Site Comparison. Cornelius Arts Center. Town of Cornelius, North Carolina Prepared by Craig Gaulden Davis Greenville, South Carolina May 18, 2012

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1 Cornelius Arts Center Town of Cornelius, North Carolina Prepared by Craig Gaulden Davis Greenville, South Carolina May 18, 2012 Summary The Town of Cornelius, North Carolina asked Craig Gaulden Davis to study the feasibility of placing a new Arts Center on each of three sites near the intersection of Catawba Avenue and Main Street, in downtown Cornelius. CGD used its February 2012 study of growth strategies for the Center as the basis for space requirements for the Center. The February study identified a need for approximately 13,600 gross square feet for Arts Center use. Additional area was added to increase space available for artist studios, for rental to commercial tenants, and for general community use for a total of about 25,000 gross square feet. CGD developed simple site plans for each property under consideration. J.D. Goodrum, a Cornelius based general contractor, prepared preliminary budgets for each site using the site plans and building systems descriptions prepared for the February study. Objectives The exercise is intended as a basis for comparing alternate sites. Limited architectural design was prepared. Additional work will be required to complete a design and detailed cost estimate for the preferred site. Area Map

2 Site Descriptions Site 1: Catawba Avenue Site 1 is located on Catawba Avenue, just west of the Police Department Headquarters. In addition to the Police building, the site is surrounded by commercial structures and paved parking areas. The property is approximately square, with an area of about 1.9 acre and is occupied by three commercial structures. It is level from east to west, but slopes down approximately 15 feet from Catawba to the rear (south) of the property. Site 2: North Main Street Site 2 is located on the west side of North Main Street (NC Highway 115) on an outparcel of the property occupied by a Food Lion grocery store. It is just north of the Cornelius Town Hall and is undeveloped except for a platform intended for an as yet unbuilt piece of public artwork. The 0.8 acre site is surrounded by paved parking areas and driveways. It is essentially flat. Site 3: Antiquity Site 3 is also located on Catawba Avenue, but east of Main Street, and is better understood as part of the Antiquity mixed use development east of Main Street. It is undeveloped except for rough grading. Except for the street edge, formal boundaries for the property have not been set. The front (southern) half of the site slopes gently down from the street but slopes steeply down in the rear (northern) half. 2

3 Site 1: Catawba Avenue Concept A two story structure placed parallel to Catawba Avenue mimics the scale of other buildings downtown. A gallery, offices and studio space share the ground level with commercial tenants. The upper level houses additional studio space and room for community meetings or classrooms. Opportunities exist for development of public space in the margin between building and sidewalk and for balconies at the upper level. Parking is placed to allow for use of space adjacent to the building for outdoor gathering space or future development. One or more lobbies or corridors can penetrate the building to allow access from front to back. The site can be reconfigured if necessary to permit existing historic building at southwest corner of site to remain. Access to a future park/amphitheatre to the southwest suggests opportunities for integration of arts activities. 3

4 Site 2: North Main Street Concept A single story structure almost completely fills the site s footprint. A portion of the building is elevated above parking. Large volumes occupy the Main Street portion of the building; smaller spaces, the area over parking. 4

5 Site 3: Antiquity A two story structure placed parallel to Catawba Avenue mimics the scale of other buildings downtown. A gallery, offices and studio space share the ground level with commercial tenants. The upper level houses additional studio space and room for community meetings or classrooms. Opportunities exist for development of public space in the margin between building and sidewalk and for balconies at the upper level. An amphitheatre and greenway envisioned as part of the development suggest opportunities for integration of arts activities. 5

6 Conceptual Site and Building Sections The section sketches indicate relationships between interior and exterior spaces and between upper and lower levels. Common features include colonnades along public edges and occupiable roof or deck space. Sites 1 and 3 have two stories. Site 2, essentially a one story solution, is distinguished by the placement of parking under occupied space. 6

7 Feature Comparison Site 1 Advantages Potential to establish and urban edge that strengthens downtown experience Walkable connections to the rest of downtown Margin between building and street can be developed as active public space Site large enough to accommodate future growth Ample space for parking Orientation relative to sun facilitates energy efficiency Disadvantages Requires removal/relocation of existing commercial uses May require relocation of historic building Dense site increases construction cost Site 2 Site 3 City owns land Location marks entrance to downtown from Davidson Project reinforces public commitment to Antiquity development Connection to amphitheatre and greenway Margin between building and street can be developed as active public space Ample space for parking Unrestricted site offers program flexibility Orientation relative to sun facilitates energy efficiency No space for future growth on site Site removed from current downtown Requires development of parking offsite Stacking of occupied space over parking requires complex construction Geometry of plan limits daylight to interior spaces Stormwater retention requires offsite construction Height limit of 26 feet and prohibition of multi story development restrict architectural opportunities Orientation relative to sun offers challenges to energy efficiency Isolated from existing downtown Multiple roads and railroad require special measures to encourage pedestrian access from downtown Steep site increases site development costs Dependent on future development to achieve program goals Future growth opportunities subject to unknown future development 7

8 Budget Estimates The budget estimates prepared by J.D. Goodrum are general in nature and limited to construction costs. Contingencies and allowances for all other expenses are proposed by CGD and explained in the notes that follow the table. Scenario Site 1 Catawba Site 2 N Ma Site 3 Antiquity Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Catawba Ave N Main St Antiquity A Construction Cost Approx sf $3,125,000 $2,750,000 $2,875,000 B Site Development 225, , ,000 C Design Contingency 20% of (A+B) 670, , ,000 D Estimated Construction Cost A+B+C $4,020,000 $3,600,000 $3,810,000 E Field Contingency 10% of D 402, , ,000 F Compensation 8% of D 322, , ,000 G Furnishings, Fixtures & Equipment Allowance 150, , ,000 H Owner Expenses and Testing Allowance 40,000 40,000 40,000 J Project Budget D+E+F+G+H $4,934,000 $4,438,000 $4,686,000 New Construction Cost include all costs of construction within five feet of building line, all items required by codes (fire extinguisher cabinets, fire alarm and sprinkler systems, etc.), and items normally found in buildings regardless of building type (e.g., drinking fountains). In the case of an upfit, the costs of the building shell are presumed to be part of the cost of the lease or purchase, and are not included. Site Development Cost is a sum set aside for all work required from within the site boundary to five feet from the edge of the building, i.e., utilities, grading and fill, service drives, parking, landscape development and walks. Design Contingency allows for the fact that a great deal remains unknown in the preliminary stage of the project. These can be expected to shrink as program and design decisions are made. Variables in the early planning include confirmation of gross square footage (GSF) of project, quality standards, and data results from test borings. Field contingency is a reserve for unbudgeted construction costs, usually related to sub surface conditions (or in the case of renovations, concealed building conditions) but possibly proceeding from directives by Code officials, changes requested by the Owner during construction, design omissions, etc. FFE (Furnishings, Fixtures and Equipment) describes loose or (relatively) movable equipment and furniture items, but does not include operational items normally purchased from operating funds, such as books, computers, telephones, etc. Owner s Expenses and Testing recognizes cost for which the Owner is normally responsible during the planning and construction process, i.e., site survey, soil and other materials testing, insurance, etc., but does not include building or land acquisition, debt service or fundraising costs. 8