out. You know, and 00:22:39.490 --> 00:22:45.278 - I didn't realize how large an open space it could be until you're standing here within it. Yes. 00:22:45.442 --> 00:22:50.541 - This is a huge, huge area. Yeah. I mean, these long span trusses that we talked about for a long time, 00:22:50.541 --> 00:22:55.641 - we're able to accommodate that load. We've actually got decking. We're starting decking right now. And 00:22:55.641 --> 00:23:00.789 - I say we, but Indy Steel, All Met, the steel iron workers are starting decking over there. But our goal 00:23:00.789 --> 00:23:05.790 - is to start doing all the roof decking over this. We have roofing material in the lot. As soon as we 00:23:05.790 --> 00:23:10.740 - get this decking down, we're going to put a roof on it. And again, our goal is to get this building 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:14.206 - enclosed. Yeah. I'm sorry, it's not just athletic events we can have. 00:23:14.434 --> 00:23:20.330 - 1,400 people to sit down, dinner in the city, or concerts or lectures, and get a couple thousand people 00:23:20.330 --> 00:23:26.113 - in Harry Eaton's. That's a great space. It'll be a great space. So Andrew, next time we're here, what 00:23:26.113 --> 00:23:31.839 - are we going to see next time? I think that's a loaded question. We're going to see a lot. But we'll 00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:37.791 - see interior walls here, our masonry walls we talked about earlier. We're hoping to see interior framing 00:23:37.791 --> 00:23:42.270 - from floor to deck. We'll have decking places on all of our elevated surfaces. 00:23:42.626 --> 00:23:48.499 - and then slab on grade, we'll see a lot. Great, great. Well, Andrew, thank you for taking time out of 00:23:48.499 --> 00:23:54.372 - your busy schedule for the other tour. And we look forward to seeing all of you for the next Hard Hat 00:23:54.372 --> 00:24:00.129 - Edition. Someday we can see volleyball tournaments taking place in this space where we're standing. 00:24:00.129 --> 00:24:05.887 - We're going to play Devils, me and you, versus we've got to find two people. Yeah, maybe an Oval 75 00:24:05.887 --> 00:24:07.902 - league of some kind. RF. Yeah, OK. 00:24:14.882 --> 00:24:22.743 - For anybody who was worried about safety, I didn't even have the keys to that piece of equipment. So 00:24:22.743 --> 00:24:30.525 - don't be concerned. Well, yeah, I ask that they knew better. Okay, thank you, Andrew. Any questions 00:24:30.525 --> 00:24:37.374 - for Andrew about the construction update? All right, working group updates, wayfinding. 00:24:42.306 --> 00:24:47.717 - Thank you. Eddie Layton, which is an associate. And I have Karen Gilmore with me as well. She's our 00:24:47.717 --> 00:24:53.128 - graphic designer who's working on this. So we wanted to come to the CIB today. We're kind of at the 00:24:53.128 --> 00:24:58.972 - end of our design concept phase. And so we want to share progress. And then at the end of our presentation, 00:24:58.972 --> 00:25:04.491 - ask for approval of that design concept. So like any good design project, we start with goals. And so 00:25:04.491 --> 00:25:10.281 - these goals are not too dissimilar to the goals for the building design, but have a specific angle towards 00:25:10.281 --> 00:25:11.742 - the signage and wayfinding 00:25:11.842 --> 00:25:18.554 - Things like that should be simple and not overly complex, given visitors coming to the convention center, 00:25:18.554 --> 00:25:25.140 - be able to find a way around easily. Want to work with the building, so be timeless. Include the colors 00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:31.599 - from the building and that go with the building. Want to be memorable and unique, of course. Durable, 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:36.158 - so Talisha and her team don't have to maintain it and worry about that. 00:25:36.258 --> 00:25:41.394 - flexible and adaptable. This space is going to be very many different things to different people. And 00:25:41.394 --> 00:25:46.429 - so the signage and wayfinding needs to work with all of that. I want to leverage technology as much 00:25:46.429 --> 00:25:51.867 - as possible to new building. And we wanted to make that exciting. I want to be consistent with the branding 00:25:51.867 --> 00:25:57.103 - and all the work that was done to create some of those graphics. It should make sense that the building 00:25:57.103 --> 00:26:02.340 - should reflect that. And we do know we're, just as we were talking about