HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC17-0031_RSES + Parking Garage TOV PEC Narrative_1498486620.pdfTAB Associates, Inc.
The Architectural Balance
0056 Edwards Village Boulevard
Suite 210, Edwards, Colorado 81632
(970) 766‐1470 (970) 766‐1471 fax
www.tabassociates.com tab@vail.net
June 26, 2017
Planning and Environmental Commission
Town of Vail
75 S. Frontage Road
Vail, CO 81657
Re: Red Sandstone Elementary School Renovation and Parking Garage
Project Introduction and Information:
In November 2016, Eagle County residents voted to pass a Bond, providing critical financial
resources for Eagle County Schools. The Bond enables significant facility upgrades to ensure our
community schools meet the needs of the growing student population. As part of those projects, Red
Sandstone Elementary School (RSES) is going through a significant renovation to create the necessary
educational spaces to provide the best possible learning environment for the students. These updates
include the complete renovation of Red Sandstone Elementary School, two additions to Red Sandstone
Elementary School, and a new four level parking structure shared between Red Sandstone Elementary
School and the Town of Vail.
The renovations at Red Sandstone Elementary School include removing the existing exterior
finish material, installing new IECC compliant insulation, new exterior finishes, new flooring, new wall
finishes, technology updates throughout the school, and rearranging the existing school’s building
program and classrooms to allow for larger classrooms meeting the current ECSD standards. The two
new additions at Red Sandstone Elementary include a two‐level addition to the south area of the
building creating a secure vestibule entry, new Cafeteria, and new Serving Line that the school currently
does not have. The second level of the addition will house the updated Library. The second addition will
be on the north side of the building pushing the area out over the one level space filling out the building
form. The two additions will free up space for the classrooms to grow to a higher student square footage
ratio that meets the current Eagle County School District standards. These area increases in square
footage throughout RSES will not be adding any additional student capacity to the school. The increases
in square footage address the current needs of the existing student population and curriculum, bringing
RSES up to ECSD’s current district standards.
The second portion of the project includes a new parking garage with one hundred and sixty
(160) new parking spots. The parking garage will be owned and operated by the Town of Vail with an
agreement with Eagle County School District. The parking garage is an open‐air, four level structure with
an individual, controlled entry on each level. The existing grading of the project site allows for the
parking garage to have an entry on every level of the parking garage. The multiple entries maximize the
parking capacity of the structure by eliminating the need for internal ramping within the parking garage,
freeing up that space for additional parking spots.
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June 26, 2017 Page ‐ 2
A key, unforeseen component of this project is the opportunity that it provides for future
growth and development within the project itself. The infrastructure of the parking garage is designed
for a two story, full footprint addition to be erected above the fourth level of parking. This space will
allow for the Town of Vail to quickly and easily expand to meet the town’s spatial needs at the time. And
due to the future addition’s location it creates the unique condition that the space will always be
available for the town to expand on whenever the need arises.
The last element of the project lends to the working relationship between the Town of Vail and
Red Sandstone Elementary School. The construction scheduling of the parking garage and elementary
school lend to the staging of each other. The parking garage construction will start while school is still in
session and will be fast tracked by the ability for the construction staging to occur on the west half of
the new circulation road for the project site. The garage will be completed first for the town to be able
to use three levels of the parking garage as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the completion of the parking
garage will allow for the placement of double modulars on the top level to allow for school to remain in
session during the renovation construction at the elementary school. The modulars for the school will be
mixed between placement on the top level of the parking garage and the surrounding parking areas.
Town of Vail Development Objectives Impact:
This project directly helps to achieve several of the Town of Vail’s objectives outlined in the Vail
Economic Development Strategic Plan. Currently, the town has a distressed need for parking, and not
only parking in general but parking with access to the commercial cores of Vail. This project creates a
controlled parking area that directly connects to the commercial cores via the existing pedestrian and
public transit infrastructure already established at the project site.
The proposed parking garage will strengthen the relationship between the Town of Vail and Red
Sandstone Elementary School as it creates a new division to the existing partnership between the two
entities. This relationship will ripple through the community beyond the town limits as RSES serves the
people of the Vail Valley, greatly extending the town’s network. The addition of the parking garage on
the project site addresses the necessary parking opportunities for both the school and the Town of Vail.
