20221019-002: Palm District Plan Public Review Draft Part 2 of 2

Environmental Commission – Oct. 19, 2022

20221019-002: Palm District Plan Public Review Draft Part 2 of 2 — original pdf

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33 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 34 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 35 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY The Housing and Planning Department led an outreach and engagement process bringing together the thoughts and ideas of a broad range of community stakeholders and institutional partners to inform and develop the goals and future vision for the Palm District. This robust community engagement strategy was grounded using an equity lens. Intentional steps were taken to elevate the voices of community members that have cultural and historic ties to the district, some of whom no longer live in the vicinity of the district due to gentrification and displacement caused in part by past planning decisions. It must be noted that early engagement efforts were entirely moved online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Organizational Briefings and Inter-agency Coordination Beginning in 2019, staff held regular briefing meetings with various city boards and commissions, key city departments, external organizations, and community-based organizations and invited them to participate in the planning process. City departments and external partners were consulted on the various products created throughout the planning process including the draft Vision Framework, American Institute of Architects workshops, the framework desired outcomes, preferred scenarios, and plan document. Targeted Outreach to East Austin Thought Leaders In late Summer 2021, Martha P. Cotera (dba Information Systems Development) was contracted to engage East Austin community members with cultural and historic bonds to the Palm District. A series of interviews, focus groups, and small group meetings were held with East Austin Mexican- American community leaders, current and former elected officials, Palm School alumni, Rainey Street Historic District residents and advocates, and current and former East Austin residents. Also targeted were organizations such as Raza Roundtable, PODER, HABLA and Nuestro Grupo/Academia Cuauhtli, Mexic Arte Museum, La Peña, with well documented involvement in the district. The interviewers gathered interviewees’ stories, desires, and thoughts about the Palm School and Park, the Rainey Street Neighborhood, Waterloo Greenway, the potential 5th Street Heritage Corridor, and other aspects of the Palm District. From her work with the East Austin stakeholder groups, Martha Cotera produced an in-depth report that includes a historic framework outlining the Mexican-American contributions and political efforts in the City of Austin and in the planning area specifically. The report includes the challenges of both displacement and the work of advocacy for the preservation of historic and cultural features in the Palm District. East Austin community stakeholders also provided a comprehensive list of recommendations for key areas of the Palm District. Many of the recommendations from the report and from input gathered through other plan process exercises have been incorporated into the Palm Plan recommendations. The full Martha P. Cotera report is part of the plan appendices. 36 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan Community Visioning Forums The visioning process kicked off in Spring 2021 with a series of Community Visioning Forums that were open to the public and took place virtually online. The goal of these meetings was to solicit input from a broad range of community stakeholders and to allow them to share their impressions of the district. Over 150 participants combined joined one of two virtual sessions. For community members and stakeholders who could not attend the visioning forums, an online survey and interactive map of the district provided opportunities for them to share their input and impressions of the district. Recommendations and input received during this phase helped in the creation of the desired outcomes of the draft Vision Framework. Why do you visit? Go to restaurants and bars along Rainey Street 49% 44% 44% 42% 38% 37% 35% Go to restaurants and bars (not along Rainey Street) Visit / attend events at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) Listen to music in the Red River Cultural District Go to Waller Creek/Waterloo Greenway Attend events at the convention center Visit 6th Street Go to Waterloo Park Conduct personal business / access services Visit Palm Park 19% Visit friends/family who live in the planning area 13% Hispanic or Latinx Response 76% 28% 24% 43% 41% 40% 36% 36% Visit / attend events at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) Visit 6th Street Go to restaurants and bars along Rainey Street Attend events at the convention center Go to restaurants and bars (not along Rainey Street) Listen to music in the Red River Cultural District Visit Palm Park Go to Waller Creek/Waterloo Greenway Go to Waterloo Park Conduct personal business / access services 26% 24% 20% 20% Visit friends/family who live in the planning area 16% 37 Answers to questions in the visioning survey were segmented for respondents who self- identified as Hispanic/ Latinx. Public Review Draft Palm District Plan Partnership with American Institute of Architects The City Council Resolution authorizing staff to begin planning efforts in the Palm District encouraged seeking out design assistance from the American Institute for Architects (AIA) via the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) grant. The grant application was accepted in 2019, but as efforts began to take shape, the Covid 19 pandemic struck, halting and altering plans for the AIA design team. HPD staff coordinated with AIA during the Spring and Summer of 2021 to hold a smaller-scale, virtual design event scheduled for late July. The AIA team hosted a stakeholder workshop on Friday, July 23, 2021. The workshop was attended by 62 individuals representing key district organizational and institutional stakeholders. AIA design and planning experts then spent the weekend developing independent recommendations which were reported back to the community during a public webinar the following Monday. The recommendations