in the video, we're connecting 00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:04.958 - to the existing building. We need to make sure that 00:26:05.186 --> 00:26:12.224 - The signage is replaced in this building. The package can be complementary. But even if the decision 00:26:12.224 --> 00:26:19.541 - is to utilize existing signage, the new items make sense as well. So we look at the schedule. We started 00:26:19.541 --> 00:26:26.788 - back in November with our design concept work. And so we've been through the last couple of months with 00:26:26.788 --> 00:26:34.174 - the way finding committee to refine the design. So we're here today in February to ask for that approval. 00:26:34.274 --> 00:26:39.954 - the next line item under that, and the key milestones is the variance approval. Similar to the building 00:26:39.954 --> 00:26:45.963 - where the UDO was, we needed some variances to meet the UDO, because the UDO is not written around convention 00:26:45.963 --> 00:26:51.479 - centers. You don't have 50 different convention centers in town, but you have one. And so similarly, 00:26:51.479 --> 00:26:56.941 - the UDO signage requirements for our zoning, there's just, we don't meet them all the requirements, 00:26:56.941 --> 00:27:02.458 - or there's things that we'd like to do that are not included in the UDO. So we've had a meeting with 00:27:02.458 --> 00:27:03.550 - Jackie at the city, 00:27:03.842 --> 00:27:10.105 - have reviewed kind of what we're thinking and talked through that process. So the current plan for that 00:27:10.105 --> 00:27:16.307 - is that we will be submitting to appear in the March hearing, which means we need to submit at the end 00:27:16.307 --> 00:27:22.390 - of February, which we've intentionally left some time there in the schedule as we're working towards 00:27:22.390 --> 00:27:28.652 - the May completion schedule for the construction drawings. If we need to push to the April PZA hearing, 00:27:28.652 --> 00:27:33.470 - we have time to do that, but we'd like to leave that option open at this point. 00:27:36.482 --> 00:27:41.662 - So one of the big things that we're getting into much more detail as we work towards the construction 00:27:41.662 --> 00:27:46.842 - drawing portion of the project is the actual locations. We need to start with locations to be able to 00:27:46.842 --> 00:27:51.971 - pick the types of signs, but we're going to get much more detail into the specific locations. I just 00:27:51.971 --> 00:27:57.100 - wanted to share with the group kind of what we're thinking in terms of general areas. So we're going 00:27:57.100 --> 00:28:02.381 - to start outside, and I will zoom in because I realize that's kind of small on the big screen. So we're 00:28:02.381 --> 00:28:05.022 - looking at, start maybe on the west side of campus, 00:28:05.442 --> 00:28:11.636 - The existing building, the existing parking lots, there's our existing signage in many of the parking 00:28:11.636 --> 00:28:17.891 - lots already that we'd want to look at replacing some directional signage. We want to look at, I mean, 00:28:17.891 --> 00:28:24.025 - in the College Avenue, replacing the existing ground-mounted message sign, which we'll see what that 00:28:24.025 --> 00:28:30.462 - looks like, as well as the, looking at the building sign on this building. We've talked about just taking 00:28:30.462 --> 00:28:33.438 - that sign off and leaving the Graham Auto Sales, 00:28:33.986 --> 00:28:39.564 - piece there is kind of like an homage to the past of the building. We also acknowledge that if you're 00:28:39.564 --> 00:28:45.088 - coming to this campus for the first time and parking in the main parking lot, you may not know where 00:28:45.088 --> 00:28:50.611 - the entry is. It's not immediately obvious from back there, and so we might want to add some signage 00:28:50.611 --> 00:28:56.244 - to the backside of the building. The big thing, though, is along College Avenue, knowing where to turn 00:28:56.244 --> 00:28:57.502 - into the parking area, 00:28:57.602 --> 00:29:03.531 - One of the requirements from our building variances was that we needed a sign at the loading dock entry 00:29:03.531 --> 00:29:09.232 - to alert pedestrians to truck traffic and that sort of thing, but also just for trucks to know this 00:29:09.232 --> 00:29:14.990 - is where you turn in. The expansion is going to have signage. Obviously, we've talked about building 00:29:14.990 --> 00:29:20.862 - signage on the corners of the entries, wayfinding signage for people walking and driving around campus 00:29:20.862 --> 00:29:23.998 - and where parking can be found and that sort of thing. 