The parking garage will be owned and operated by the Town of Vail and shared with Red Sandstone
Elementary School. In this working arrangement between the two, RSES will have access to several
parking spots on the top level of the parking garage during the school year. This will leave all the parking
spaces in the garage available to the Town of Vail during peak times like Christmas, New Years, and
Spring Break.
The project in its entirety helps to create a density within the project site that counteracts the
current horizontal sprawl of the town, by imaginatively using the existing areas to meet the
community’s needs. The project also continues to serve the community and the growing population of
the town by providing a base for future development on top of the parking garage.
Impact on Surroundings and Community:
The addition to Red Sandstone Elementary School creates a large Cafeteria/Commons space as
well as expands the Library. Both of these spaces were designed with the intention to double as
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June 26, 2017 Page ‐ 3
assembly areas for community gatherings or school events while providing a beautiful backdrop of
natural mountain views.
The renovations at Red Sandstone Elementary School extend out of the building to the
surrounding school playgrounds. The play areas will be refreshed to offer an accessible play area for all
installing new equipment and hardscape playing surfaces. The existing blacktop on the south side of the
building will be replaced with a green space providing a new pre‐school playground, a variety of outdoor
learning, and gathering spaces for use during and after school hours. These upgrades to the outdoor
areas will create universal access and improvements to the existing Great Outdoors Colorado
Organization (GOCO) playground that is for the entire Red Sandstone community.
The parking garage adds several perks to the community from construction to occupancy while
taking advantage of the existing infrastructure located on the project site. It creates a large number of
new parking spots with direct pedestrian access to the commercial core of Vail via the existing
pedestrian bridge, as well as, nearby access to public transit. Meanwhile, the extensive earthwork on
the project site is providing the opportunity for all parties around the project site to bring‐in upgraded
utilities to all facilities.
Project Site Circulation:
A Traffic Impact Report was completed by Felsburg Holt & Ullevig (May 23, 2017‐ see attached).
The report states that by adding the 160 space parking structure the following impact is seen to the site
during AM and PM peak hours:
AM peak hour: 34 in, 6 out
PM peak hour: 19 in, 45 out
These peak traffic volumes entering the site, along with the through traffic of North Frontage Rd only
require an eastbound left turn lane of 50 ft. long (a 150 ft. lane is already present). A westbound right
turn lane is not warranted but is a borderline condition during peak season; as such a right turn lane will
be designed to help alleviate any congestion. The report also mentions that the current construction to
build an I‐70 underpass will ultimately result in less traffic traveling this section of North Frontage Road
than is currently seen.
All aspects of this project were considered with vehicular and pedestrian traffic in mind. The
project creates a new one‐way road for vehicular traffic throughout the entire site with a pedestrian
walk that parallels the road. The safety concern for the increase in vehicular traffic moving past the front
of the elementary school was the driving influence to limit the number of parking garage levels that
required driving by the school to access that parking level. As a result, only two levels of the parking
garage require the motorist to drive past the elementary school. The location of the proposed parking
structure has been intentionally located to leverage the pedestrian overpass of I‐70 connecting to
Lionshead and Vail Mountain. The lower part of the site will remain a major transit stop for all in town
buses and school buses. The project will improve upon the existing configuration of the bus drop off
and also allow pedestrians from the parking structure to access the transit stop for connectivity to the
in town bus system. The design of the garage allows pedestrian egress from all 4 levels, with the lowest
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June 26, 2017 Page ‐ 4
level being ADA accessible to the transit pick up / drop off location. Pedestrian ramps, walkways,
crosswalk striping and lighting will add safety to the pedestrian routes.
In town buses will continue to loop through the lower site as occurs with the existing
configuration. School bus drop off and pickup will also occur at the transit location. The proposed 40’
width of the new bus loop will allow for 2 rows of buses to be parked simultaneously with adequate
spacing and width to account for pedestrian circulation. The existing parking spaces in the center of the
bus loop area have been removed from the proposed design to separate public parking from the transit
area and improve safety and congestion. The proposed access to the upper 3 levels of the garage and
the school will be accomplished via a one way drive circumnavigating the proposed parking structure.
