The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden proposes to improve the Des Moines Botanical Center through upgrades to the building and expansion of the exterior landscape. In May of 2011 the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden board signed a lease with the City of Des Moines for the lease and operation, management and maintenance of the Botanical Center. This lease will go into effect on January 1, 2013 and includes the 14-acre piece of property defined in exhibit A, reaching north towards the University Ave Bridge, south to the 235 overpass, east to the neighboring housing development, and west to the Des Moines River. The Botanical Center opened in 1979, first with the city operating the facility and most recently with the Des Moines Water Works operating the facility since January 2004. To date the only expansion to the facility was in the early 1990 s which included the addition of the north wing meeting rooms, a greenhouse, a reorganized front entry, and gardens along the river front. In 2008, the Des Moines Botanical and Environmental Center leaders and supporters envisioned a new future for the Center that would allow for its development and resurgence as a major cultural and educational facility. To assist, EMD Consulting Group and Hoerr-Schaudt Landscape Architects developed a proposed Vision Plan and strategy. The City provided $30,000 towards the study (Roll Call No. 08-1270 on July 14, 2008) with the balance of $60,000 being paid by the private sector. Upon receiving the proposed Vision Plan, the Friends of the Des Moines Botanical Center began work with the City Manager to develop guiding principles to implement the transfer of management and facility operations to the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. In order to assist in the transfer becoming a long-term success, the City will provide a $2,000,000 grant funded over 10 years, to be paid in equal annual installments. In addition to the City s support of this work additional annual operating support has been secured through the Bravo Foundation of Greater Des Moines (BRAVO) providing $2,450,000 funded over a 10-year period. Water Works has also made a commitment to provide $2,000,000 over a 10-year period in in-kind operating support. The proposed improvements to the building for the first phase of our master plan are designed to improve the public visitor experience and the service features of the facility. In addition we will be expanding the exterior landscape to include distinct gardens that are core to our mission: Exploring, explaining, and celebrating the world of plants. When the lease was signed with the City of Des Moines (Roll Call No. 11-0822 on May 9, 2011), the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden leadership had a Vision Plan for the site. In recent months we have transformed the Vision Plan to a robust Site Master Plan that will guide the development of the site in the years to come. Phase I is scheduled to begin in January 2013 and will be complete by the autumn of 2014.
PHASE I BUDGET FOR THE GREATER DES MOINES BOTANICAL GARDEN IMPROVEMENTS Primary Project Costs Construction/renovation $7,350,000 Equipment $200,000 Furnishings $100,000 Fees $900,000 Interest $150,000 Fundraising Costs $100,000 Operating costs and loses assoc with construction $400,000 Endowment $2,400,000 Total $11,600,000 To date we have raised more than $9 million towards the goal of $11.6 million. Of the funds raised to date, $2.4 million has been secured for the endowment. We continue to raise funds for the design and construction portions of the project. Acknowledging that the proposed Phase I of the master plan is a small segment of the entire master plan, the scope of Phase I may expand as additional funds are raised. TEAM OF CONSULTANTS AND DESIGNERS FOR PHASE I Doug Hoerr of Hoerr-Schaudt, Chicago, Illinois is the Landscape Architect for the master plan of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Doug s previous work in Des Moines includes the gardens along Fleur Drive, Ingersoll Avenue, and most recently at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. Simonson & Associates, Des Moines, Iowa is the Architect of Record for this project. Mike Simonson has been involved with the project from the early days. Simonson & Associates will be assisted by Bluestone Engineering on the mechanical and electrical improvements to the facility and Civil Design Advantage on the civil components of the project. The Weitz Company, Des Moines, Iowa assisted by Country Landscapes, will perform construction management services for all of the above. Weitz will assist in establishing, and will maintain the total budget for improvements during both the design and construction period. Featherstone, Inc. Construction Management, Downers Grove, Illinois is a consultant to the water education garden feature through the schematic design phase. Featherstone has made a mark in the public garden world through their work at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Morton Arboretum. DESCRIPTION OF LANDSCAPE RENOVATIONS The bounds of the Phase I landscape will be fully defined once the capital campaign fundraising is complete. The intent is to have Phase I landscape renovations and expansions include a water education garden to the west of the existing building courtyard with an esplanade linking the conservatory to the formal display gardens. The formal display gardens will include a shade tree allee extending north from the water garden with distinctive gardens featuring annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs. To the north of the building off the DuPont Room (Current Oak and Willow Rooms) there will be a formal event lawn 2 4/10/12