00:29:25.090 --> 00:29:31.430 - So as I mentioned, we're going to get into much more detail on those locations as we determine quantities 00:29:31.430 --> 00:29:37.649 - of signs and the exact messaging of those. So right now, we're just looking at types. The same exercise 00:29:37.649 --> 00:29:43.869 - is going on inside. Entries into the exhibit hall rooms, a directory signage at the entry is important, 00:29:43.869 --> 00:29:50.029 - a restroom signage. But all the questions that Talisha and Lisa and her team get asked, where is this? 00:29:50.029 --> 00:29:54.814 - Where is that? We want to make sure the signage is helping as much as possible. 00:29:55.234 --> 00:30:00.040 - There's not always someone there to answer those questions. So as I mentioned, one of our exercises, 00:30:00.040 --> 00:30:04.940 - we're working with the committee to schedule a meeting probably late April or early May to really walk 00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:09.698 - through every location there's going to be a sign. What is it going to say? Which of our sign types 00:30:09.698 --> 00:30:14.504 - is it going to be? Which I'll share in a second. And that will help with determining the quantities, 00:30:14.504 --> 00:30:19.262 - which is what the big package will look at. And one of the things we're looking at as well in terms 00:30:19.618 --> 00:30:26.220 - Phasing is all the signage done at once, is it done in groupings and alternate amounts so we can work 00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:32.758 - that out from budget perspective. Looking at upstairs as well, of course, both floors are important. 00:30:32.758 --> 00:30:39.361 - So then really the item I wanted to share with this group and get the approval for is the concept. So 00:30:39.361 --> 00:30:46.287 - we wanted to start with what was already given to us from the branding package, which was a great starting 00:30:46.287 --> 00:30:47.646 - point. The building, 00:30:47.842 --> 00:30:54.547 - The logo, the font, the color scheme, it wanted to be consistent with all of the information that Bloomington 00:30:54.547 --> 00:31:00.825 - Convention Center is using to sell the space. So when a customer is coming, they've already seen these 00:31:00.825 --> 00:31:06.494 - colors, they've already seen the logos, and it's all very, you know, cohesive to the design. 00:31:08.386 --> 00:31:14.417 - So we went even as far as the angle. That was a very important design concept, the roof line of the 00:31:14.417 --> 00:31:20.750 - building. And so that angle finds itself in the signage. So this is all of the exterior signage concepts 00:31:20.750 --> 00:31:26.841 - we're looking at for different types of signs. Starting at the left, these signs would be the things 00:31:26.841 --> 00:31:33.173 - you would find along College Avenue, for example, leading you into the parking lot or pointing out where 00:31:33.173 --> 00:31:34.078 - entrances are. 00:31:34.210 --> 00:31:40.343 - The blue line here, so one of the variances we need to request is for signs taller than 48 inches, and 00:31:40.343 --> 00:31:46.475 - that's one of the requirements in the EDO that we don't meet currently. So this would be a metal sign, 00:31:46.475 --> 00:31:52.608 - a vertical blade sign on a stone plinth. In the parking lot, there's already existing signage attached 00:31:52.608 --> 00:31:58.740 - to many of the light poles for parking. And one of the things that talking to a general group is that, 00:31:58.740 --> 00:32:01.598 - you know, maybe that's one way to designate the 00:32:02.274 --> 00:32:08.727 - The convention center parking versus hotel parking, perhaps, just with a different sign color or type, 00:32:08.727 --> 00:32:15.054 - that sort of thing. The sign here in the center, that would be the replacement for the message sign. 00:32:15.054 --> 00:32:21.632 - And being able to go to a digital sign would help with ease of changing, but messaging, of course, being 00:32:21.632 --> 00:32:26.142 - able to do more than one thing at a time. There's multiple groups here. 00:32:26.402 --> 00:32:33.262 - Obviously, there will be restrictions on how fast that can change from a distraction point of view. 00:32:33.262 --> 00:32:40.533 - That's a requirement we'll have to face. A similar materiality and form. And then on the building itself, 00:32:40.533 --> 00:32:47.598 - we had had a placeholder in the building design for a sign above the doors. And so just using the logo 00:32:47.598 --> 00:32:53.086 - from the type font, typeface from the logo for that there seemed to make sense. 