of the AIA report were made by an unpaid volunteer team of AIA-affiliated national experts and while the recommendations reflect a talented body of experience and insight from beyond Austin, these recommendations have not been officially endorsed by the City of Austin. For the full AIA Communities by Design Report see the appendices section. Downtown Austin Alliance Scenario Workshops Five in-person focus group workshops were held in August 2022. The workshops were hosted by Downtown Austin Alliance and led by a design team from Asakura Robinson. The session groups were split into three geographies (north, central, south) of the district to capture detailed input from stakeholders who lived, worked, and had specific knowledge of projects and history of those geographies. Three scenarios were then developed by Asakura Robinson based on the work done during the focus group exercises and from the conversations with stakeholders. The scenarios were then presented to stakeholders and to the public for input via an online survey. The results from the survey and stakeholder input produced the preferred scenario found in this plan. Engagement Tools The SpeakUp Austin! website served as the centralized hub for all Palm District Planning Initiative online engagement efforts. SpeakUp Austin! received roughly 3.6 thousand visits since its launch. The initial Palm District Visioning online survey was launched in May 2021. The results were collected from May to November 2021. Survey respondents who chose to self-identify were 55% Hispanic or Latinx, a segment of the community that was targeted for in-depth stakeholder engagement. Recommendations and input received during this phase helped in the creation of the desired outcomes of the draft Vision Framework. Over 3,000 informational postcards were mailed out to property owners and utility account holders within 500 feet of the district. Postcards, flyers, window and yard signs were distributed throughout the district and the surrounding East Austin area by stakeholder partners and volunteers. Social media posts by HPD and our partners announced project events and shared promotional materials. The project team maintained an interest list for the project and provided regular updates to the list. 38 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan Press releases were issued providing information about the project and announcements of the various events and workshops. The project and visioning forums received coverage in local print and television news stories. Vision Framework Follow up Survey – over 75 participants weighed in on the draft Vision Framework. Many of the comments called for more specific actions targeted to achieve the desired outcomes. Scenarios Survey - over 390 participants reviewed draft district development scenarios via survey and provided input on elements that should be included in the preferred scenario. Language Access Throughout the planning process, materials and activities have been made accessible in English and Spanish. Core materials have been translated including website, survey, flyers, postcards, historic timeline, and videos. Interpretation services were provided at virtual community visioning forums and the American Institute of Architects Webinar. Targeted outreach to East Austin thought leaders has included Spanish language interviews and meetings as requested. Comments from the community stakeholders and institutional partners during the vision workshops, vision survey, framework feedback survey, scenario workshop and survey, and plan feedback survey contributed to the production of this plan. 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Usted puede participar. ‡(cid:29)(cid:30)(cid:25)(cid:11) The Housing and Planning Department is leading a planning process to help guide future decisions for the Palm District. Your input is needed to help shape the future of the area. El Departamento de Vivienda y Planificación está iniciando un proceso de planificación que ayudará a guiar decisiones en el futuro para el Distrito Palm. Tus ideas son necesarias para darle forma al futuro de esta área. 39 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan VISION STATEMENT The Palm District is a vibrant historic hub of downtown where the past is honored, culture is celebrated, and the future is shaped. Dense transit-oriented development is balanced with history and natural spaces creating physical connections that invite people to move easily to and through the district. The district is a dynamic place, growing and evolving, while actively retaining families and individuals who have traditionally called this place home. Creativity and innovation are cultivated, and people from Austin and beyond are welcome to live, relax, work, play, learn, and connect with others. 40 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan VISION FRAMEWORK KEY OPPORTUNITY SITES As the district evolves, the plan will guide development and programming to achieve the vision for a vibrant, accessible and successful district. Informed by an understanding of area history, the elements of the vision are inclusive growth, culture, connection and nature. The desired outcomes for each of these elements are outlined in the following sections. Key Opportunities identified on the following map series represent sites that are controlled by a variety of public and private entities, and not all sites are under the direct ownership of the City of Austin. Opportunity sites are sites that are likely to serve as key anchors supporting placemaking and helping to achieve desired outcomes in the District over the years ahead. The Vision is intended to provide an aspirational view of how the district could develop over time. Implementation will require a range of actions by the City of Austin and its partners. While Palm Park is currently owned by the City of Austin, the adjacent Palm School is owned by Travis County, and Travis County has been undertaking a process to explore options for this site. For additional information on the Palm School site please visit - https://www.traviscountytx.gov/planning-budget/economic- development-strategic-investments/palm-school. 