Mr. McPherson, please call our next witnesses, please. MR. McPHERSON: The next panel is the Special Services Districts: Paul Levy, Center City District; David Hammond, South Street Headhouse District; Shawn Jalosinski from the Stadium District. (Witnesses come forward.)
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is David Hammond and I'm the executive director of the South Street Headhouse District. We are testifying about the creation of a Special Services 275 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 District for this area, and in no way should this testimony be considered a sign of support for the casinos at either of these locations. Many merchants of the South Street Headhouse Special Services District of Philadelphia have significant concerns of the impact of the casinos, especially Foxwoods' location, because of the traffic congestion on Columbus Boulevard making it difficult, if not impossible, to get to South Street. Virtually all of the visitors to South Street come via I-95 and exit onto Columbus Boulevard. If they constantly have difficult getting to the South Street area, they will stop coming. That said, regardless of the casino locations, a Special Services District would be extremely beneficial for the surrounding communities. The obvious reasons are the additional 276 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 sidewalk and street cleaning and a designated police force. For example, South Street is the border between the Third and Sixth Districts. There has always been a degree of difficulty in getting first-responders to the location because no one knew which side of the street the crime perhaps was occurring at. Now that we have a coordinated and designated force of 42 officers, 3 sergeants, and a lieutenant, that is no longer a problem. The less obvious benefits of a Special Services District is the opportunity of the district to act as a conduit for neighborhood relations, perhaps even serving on the board of directors of the district. The South Street Alliance and the Liquor Advisory Council for South Street allow the neighborhoods to have a say in the goings-on of the district. This interaction has proven 277 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 extremely beneficial in the ability of the neighborhood leaders and the business communities to work together on their common interests and concerns. And for that reason, the district supports the creation of a Special Services District at the casino locations.
Good afternoon, Madam President and members of City Council. My name is Shawn Jalosinski, and I am the founding executive director of the Sports Complex Special Services District. I am here today at the request of Councilman DiCicco's office to provide testimony regarding the origin, structure, and services of the Sports Complex Special Services District, or SCSSD for short. Origin: SCSSD is a 501(c)(3) 278 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 nonprofit corporation funded by the local sports team with the mission to protect and improve quality of life for residents living near the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The district exists because community leaders pointed out, and the City and teams understood, that a residential area abutting an active sports complex of four venues has unique needs and challenges, unlike any other location in the City of Philadelphia. A SCSSD was established in 2001 as part of the deal to enable the Eagles and Phillies to move forward and build their new venues at the sports complex. Funding: SCSSD is a unique public-private partnership funded by the sports-venue operators for the sole benefit of adjacent residential neighborhoods. Comcast, Spectacore, the Philadelphia Phillies, and Philadelphia Eagles have committed a 279 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 combined $1 million annual contribution to fund the district into the future. 1 million. Service area: The Sports Complex District is divided into four distinct community districts, with the related boundaries dictated by preexisting civic association jurisdiction. SCSSD serves approximately 9,000 residents living in 4200 households. The residents from each community district elect a community director and an alternate director to represent their neighborhood and serve on the board of directors. In terms of governance, the district is governed by a board of directors that includes 20 members. 280 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 Board decision-making is based on seven votes, with the four community directors each having a vote and the three sports-venue directors holding the remaining three votes. State- and City-elected officials and the City Managing Director serve as ex-officio non-voting representatives to the board. All directors serve without compensation. With regard to the operation and services, SDSSD began active operations in March of 2003, more than a year after the corporation was created. In the first year of operation, SCSSD's efforts focused on establishing a new corporation, developing a strategic plan, and building trust and an effective partnership between the new board members. The first year was challenging in terms of managing resident expectations and clearly defining what 281 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 a district such as SCSSD can and, equally important, cannot do for the neighborhoods. SCSSD validated many of the community desires through an early community needs survey. SCSSD also concentrated on the most immediate matters of stadium construction and area traffic congestion. Most specifically, SCSSD served as liaison to worried neighbors on the Veterans Stadium implosion project. Today, SCSSD provides a variety of services to residents with new topics of attention arising each day. The most visible and costly service is cleaning. Over percent 19 of the annual budget is spent on a 20 residential cleaning program where neighborhood streets and sidewalks are cleaned once per week on average. Other services include tree care landscape beautification, school donations, traffic-calming projects, 282 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 community events, sponsorship of youth athletic teams, recreational facility improvements, and lighting upgrades, to name a few. Communications is also a critical service area. SCSSD provides residents with a regular Sports Complex events calendar that alerts everyone on when to expect traffic congestion in the area.
SCSSD has also very recently established an automated phone system to provide more timely community alerts in a cost-effective fashion. Beyond the visible services SCSSD invests a considerable amount of time and effort into areas of research and planning. SCSSD works behind the scenes on a variety of topics that impact community quality of life. SCSSD is engaged in areas of transportation study, evacuation planning, emergency preparedness, homeland security, Sunoco refinery 283 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 safety, area development, identity theft safety, and aviation issues, to name a first diverse examples. In conclusion, I think SCSSD has been very effective in addressing community needs and supplement the City services when and where possible. Many things remain out of SCSSD's control, but the effective partnership of SCSSD board members enables and empowers the district to take action in pursuit of continuous community protections and improvement. I think SCSSD is also quite valuable to neighbors in adding an extra layer of accountability. SCSSD provides residents with a voice, pushing stakeholders to consider and address community concerns on an ongoing basis. Thank you for your time, and I'd be happy any questions you may have.
Thank 284 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 you, Shawn. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Madam President. I certainly agree with the value of Special Services Districts, both your two, and I see Paul Levy's testimony or whatever. I guess the difference here, or the problem, however you want to say it, I guess to have a Special Services District work, there has to be some communication between the entity and the community, right? I guess the problem here is that the folks we just heard from -- and I'm not criticizing 'em, I'm just making a statement -- they are just opposed to this location. So I -- that communication, at least at this point, isn't happening. I mean, it would be pretty hard to have this, like, for example, Shawn, 285 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 around the stadium if those communities weren't speaking to the teams, right? Am I -- I guess that's sort of an obvious answer.
Most certainly, and I believe there's quite a history in the establishment of the Special Services District, as people in this room were actively involved, and it is a lengthy process.
Sure. So as long as there's not that communication -- and, again, I'm not criticizing anybody at this point. I'm just saying, as long as there's not that communication around Foxwoods, you probably -- it's probably hard to do that, right?
Well, it certainly wouldn't make much sense to create the Special Services District before it was a fait accomplis. I think that if it were sited there, that perhaps the neighbors 286 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 would like to have the opportunity to serve on the board and to establish that communication and have that conduit that went both ways.
But until that is set in stone that it's going to be there, they're certainly not going to --
But in your examples, this was done in preparation to it coming, right? am I making sense?
Yes. This was one of the final components in the deal being struck to allow the venues to be constructed.
To make the deal, okay, all right. I guess what I was saying, I guess, was obvious. I'm just trying 287 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 to get than on the record too. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you, Madam Chair. For the record, Paul Levy, the president the Center City District, was here earlier; he had another appointment. He provided testimony, written testimony, which I'd ask the Chair to have entered into the record. And the same goes for Cynthia Philo, who is the CEO of the Old City Special Services District; she, too, is submitting.
Thank you. We will give it to the stenographer. It will be transcribed in full. (Written testimony of Paul Levy and Cynthia Philo are attached 288 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 hereto.)
Shawn, could you speak to some of the issues as it relates to traffic in the Stadium District? Are any problems that you've had or -- just to talk about general things.
Certainly. The district -- it's no secret that the top concern and one of the main reasons the district was created was to address quality-of-life issues associated with traffic congestion in the area. There was a preexisting sports complex so the problem was pre-documented to a certain level, and there were obvious concerns that with new venues, that problem would worsen. The district itself, we performed a community-needs survey shortly after we began operations to validate what we already knew. And traffic and parking are, without doubt, the two main concerns for 289 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 neighbors in that area. I think where the district has been successful is in improving communications. I think the neighbors are very reasonable when they know when to expect congestion periods. We have certain events, and when we share information with them, they can plan their local traffic accordingly around those events. It is an ongoing process. I'm not going to sit here and suggest that all of the problems are solved. It's based on continuous improvement objectives, and we continue and the district continues to facilitate stakeholder meetings, regular stakeholder meetings, to look at the problem of traffic and parking and to continually try to improve the situation.