00:32:55.586 --> 00:33:01.672 - So, and all the exterior signs were planning on being aluminum, painted aluminum, so very durable, 00:33:01.672 --> 00:33:07.942 - long-lasting, and will be, you know, around for as long as the building is. Moving inside, one of the 00:33:07.942 --> 00:33:14.089 - things we heard over and over again with the way funding committee is we need to keep the messaging 00:33:14.089 --> 00:33:19.990 - as simple as possible. So, these are just some examples of different types of signs. Right now, 00:33:19.990 --> 00:33:23.678 - they're not, in this graphic, you know, the different signs 00:33:24.002 --> 00:33:29.326 - might be different scales, and not as all, depending on where they're located. For example, the ceiling 00:33:29.326 --> 00:33:34.548 - mounted sign, which based on the text that's here, this might be what's in the connector on the first 00:33:34.548 --> 00:33:39.718 - floor when you walk in from the parking lot, telling you if you go to the right, you're going to the 00:33:39.718 --> 00:33:44.838 - courtyard. If you go to the left, you're going into this building. If you go straight ahead, you'll 00:33:44.838 --> 00:33:50.008 - hit the new building. That might be a three by six foot sign that's hanging from the ceiling. That's 00:33:50.008 --> 00:33:52.926 - a larger scale sign. Something like this directory sign, 00:33:53.090 --> 00:33:59.329 - that might be next to the reception desk when you first walk in, that would be a much more kind of pedestrian 00:33:59.329 --> 00:34:05.000 - small scale that you're up close to. So that's one of the things we're studying is how large should 00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:10.729 - these signs be and based on their content and legibility. Things like the meeting room signs and the 00:34:10.729 --> 00:34:16.797 - restroom signs that are above entries into the spaces, those would be higher and larger so they're visible 00:34:16.797 --> 00:34:20.030 - from further away. And just trying to keep a consistent, 00:34:20.226 --> 00:34:27.353 - approach to the text and the logos and that sort of thing to be very clear. So what does that look like 00:34:27.353 --> 00:34:34.343 - in the space? So this is just a quick rendering example of, you know, pre-function rendering you guys 00:34:34.343 --> 00:34:41.402 - have seen before with some of these signage pieces added. So there's things like the meeting room sign 00:34:41.402 --> 00:34:48.460 - that has a digital calendar display on it for that day, what events are going on. There's letters over 00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:49.214 - top of it. 00:34:49.378 --> 00:34:55.810 - dimensional characters, you know, just calling out attention to the exhibit hall as well as the ceiling 00:34:55.810 --> 00:35:02.180 - mounted sign that is visible from far away. So if you're in a, if this area is crowded and you're down 00:35:02.180 --> 00:35:08.550 - at one of the entries, you'll see that exhibit room A hanging up high and nowhere to go. Restrooms are 00:35:08.550 --> 00:35:14.302 - a different color. So that's something we've heard asked a lot. It's a very common question. 00:35:14.594 --> 00:35:20.157 - And then things like the large text, kind of just to help you way find where you're going, where the 00:35:20.157 --> 00:35:25.775 - elevators are, where an information desk might be. Just examples of things that we're thinking about. 00:35:25.775 --> 00:35:31.393 - So that's what we've got for today. Our next steps, as I mentioned, is with your approval, we'll move 00:35:31.393 --> 00:35:37.121 - into the construction documents phase. We'll work on kind of cataloging, like I mentioned, every single 00:35:37.121 --> 00:35:43.070 - sign, what it says, where it goes, how it's made, that sort of thing, using kind of these types and pieces. 