41 42 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan Public Review Draft Palm District Plan Dell Medical School and Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas at Austin 35 Health South Waterloo Park Texas State Capitol INCLUSIVE GROWTH VISION FRAMEWORK Key Opportunities Palm District Parks Waterways Texas State Capitol Dell Medical School and Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas at Austin Moody Amphitheater Waterloo Park 35 Symphony Square To Republic Square To Republic Square To Plaza Saltillo To Plaza Saltillo To Huston-Tillotson University, Six Square Black Cultural District, and French Legation ARCH APD Headquarters Convention Center East Austin 35 INCLUSIVE GROWTH PARTNERS & COORDINATION RESOURCES » Housing and Planning » Capital City Innovation » Waterloo Greenway Conservancy » Austin Convention Center » Downtown Austin Alliance » Travis County » Homeless support services providers » Housing Authority of City of Austin » Austin Economic Development Corporation » Waller Creek Local Government Corporation N 43 N To Huston-Tillotson University, Six Square Black Cultural District, and French Legation Red River Cultural District ARCH 6th Street Historic District Fifth Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor Convention Center Palm Park Palm School Rainey Street Historic District East Austin 35 Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center CULTURE VISION FRAMEWORK Key Opportunities Key Corridors Palm District Parks Waterways CULTURE PARTNERS & COORDINATION RESOURCES » Austin Convention » Center Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American » Cultural Center » George Washington Carver Museum » Huston-Tillotson » » University Six Square Cultural District Red River Cultural District » Mexic-Arte » La Peña » Tejano Trails » Waterloo Greenway Conservancy » Travis County » Downtown Austin Alliance Preservation Austin » » Austin Parks & Recreation » Austin History Center » Austin Economic Development » Visit Austin » Waller Creek Local Government Corporation 44 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan Public Review Draft Palm District Plan CONGRESS AVELAMAR BLVDRED RIVER STRAINEY STW 6TH STW MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVDE MARTIN LUTHER KINGJR BLVDW 15TH STW 11TH STLAVACA AVEGUADALUPE STTRINITY STE 8TH STE 7TH STE 6TH STE 5TH STE CESAR CHAVEZ STHOLLY STRIVER STE 4TH STW RIVERSIDE DRBARTON SPRINGS RDS CONGRESS AVES 1ST STW 6TH STW 15TH STW 11TH STE 11TH STE 12TH STLADY BIRD LAKECONGRESS AVELAMAR BLVDRED RIVER STRAINEY STW 6TH STW MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVDE MARTIN LUTHER KINGJR BLVDW 15TH STW 11TH STLAVACA AVEGUADALUPE STTRINITY STE 8TH STE 7TH STE 6TH STE 5TH STE CESAR CHAVEZ STHOLLY STRIVER STE 4TH STW RIVERSIDE DRBARTON SPRINGS RDS CONGRESS AVES 1ST STW 6TH STW 15TH STW 11TH STE 11TH STE 12TH STLADY BIRD LAKEInnovation DistrictDell Medical School and Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas at Austin Texas State Capitol 35 Potential Stitch Potential Stitch To Huston-Tillotson University, Six Square Black Cultural District, and French Legation Red River Cultural District ARCH ARCH To Republic Square Future Brush Square Station Potential Highway Caps & Stitches 4th Street Project Connect Enhancements Downtown Station To Plaza Saltillo East Austin Rainey Street Historic District 35 Potential Stitch CONNECTION VISION FRAMEWORK Key Opportunities Key Corridors Palm District Parks Waterways I-35 Redesign Project Connect Light Rail Project Connect MetroRail Project Connect Transit Stations Project Connect MetroRapid (BRT) CONNECTION PARTNERS & COORDINATION RESOURCES » CapMetro » Austin Transit Partnership » Waterloo Greenway Conservancy » Austin Transportation » Downtown Austin Alliance » Austin Energy » Austin Watershed Protection » Austin Water » Austin Parks & Recreation » Waller Creek Local Government Corporation N 45 N Dell Medical School and Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas at Austin Texas State Capitol 35 Waterloo Park NATURE VISION FRAMEWORK Key Opportunities Palm District Parks Waterways To Huston-Tillotson University, Six Square Black Cultural District, and French Legation ARCH ARCH The Refuge To Republic Square Brush Square To Plaza Saltillo Palm Park To Shoal Creek The Confluence 35 East Austin NATURE PARTNERS & COORDINATION RESOURCES » Waterloo Greenway Conservancy » Waller Creek Local Government Corporation » Austin Parks & Recreation » Austin Watershed Protection » Austin Public Works » Austin Office of Sustainability Trails Conservancy » 46 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan Public Review Draft Palm District Plan CONGRESS AVELAMAR BLVDRED RIVER STRAINEY STW 6TH STW MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVDE MARTIN LUTHER KINGJR BLVDW 15TH STW 11TH STLAVACA AVEGUADALUPE STTRINITY STE 8TH STE 7TH STE 6TH STE 5TH STE CESAR CHAVEZ STHOLLY STRIVER STE 4TH STW RIVERSIDE DRBARTON SPRINGS RDS CONGRESS AVES 1ST STW 6TH STW 15TH STW 11TH STE 11TH STE 12TH STLADY BIRD LAKECONGRESS AVELAMAR BLVDRED RIVER STRAINEY STW 6TH STW MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVDE MARTIN LUTHER KINGJR BLVDW 15TH STW 11TH STLAVACA AVEGUADALUPE STTRINITY STE 8TH STE 7TH STE 6TH STE 5TH STE CESAR CHAVEZ STHOLLY STRIVER STE 4TH STW RIVERSIDE DRBARTON SPRINGS RDS CONGRESS AVES 1ST STW 6TH STW 15TH STW 11TH STE 11TH STE 12TH STLADY BIRD LAKEInnovation DistrictDESIRED OUTCOMES The following desired outcomes for the Palm District came directly from community, partner, and stakeholder input during the visioning phase of the planning process. The desired outcomes are synthesized statements that express the recommendations and visions for how the Palm District should develop and grow. The desired outcomes were then grouped into the four thematic elements from the draft Palm District Vision Framework. 