The Williamsburg Planning Commission supports the renovation of the Stryker Building into a hybrid space used by the city and the Williamsburg Regional Library.
The commission met Thursday to discuss the proposed five-year Capital Improvement Program, which names and prioritizes infrastructure and construction projects for the city. City Manager Jack Tuttle and Library Director John Moorman were on hand to present their vision for a new Stryker Center that would replace the existing building, constructed in 1967.
City staff would like to replace the 7,000-square-foot building with a larger facility that would include a meeting chamber for boards and commissions and offices for library staff, community meeting rooms, gallery and function space and possibly, an area to exhibit city history. The library is prepared to contribute up to $500,000 for the project.
It was at the same meeting one year ago that the Planning Commission suggested Tuttle add a placeholder line item for the Stryker project to the 2013 CIP. At its budget retreat earlier this month, City Council agreed the building should be replaced, but members weren’t sure the Stryker Center should be prioritized ahead of other projects. (Read more here.) Members of both the council and commission have said now is the time to borrow funding, however, because interest rates are historically low.
The Planning Commission members appeared to support the concept; the commission is one of several city boards and commissions that meets in the Stryker Building, which is no longer used for office space because of mold problems and an elevator that doesn’t meet American Disability Act standards.
City Council members said they would wait to make a decision about the future of the Stryker project until they heard from the Planning Commission and received an anticipated PPEA proposal from architectural firm Guernsey Tingle. Through the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act, private sector businesses can submit unsolicited project proposals. When the proposal comes in, City Council also plans to ask the Economic Development Authority to weigh in.
The Planning Commission plans to include its thoughts on additional items for the CIP in a letter to council. The commission will review the proposed letter at its Feb. 20 meeting. The items to be added are intended to spark conversations about projects suggested by residents and commissioners at the meeting. These include: drafting a list of sidewalk projects, including Harrison Street; consideration of another parking facility in the Scotland Street area (possibly through a public-private partnership); construction of a new police building; and burying utilities underground along Second Street.
The draft proposal of the CIP includes street construction, corridor enhancement, underground wiring, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, stormwater management projects, park improvements, information technology upgrades, an affordable housing initiative and facility expansions and renovations.
Notable projects include:
- Ironbound Road: The city plans to widen Ironbound Road to three lanes between Longhill Road and DePue Drive (the former Longhill Connector). In addition, the intersection with Longhill Road will need to be improved and an additional left turn lane onto Richmond Road will need to be added. Project anticipated to begin in fiscal year 2017.
- York Street Corridor Improvement: The city’s portion of the Corridor Improvement Program has been submitted to VDOT as a revenue-sharing project for the next fiscal year. The project would include a brick sidewalk on the motel side and a multi-use trail on the Colonial Williamsburg pasture side, along with new streetlighting and landscaping.
- Quarterpath Park Improvements: Resurface tennis courts and replace tennis court fence, and add new computer controlled lights for sand volleyball courts.
- Kiwanis Park Improvements: Construction of new Tennis Operations Buildings, and construction and lighting of a fourth battlefield.
- Affordable Housing Initiative: Provide funding for future joint ventures with the Williamsburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority to rehabilitate substandard housing and/or construct low and moderate income housing.