00:35:44.354 --> 00:35:50.476 - Thank you. Thank you. Deb, would you help me? We've had a working group that's been working with Schmidt 00:35:50.476 --> 00:35:56.307 - on this. We've had several meetings. Can you identify everybody who's been involved in this working 00:35:56.307 --> 00:36:02.196 - group as we've gotten to today? Yes. On the committee has been President Whitehart, Jim Silverstein, 00:36:02.196 --> 00:36:08.259 - and Joyce Poling have been part of it. During the design process, I will say there were several options 00:36:08.259 --> 00:36:12.574 - that were provided to the committee for their input, and so that has been 00:36:12.834 --> 00:36:18.729 - part of as typical for any design process and has been reviewed by the committee. And then they gave 00:36:18.729 --> 00:36:24.858 - them clear direction. And then this is what came back. So just share that. And included in the committee 00:36:24.858 --> 00:36:30.694 - of Convention Center staff. Convention Center staff are also part of, excuse me, yes. They are also 00:36:30.694 --> 00:36:36.531 - part of it. Yeah. Talish and Lisa. So Eddie's asking us today for approval of the design concept so 00:36:36.531 --> 00:36:42.718 - that they can move forward with this plan. And so I would ask if there's a motion for the design concept. 00:36:43.330 --> 00:36:50.876 - moved. So we've had a motion second it's been moved and seconded so is there any discussion or comments 00:36:50.876 --> 00:36:58.350 - or questions Mr. Teese? It looks great the only thing I would add is there are potentials that someday 00:36:58.350 --> 00:37:05.824 - rooms spaces would be named that happens often over time and it's good to think about that graphic now 00:37:05.824 --> 00:37:12.862 - rather than later like oh hey we got to append this to this so I would just ask that the team be 00:37:13.186 --> 00:37:21.662 - Anticipatory of what is the font size, shape, tone when things might get named, as opposed to, I didn't 00:37:21.662 --> 00:37:30.220 - think about that. I don't know where we're going to put that. Do that now, because I think that's highly 00:37:30.220 --> 00:37:38.696 - possible in this kind of environment. Thank you. Any other comments, questions? OK, so we have a motion 00:37:38.696 --> 00:37:41.630 - and a second. Mr. Paris, would you? 00:37:42.050 --> 00:37:48.730 - Take the roll. John Weichart. Yes. Doug Bruce. Yes. Jim Silberstein. Yes. Joyce Pulling. Yes. Adam Tease. 00:37:48.730 --> 00:37:55.220 - Yes. Galen Cassidy. Yes. Thank you. Also under working group updates, and we won't always have updates 00:37:55.220 --> 00:38:01.648 - from each group. We just have a placeholder for them each month. Furniture fixtures and equipment, is 00:38:01.648 --> 00:38:04.862 - there any update this month? Yeah, just to really. 00:38:06.498 --> 00:38:12.024 - So thank you for providing the word to that contract. We had some initial meetings with delicious and 00:38:12.024 --> 00:38:17.442 - her team. One of the, there's really been only one sort of major change from what we had and it's a 00:38:17.442 --> 00:38:22.968 - good thing I think for the budget at least is that the catering team is actually going to provide all 00:38:22.968 --> 00:38:24.702 - the utensils plates glasses so. 00:38:24.802 --> 00:38:30.580 - We can take that out of our budget, which is a good thing. But there's more coming. There's scoping 00:38:30.580 --> 00:38:36.531 - by realist strategies, as well as budgeting. There is going to be a small group, I believe, of the CIB 00:38:36.531 --> 00:38:41.962 - with Talisha staff that will be reviewing that later in March, and then more updates to come. 00:38:41.962 --> 00:38:47.797 - Thank you. Arts installation. Bead Advisor Galen, is there any update this month? Yeah, just another 00:38:47.797 --> 00:38:48.606 - quick update. 00:38:48.770 --> 00:38:55.009 - We all five finalists are underway working on some proposals and we're actually gonna begin welcoming 00:38:55.009 --> 00:39:01.126 - a few of them over the next few weeks here to town to get to know the community a little better and 00:39:01.126 --> 00:39:07.121 - meet with members of the recommendation committee as well. So we're excited about the next steps. 00:39:07.121 --> 00:39:13.054 - Thank you. I didn't ask any questions about any of these updates that you. All right, thank you. 00:39:13.794 --> 00:39:21.134 - Item number seven, old business. Let me report out under old business that since our February 5th meeting, 00:39:21.134 --> 00:39:28.474 - Mayor Thompson has been in contact with me and wanted me to mention today that the Thompson administration 00:39:28.474 --> 00:39:35.539 - will fully support providing the south properties at no cost to the CIB for project development. These 00:39:35.539 --> 00:39:40.958 - land parcels are owned by two different city entities. The Board of Works owns 00:39:41.090 --> 00:39:46.746 - one or two of the parcels redevelopment commission, the others, I may have the numbers backwards, but 00:39:46.746 --> 00:39:52.735 - those are structured public decisions that are made by those boards and commissions. So the