47 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan INCLUSIVE GROWTH AN INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE, AND PROSPEROUS PALM DISTRICT... • Acknowledges and prioritizes history and destinations as downtown amenities. cultural heritage and integrates these concepts into new development and any redevelopment in the area. • Establishes anti-displacement policies, such as a right to return, for the District’s existing, lower income residents. • Makes housing a priority, not just a luxury, for all socioeconomic groups. All development should produce affordable housing and preserve existing affordable housing. • Increases the real and perceived sense of safety in the District by providing lighting, accessibility, signage, staffing, and a continuum of care that includes adequate shelter and services for people experiencing homelessness. • Leverages redevelopment opportunities and increased transit options to increase housing density and walkability with options to live, work, learn, and play. • Supports all aspects of the local creative economy and artists of color. • Promotes destinations for families and children. • Creates and promotes recreational spaces and • Ensures the redevelopment and expansion of the Convention Center providing a world-class community-friendly facility that contributes positively to Austin and Central Texas’s economy, and enhances the surrounding public realm. • Ensures that the economic benefits of the Innovation District reach all Austinites, especially historically excluded populations. • Promotes a thriving retail environment to foster small business ownership or creation, and to support economic well-being, including first- floor retail activations. • Encourages private development to positively contribute to the public realm. • Provides a variety of affordable options for people to access and get around the district. • Creates opportunities to use publicly-owned properties for dense, mixed-income housing, as well as places for cultural celebration, and to preserve those sites that are of historical, social, and cultural significance. I E C N A I L L A N T S U A N W O T N W O D : I T D E R C 48 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan CULTURE A CULTURALLY RICH AND DIVERSE PALM DISTRICT... • Honors the presence and experiences of • Uses the redesign of I-35 to create gateways American Indians, Mexican Americans/Tejanos, Latinos, African Americans, as well as the Chinese, Greek, German, Lebanese, and Jewish immigrants who lived and worked in the District through interpretive projects such as Texas Historical Commission’s Undertold Marker program and enhanced Waterloo Greenway cultural programming. • Preserves and promotes physical cultural resources and architecture. • Creates welcoming places for Austin’s and Central Texas’s Mexican American population. • Incorporates cultural uses in the future plans for Palm School. • Expands Austin’s musical identity as the Live Music Capital of the World by including and promoting local Tejano/Latinx/Spanish-language music and culture and includes the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Palm Park, and Brush Square as performance venues during citywide events. • Creates a sense of identity and place through public art by local artists. • Utilizes the redevelopment of the Convention Center to create gathering spaces for the local community that foster a sense of belonging. into Downtown and East Austin that celebrate the District’s rich cultural identity and history. • Engages Huston-Tillotson University, Six Square, and other institutions to identify and preserve remaining historic resources associated with African American history, including the former Freedman community and Black-owned businesses along Sixth Street and Red River Street. • Enhances the pedestrian life of the district by promoting active, street-level uses such as restaurants and retail, with an emphasis on fostering businesses owned by people of color and locally-owned businesses. • Preserves performance venues in the Red River Cultural District through incentives, public private partnerships, and regulatory tools such as transfer of development rights, historic and landmark designations, and the Iconic Venue Fund. • Conserves the history of the District through preservation of historic structures, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and thoughtful integration of historic structures into new development. 49 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan CONNECTION A WELL-CONNECTED AND ACCESSIBLE PALM DISTRICT... • • • Leverages the lowering and replacement of I-35 to create better and more attractive connections between East Austin and the District. Increases safety and visibility on pedestrian paths and along connections between amenities such as the Butler Trail to Rainey Street and to Cesar Chavez. • Creates a cohesive and complimentary edge to new, urban-designed boulevards with slower travel speeds that will replace traditional frontage roads that exist along the I-35 corridor today. • Leverages potential wider, larger connections across new freeway caps at Palm Park, Holly Street, and other key crossings along I-35 to create a seamless connection between downtown, Waterloo Greenway, and East Austin/Saltillo. Increases circulation through Waterloo Greenway investments with universally accessible bridges and trail connections. • Leverages the significant transit investments under the Project Connect transit vision to foster placemaking. • Creates a more welcoming pedestrian experience in and around the Convention Center by improving the pathways and connections linking it to other parts of the District and to the rest of Downtown. • Encourages walking, biking, public transit, and creates accessible pedestrian paths that guide people through the district to all amenities. • • Provides continuity and connectivity from Rainey Street up to the Innovation District. • Leverages Waterloo Greenway as a pedestrian pathway (open year round, twenty-four hours a day) linking Lady Bird Lake to Palm School, Palm Park and Waterloo Park. • Creates a series of signature locations, such as in the Innovation District, Red River Cultural District, and Rainey Street National Historic District, that are worthy of celebrating. Increases sustainability and resilience of utility and infrastructure networks throughout the District by implementing autonomous technologies, supporting expansion of District cooling and the reclaimed water network, and supporting stormwater management through engineered and green infrastructure approaches. • Creates better pedestrian infrastructure and vehicle circulation for Rainey Street and East Sixth Street and connections crossing Cesar Chavez Street. 50 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan NATURE AN ECOLOGICALLY HEALTHY PALM DISTRICT... • Serves as a natural recreational area for • Promotes the proposed Waterloo Greenway everyone and a respite from the hardness of the Central Business District. Plan that provides a 1.5-mile park system and 35 acres of connected greenspace. • Restores natural creek and delta areas including creek bank stabilization, re-planting landscape with new plants and trees, and new east-west connections. • Connects Palm Park area with the hike & bike trail through a creek-level trail. • Improves public health through quality access to nature, active transportation options, and other healthy community initiatives including Waterloo Greenway programming designed to bring people closer to nature. • Focuses on native/regional plants that are resilient and suited to our climate, providing a sense of place, educational opportunities, and long-term maintenance benefits. • Manages stormwater in the District with fine- grained solutions throughout that keep our water clean and make the District more resilient to future flooding. • Creates an interconnected ribbon of green spaces throughout Downtown connecting the Waterloo Greenway, the Roy and Ann Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, and the Shoal Creek Trail which facilitates travel through Downtown and beyond. • Creates a welcoming Palm Park though better lighting and improved amenities to make it more attractive to visitors. • Improves the Waterloo Greenway, south of Palm Park to the Confluence, through lighting, interpretive signage, and other amenities, to invite visitors and residents to explore and experience Waller Creek. • Enhances ecological function of Waller Creek and Lady Bird Lake. • Increases tree canopy in the district, specifically along Red River Street and on pedestrian and bicycle pathways. • Enhances sustainability of the district by using standards of nationally recognized rating systems such as the Sustainable SITES Initiative for site development. 51 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan SCENARIOS Building upon the stakeholder input received the during two-day Palm District Future Scenarios Focus Group workshops (August 5th and 6th, 2022), the Asakura Robinson design team generated three possible future scenarios for the District. The scenarios are differentiated by the three purposes they represent: Live, Work, and Play. NOTE: The following scenarios represent visualizations of potential future development in the district. The visualizations include sites that are controlled by a variety of public and private entities, and not all sites are under the direct ownership of the City of Austin. These scenarios are intended to provide an aspirational view of how the district could develop over time; they do not bind individual property owners or the City of Austin and partner agencies. Implementation would require a range of actions by the City of Austin and its partners. Palm School: The Palm School site is owned by Travis County, and Travis County has been undertaking a process to explore options for this site. See https://www.traviscountytx.gov/planning-budget/ economic-development-strategic-investments/palm-school for additional information. Austin’s Cap and Stitch Program: The Texas Department of Transportation is currently evaluating options the reconstruction of I-35 through the federally-required environmental review process, and the City is working in tandem with that process to explore possible approaches for capping I-35 and/or designing enhanced bridges (stitches) over the freeway that could be used for a range of purposes in the future. In 2023 Our Future 35 will be working with community members to identify preferred concepts and program elements for new caps and stitches. The following scenarios assumes construction of caps and stitches and small-scale development for visualization proposes only. See https://austintexas.gov/ourfuture35 for additional information. The Live Scenario focuses on increasing the amount of mixed-income housing developed through density programs and promoting supportive, goods, services, and activities in the Palm District. The Live Scenario: • Increases the amount of supportive goods and services such as pharmacies, downtown-scaled grocery stores, dine in casual and fast casual restaurants, coffee shops, dry cleaners, and cultural activities. • Locates new housing, supportive retail and services, on publicly-owned land and sites currently • used for surface and structured parking. Improves localized transit options by implementing a circulator route within the District along Red River Street to link the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican America Cultural Center, Convention Center, Downtown Station, Red River Cultural District, Waterloo Park, Innovation District, and the Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas, as well as the Dell Medical School, and the University of Texas’ School of Nursing. • Leverages the Waterloo Greenway trail to create safe and attractive pedestrian and bicycle transportation choices. 52 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan • Potential cap and stitch development over I-35 may support by providing amenities for the growing resident populations The Work Scenario focuses on growing the number of jobs by increasing new office and mixed use development throughout the district. A primary objective of this scenario is to promote more daytime, evening, and nighttime activities. The Work Scenario: • Promotes business and work supportive retail such as office services like printing, delivery services, dry cleaners, and diners in and near these developments. • Offers more flexible office and creative spaces to support the growing numbers of people who commute to the District as well as those who live and work there. • Expands opportunities for new work and/or rehearsal spaces for the Palm District’s creative and innovation job sectors. • Leverages leverages I-35 caps and stitches to provide programming and amenities, potentially including, but not limited to, new business incubation space, gathering places, and employment opportunities that will encourage new economic and community activity. The potential caps and stitches at 11th and 12th Street offer strong links to the neighboring Innovation District.Develops underutilized and aging creek-side properties for mixed use developments, with ground floor commercial space of varying heights (due to the Capitol View Corridors) to establish a more vibrant District identity. The Play Scenario maximizes the amount of greenspace in the Palm District by building upon the reimagining of Waller Creek with the Waterloo Greenway, and promotes additional open spaces such as skate parks and recreational playscapes for people of all ages and abilities. The Play Scenario: • Leverages I-35 caps and stitches to provide programming and amenities, potentially including, but not limited to, small scale commercial, entertainment, and open spaces to build east/west connection. Introduces two new hotels with entertainment spaces between East 6th and East 7th Streets to support new tourist and entertainment investments, existing music venues, and other cultural assets in the District. • • Repurposes existing publicly owned buildings between 10th and 11th Streets to meet the District’s housing and office needs. 