Council Approves New City Offices in Downtown Novato

Ever since Novato was incorporated 50 years ago — and probably before that — civic leaders envisioned a modern downtown complex where all the city employees would work together. The dreams have been intensified ever since 2005 when a cluster of city buildings were shuttered because they were deemed unsafe.

 Now, it appears Old Town will have some new tenants in a few years: city of Novato employees. The Novato City Council on Tuesday unanimously for about 60 employees who have worked across town at since the old bungalows downtown were red-tagged.

 Considerations for more than 20 existing commercial buildings were made as a potential new home for city workers, but it boiled down to three finalists: Buying 75 Rowland Way and staying there; building from scratch at the MacPhail’s property at the junctions of highways 37 and 101; and constructing a two-story office building with some parking on an existing lot on Machin Avenue, about 100 yards from the recently renovated .

 Although city staff vetted all the options, it was clear what the council had in mind.  The historic significance of the decision was not lost on the council members.

 “This is a momentous occasion,” Mayor Madeline Kellner said just prior to the vote. “The steps the city has taken over the past 30 years (on this issue) are amazing. I think the community is looking to us to make a decision and create a real community presence downtown. … It’s where we want to be and where we want to plant down our roots. We’re making a decision that is very long-term decision — I think it’s 100 years. And if we’re going to put a building here, we need to do it right the first time.”

 The vote came just after Councilwoman Pat Eklund talked about all the steps councils have taken since the early 1980s to try and create a headquarters, a true Civic Center complex, where all city employees would work together.

“In my opinion, this is the best site for city offices,” Councilwoman Jeanne MacLeamy said. “One of the catalysts was the restoration of this building (City Hall). That was the beginning of the renaissance of the Civic Center site, and the next step is the city offices, then the expansion or renovation of the Community House and then the expansion of the city green. If that all came together, we would really have a wonderful venue for city gatherings.”

The council gave city staff direction to start looking for a construction manager, a project manager and an architect. The cost of the building is expected to be $12 million to $16 million, and they would like to have it completed by September 2013, the date when the city’s lease at 75 Rowland Way runs out.

Parking was a sticky subject for many who spoke on the issue Tuesday, and the council could not agree about whether podium parking — with the ground level serving as a parking lot with two stories of offices above it — was the best choice. Eklund and Carole Dillon-Knutson were against podium parking, but they were outvoted 3-2.

“I could not in good conscience put a building there without maximizing the parking,” Councilwoman Denise Athas said. “I think that we’re growing as a downtown and that our parking study talked about projections. Maybe we meet current conditions for parking, but I think it would be shortsighted to only look at what we need today.”

Several council members said they considered possible parking needs for a renovated Community House, a renovated Novato Theater on Grant Avenue and a rebuilt multiuse building at the corner of Grant and Redwood Boulevard where is slated to construct its new headquarters and include some retail space.

“I’m really pleased we’re at this point and I can’t wait for the day we actually have a groundbreaking for the site,” Athas said.