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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOB 2 SR CTR PROGRESS 05-06-85 OLD BUSINESS NO. ~ Inter- Corn TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Mayor and City Counctl Steering Committee for a Sentor Center and City Staff SENIOR CENTER PROGRESS REPORT AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVES: Option #1 Option #2 Option #3 Appropriate $6,000 to complete the Design Development Report for the Senior Center. Appropriate $6,000 to complete the Design Development Report for the Senior Center and reserve $120,000 for design services and working drawings to be released when a matching amount is raised by the Steering Committee for the Senior Center for construction of the center. Appropriate $126,000 for completion of the Design Development Report, Construction Drawings and Specifications for the Senior Center. BACKGROUND: For almost two years, the Steering Committee for a Senior Center in Tustin has been working hard to acquire a home for senior-activities and programs. The Committee, composed of representatives from several senior programs, City Council and City staff, has worked with consultant Ron Paige of Recreation Systems, Inc., to define the scope and size of the facility needed in Tustin. An initial report was presented to the City Council in September, 1984. The report contained three recommendations which were adopted by the City Council: 1. Identify an adequate site for the proposed Senior Center. Extend the contract wtth Recreation Systems to provide site analysis. e Following identification of location of the Senior Center, proceed wi th the completion of the Design Development Report. SENIOR CENTER PRO6RE$'. EPORT Page 2 The Committee's first priority since that time has been to acquire a site large enough to construct a new building and adequate parking facilities. The City, working together with the Tustin Unified School District, recently agreed to purchase approximately 1 1/4 acres of vacant land adjacent to the School District Administration Office and Peppertree Park. The land will be combined with land from the park to create a site adequate for a 16,000 to 18,000 square foot Senior Center. An agreement will be developed to allow joint use of parking facilities by both the School District and Senior Center. The completion of our first priority will allow us to proceed with the development of the Senior Center. Now that the location and land available for the Senior Center are known, it will be possible to complete the Design Development Report. (Cost: approximately $6,000) The completed Design Development Report will finalize the site plan and the scope of the facililty, provide estimated costs for construction and produce an.exterior rendering for public presentations. Preliminary estimates indicate that the Senior Center construction cost will be approximately $1.62 million to $1.75 million. (These figures do not include land acquisition costs.) This represents a significant investment in our senior community; it raises the question of how to finance the construction cost. The Steering Committee for a Senior Center and staff have developed a preliminary plan. The following grant programs, foundations, and corporations will be contacted for possible support of the center. Housing and Community Development Block Grant Program This federal grant program for low income housing and public improvement/benefit projects is administered by the County of Orange. Our Senior Center could be eligible because of the high percentage of low-income participants in senior programs. Demographic profiles of neighborhoods surrounding the site also support low-income guidelines. Grant amounts are determined on the basis of County allocation and the merits of the proposed project. Senior Center Bond Act Proposition 30 was approved by California voters last year and established a Bond Act for the construction and renovation of Senior Centers. $3 million is available in Orange County, so competition will be intense. Initial applications should be available in June. The Bond Act places priority on projects serving minorities and low income senior citizens. Hearings were held April 29 and 30 to gather input on selection criteria. State Parks and Recreation Competitive Grant Program California Voters also approved Proposition 18 last year, establishing a statewide Bond Act for Parks and Recreation. Senior Centers are eligible for grants under this program. Applications are judged on a competitive basis within planning regions. Our planning region includes Orange, Los Angeles and portions of Northern San Diego County. A1 though competition will be intense, a Senior center would stand a good chance of receiving grant funding. SENIOR OENTER PROGRE.~ tEPORT Page 3 Robertt Z'Berg Urban Open Space and Recreation Program Grant The Robertt Z'Berg Urban Open Space and Recreation Program provides annual funding for Recreation and Park projects. Senior Centers are elgible projects. $19,810 is available for Tusttn in 1985-86, and applications will be available in July. The program requires a 25) matching grant from a non-state source. Federal Revenue Sharing Funds Depending on the longevity of the federal revenue sharing program, it can be an additional source for construction funds. Both the City of Tusttn and the County of Orange receive revenue sharing funds which could be designated for senior center construction. Tustin serves large numbers of seniors from surrounding cities and county unincorporated areas, so could legitimately petition the County for its share of funding. At present, federal revenue sharing is in serious jeopardy. Charitable Foundations Charitable foundations will also be approached for support. Several foundations have participated in senior citizen projects in the past and list Senior Centers as eligible projects. They will be contacted to see if there is any interest in our center. Competition for foundation grants is very intense and many exclude government owned or operated projects. Corporations Headquartered or Doing Business in Tustin Several major corporations are headquartered and/or do business in Tustin. All will be contacted and asked to share in the development of this community facility. Special presentations to explain the Senior Center and its program will be scheduled for small groups of businesses. Individual Contributions to Building Funds Individual contributions will also be pursued. Large or small donations are equally welcome. Recognition according to the size of the gift will be incorporated on a permanent basis in the Senior Center. It is likely that a separate committee will be needed to organize this effort. Application for government grant programs will begin immediately. A significant portion of construction costs could be funded through various grant programs. The specific amount available is not known until the grant is approved. Competition for each of the grant programs is expected to be intense. The Robertt Z'Berg program has announced allocations for 1985-86 and the City will receive $19,810, which could be used for construction of a Senior Center. Although it is possible that all the costs could be recovered through government grants, staff feels it unlikely. Many grant programs require at least a match and exclude planning and architectural drawings from eligible expenses. It may be possible to recover a significant portion of the costs, however. SENIOR CENTER PROGRESS ~PORT ,Page 4 Construction drawings, design, and development of bidding documents usually cost between 6 and 10% of the total project budget. Recreation Systems, Inc., estimates 6 1/2 to 7% of the project budget will be required to complete working drawings and bid documents. This equals $105,300 to $120,000 depending on the final scope and size of the building. Recreation Systems, [nc., would deduct the cost of the Design Development Report from this totml figure. The City Council may elect to appropriate money now for completion of working drawings and bid documents to stimulate the possibility of government grants and support from charitable foundations. The more information available to a grant maker, the greater the likelihood of approval. The City Council may also decide that it wishes to issue a challenge to the Committee and community to produce matching funds before it will allocate additional funding to the project. This could take the form of a challenge grant of $120,000 which would be released when an equal amount is raised by the Committee or received from government grant sources. The Steering Committee for a Senior Center is ready to begin fundrafsfng for the Center. They will expand their membership to include well known and influential members of our community who can take an active part in raising money for the Center. The Design Development Report will help the Steering Committee for a Senior Center focus its efforts, The report will provide information necessary for government grant applications and private fundraistng efforts. The Steering Committee for a Senior Center looks forward to the continued support of the City Council and wishes to thank them for their help in acquiring a site for the Center. JK:ls