This will allow a more fluid drop off for parents in front of the school, without the need to turn around
and exit the school drive the same way as incoming parking structure users. The one way drive will be
very beneficial in the AM peak hours when school and TOV/Vail Resorts workers are accessing the site.
The drive has been designed to accommodate the turning movements of the Vail Fire
Departments aerial ladder truck (45 ft. long) and large school buses (40 ft. long). The parking structure
accesses at each level will be controlled access utilizing entry gates with readers and cameras, similar to
the existing Ford Park employee access. The parking structure entries have been designed to
accommodate the turning movements of a Chevy Suburban (19 ft. length). All parking spaces and access
aisles on proposed surface and structure parking meet Town code for length and width. Existing parking
spaces along the access drive and up in the school paved parking area have been reconfigured to allow
better maneuverability.
Most of the snow storage areas for the proposed improvements are planned for the west end of
the project. The parking structure’s top level will have a swing gate on the western most access aisle,
similar to the Lionshead garage. Snow will be plowed off the edge of the gate in to a landscaped area
with a graded sump and proper drainage inlet to collect melt water. The access drive and sidewalk will
be plowed to the westernmost curve in the road, where a swing gate will be placed in lieu of standard
guardrail to allow for adequate storage. Smaller snow storage areas are proposed for the southern edge
of the parking structure and the median along North Frontage Road.
Neighborhood Character Impact:
All aspects of the project strive to match or improve the character of the surrounding areas.
Currently, the exterior of the project has not been updated since 1976, as a result the existing building
disrupts the character of the surrounding neighborhood. The project is located along North Frontage
Road in Vail, which has a sense of density and activity that this project brings to the site. The adjacent
building structures have recently had a surge of new construction and renovations guiding a character
shift along the I‐70 corridor reinforcing the idea of density with vertical structures.
This project also continues the development of the Mountain Modern Design Aesthetic seen
spreading throughout the town. This aesthetic focuses on combining contemporary design movements
with elements of traditional mountain design that addresses the unique challenges put on building
structures in the mountains. The design style uses exterior building materials that relate to the
surrounding elements and mountains such as timber members, local stone accents, and earth tone
colors. The parking garage component of the project creates a sense of verticality mirrored throughout
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June 26, 2017 Page ‐ 5
the surrounding building structures; however, due to the natural grading of the project site it the
verticality of the parking garage does not disrupt the aesthetics or views from the elementary school.
May 23rd, 2017
MEMORANDUM
TO: Chad Salli, Town of Vail
FROM: Chris Fasching
SUBJECT: Proposed Parking Structure Traffic Impact – Red Sandstone Elementary
FHU Project 117177-01
This memorandum provides information concerning the traffic impact associated with a proposed
new parking structure to be located next to the Red Sandstone Elementary School in Vail. The
structure is proposed to contain 160 spaces (40 of which would be used by the school), and it has
been intentionally located to leverage the pedestrian overpass of I-70 connecting to Lionshead
Village and the ski lift access to Vail Mountain.
The information provided here is specific to the parking structure’s access onto the North Frontage
Road relative to peak hour turning movement traffic and the need for acceleration/deceleration
lanes. Access to the North Frontage Road is controlled by CDOT, and this study is intended to
inform turn lane accel/deceleration lane needs pertaining to the new parking structure.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The access onto the North Frontage Road currently exists, and it serves the Red Sandstone
Elementary school and a gymnastics facility. Turning movement counts were collected at the
access intersection to capture current use traffic demands for three peak hours of the day including
the AM peak hour, mid-afternoon peak hour (when school lets out), and the PM peak hour. The
through movements along the North Frontage Road were also collected, but it is recognized that
the through traffic along the North Frontage Road is not at its peak given a “mud” season traffic
count, but school was in full session as was the gymnastics facility. Figure 1 shows the collected
turning movement data, as is frontage road data that were collected during a winter peak season.
An eastbound left turn deceleration lane currently exists at the site access, measuring
approximately 150 feet long (plus a lead-in taper). There is currently no westbound right turn
deceleration lane. The posted speed limit is 35 MPH.
PROJECTED CONDITIONS
The proposed parking structure will serve Lionshead activity including the commercial area as well
as skiing. Some of the parking will also be made available for the elementary school. Trip
May 23rd, 2017
Memorandum to Chad Salli
Page 2
generation estimates associated with the 160-space structure were estimated from the Lionshead
parking structure’s entering and existing transactions. A five weekdays worth of data were
compiled and averaged representing a peak winter season (the last week of March). These data
were related to the size of the Lionshead structure of 1100 spaces to develop trip generation rates.
From this analysis, the average hourly trip generation rates for Lionsheads are:
• AM peak hour - 0.25 trips per space, 85% inbound
• 2:30 to 3:30 PM hour - .25 trips per space, 35% inbound
• PM Peak hour – 0.40 trips per space, 30% inbound.
Applying these to the 160-space parking structure yields the following trip generation estimates
directly associated with the parking structure:
• AM peak hour – 34 in, 6 out
• 2:30 to 3:30 hour – 14 in, 26 out
• PM peak hour – 19 in, 45 out
Trips were assigned to the proposed access point based on the distribution of trips in and out of
the school today as well as trips in and out of Lionshead structure, yielding the following
distribution percentage estimates:
• 60% to/from the east
• 40% to/from the west
Applying these trip distribution percentages to the trip estimates presented, Figure 2 was
developed that shows the increase in traffic specifically related to the parking structure. Figure 3
then shows the total peak hour projections developed by summing the traffic of Figure 1 with
Figure 2 and rounding up to the nearest five vehicles per hour. Through traffic shown along the
North Frontage Road was estimated from peak season projections presented in the I-70
Underpass Vail, Colorado Freeway Operations Traffic Study prepared by FHU in 2015, which
accounts for traffic shifts due to the new I-70 underpass currently under construction. These shifts
will ultimately result in less traffic traveling this section of the North Frontage Road than otherwise
would occur given future growth.
AUXILARY LANE NEEDS
The State Highway Access Code criteria was consulted to assess turn lane needs given the
Frontage Road classification.
The EB left should be 50 feet long. A total of 150 feet is provided, and therefore no additional
lengthening of the lane is needed.
The WB right turn deceleration lane is needed when this volume exceeds 50 vehicles per hour,
provided at least 150 vehicles per hour occur along the adjacent through lane. Given this, there is
not a strong need for a right turn deceleration lane. The PM peak hour is the one time-period
representing a border-line condition during peak season. Since this border-line condition would
only occur during peak season, it is not a prevailing condition. As such, a right turn deceleration
lane is not recommended and is not needed.
This should provide adequate information with respect to lane needs at the structure access. If
you have any questions or need additional information, please call.
Existing Traffic VolumesFigure 1FELSBURGHOLT &ULLEVIGVail Parking Structure 17-177 05/23/17I-70 Frontage RoadRed Sandstone Elementary SchoolProposedParking Structure= AM(Mid Afternoon)[PM] Peak Hour Traffic VolumesXXX(XXX)[XXX]LEGENDNOTE: Data collected on Thursday, May 4, 2017except where notedNOTE: Data extrapolated frommain interchange countscollected in 2012105(51)[36]77(158)[217]54(30)[25
]
37(44)[26]27(13)[19]58(37)[186]195(NA)[350]270(NA)[250]7070
Parking Structure Traffic VolumesFigure 2FELSBURGHOLT &ULLEVIGVail Parking Structure 17-177 05/22/17I-70 Frontage RoadRed Sandstone Elementary SchoolProposedParking Structure= AM(Mid Afternoon)[PM] Peak Hour Traffic VolumesXXX(XXX)[XXX]LEGEND20(8)[11]4(16)[27]
2(10)[18]14(6)[8]7070
Total Projected Traffic VolumesDuring Peak SeasonFigure 3FELSBURGHOLT &ULLEVIGVail Parking Structure 17-177 05/22/17I-70 Frontage RoadRed Sandstone Elementary SchoolProposedParking Structure= AM(Mid Afternoon)[PM] Peak Hour Traffic Volumes= AM(Mid Afternoon)[PM] Peak Hour Level of Service= Stop SignXXX(XXX)[XXX]LEGENDx/x/xa/a/ab/b/b 130(60)[50]110(130)[150]60(50)[55
]
40(55)[45]45(20)[30]270(250)[280]7070