with perennial borders. In addition there will be annual display gardens along with specialty gardens such as the pattern, foliage and texture garden. During Phase I of the landscape we will prepare and grade the eastern hillside for development. Completion of the hillside gardens will be contingent on the final sum of money that is raised during this phase. LOW - IMPACT PRACTICES FOR THE LANDSCAPE The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden landscape will incorporate numerous modifications and practices to contribute to sustaining our ecosystems and environment. These modifications include, but are not limited to the following: 1) Native plantings along Garden Entrance and Riverfront Bike Path 2) Bio-swale with Native Plantings, at south edge of parking lot 3) Parking Island and Perimeter Planting to Reduce Urban Heat Island Effects 4) Native Plantings throughout the Botanical Garden, where applicable including: Buck Rose Garden south of Building entrance 5) Sustainable Horticulture Practices, where possible 6) Control and Manage known Invasive Plants 7) Composting of Landscaping Materials 8) Protect Floodway Functions 9) Future Organic Herb and Vegetable Garden 10) Future Native Iowa Woodland Restoration, at north end of site 11) Promote Sustainability awareness and education DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING RENOVATIONS The Phase I building renovations are restricted to within the existing building footprint with the exception of the relocation and addition to the café of 1,594SF. By way of the experience of the visitor, the lobby will be expanded to include a larger gift shop. Entry to the outdoor gardens and meeting rooms will be via an expanded walkway through the conservatory. Located at the circulation juncture of the outdoor garden access within the conservatory will be the new expanded café, which will seat approximately 68 visitors indoors and 72 visitors outdoors at the terrace. Café patrons will also be able to take advantage of river and city views. The Café will be served by a new, expanded kitchen. The conferencing wing will be reconfigured to allow greater flexibility in accommodating varying meeting sizes and will be served by a new catering kitchen. In addition to conferencing room reconfiguration, these meeting rooms will include new audio and visual systems. The improved conservatory walkway system will provide greater accessibility to the event balcony overlooking both the conservatory and the city skyline. Greater access will be provided to the show house. The expanded pre-function area outside the show house will accommodate larger groups of school children, and be used for other pre-function and display purposes. All areas noted above, including the lobby, gift shop, conferencing areas, restrooms and associated circulation ways shall receive new finishes and lighting to reflect an increased sense of quality and energy efficiency. 3 4/10/12
Behind the scenes, the former café and gift shop space will be repurposed into office facilities to accommodate expanded paid staff and volunteers and allow space for the break room, volunteer staff areas, and tool storage. During the Phase I the storage building and the southernmost greenhouse are scheduled to be removed. The removal of these two structures will enable us to provide a service access lane for maintenance and garden events to the east of the building and to provide additional parking spaces on the property. Also not seen by the public will be improvements to the building and mechanical systems as needed based upon the age of the facility. These building and mechanical improvements include a new evaporative cooling unit in the show house, replacement of all deteriorated piping with new insulated piping and fittings, replacement of damaged grills throughout, and repair to the center dome exhaust fan housing. See additional items noted below under Energy Efficiency. FIRE/SAFETY ACCESS As agreed to by the Des Moines Fire Department, the facility will receive a fire sprinkler system throughout the first floor space and the lower level boiler room. The conservatory, greenhouse and service tunnel will not be sprinklered. Two new standpipes will be added to the east side of the conservatory at opposite corners. A new hydrant will be installed near the main entrance to the building. Circulation within the parking will facilitate the movement of fire apparatus. Finally, a full hammer head at the far north end of the gardens at the terminus of the existing roadway will accommodate a turnaround of the city apparatus as well as ambulances. Access to this north roadway will be via a gated element off of East 6 th Street. ENERGY EFFICIENTY & HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPONENTS The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is investigating the incorporation of numerous building modifications that would create a more sustainable environment and reduce the ongoing maintenance and operating expenses. At the present time we are analyzing the long-term pay-off of the proposed modifications. The modifications that may be included in Phase I or in future phases include the following: 1. Retrofit the existing dome air handling units, including incorporation of motors with greater efficiency, to provide better air movement and reduce operating expenses. 2. Add variable air volume units in various locations throughout the conferencing areas and office space to allow greater temperature control based on occupancy toward greater comfort and reduced energy consumption. 3. Add pressure relief valves to the conferencing wing to reduce air infiltration from the conservatory. 4. Eliminate the air gap at the base of the dome to reduce winter heating expenses. 5. Upgrade lighting throughout to LED systems. 6. Add new lighting control systems in the conference room areas. 4 4/10/12
Questions regarding the project can be directed to: Stephanie Jutila President and CEO Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden 909 Robert D. Ray Drive Des Moines, IA 50316 sjutila@botanicalcenter.com 515-323-6261 Attachments: Exhibit A- Lease Agreement Master Plan Master Plan Flood Map Master Plan Phasing Proposed Building Plan Existing Building Elevation Proposed Building Elevation Phase I Schedule Existing Site Photos 5 4/10/12