administration, 00:39:52.735 --> 00:39:58.613 - the Thompson administration and the mayor are working towards the most seamless transfer of those parcels 00:39:58.613 --> 00:40:04.490 - possible with the intention to provide the land value as an incentive to the expansion project. So that's 00:40:04.490 --> 00:40:10.590 - a development since our last, I would also mention that Mr. Whitlatch has formally communicated to the county 00:40:11.202 --> 00:40:18.243 - our request for their review of parcels for donation as well. And I've been advised that the county 00:40:18.243 --> 00:40:25.495 - commissioners are looking favorably at transferring parcels, the parcels to the west, that's a parking 00:40:25.495 --> 00:40:32.676 - lot now, as well as looking at the parcels that are further south of our current south parking lot to 00:40:32.676 --> 00:40:37.182 - second street. That would also require county council approval. 00:40:37.634 --> 00:40:44.905 - So they are also moving forward with our request to see what other properties may be available for donation 00:40:44.905 --> 00:40:51.233 - for the project. Once we've been advised of all the properties transferred to us, we can look 00:40:51.233 --> 00:40:58.436 - at a comprehensive land use plan to include a hotel and parking needs, any opportunity for land exchanges, 00:40:58.436 --> 00:41:02.206 - as has been suggested by the City Council, and the best 00:41:02.530 --> 00:41:09.914 - benefit of a comprehensive scope of the project for the best benefit of the comprehensive scope of the 00:41:09.914 --> 00:41:17.084 - project. And then we can consider a new RFP for a hotel after we've identified the land that we own 00:41:17.084 --> 00:41:24.324 - for the project and what other uses we may need to make for the land. So I wanted to provide that as 00:41:24.324 --> 00:41:31.422 - an old business update. Any other old business that you wanna bring before? Is there any timeframe 00:41:31.906 --> 00:41:38.566 - that you're aware of when they might have those parcels transferred over to us, just so we can go forward 00:41:38.566 --> 00:41:45.226 - with the RFP? No. Obviously, it'll take some time. So the first thing that has to happen, if I understand 00:41:45.226 --> 00:41:51.635 - correctly, is I think the mayor's goal is that the parcels will all come under one ownership. They're 00:41:51.635 --> 00:41:58.043 - currently under two, the Board of Works and the Redevelopment Commission. I think her goal is for the 00:41:58.043 --> 00:41:59.614 - Redevelopment Commission 00:42:00.194 --> 00:42:05.854 - to own all those parcels and then at that point to make the transfer to us, to the capital improvement 00:42:05.854 --> 00:42:11.569 - board, but I don't have a timeline for it. The county process may take a little longer because it would 00:42:11.569 --> 00:42:17.064 - require the county commissioner's approval and then in public meetings and the county council would 00:42:17.064 --> 00:42:22.669 - have to consider that and move it forward as well. So it's hard for me to say when that might happen. 00:42:22.669 --> 00:42:28.274 - I guess I would be hopeful that it's odd for me to even think we're almost to the end, next week will 00:42:28.274 --> 00:42:29.758 - be to the end of February. 00:42:29.922 --> 00:42:37.489 - But I would be hopeful by the end of March, perhaps all this can be more clear for us and where we are 00:42:37.489 --> 00:42:44.910 - and what ownership we might have. I do want to mention, though, that as we've discussed, the project 00:42:44.910 --> 00:42:52.477 - is multifaceted. So we have an expansion, we've got a renovation, we've got parking to consider, we've 00:42:52.477 --> 00:42:58.942 - got a hotel developer to select and a location to select. So I think as soon as we know 00:42:59.106 --> 00:43:06.286 - what land we own, that will lead us to what do we want to make available for which part of those projects. 00:43:06.286 --> 00:43:13.131 - And we all recognize the importance of parking to this project. And so we have to be very mindful and 00:43:13.131 --> 00:43:19.975 - thoughtful as we move forward about how we identify what pieces of land we own and for what purposes. 00:43:19.975 --> 00:43:26.820 - So I think that'll then drive us to what the RFP is going to look like for a new hotel developer. Any 00:43:26.820 --> 00:43:28.766 - other comments or questions? 