Is it not the case that when certain sports activities, either at the Phillies 290 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 and/or Eagles, when they're playing home games, doesn't the district -- it's not the district, excuse me. The teams, do they not pay for additional policing of the surrounding communities that would prohibit folks but for the residents to be able to park in those communities?
There are various levels of police presence. As to who funds what, I'm not privy to all of the specifics, but relative to the larger events, yes, there is a police presence to the neighborhoods most adjacent to the sports complex itself.
Does that go up to -- is it Packer Avenue or do they go as far north as Oregon, which is the boundaries of the district? I don't remember.
The district itself goes as far as Oregon Avenue. The police presence, in terms of a neighborhood detail, go as far as 291 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 Packer Avenue.
So that takes in the Stadium District, the houses, the Stadium houses, and the Packer Park community?
All right. And then everything north of the Walt Whitman Bridge approach, from that point back to Oregon, from Seventh Street to 22nd Street, if memory serves me right, they just have signage that says "Stadium Parking Not Permitted," right? You have to be a resident or have some sort of residential parking permit.
The boundaries are actually Seventh on the east side and 20th on the west side. As I mentioned, we have four distinct community districts. The two that are north of Packer Avenue and south of Oregon Avenue each have a different 292 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 program. On the east side of Broad Street, that particular neighborhood has opted for a Philadelphia Parking Authority for larger events. On the west side, they have other remedies for parking where they open school parking lots in more or an informal type of arrangement.
When games are in progress, do you have -- in addition to vehicular traffic issues, are there any pedestrian issues that you have to deal with?
Most certainly at the Sports Complex itself. And I think the two are very relatable, you know. My background is in traffic engineering. And in my opinion, one of the great opportunities we still have to make things operate better at the Sports Complex is to better control pedestrian traffic and to keep the intersection boxes clear of vehicles. 293 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
And I understand the rotation of cars coming and going from a game is a little bit different -- or maybe a lot different than it would be with the casinos 'cause not everybody is coming and going at the same time. What is the number of cars that would generally be -- the number of cars generated for an Eagles game on any given Sunday or whatever day they play, Sunday or Monday night?
Well, to give you a perspective, I'll run you from the highest level. We estimate that there's -- well, there's approximately over 400 events a year at the Sports Complex. It brings over 8 million visitors, and we estimate that brings about 5.5 million vehicle trips annually. The largest event we're going to have down there is obviously an Eagles events with 68,000 fans, and 294 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 that will generate vehicles in excess of 20,000. We have parking down there in the range of to 23,000 spaces, 5 which are often fully filled for an 6 Eagles event. 7
Do you 8 have any statistics that would point to 9 where the bulk of the cars are coming 10 from? I know they come from all 11 points, but is it more coming from the 12 Walt Whitman Bridge, I-95, Schuylkill 13 Expressway? And how does that compare 14 into the feeder streets, Seventh 15 Street, Broad Street, 12th Street, what 16 have you. 17
We've looked 18 at it very high-level. And 19 interestingly, it almost -- it varies 20 by events, but for the most part, we do have an even split of origin in destinations both 95 north and south and 76 east and west. As far as how it impacts the local travel, the local streets, of 295 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 course, when things back up on the interstates, people look for a quick out of the Sports Complex. To address that, obviously, we work on operations plans. We've also contributed towards a massive signing improvement project to better direct event patrons to and from all of the different interstate options. I think one thing that was greatly lacking when the Sports Complex opened was, an appropriate trailblazing sign is to tell people there's more than one way to get on or off an interstate in that area.
