AG 2007 07 23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~~`~~ SITE EVALUATION -`amw Site 4 Site 4 consists of county-owned property encompassing the gravel surface parking Ior to the southeast of the intersection of Cotban Avenue and McCachern Street (formerly the site of Clara Harris Schooq and the paved surface parking lot at the intersection oECorban Avenue and Church Street. To the west the site is bounded by Corbin Court to the east it abuts the hismric Lutheran Cemetery, the oldest burial ground in downtown Concord. The site currendy provides dte bulk of the public parking for the courthouse. The southern edge of the sire slopes downward to undeveloped wooded land, wlt6 the slope beginning relatively gently at the western end of the site and becoming mote increased farther to the east. At the fur east end of the site, behind the former Clara Harris School site, the slope is severe and dte elevation change to the lowest level exceeds 16 feet This may provide the oppottunity to locate a portion of dte jail at a lower and less visible level, shielding it from view from Cotban Avenue. Berneen M<Cachern Street and Church Street, along the site's northern edge, the topography is relatively flat with good vehicle access. The northern portion of the sire, formerly ocatpied by Clara Harris School (now demolished), is unpaved and at a higher elevation than the southern portion. This change in elevation is relatively gradual across most of the site. To [he east of McCachern Street, however, the elevation of the sire adjacent m Cotban Avenue rises abruptly and is currently addressed with apoured-in-place concrete retaining wall approximately eight to ten ket in height running to the east along Cotban Avenue. This retaining wall will require engineering evaluation ro determine its ability to czrry the additional load of any budding on the site, but it should be anticipated that this wall will probably be demolished and replaced. Two private residences are located immediately to the south of the paved parking loc. Both of these residences are currendy accessed from Cotban Coutt, a public right of way extending [o the sou[heazt between the Red Pig parking lot and the county-owned parking lot at the intersection of Church Street and Curban Avenue. This is at present the only a«ess to these residences, suggesting that both would have ro be acquired by the County If the jail sire were ro extend along C.orban Avenue m Church Street. The eaztem edge of the site is azljacent to a cemetery maintained by St. James Lutheran Church. This cemetery does have some historic significance, which will require consideration during the design process; it will also require some provision for vehicle access', which is currently available only through the eastern portion of the Site 't. Of the four sites evaluated in this study, Site 4 presents the most positive opportunity for jail and law enforcemen[ construction. Much of the si[e is relatively flat and has excellent vehicle access from Cotban Avenue. The site is close enough to the existing courthouse to present the possibility of some kind of direct secure connector for inmate movement between facilities, either by a tunnel under Curban Avenue or a bridge over it. Site 4 could accommodate the required jail and law enforcement construction as well as provide some area for staff parking, at least in the initial building phase. During [he course of dtis initial study, Site A w•as expanded to incorporate additional property to the west of dte original site limits, extending the site all the way m Union Screec South. The acquisition of the Red Pig, the building currendy housing My Gym and Srowe's Bonding Company, and the former Concord Tribune huild(ng would give the County a total site of some ??0,000 square feet, just under five acres. The south side of the expanded Site 4 changes elevation abruptly to the rear of [he Red Pig building, dropping some 15 feet to x paved parking lot behind the former Tribune building. There is an existing concrete retaining wall ac this location, extending from the rear of the former Tribune building ro the case ehen taming m the south at the edge of the County parking lot. The retaining wall continues to the south in front of the two private residences mentioned previously, maintaining the approximately 15-foot elevation separating then turns co the west (back roward Union Street South) before it ends. This wall effectively encloses the parking area behind the Tribune building. While it appears to be in generally sound conditiog same minor cracking is visible. The retaining wall would have to be extensively evaluated by a qualified structural engineer were any consemctimt co be contemplated on its high elevation to ensure chat it would he capable of supporting the additional surcharge and increased soil pressure; however, it is anticipated that any substantial construction on the site would require the demolition of this wall az well as most ocher bulk site features :cod the complete regrading of the site. In general, the topography of the site does nut present any insurmountable obstacles to construction. The existing retaining walls would need to be demolished and new ones may be required, depending on the configuration of any new buildings. The exact configuration of the sire will be determined once the schematic design phase of the jail building is completed. Tprif?a0a 1 i G -'i W6.1