Town Lake Park, Phase I

CIP # 4980-827-6001

Summary

In November 1998, Austin voters approved two bond election items for work in the Town Lake Park area. One was to allow the City to lease and convert Palmer Auditorium into the new Long Performing Arts Center and the other was to create the new Palmer Events Center. This new Events Center is intended to accommodate some of the events that are displaced by the conversion of Palmer Auditorium and removal of the Coliseum. Once the new Events Center is completed in 2002, the private sector, non profit group, Arts Center Stage will assume control of Palmer Auditorium for conversion into the Long Center. As part of the financing mechanism for the Events Center, the City of Austin instituted a car rental tax to fund retirement of the Events Center debt and provide a funding source for development of the park area. The park is defined as an area bounded by Town Lake on the north, South First Street on the east, Barton Springs Road on the south, and Lee Barton Dr. on the west. Phase I development includes development of the area around the new Events Center and Parking Facility, the Cultural Landscape. Phase II will begin to develop the Park area away from the new Events Center.

Final Illustrative Master Plan

Status

Construction Documents preparation led by TBG Partners for phase I. This first Landscape package construction is scheduled for January 2002 through May 2002. Phase II funding is anticipated to become available in 2001 to allow the phase II construction to start in 2002, after removal of the City Coliseum.

Issues

Interim irrigation service plan in development since primary service delivery is in phase II. Lighting fixture discussions with Great Streets Program. The potential closure of Riverside Drive will eventually become an issue for completion of the park area.

Description

Guided by the stakeholders and the public, a Town Lake Park Master Plan was developed. It was then adopted by City Council in July 1999. The Park Master Plan calls for a series of six park "Rooms" to be developed in phases. The tax source must build up a level of funding required for each of the subsequent phases before they can be implemented. Phase I will begin the park development with the Cultural Landscape area. This is the area surrounding the new Community Events Center and Parking Facility. This will include a natural pond area on the north side of the new Events Center, with bench & wall seating and a passive interactive pond edge. A smaller pond on the south side with lively fountains will provide for an enjoyable Events Center drop off.

The City Council has committed a total amount of $10.8M for the first two phases that is to be available within three years of the adoption of the master plan. Funding for phase I in the amount of $3.4M has already been made available. Once the first phase construction is completed in 2002, the design for phase II would then begin.

Basic Data