Is it safe to say that with all of the ways in which people can get to the events -- I-95, 76, Walt Whitman Bridge, which is a part of 76, SEPTA, which is the subway and bus routes -- that there's still -- there are still problems in relationship to vehicles going through residential communities? 296 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
I think there are still issues, yes, most certainly. I don't think those issues will ever fully go away, but I think there is continuous improvement. And as I mentioned, I think there is a lot more opportunity to improve the situation at the area, including interstate access. Although there's various options, there are -- well, there's at least one missing component of interstate access.
Well, I guess what I'm trying to make is the comparison. Understanding that sports events generally bring mostly all of the people pretty much at the same time to the event and they certainly pretty much all leave at the same time, the difference is, in the case of Foxwoods, there aren't that many access roads in but for I-95. Everything else is a feeder street, which is a residential street that runs through a residential community. 297 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 And the difference, again, with the stadium, you have major highways that feed into the Stadium District. And even with that, you're having problems. So I'm just wondering the additional problems that we would have at the Foxwoods site because there really is no other way in but 95, and we know what that's like on any busy weekend, trying to exit off the Washington Avenue exit. But, anyway, thank you. Thank you for your testimony.
Thank you very much. And, Shawn, I want to publicly thank you for doing it. Great job. You really --
Thank you very much. 298 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
Mr. McPherson, please call our next witness. MR. McPHERSON: The Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance. (Witness comes forward.)
My name is Patty Griffin. I'm a resident of Pennsport, a lifelong resident of Pennsport. I'm actually speaking on behalf of Ed Kerlin. He was scheduled to speak on behalf of PNA but he got called away on an emergency, so I have his statement, and he asked if I could go ahead and read it.
Okay. The suggestion that all is needed to make 299 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 Foxwoods Casino suddenly and magically acceptable is the establishment of a Special Services District is an insult to the residents who will be forced to live with the spillover scum factor these casinos will produce. I know today you have heard from the paid executive directors of various Special Services Districts. Just because there is an SSD at the stadium does not mean that all of the residents in the Stadium District are happy all of the time; they are not. And it would not be too difficult to find Stadium District residents who would come in to testify about the problems of living next to the source of noise, traffic, and rowdy behavior. And while Foxwoods' high-paid mouthpieces would have this Council believe that there are no negative impacts to their casino that cannot be mitigated, I am here to tell you they are wrong. What can not be mitigated 300 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 is the extreme community opposition to this casino at this site. What this Council should realize, along with the investors and the Gaming Control Board, is that if this casino is forced down our throats, even if there is a casino damage-control agreement, even if there is an SSD, there will never be a hospitable at this site. Even with an SSD, there is no guarantees that the City will not have to provide riot police on opening day of this casino. The sentiment against this casino is just that strong. Owners Ed Snider, Ron Rubin, Peter DePaul, and Lou Katz's casino is going to change forever the character of our neighborhood from the liveable community that it is into something that has all of the appeal of a 7-Eleven. No million-dollar SSD or any CDCA will stop that. The casino other owners' idea 301 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 of neighborliness is open and continued contempt for any person or group with the temerity to stand in the way of their greedy plans. These casinos need to go where they will do less harm. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you very much. Councilman DiCicco, did you want to be recognized?
Thank you. Yes. Just a question. I didn't get your last name.
Miss Griff in, Mr. Kerlin was here; I saw him earlier. What is his capacity at Pennsport?
He is -- is Ed on the board? He's not on the board. He's a member -- delegate -- and he's a delegate to PNA. 302 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
So he's not speaking on behalf of the Pennsport Civic Association.
That's okay. He was speaking today on behalf PNA because he is a delegate to PNA.
But is he specifically speaking on behalf of Pennsport Civic?
Well, he's a resident of Pennsport, I mean, and it's difficult for me to --
No, he's not. 303 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 He's a delegate to PNA, though.
What is the position of Pennsport Civic Association in regards to the Foxwoods?
I know. You're opposed to it; is that what you're saying? Pennsport Civic Association is definitely opposed?
Do you have anything, other than Reen's testimony, from the Pennsport Civic Association as to its position regarding the Foxwoods Casino?
