08-28-2024 City Council WS Agenda W ORK SESSION
RICHFIELD MUNICIPAL CENTER, BARTHOLOMEW ROOM
AUGUST 28, 2024
5:45 PM
Call to order
1.Update and discussion of Wood Lake Nature Center building design development progress.
Adjournment
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hours in advance to the City Clerk at 612-861-9739.
AGENDA SECTION:Work Session Items
AGENDA ITEM #1.
STAFF REPORT NO. 23
WORK SESSION
8/28/2024
REPORT PREPARED BY: Karl Huemiller, Recreation Services Director
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REVIEW: Karl Huemiller, Recreation Services Director
8/19/2024
OTHER DEPARTMENT REVIEW:
CITY MANAGER REVIEW: Katie Rodriguez, City Manager
8/22/2024
ITEM FOR WORK SESSION:
Update and discussion of Wood Lake Nature Center building design development progress.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Wood Lake building project team is working with HGA Architects on the design for the new nature center
building. The Schematic Design phase was completed in August with a general floor plan and site plan. The
Design Development phase began at the beginning of August.
The project team has completed two design development meetings with HGA Architects. The first meeting
focused on landscape and site development. The second meeting focused on engineering systems. A third
meeting will take place on September 16th and will focus on interior development. The Design Development
phase will continue through the end of October.
DIRECTION NEEDED:
Staff is seeking input on project design decisions and general project direction.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
A.HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Wood Lake Nature Center (WLNC) is a public facility that opened in 1971 and has always been free of
charge. The center serves anyone who enters and helps connect them to the natural world through both passive
and programmed learning opportunities. Wood Lake Nature Center serves as the gateway for guests to
explore the 150-acre park that surrounds it. There are over 3 miles of gentle hiking and cross-country ski trails
for all to experience the many benefits of nature in three native Minnesota biomes: the forest, wetland, and
prairie.
People of all ages and abilities are served at WLNC and a large focus has always been on student education.
WLNC has had an invaluable 50-year partnership with Richfield Public School District; each student from
preschool through 5th grade participates in 2-3 free environmental education field trips a year. We also annually
host dozens of other school groups from across the region, including schools such as Lucy Laney in North
Minneapolis where the students have accessed the center via the Metro Transit Bus System. We regularly host
SciTech Academy, a Somali school. In previous years, we have been fortunate to secure grant funding for Little
Earth schools to come to multiple environmental education programs throughout the academic year. Being an
accessible and affordable site has always helped the center to attract a large diversity of schools from across
the 7-county metropolitan area. We anticipate more space with a new building will allow for several groups at a
time to schedule programs; with our current building, we are very limited by space. The additional space will
also serve as valuable space for community groups and residents to utilize for meetings and special events.
Also, educational exhibits and learning spaces are not fully accessible and are dated. A new building would
afford the needed opportunity to design a fully accessible building that includes an inclusive multimodal
approach to exhibits.
B.EQUITABLE OR STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS OR IMPACTS
Equity: The public engagement process during the design phase of the project has a focus on connecting with
disadvantaged communities that are currently underrepresented in the users of Wood Lake Nature
Center. Design also includes the goals of including feedback from a variety of community stakeholders,
including the disability community, the Latine community, low-income residents, residents who live close to
Wood Lake, visitors to Richfield, students who visit, and many more groups. Overall, the new building and
exhibits will provide increased accessibility to more groups and current ADA guidelines will be met which
currently are not.
Strategic Plan: This project best aligns with the strategic plan priority of Sustainable Infrastructure addressing
all sub-initiatives of asset management, comprehensive funding, and sustainability efforts.
C.POLICIES (resolutions, ordinances, regulations, statutes, exc):
The building must comply with SB2030 and B3 standards, which are requirements as a part of receiving state
bonding funds.
D.CRITICAL TIMING ISSUES:
E.FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Total Project Cost $26 million
Construction Costs- $18 million
Includes escalation, design contingency, construction contingency, general conditions, construction
management fees, bonds/insurance, and permitting.
Project Soft Costs - $8 Million
Includes professional services fees, fixtures/furniture/equipment (FFE), exhibits, testing/inspections, survey,
AV/Technology, owner contingency, etc.
Funding
Secured Funding:
State Bonding - $12 million
Federal Grants - $3 million
Unsecured Funding - $11 million (Bonds paid by Sales Tax Option or Property Taxes depending on outcome
of referendum)
F.LEGAL CONSIDERATION:
None
ALTERNATIVE(S):
PRINCIPAL PARTIES EXPECTED AT MEETING:
HGA Architects