City of Cerritos - Library Garage
Build Consensus. Build Success.
How does a city choose between neigh
borhood aesthetics and an extra $2 million in building costs? City officials in Cerritos, CA faced just that dilemma recently as they examined two options for adding parking to accommodate their new municipal library. Fortunately, a technology solution from Presagis helped the city reach quick resolution on what had been shaping up as a very thorny and contentious decision.
The Design Dilemma
In 1999, the City began planning a major expansion of its municipal library, including 50 percent more floor space and room for 250 new Internet workstations. To handle the expected new library traffic, a two-story parking garage would also have to be built. The low cost alternative was to build the new garage above ground. However, because the library is adjacent to a residential area, the City Council was concerned that an above ground garage would be both aesthetically unattractive and a threat to the privacy of the library's neighbors. A below ground garage would solve these problems, but would raise project costs by $2 million.
The City Council was anxious about compromising their good relationship with the neighboring community. At the same time, any decision to spend an additional $2 million would certainly require very careful scrutiny. Moreover, the Council's decision on the garage was pressed for time. The planning and construction process for the new library was already underway. If the Council could not act quickly, the garage would not be completed in time for the opening of the new library in June 2001.
A Technology Solution
Realizing that ordinary architectural models would not resolve the issue, the city reached out for a more powerful technology solution. The City Council asked Presagis to work with the city's project managers to create a realtime 3D simulation of both garage designs. The goal was to provide lawmakers and citizens with a realistic 3D model of both garage alternatives.
Citizens were invited to a public hearing to discuss the project and view the presentation. The realtime 3D simulation allowed viewers to take a realistic "walk" through the model. Meeting participants could view each design from different elevations and vantage points. They saw firsthand how each garage design would look to its neighbors.
The high point of the presentation came when everyone had the opportunity - via the simulation - to experience what nearby residents would see if they looked out their second-story windows at the garage. It was clear from this view that the above ground design would seriously compromise the privacy of the houses alongside the library. Based on that, city lawmakers made an easy decision to build underground. When it started, this project had all the earmarks of long and acrimonious community debate, including big delays, and a decision born out of disharmony instead of consensus. The 3D simulation made the right decision obvious, and the City Council quickly voted for the more costly underground approach.
Cerritos Assistant City Manager Dennis Davis was totally won over by the power of realtime 3D simulation. Davis also serves as Director of Community Planning for Cerritos. Over the years, he has endured more than his share of contentious planning sessions. He says of his experience with the parking garage project and Presagis' 3D simulation.
I've been in city planning for 31 years, and this is the best planning tool I've ever seen used.
Dennis Davis, Assistant City Manager - City of Cerritos
Thanks to the speedy decision process, the new underground parking facility is now on track to open when the expanded library does. Committing large sums of public money for new buildings requires careful planning and much discussion. But, as the City of Cerritos discovered, it's a lot easier when you can base that decision on reality and not on conjecture.