I personally don't, but I'm sure if there is something, we could personally provide it. 304 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
I'd like to get that someday -- soon, if I can. We wanted to have these hearings, and I think the hearings have gone quite well. I'm not happy -- and it's not directed to you. Mr. Kerlin is out doing business. I don't think the rhetoric about riots and stuff was appropriate, I really don't. And you can pass that on to Mr. Kerlin. If he wants to talk to me, he knows how to find me.
And in all fairness, you know, he did give me -- he asked me to --
No, no, no. I just want to -- you know, I read it, and I saw what it said, and I agreed to read it. So, you know, that's fine. I 305 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 can certainly pass that on.
And, again, I just would ask -- I never have -- at least I don't recall ever seeing a letter from the Pennsport Civic Association.
I know Reen is shaking her head because she's a member of the -- I'd like to see a letter from the president of the Pennsport Civic Association and his position regarding Foxwoods Casino. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Mr. McPherson, do we have any other witnesses? MR. McPHERSON: Yes. The Philadelphia Entertainment and Development Partners. (Witnesses comes forward.) 306 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
Again, for the record, Carl Primavera. I'm going to ask Mark Brodsky to appear to your left. We've heard a lot today about the plan of development, but now we're actually going to see the plan of development that was approved previously by the Planning Commission. As Mark from EwingCole goes over to the big boards, again, I will remind you that they are the larger version of what's in your smaller booklet, and you will hear testimony regarding the fact that we have adopted and incorporated a lot of the PennPraxis suggestions. You will also hear how we're going to develop the site in a way which will not have any adverse on the community. One immediate fact that we do want to clear up: There was question about whether my client owns the land. For the record, they do. They are the 307 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 owners of the land. The prior entity's name had been changed, but they are the owners of the land. The second question had to do with the riparian lands. As you will see as Mark go through the plan of development, we did not touch riparian lands in Phase I. And then the other question that was brought about through the testimony is whether the plan has been changed from what has been submitted to the Casino Board. It's the same plan. The Casino Board approved our plan of development which had three phases. However, if we go to develop Phase II and III, we have to go back to the Casino Board to get specific approval for Phase II and later Phase III, the same way we have to go to the Planning Commission for Phase II and Phase III and this body, City Council, for Phase II and Phase III. So our plan that we're showing 308 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 today, which was approved by the Planning Commission over the summer, is the exact plan that was approved by the Casino Board, so there's no confusion on that issue. So, Mark, hopefully that might --
Mr. Primavera, I would like the record to be eminently clear that your client, in fact, has complete site control? Is that what you're saying?
Madam President and members of the Council, thank you for this opportunity to present the plan of development. My name is Mark Brodsky, and I am the project architect 309 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 working for EwingCole. We're the architects for the project. I'm sorry that we're all the way over here, but we don't want to block everyone's view. The City of Philadelphia was originally envisioned as a mixed-use development set up in an orderly grid suspended from four equally-spaced squares. At the east end of the grid was the port and the heart of the 18th century commerce. The City expanded out from this core in alternating blocks of residential and industrial uses. Along the Delaware, the uses were mostly exclusively industrial due to the resources of a navigable river. Those portions of the City grid which could best serve the new industries were extended to the waterfront. This industrial development was a driving force for the City during the 19th and 20th centuries. 310 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 Sometime after World War II, the growth of industry stopped and began to recede. Today, many of the sites along the river are vacant or occupied by temporary uses. Industry is not likely to return. In recognition of these economic changes, the City wisely rezoned the riverfront to support commercial development. The results of that decision are clear in the rapidly-developing zone of shops and entertainment facilities south of Washington Avenue. Since I'm pointing with the microphone, I'll have to do one thing at a time. This is the area that I'm referring to (indicating). This zone is set up between -- from Washington Avenue down, down to the revitalized port, which is down in this area that we've been talking about today. It's bordered on the west by Route 95 and, of course, on 311 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 the east by the river. Notice how the density of the grid, as you pass Route 95, lessens for the more industrial developed sites. And I should have told you at the beginning, everything that I'm pointing to up here you can see in your booklets, and that's a whole lot easier than trying to see these boards. With the pull of the current wave of commercial development, we can now envision an extension of the City's center to and along the Delaware. In the news and in discussion groups, the topic is the possibility of creating a pedestrian- and bike-friendly promenade out at Christopher Columbus Boulevard. Wide, safe and attractive paths both along the road and, where possible, along the river are early anticipated. The overall image is enhanced 312 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 by the addition of light rail, public transit in the roadway, and water taxi in the river. With such assets and an increasing draw of a Commercial Entertainment District, the City's center will truly be linked to the southern Delaware riverfront. We see Foxwoods as an anchor in that development. What distinguishes Foxwoods is its accommodation of the public to, through, and around the site. We worked extensively with the Planning Commission staff through sessions at their office and at EwingCole's to shape a casino into a civic attraction. We listened to their vision of a walking, biking path along the river. That is not just to be an isolated segment at our riverfront, as you can see here with our overlay, but as part of a continuum of a path that potentially could be developed all along the riverfront. 313 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 The Planning Commission showed us the importance of connecting this path to the regular public right-of-way, and so they encouraged us to develop Reed Street as a link to this path. A casino, by its very nature, is an inwardly-focused facility. By contrast, we have always seen Foxwoods as part of the streetscape, enlivening the boulevard with its active entrance.