00:43:29.762 --> 00:43:36.903 - Any other old business from anyone? New business, any new business from anyone? Comments from board 00:43:36.903 --> 00:43:44.259 - members. Any comments from board members? Comments from the public. And let me first ask Mr. Baer, now 00:43:44.259 --> 00:43:51.685 - participating as a member of the public, if he has any comments he would like to make about our meeting 00:43:51.685 --> 00:43:58.398 - today. And now we would happily invite them. And Jay, do you have anything you'd like to add? 00:43:58.850 --> 00:44:04.129 - Yeah, thanks very much, Mr. Weickart. Sorry I couldn't be with you today. Just a couple of 00:44:04.129 --> 00:44:10.104 - quick acknowledgments. I just want to say how lucky I think we are to be working with Andrew and Eddie 00:44:10.104 --> 00:44:16.137 - on this project. Their work has been exceptional and their ability to communicate highly complex issues 00:44:16.137 --> 00:44:22.054 - to everybody involved has been really spectacular. So we're really fortunate to have the team that we 00:44:22.054 --> 00:44:23.678 - have and big thanks to Deb. 00:44:24.354 --> 00:44:29.602 - for working on our behalf to keep everybody together as well. I absolutely love the signage. I think 00:44:29.602 --> 00:44:35.058 - it's spectacular. It's really, really spot on. The consistency of the angles and mirroring the roofline, 00:44:35.058 --> 00:44:40.618 - I think, is really going to be a signature and a really nice wayfinding package. And I just say, I imagine 00:44:40.618 --> 00:44:45.814 - that there's some folks who are a little frustrated about what appears to be sort of back to square 00:44:45.814 --> 00:44:51.115 - one with regards to the hotel. And in truth, yes, it probably would have been great if we had all the 00:44:51.115 --> 00:44:51.998 - land figured out 00:44:52.226 --> 00:44:57.922 - before we did the first RFP, but at some level we didn't know what we didn't know. And we thought the 00:44:57.922 --> 00:45:03.507 - land piece of this would be easier than it has ended up being. But I'm delighted that we're sort of 00:45:03.507 --> 00:45:09.370 - back on track and everybody understands how important it is to truly think of this project holistically, 00:45:09.370 --> 00:45:14.955 - not just as a convention center, but as a convention center with a hotel and with adequate parking. 00:45:14.955 --> 00:45:19.646 - So all's well that ends well. And as you always say, survive in advance. Thank you. 00:45:20.930 --> 00:45:30.655 - Any other comments from the public? This is an opportunity, if you would so like, we afford two minutes 00:45:30.655 --> 00:45:40.380 - of time for anybody from the public who would like to make a comment. I'm sure. Isville Piedmont Smith, 00:45:40.380 --> 00:45:48.702 - the City Council member. Yes, thank you. Can you hear me? Yes. Thank you, Mr. Whitehart. 00:45:49.538 --> 00:46:00.229 - I was heartened to know that the land ownership and what land the city and the county governments are 00:46:00.229 --> 00:46:11.444 - willing to put towards the project that seems to be working out. I recognize that the hotel is an integral 00:46:11.444 --> 00:46:16.894 - part of this project. So I agree with Mr. Baer that 00:46:17.026 --> 00:46:24.969 - despite some fumbles, we seem to be moving ahead and that's good for the community. Just a comment on 00:46:24.969 --> 00:46:33.379 - the signage, in particular the interior signage. I just hope that accessibility for people who are visually 00:46:33.379 --> 00:46:41.244 - impaired is being considered or is hopefully a default by default part of the signage in Braille and 00:46:41.244 --> 00:46:42.334 - such and good 00:46:42.498 --> 00:46:50.345 - high contrast seems to be the case for what's being proposed. Also, another accessibility issue that 00:46:50.345 --> 00:46:58.813 - some people may not think about, but if patterns in carpeting or in the wall covering is too busy, sometimes 00:46:58.813 --> 00:47:06.660 - that can be a problem for some folks as they make their way around the facility. So I just hope that 00:47:06.660 --> 00:47:12.254 - a wide view is being shared and implemented in regard to accessibility. 00:47:12.834 --> 00:47:22.334 - Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Any other comments from the public? OK, all right. Seeing and hearing 00:47:22.334 --> 00:47:31.925 - none. Our next board meeting is scheduled for March 25th, and that's out of sync because of spring break. 00:47:31.925 --> 00:47:40.158 - So I think it's maybe the fourth Wednesday of March at 3 PM here in the Convention Center. 00:47:40.866 --> 00:47:46.750 - And that being said, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. We are adjourned.