High Rock Lot RFP

Technical Review
Committee Report

Presented to the Saratoga Springs City

Council
Thursday, February 25, 2016

Our Mission
The High Rock Lot RFP Technical Review Committee
(TRC) was appointed by the City Council in late 2015
to produce a clear, understandable, and objective
comparison of the two proposals received in response
to a RFP issued by the City, seeking a mixed-use
project that would also accommodate a variety of
parking needs.
After several months of meetings and examining the two
proposals, we are pleased to make this informational
presentation to the public and the City Council this
evening.

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Who We Are

Bill Sprengnether (Appointed by Commissioner Franck)

Robert Williams (Appointed by Commissioner Mathiesen)

Larry Novick (Appointed by Commissioner Madigan)

Rod Sutton (Appointed by Commissioner Scirocco)

Joseph Ogden (Appointed by Mayor Yepsen)

Tom Roohan (Representing the City Center Authority)

Brad Birge (OPED Administrator, Staff to the TRC)

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Overview

In September 2015, the City received two

very interesting, very different
proposals.

Paramount Realty Group submitted a detailed vision of High

Rock Village complete schematic design set, including full plan
views and elevations, and a detailed project budget.
Hyman Hemispheric/Sequence Development submitted a more
general proposal consisting of massing diagrams without
elevations, views, etc. and emphasized the value of flexibility
within the overall project that would become more detailed as
the project evolved.

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Project Comparison Matrix

In an effort to create an easy to follow, applesto-apples comparison, TRC completed a
project comparison matrix based on the
following key areas of both proposals:
Personnel; Amount of Type of Parking;
Office/Retail; Housing; Downtown Integration;
Civic Space; Jobs; Market & Assessed Value;
Tax Revenue; Finance; Purchase Price; Traffic;
and Engineering.
High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Parking and the City Center

TRC is concerned that neither proposal, as currently
envisioned, provides enough parking to support the Citys
needs, the City Centers needs, and the parking needs that
would be created by a new mixed-use project.

Appears applicants have interpreted the guidance in the RFP pointing

to a minimum of 600 parking spots needed to address existing needs
(e.g., city, public and City Center needs), as a desired requirement.

While parking is clearly not required for projects in the T-6 zone, if we
employ parking standards that are applicable in other zones, we
estimate that up to 400-500 more spots may be needed if the needs
of the City and the City Center were met in addition to forthcoming
mixed-use demand.

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Parking and the City Center

While there are several different ways of calculating parking

demand, (e.g., spot sharing, etc.) TRC feels that, regardless
of the methodology employed, these proposals are
significantly under-parkedat this point.

Parking needs should be considered vis--vis the surrounding

area, and its ability or inability to absorb parking overflow.
In this case, we believe that the development of the 42 space
Collamer Lot, the general lack of street-space available for
parking, and future infill potential (e.g., the potential
development of the Saratogian lot) will all contribute to
future parking challenges in this part of downtown.

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Urban Form
Paramount Realty Group LLC/The Community
Builders
Proposes internally-oriented residential village; residential and retail uses; retail on
Lake and
Maple Aves; multi-level parking accessed from High Rock; upper level residential
units
Internally connected with open pedestrian bridges

Two main structures:

Lake Ave Tower - 7 levels:
level 1: sub-grad parking; level 2: retail
(on Lake) ; levels 3-7: senior housing
Pedestrian Village 7 levels:
level 1: sub grade parking; level 2: parking/access
from High Rock (below grade on Maple); level 3: City Center parking; level 4: village
ground level, retail/housing lobby on this level; levels 5-7: residential units
High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Urban Form (Paramount Cont)

Access: Parking only from High Rock Ave; pedestrian access on York St, High Rock, Maple and Lake Aves

Streetscape:
- Retail on Lake Ave and, presumably, on Maple
- No liner buildings on High Rock Ave; streetscape is essentially a 2-3-story parking structure with 3-story staircase
water feature; no residential/commercial activity at High Rock street level
- Pedestrian amenities/activities generally oriented towards inside of complex; minimal east-west pedestrian access
- Significant physical separation between streetscape and interactive activities within center of site

Massing:
- Creates appearance of a super-block with little faade interruption along length of Maple, High Rock Aves
- 5+ story structure adjacent to York St and north; No real transition from total building height to street grade
- Presents much differently from historic urban pattern; large, connected structures have uniform faades and
rooflines

Public amenities:
- Proposes diversity of targeted housing including senior, workforce and market-rate; seniors are physically
separated from other housing in Lake Ave tower.
- Proposes internal promenade as Greenbelt integration with staircase connection to points north

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Urban Form
Hyman Hemispheric/Sequence Development
Plan presents a general massing approach to the redevelopment of this site.
Approx. square footage of mixed uses provided little specifics on
architectural details, building materials, etc. Applicants suggest flexibility
In working with the City to establish final build-out, design, etc.

Mixture of uses (office, residential, retail, parking,)

are presented in a series of building blocks
of varying spaces and
heights up to a total of 7 levels.
Access:
Parking is accessed only from High Rock Ave;
multiple pedestrian points of access on High Rock Ave,
Lake and Maple Ave;

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Urban Form (Hyman/Seq. Cont)

Hyman Hemispheric/Sequence Development

Streetscape:
- Includes liner buildings with office and retail uses along High Rock; includes street-level
retail along Lake Ave
- Parking generally handled below grade or toward center of parcel
- Identifies east-west arcade pedestrian connector from High Rock to Maple/City Center
and Broadway
Massing:
- Overall massing is broken up by a series of building forms of varying heights; more
consistent with historic pattern of multiple individual buildings
- Building form heights generally transition to street level along east and north sides
- Proposes area of surface parking on north end adjacent to York St.

Public amenities:
- Identifies opportunity for open space, rooftop gardens and terraces at multiple
locations on site
- Identifies parking/flex space on north end for civic events, farmers market, etc.
- Suggests to funnel Greenbelt path along High Rock Ave corridor

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Engineering
Hyman Hemispheric/Sequence Development
Suggests excavation of the rock along the portion of the lot that is adjacent to
Maple Ave. This would involve digging back into the slope from High Rock
toward Maple while maintaining the elevation of High Rock as the base elevation
Paramount Realty Group LLC/The Community Builders

Proposes excavating into the grade of the existing lot to an elevation well below
High Rock . An entire level of parking is proposed below the existing grade and
in their response letter Paramounts states that, no rock removal is expected.

While neither project s proposed engineering appears to be unmanageable, it should be

noted that due to the significant presence of bedrock and flowing water in this area, the
size, scope, cost and schedule of either project could be adversely impacted until a further
understanding the sites conditions are known.

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Finance

Tax Revenues

Total revenues for both project (using a similar

assessment function) are very similar for total taxes,
and city taxes.
Hyman/Sequence - $1,898,482 ($352,704 City)
Paramount Realty Group - $1,956,952 ($346,248 City)

Land Acquisition
See Present Value Calculation workbook
Hyman/Sequence $2.6 million purchase
Paramount Realty Group - 30 year lease, $1.2 million property value

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Finance

IDA Financing

Both applicants expressed a need or interest in

obtaining financing via the Saratoga County Industrial
Development Agency (IDA), in particular the Paramount
project.

While approval for any project rests solely with the IDA,
it is our collective understanding that residential
projects featuring non-market rate units would not fit
the types of projects IDA is interested in financing.

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016

Thank You
Our thanks to the City Council for allowing us to
make this presentation this evening. Our
hope is that this information was helpful to
you and the public as we consider our options
for developing this significant piece of cityowned land.

High Rock TRC Report February 25, 2016