The Commission staff got us to see the importance of applying these same principles to the sides of the building facing Reed Street and facing the river. At their encouragement, we added great windows on the east side facing the river and crowned those windows with a large arch. The purpose of these windows is to show to New Jersey a lit and active riverfront, which is now dark. Along Reed Street, we created 314 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 an attraction which is strictly for the public. In addition to an attractively articulated facade, we will install light projectors to enliven the elevation. In between the light projectors will be large banners. Both of these features were encouraged by the Planning Commission. The banners will not advertise Foxwoods but will celebrate of City of Philadelphia. It's interesting to note that the planning of our building includes the extension of the City streets to the riverfront for the first time since the mid-19th century. The site has always been an industrial zone consisting of large manufacturing buildings and their intended rail lines. It its latest incarnation, it was a driving range. As Foxwoods Casino would not only be an entertainment destination but a public path to the river, each 315 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 of the neighboring streets -- Reed, Dickinson and Tasker Street -- will extend all the way to the river. Dickinson Street, which never did across Columbus Boulevard or Delaware Avenue, now at least extends to the front of Foxwoods Casino. A pedestrian could take that path and continue through the casino and to the river. These walking connections are aided by our traffic improvements, which include new crosswalks and traffic signals to support them. I want to talk a moment about the riparian issues because it comes up so frequently. This drawing, which is after the site plans, shows you the building area of our proposed project. This line here, the serpentine line here, is the natural bulkhead line. That is the bulkhead --
All right. So that's an important thing to say, that the red line that's in the diagonal is the dividing line between riparian and non-riparian.
So let's just take your finger and run it down that line so we can all see it so we don't have to --
Okay. Well, there's two lines in consideration. This straight red line is a 1940 Secretary of War bulkhead line, an arbitrary line that was established. This serpentine red line is the actual bulkhead and high-water, high-tide line. Foxwoods, the project that we're proposing here --
Just a moment, please. 317 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
Thank you, Madam President. Sir, can you show that to me over there, like where this line is that you're talking about is? On that one.
Yes. The bulkhead on this colored image is just behind where we've set in our site, the light green.
So that light green, that's not your property? That --
The light green is an overlay of our floor plan and site plan over the -- an aerial photograph, so it's not very --
Right. The 318 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 light green is the landscaped area. Mark, go into the landscaped area. But everything we're showing not encroaching on riparian; is that correct?
But you were showing that line and I was just trying to -- like if you could just sort of show that --
That line -- (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
There's a wooden bulkhead here, right? And then it goes along behind the two piers, 62 and 63.
Okay. So what you're saying is that your property is basically right up against it but doesn't cross it; and, thus, there are --
Well, our actual building is several feet back. Our 319 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 actual building is here, the orange and red parts.
It's all landscaping between the building and the bulkhead, and that's where, of course, we've provided the promenade, as required by the CED and worked out with the Planning Commission.
Yeah, Mark, while you're on that exhibit, show us by color and by pencil what we're looking at. The green areas, I believe, are the richly landscaped areas in the front, and then I can have Mark also show in the renderings what the front looks like. In the back you have the richly landscaped green area. The color orange is the building. And show us where the parking is. 320 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
Okay. The Christopher Columbus Boulevard -- we have a richly landscaped lawn or a forecourt facing on the boulevard. Then we have a landscaped promenade going along Reed Street, which its sole purpose is to create a path to the promenade along the river, which is landscaped between itself and the river, landscaped between itself and the building. There will --
Can you show us where -- point to the green area in the front and then show it on the rendering, just so we know where --
Okay. The elements that Mr. Primavera is pointing out right now is -- let's call it the fore quarter of the building, which is a landscaped and terraced area. Its crown, or it focal point, is a fountain 321 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 and water feature right in the middle. And then that's followed by our covered port cochere and then the entrance to the building.
And then there's the night view, which basically shows Columbus Boulevard. Again, Mark, could you just point to the night view where the fountains are. I think it's fairly obvious that it's a (indiscernible) structure and a gaming structure.
They're right in the front. The building is basically broken into two parts. And in this rendering, which you have a couple of pages back in the booklet, this portion here is the casino, and this portion here is the garage.
Yes. Phase I is, as we say, a sole and complete project. 322 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 And it occupies the site, as you can see here.
And the traffic study, which was completed by (indiscernible) was for Phase I.
And the approval from the Planning Commission was for Phase I.
Well, when we submitted our drawings to the Planning Commission, there were nine drawings; I am going to present eight to you. The ninth drawing was Phases II and III. They said they would not entertain Phases II and III because of the traffic mitigation issues that we've talked about at length today; and, therefore, the plan of development, as it stands today, does not include Phases II and III. In our original application, they did.
Now, going through the plan of development, that's 323 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 a word of art; am I correct?
The "plan of development" is a word of a art in the CED ordinance.
And it has a specific meaning. And there's an actual set of plans --
They're in the booklet, but you're now going to go through them to show what the Planning Commission officially approved as part of our CED ordinance.
Thanks for that. I'll leave that one up. In order to move on quickly, I'm just going to point to these drawings that are on the floor, if you don't mind. That'll take less time.
You know what? Mark can hold them up 'cause it's hard to hard to see them on the floor.
We'll leave that drawing up. The first four drawings are the standard drawings that you would submit for any zoning application. They consist of the zoning plan, which describes the building in its bulk characteristics, complying with the zoning ordinance. 325 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 And then we usually submit parking drawings to indicate that we have met the requirements of parking for the district, both in number and in size and type of parking spaces. We also have -- and that's two drawings. And then the fourth drawing was the signage drawing, elevations of all sides of the drawing showing where our signs are on the exterior of the building and showing that it complies with the sign limitations of the CED. In addition to what I would call "typical application for zoning," we submitted four additional drawings, which were to comply with the additional requirements... additional requirements of the CED, which has a much more intensive study of landscaping and lighting. This is the landscaping plan, which, you can see, is very lush and very densely planted. Again, it's a complete drawing, and it shows all of 326 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 the plant types and complying with the Fairmount Park's commissioned plant materials, as required by the CED. It also includes sections through the public promenades to show the characteristic, the nature of these experiences. We also have a full lighting plan showing that the public way is properly lit. And, lastly, to support the concepts of the design, we selected all of the site furnishings, which the Planning Commission were very interested in. I'd like to point out the trash receptacles, bike rack, benches and such, but also the lighting, which is designed to illuminate solely the walking paths and not create a spillage of light on the surrounding areas. So that's the plan of development. 327 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
Mark, what you said is that this is a highly developed plan. And how long did you work with the Planning Commission staff on these plans?
We got a license in December of '06, so we worked with them from December until August, when it was approved in August of '07.
I'd say about four official meetings, and then there were many conversations and one-one-one meetings.
And basically these plans are the officials plans that were approved because of the improvements that were in there -- pedestrian access, detailed landscaping, lighting, all of the design features that we heard the acting director of the Planning Commission talk about today. 328 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
Yes, yes. All of that was included at their direction, and some of it is a matter of -- of following the zoning ordinance, and it's like connecting the dots, and some of it was more qualitative as we worked closely with the staff members on things. Like the treatment of the north facade is not dictated in any way by the zoning code.
Now, did we satisfy, to your knowledge as an architect, each and every requirement of the CED legislation?
And that's why we have an approved plan of development, which was submitted today through this ordinance process?
All right. Thank you. I don't know if there's any 329 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 questions for the witness. We also we have Mark Salone (sp?) from Panone. We could talk about those issues, but I know there's another day to talk about water, so we'll hold it for then.
Now, while we're on this, if you don't mind going back to this chart and telling us --
-- would the cars entering into the garage, would they use the entrance on Dickinson Street?
Cars can enter through either Dickinson Street or Tasker Street. That's for self-parking and for valet. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Tasker?
And Dickinson? 330 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
-- and Dickinson. And I believe the design is such that we can split the traffic as much as possible so there isn't congestion at one intersection.
So there are two entrances and two exits being proposed.
Where would the exits be, on Dickinson and Tasker?
Maybe you can point to them, using a pencil, just so -- if you want to just loop in and pretend you're coming from north to south and how you get in.
Yeah, because of the vast amount of traffic on Columbus 331 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 Boulevard, these are not always simple lefts and rights, and so we worked very extensively with the Streets Commission and PennDOT to develop a plan that, while it may not be conventional, is effective, and I'm sure we'll talk this at a later hearing. But if you're coming south on Christopher Columbus Boulevard, there is a left-turn lane -- obviously a left-turn-only lane -- that brings you into the Dickinson Street entrance. Likewise, there is a left-turn lane-only going into the Tasker Street entrance. Coming from the south, of course, it's much simpler because they're all right turns. Leaving -- coming out at Dickinson Street, it's a typical intersection. You can either make a right or make a left, go north or south. There is more complexity 332 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 coming out on Tasker, and this is one of the things that we worked out very carefully with the Streets Department. Because of the volume of traffic here, you cannot make a left and go southbound on Columbus Boulevard here because of the density of traffic there. So they come up and they do what I believe they call "an English T," and they come up and have their own sequence of the lights. And, actually, to go southbound, you come up almost to Dickinson Street and make that left back down onto Columbus Boulevard. Jeff Green will talk about that more when we talk about the traffic, and I'm sure he'll explain it better than I did.
Thank you. I'm not sure, Carl, who would 333 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 answer this. Let's assume you get the green light to move forward; you have how many months to get up with the temporary facility? Was it eight, twelve months? Do plan on a temporary facility? No?
'Cause I thought I remembered that from a couple years ago and I wanted to double-check. So you're not looking at temporary facility; you're doing a straight build-out?
We're looking at roughly a 21- to 22-month build schedule.
All right. Thank you. I just want to make sure there was no temporary. I know 334 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 SugarHouse had talked about temporary.
Yeah, just one other question. The folks in the Neighborhood Alliance made mention of your structure being high enough that the lights shine, you know, that they can see over into -- you know, their homes that are right on the other side of Columbus Boulevard. Has that been taken into account? Have you done any studies of that? Is there anything you can do about it?
Yeah, there's a lighting plan that is a part of the exhibits.
Go through the lighting plan, and there's an anti-spillover design. It's one of the 335 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08 drawings. It's just hard to read so you have to use your own booklet.
Yeah, the site lighting is not a problem, and that can be seen from the lighting plan. I think you're talking about the media boards that are high up on the building.
Yes. And by their nature, they don't illuminate other objects; they are just illuminated themselves. And we've looked at its view angle from the ground and from the other side of 95. And while you can see it up close to 95, 95 actually blocks your view of it. But, yes, you will be able to see it from a distance, but it's not spillover light because it does not illuminate; it is just illuminated. If that makes sense. 336 BILLS 080027, 28 - RULES - 2/25/08
I have one other question if I may, Madam President. The Tasker Street, will that be a dedicated street for the Foxwoods Casino, or will that be still open to the public?
I'm talking about that from Delaware Avenue, Columbus Boulevard going to wherever.