HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9384 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9384
000aysrrlt To the Mayor and Members of the City Council May 17, 2011
Page 1 of 2
SUBJECT: RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF HERITAGE PLAZA
The purpose of this report is to provide an update on efforts by City staff, in cooperation with
various stakeholders represented on the Heritage Park Steering Committee, to restore Heritage
Plaza.
On July 28, 2009, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 3768-07-2009 expressing the City's
intent to collaborate with a variety of public and private partners in formulating schematic design
recommendations for the restoration and improvement of Heritage Plaza and, as financial
resources permit, in implementing such recommendations. Since adoption of the resolution,
Heritage Plaza has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
In an effort to implement phase one restoration efforts, with funding provided by the Amon G.
Carter Foundation, the City and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. invited Laurie Olin of the OLIN Studio
to lead a design team comprised of local architects and landscape architects to develop interim
design strategies to reopen Heritage Plaza. On February 17, 2011, Mr. Olin presented design
workshop findings to the Heritage Park Steering Committee. Using the Secretary of the Interior's
Guidelines for Rehabilitation and Restoration, the design team recommended the following
studies and design treatments:
Items to complete before pursuing any initial
improvements to allow for the reopening of
Heritage Plaza:
• Complete a full structural assessment
including geotechnical investigation.
• Complete a tree survey.
• Develop engineering drawings of the Plaza.
If structural and geotechnical assessments indicate
the Plaza is safe to reopen, the following design
recommendations will be addressed:
• Design and install a temporary fill material or Sketch: Temporary Fill for Runnels
grates for water basins and runnels,
• Design and install temporary entry gates.
The gates will allow scheduled closure of the Plaza until such time as the Plaza can be fully
restored.
• Design and install temporary high quality lighting.
• Based on existing railings, install hand rails in appropriate areas.
• Install high quality plantings in key areas to delineate steep edges.
• Design and install signage and interpretative material.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9384
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council May 17, 2011
Page 2 of 2
SUBJECT: RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF HERITAGE PLAZA
• Explore and install appropriate ground surface treatments.
• Explore and install plantings in appropriate locations.
• Program activities and special events.
Heritage Park Steering Committee members,
including representatives from the Texas
IJ
Historical Commission, expressed support for
the interim design concepts and voted to
recommend that the City and Downtown Fort
Worth, Inc. proceed to implement those
recommendations. The Amon G. Carter
Foundation has agreed to fund Downtown Fort
Worth Initiatives, Inc. to undertake the
..........
structural assessment, geotechnical
investigation, tree survey, and engineering
drawings to be prepared during the summer of
2011.
Sketch.- New Hand Rails
If you have any questions about this project, please call Richard Zavala, Director of Parks and
Community Services, at 817-871-5711; or Randle Harwood, Director of Planning and
Development, at 817-392-6101.
t-o -Higgins
,w
61 Interim City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS