TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents and agreements, and any amendments, to receive and expend grant funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for an amount up to $301,400 for the period of July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017, to implement the ‘Outdoor Office’ in Harvey Milk Park and Equality Plaza;
Increase appropriations in the General Fund (GF) in the City Manager Department (CM) by $40,000, offset by revenue received from the Downtown RDA project area’s 75 percent share of the proceeds from the sale of former RDA property for a transfer to the General Grants Fund (SR 120); and
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the City Manager Department by $341,400. (District 1)
DISCUSSION
On April 12, 2016, the Knight Foundation named the City of Long Beach (City) a winner of the Knight Cities Challenge grant. Only 26 designated “Knight Cities” are eligible to apply for the challenge grants. The grant provides $301,400 to create the nation’s first outdoor office space in a public park. On April 29, 2016 a memorandum to the Mayor and City Council (Attachment A) summarized the grant opportunity and the development of the winning proposal.
The Outdoor Office Concept
Access to affordable office space, networking, and business support services can be costly barriers for new entrepreneurs in the city. As part of its investigation into the challenges that entrepreneurs face in starting or growing their business, the City’s Innovation Team (i-team) identified City-owned parks and facilities as potential places for entrepreneurs to connect, learn more about support services, and as locations for programming that inspire the entrepreneurial spirit. In collaboration with multiple community partners, the Outdoor Office concept was co-created and submitted to the Knight Cities Challenge for consideration.
The Outdoor Office concept seeks to promote creativity, economic integration, and collaboration by encouraging people to leave the cubicle walls and exercise their minds in the park. To facilitate this, the City proposed equipping a City-owned public space with high powered Wi-Fi, charging stations, comfortable and flexible seating, shade, lighting, and a place to grab coffee. By providing amenities that overcome barriers to concentrating outdoors, the Outdoor Office will facilitate a change in how work is approached and how business support services are delivered to entrepreneurs in an innovative way. The City envisions, for example, a small team meeting in the park to brainstorm new strategies, or employees enjoying a scheduled break outside. Furthermore, the enhancements will make it easier for other events and programs to take place outdoors.
This unique outdoor working space will provide an attractive amenity for entrepreneurs of all kinds who want to launch and grow their businesses in Long Beach. Free Wi-Fi and unique networking opportunities will encourage these individuals to gather in the Park. The Outdoor Office can serve to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, and serve as a signal to creative firms, co-working spaces, and collaborative enterprises that Long Beach is open to new ideas and to supporting local businesses.
Harvey Milk Promenade Park and Equality Plaza
As a result of the City’s Innovation Team (i-team) assessment of City-owned parks and facilities for potential hubs and spaces for entrepreneurial support activities, Harvey Milk Promenade Park and Equality Plaza (Park) was identified as the most successful location for the Outdoor Office due to its location adjacent to Downtown businesses, access to transit and connectivity to biking and walking routes, and its representation of diversity and partnership.
In 2004, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Long Beach (Agency) began working on a Promenade Master Plan to address the change in land uses along The Promenade. The updated plan incorporated pedestrian-oriented improvements on the three blocks of The Promenade from Ocean Boulevard to the north side of Third Street, including a park. This Park is located at the northern terminus of The Promenade at Third Street in Downtown Long Beach, and was part of the Promenade Master Plan. Both the master plan and Park were realized, despite the elimination of redevelopment funding.
On August 2, 2011, the City Council voted to name the park “Harvey Milk Promenade Park” in honor of Harvey Milk, the former San Francisco Supervisor who was assassinated in office. They also established Equality Plaza, marked by the “soapbox” and wall of honor. The City Council’s decision created a prominent public space that is the first public park in the nation to be named after an openly gay or lesbian individual. The Equality Plaza highlights the importance of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) movement in Long Beach. Each year, the Harvey Milk Park Promenade Committee recognizes local leaders in the LGBTQ movement and provides them a place of honor on the memorial wall.
Despite its great location at the epicenter of much downtown activity, few users visit the Park on a daily basis. The meaning, size, and location of the Park make it an ideal location to realize the concept of the Outdoor Office. The vision for the Outdoor Office is to directly increase usage of the Park bringing more people and activity to downtown Long Beach. This space will become a mixing place for citizens of diverse backgrounds. The new amenity will help the City attract and retain talent and spark new entrepreneurial activity while exposing visitors to the legacy of Harvey Milk and the work of current LGBTQ leaders.
It is of paramount importance that the Park continue to serve as a memorial for Harvey Milk and other leaders in the LGBTQ movement. As more users are drawn to the Outdoor Office, more people can be exposed to the life and legacy of Harvey Milk. In this way, the message of the Park is amplified. Beyond the existing memorial, it is the City’s intention to incorporate the message and meaning of the Park into the added amenities in ways that are respectful, creative, and inspiring. Finally, the programming at the Park must intentionally and specifically include programming for the LGBTQ community and its allies.
Outdoor Office Development
The City, along with project partners and the Harvey Milk Park Promenade Committee, will engage the community to provide input on the type of outdoor office environment they would find productive for working outdoors. Input will be provided through an open house, activities hosted in the plaza, online surveys, and showcasing of possible new features.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on May 31, 2016 and by Revenue Management Officer Julissa Jose-Murray on June 1, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on June 21, 2016, to allow the community outreach and design development process to begin and to complete the project during the grant period. The project must be completed by December 31, 2017, per grant requirements.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total project budget is estimated at $511,400. This includes $301,400 from the Knight Foundation; $100,000 from the Long Beach Innovation Fund (SR 120); $40,000 from the Downtown RDA project area’s 75 percent share of the proceeds from the sale of former RDA property; and approximately $28,500 in-kind through City staff time and project management support, which will be absorbed into the departmental budgets (Parks, Recreation, and Marine, Public Works, and Technology and Innovation). Project partners will contribute approximately $41,500 in-kind; these commitments must be secured in writing with the partners.
The current level of maintenance and service will continue to be provided by the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Marine until such time as a concessionaire or lease holder is identified for the Outdoor Office. At that time, maintenance of the Park and plaza will be provided by an agreement with a concessionaire or lease holder who agrees to maintain the area as part of their operations.
An appropriation increase in the amount of $341,400 in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the City Manager Department (CM) is requested.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER