This fall Georgetown officials hope to move forward with plans to create a municipal center that would consolidate city departments currently spread throughout the downtown area and the city.
The development, known as Downtown West, would be located just west of the Square and utilize city-owned buildings near the Georgetown Public Library, which is located at 402 W. Eighth St.
At its June 9 meeting City Council approved a contract with Lawrence Group Architects for architecture and engineering services related to the Downtown West plan, and in July and August the city hosted two public meetings to gather input on building functions and design, Deputy City Manager Laurie Brewer said.
“Behind the scenes the architect has been doing an analysis internally [to determine] what the staff needs are and what the space needs are,” she said. “The next step would be presenting all of that information to the council.”
Brewer said the plan is scheduled to be presented to City Council on Sept. 22.
“I like the idea of a centralized municipal campus. … I think it would benefit all of Georgetown,” said Rachael Jonrowe, District 6 City Council member, whose district includes most of the downtown area. “It’s good for citizens, and [city] staff deserve to have a facility that will meet their needs rather than being crammed into older facilities.”
Centralized government
Along with relocating city offices into one centralized area, Capital Improvement Projects Manager Eric Johnson said the move will help city staffers be more efficient and effective.
“There is a synergy that is created when you put everyone together. … And the public can feel that,” he said, adding that the way city offices are spaced now can be inconvenient.
The city currently has offices in five buildings throughout downtown, and some departments, including planning, have employees at separate offices throughout town, Brewer said.
The first phase of the plan would redevelop the former library building and the Georgetown Communication and Technology building to serve as City Hall and the city’s municipal court respectively, Brewer said.
Moving the court could also open up space to relocate the Visitors Center from its location at 103 W. Seventh St.
The plan’s $6.5 million first phase is included in the city’s fiscal year 2015-16 budget, which as of press time was expected to be approved Sept. 8, Brewer said. Funding for the plan comes from the sale of the former Albertsons building at Austin Avenue and Williams Drive and the future sales of city-owned property. The plan is to sell city-owned buildings closest to the Square, including the City Hall building and the Visitors Center building, she said.
[polldaddy poll=9077044]“We’ve had previous City Council direction that not only do we want to consolidate services, but also get the buildings that are closest to the Square back to more of a business use,” she said. “Get them back on the tax rolls and have them be office or a commercial use to help continue to drive the economic impact of the downtown.”
The plan’s second phase includes developing design and use concepts for the historic Light and Waterworks Building as well as a proposed park/green space that could have an amphitheater and be used for events and smaller festivals. The green space could be located along West Eighth or Ninth street, she said.
“We’re still using [the two-phase] plan as our work plan,” Brewer said. “However, nothing is set in stone. The council will continue to review the plan going forward and determine what our next steps are.”
Johnson said once staff members get City Council approval the city could move forward with drawing up construction schematics, which could take another six to eight weeks. Phase 1 would most likely be completed in 2018, he said.
Public input
During the first public input meeting July 15, some residents from the adjacent neighborhood expressed concerns about how Downtown West could affect their neighborhood, including increases in noise, traffic and parking issues.
Others also expressed concern about a lack of communication between the city and residents.
“No notices were sent to any of the communities, nor were they sent to the churches,” Georgetown resident Cassandra Johnson said at the meeting. “A lot of the people that make comments here are not saying ‘No’ to anything. It’s just we would like to have a voice so that we can help those that do not live here with the issues that we face when they are not here.”
After concerns about communication were expressed, residents organized a community meeting with city leaders, which Jonrowe said could help proactively address those issues.
“I’m hoping this is just the beginning of a good dialogue with those residents,” she said, adding that there needs to be long-term planning for the neighborhood to address the affect of Georgetown’s rapid growth. “We’ll see what the city can do to be proactive rather than reactive.”
During the Aug. 12 public meeting, members of the public presented ideas for Downtown West, including increased parking enforcement and taking care of existing issues in the neighborhood.
“We’re not starting with zero,” one resident said. “Any change is on top of other changes already done. There is already a parking problem. We can [take care of that] today. We don’t have to wait for this to happen.”
Residents also suggested making sure the area and the buildings retain their historic context and improving pedestrian access from the Square.
Brewer said city staff would continue to find solutions to citizen concerns; however, she said she believes the plan will help city staff better serve the city’s residents and had opened communication with some residents.
“The public meetings allowed us to get to the heart of concerns,” Brewer said. “It was a great way to open dialogue. … And we’ll end up with better communication and providing more information. That’s what government is here for.”