53 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 54 "*Renderings are for illustrative purposes only; Cap and Stitch design to be developed as part of the Our Future 35 community process. Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 55 "*Renderings are for illustrative purposes only; Cap and Stitch design to be developed as part of the Our Future 35 community process. Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 56 "*Renderings are for illustrative purposes only; Cap and Stitch design to be developed as part of the Our Future 35 community process. Public Review Draft Palm District Plan PREFERRED SCENARIO The Preferred Scenario builds on the Live, Work, Play scenarios. Through feedback via the online survey most respondents favored the Live scenario and emphasized a desire for more housing in the future growth of the Palm District. Taking advantage of density initiatives, this scenario significantly increases mixed income housing to support a more vibrant and diverse community. The Preferred Scenario: • Envisions the Palm District as thriving, 24-hour a day community. • Prioritizes a strategic placement of goods and services, such as pharmacies, mixed-scale groceries, and eateries within a ten minute walk of residences. • Prioritizes mixed use buildings with ground floor spaces for retail, entertainment, recreation, cultural activities, and services. • Creates new work or practice spaces for the Palm District’s creative and innovation industries by proposing strategic repurposing of existing government buildings between 10th and 11th streets. • Supports new tourist and entertainment investments and bolsters existing live music and cultural spaces by introducing two new hotels with entertainment venues. • Supports Project Connect and the Waterloo Greenway trail expansion by proposing a transit circulator along Red River, connecting riders to key locations like Waterloo Park, the Red River Cultural District, and the Mexican-American Cultural Center. • Promotes the potential I-35 Cap & Stitch that could create opportunities to expand the Palm District’s retail and commercial environment and create more open and green space to support the eastern edge of Downtown. 57 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 58 "*Renderings are for illustrative purposes only; Cap and Stitch design to be developed as part of the Our Future 35 community process. Public Review Draft Palm District Plan IMPLEMENTATION PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT NOTE: As we move toward adoption of the plan later this year, staff will be continuing to work with implementation partners to add detail to the implementation section related to funding, sequencing, and governance. However, we can’t implement this plan without YOU!-- we invite community members to provide feedback on the ideas that you have for moving toward the vision, desired outcomes, and preferred scenario presented by this Plan. Implementation of the Palm District Plan will require support from multiple public and private sector partners. While many of the recommendations identified build on work that is already underway, some of the longer term actions may require that additional funding or sponsors be identified. Governance Implementation of the Plan will require on-going collaboration. There are several options for governance as this plan moves into the implementation phase: Tier 1: COA Housing and Planning Department monitors and reports on implementation of the Plan. Under this option, Housing and Planning Department staff would monitor implementation of this plan (as we monitor implementation of other adopted small area plans) and would report on implementation at regular intervals over time. City Council or others could use implementation reporting to guide future decision making and policy guidance. Tier 2: Build on governance structures that already exist in the district. Under this option, the City would partner with existing organizations to coordinate implementation of various aspects of the plan that are aligned with the missions of those organizations. For example, the City could partner with the ESB-MACC to coordinate across cultural entities in support of the cultural outcomes of the plan. Tier 3: Develop or identify a governing entity to serve as coordination lead. Under this option, a governing entity would be established or identified that would provide robust governance for future implementation of the plan. Many community members, including the East Austin thought leaders interviewed by Martha Cotera, provided input that new governing entity should be created to coordinate implementation of various aspects of the plan, in particular the enhancements to cultural assets that would be needed to implement the plan. However, there may also be existing governing entities that could step into this role. 59 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan RECOMMENDATIONS This section includes a list of concrete actions that the City and others should take to move toward the desired outcomes identified in this Plan. In some cases one action may help to move closer to multiple desired outcomes. These actions have been identified through the planning process by agency, organizational, and community stakeholders. The actions are intended to be feasible, and in many cases are already moving forward as part of one or more ongoing initiatives in the district. Sponsors: Austin Convention Center Capital City Innovation Downtown Austin Alliance ECHO Homeless Strategy Office Preservation Austin Travis County Waterloo Greenway Conservancy AE - Austin Energy AHC – Austin History Center ATD - Austin Transportation Department APD - Austin Police Department AW - Austin Water Department CPO - Corridor Program Office DSD - Development Services Department EDD - Economic Development Department FSD - Financial Services Department - Real Estate HPD - Housing and Planning Department OoS - Office of Sustainability PARD - Parks and Recreation Department TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation WPD - Watershed Protection Department 60 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan UNDERWAY # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes NTR_6 Implement the Waller Creek Master Plan to transform Waller Creek into a restorative and welcoming place for all Austin residents and out- of-town visitors. Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, PARD Nature CLTR_2 Expand opportunities for cultural space in the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) expansion. PARD Culture CLTR_4 Complete Heritage Wayfinding Program ensuring it is bilingual and accessible to diverse visitors and that it honors the history of Palm District’s diverse communities EDD Culture IG_7 Ensure that people experiencing homelessness have the opportunity to access to shelter and a continuum of care. ECHO, Homeless Strategy Office Inclusive Growth IG_15 Ensure Live Music Fund Guidelines are promoted to Mexican-American and Black musicians and assist with access to City funding for local acts EDD Inclusive Growth IG_18 Continue to fund Iconic Venue Fund EDD Inclusive Growth 61 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 1-3 YEARS # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes CLTR_3 Create opportunities for cultural spaces to locate at the expanded Convention Center , Innovation District, and the Palm School site and through the redesign of Palm Park. Convention Center, Capital City Innovation, Travis County, FSD-Real Estate, PARD, Culture CLTR_5 Incorporate cultural uses and programming into the Palm School site in addition to site resto- ration. Travis County Culture CLTR_7 Ensure I-35 Cap & Stitch alternatives incorpo- rate cultural uses that provide space for diverse communities CPO, PARD Culture CLTR_8 Implement the Heritage Wayfinding for African American Cultural Heritage District and include points of interest such as Freedman Communi- ties found within and near the Palm District. CLTR_11 Create opportunities for the implementaion of the 5th Street Mexican-American Heritage Corridor and larger Mexican-American Cultural District. IG_1 IG_2 Incentivize new development to include ground floor retail spaces to provide opportunities for: local-serving goods, services, entertainment, and cultural spaces to foster complete communities in the Palm District. Incentivize new development to positively contribute to the public realm such as improved streetscape designs, public art, and pedestri- an-oriented design for the ground floor spaces. EDD Culture EDD Culture HPD Inclusive Growth HPD Inclusive Growth IG_3 Promote/incentivize denser, mixed-income hous- ing. HPD Inclusive Growth 62 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 1-3 YEARS # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes IG_8 Improve street lighting throughout Palm District. APD, AE Inclusive Growth IG_9 IG_10 Develop policies and programming to support small business development and retention for existing businesses and those locating in ground- floor retail spaces. Ensure that the redevelopment and expansion of the Neal Kocurek Memorial Convention Center results in a world-class facility with a more open design that repairs the surrounding public realm. EDD Inclusive Growth Convention Center, HPD, ATD Inclusive Growth IG_13 Identify opportunities to develop publicly sub- sidized housing that can be made available to historically displaced residents. HPD Inclusive Growth IG_14 HPD Inclusive Growth Using the development regulations proposed in the Waller Creek Master Plan as a baseline, engage community stakeholders to develop code amendments that meet the intent of the Waller Creek Master Plan and the goals and desired outcomes of the Palm District Plan. IG_16 Include public and open spaces in the redesign of the Austin Convention Center and enhance connectivity through the site. Convention Center Inclusive Growth IG_19 Convention Center Inclusive Growth Create a public engagement strategy to solicit wide-ranging community input from residents, property owners, business owners, intuitions, and Austin’s design community during the design process to ensure that the Convention Center’s redesign is pedestrian-friendly and reflects the broader community’s values. 63 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 1-3 YEARS # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes IG_21 Create policies and opportunities to preserve music venues in the Red River Cultural District EDD Inclusive Growth NTR_3 NTR_7 Partner with area property owners to locate and construct an additional district cooling facility in the Palm District as redevelopment occurs in order to support expansion of the downtown district cooling network. Engage the community, including people with historic connection to Palm Park, to regain its status as a community gathering place which provides recreational activities for people of all ages and abilities. AE Nature Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, PARD Nature NTR_10 Implement Phase Two of the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, the Confluence, to help restore the ecological health of Waller Creek and Lady Bird Lake. Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, PARD Nature 64 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 3-5 YEARS # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes CNCT_10 Identify opportunities to improve mobility and circulation along East 6th Street through Austin Core Transportation Plan. ATD, APD Connection CNCT_2 Create a pedestrian-friendly environment with connections linking the Palm District’s north- ern and southern attractions to the Downtown Station. ATD Connection CNCT_3 Create safe and easy-to-use bicycle connections linking the Palm District’s many attractions to the Downtown Station. ATD, ATP Connection CNCT_4 Remove pedestrian mobility barriers and create better connections to the Convention Center from the other parts of the Palm District and the rest of Downtown. CNCT_5 Create safe, accessible, and welcoming north- south pedestrian and bicycling connections along the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy from Lady Bird Lake and Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail to Waterloo Park linking all of the Palm Dis- trict’s many amenities. Convention Center, ATD Connection ATD, Waterloo Greenway Conser- vancy Connection CNCT_6 Develop safe and accessible east-west connec- tions to and across the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy. ATD, Waterloo Greenway Conser- vancy Connection CNCT_7 Improve pedestrian and bicycle connections across East Cesar Chavez Avenue. ATD Connection CNCT_8 Improve pedestrian circulation within the Rainey Street national Historical Register District. ATD Connection 65 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes 3-5 YEARS CLTR_10 Recognize the history of the people who lived, went to school, and worked in the Palm District through the strategic placement of interpretive and commemorative installations. IG_11 IG_12 Promote, recruit, program the reimagined Neal Kocurek Memorial Convention Center to become a significant economic driver for the Austin and Central Texas economy. Incorporate elements into the development and programming of the Innovation District spaces such as educational pathways for underrepre- sented students, promotion of health and well- ness, and inclusive arts initiatives that support diversity, equity, and inclusion. EDD, Austin History Center Culture Convention Center Inclusive Growth Capital City Innovation, Downtown Austin Alliance Inclusive Growth NTR_5 Expand reclaimed water network to support additional portions of Palm District as redevelop- ment occurs. AW Nature NTR_8 Improve the pedestrian experience throughout the Palm District by the introduction of street trees. HPD, ATD Nature 66 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan 5-10 YEARS # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes CNCT_12 Use the opportunities created by the redesign and reconstruction of I-35 to create better and more welcoming connections between East Aus- tin and Downtown. ATD, CPO, TXDOT Connection CNCT_13 The frontage roads along the redesigned and re- constructed I-35 should function as lower speed boulevards. ATD, CPO, TXDOT Connection CNCT_14 Improve pedestrian and bicyclist mobility throughout the Palm District by creating and im- proving north-south and east-west connections to include wider, shaded activated sidewalks and continuous, dedicated bike lanes. ATD, Waterloo Greenway Conser- vancy Connection IG_20 New development along the redesigned and reconstructed I-35 frontage roads should create a welcoming pedestrian environment. ATD, CPO, TXDOT Inclusive Growth 67 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan ONGOING/LONG-TERM # Recommendation Sponsor (s) Theme/Outcomes CNCT_9 Improve vehicular circulation within the Rainey Street national Historical Register District. ATD Connection CLTR_6 Ensure cultural and public spaces encourage pro- gramming to include Tejano, Latino, and Mexican American arts and music. PARD, Waterloo Greenway Conser- vancy, Convention Center Culture CLTR_9 Preserve historic sites in the district. HPD, Preservation Austin Culture IG_4 Leverage publicly-owned sites for affordable and mixed-income housing. See IG_13 in 1-3 Year table for additional housing goal. Travis County, Office of Real Estate, APD, HPD Inclusive Growth IG_5 Incentivize greater levels of affordable housing in the Palm District. HPD Inclusive Growth IG_6 Incentivize the preservation of existing affordable housing in the Palm District. HPD Inclusive Growth NTR_11 Enhance the sustainability of the district by using standards of nationally recognized rating systems such as the Sustainable SITES Initiative for site development. Sustainability, HPD, DSD, AE, WPD, AW Nature NTR_2 Promote the design and programming of the Palm District’s parks to be family-friendly. PARD, Waterloo Greenway Conser- vancy Nature 68 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan LOOKING FORWARD The Palm District, the eastern edge of Downtown Austin, is experiencing and will continue to experience transformative change through the remainder of this decade and into the next. In no other place in our city will there likely be the concentrated investments in infrastructure, parks, cultural facilities, and public and private development. The Palm District Plan should be used as a guide for that transformation in order to ensure that as the district changes it grows into a truly special place where the past is honored, culture is celebrated, and the future is shaped. The plan’s adoption is only the first step in moving toward its Vision. There are two important steps still needed to codify the guidance provided by this Plan. The first is to amend the Downtown Austin Plan to incorporate the changes created by the Palm District Plan reconcile those or discrepancies established by its adoption. The second is to implement parts of the Palm District Plan by initiating code amendments to the Land Development Code. In addition, the plan will be implemented through multiple significant initiatives that are underway in the district, and the City will work with its partners to ensure that the guidance provided by the plan informs these initiatives, including: • The redesign and reconstruction of IH 35 and the My 35 Program • The redesign and reconstruction of the Neal Kocurek Memorial Austin Convention Center • Continued development of parks and trails as part of the Waterloo Greenway • Travis County-led work to identify a future plan for the Palm School site • The ongoing work of the Economic Development Department, Red River Cultural District, ESB- MACC and others to support the vitality and health of the creative ecosystem and the live music industry • The implementation of the Project Connect Transit Improvements • The re-imagining of East 6th Street being undertaken by property owners and partners • The future re-imagining and redevelopment of the Austin Police Department’s Headquarters site by the City in coordination with Waterloo Greenway • Continued implementation of improvements throughout the Innovation District and its interface and integration with Red River Cultural District Together, Austin can create a district where the past is honored, culture is celebrated, and the future is shaped. 69 Public Review Draft Palm District Plan