Project description

Provide description of project/building program (bullets or a summary paragraph):

  • Number of GATRA bus bays: The Transit Contains 3 active loading and unloading bus berths, as well as two bays for queuing buses awaiting access to loading/unloading berths. All bus stations (active and queuing) are located within the building ground floor.
  • Parking spaces are distributed as follows:

On-Grade(including 2 Handicap Van Accessible, 4 Car Sharing, 4 Electric Vehicle Charging)

2nd Floor(including 2 Handicap Van Accessible)

3rd Floor(including 2 Handicap Van Accessible)

Roof:(including 2 Handicap Van Accessible)

Total:394 (incl. 8 Handicap Van Accessible, 4 Car Sharing, 4 Electric Vehicle Charging)

Net increase: 274 spaces

  • Visitor Center: The new visitor center doubles the area of the existing visitor center from 600 to 1200sf. The staffed center will providereferrals, reservations, maps, and localinformation in a space shared with a coffee shop/café allowing flexibility of interior area for seasonal flux.
  • Leasable space:

Ground Floor: 1894 sqft;

Mezzanine: 1274 sqft,

Level 2.5: 3411 sqft

  • Bicycle accommodations: Bicycle parking is to be provided for 20 bicycles. An enclosed area of 300sf has been set aside to house a local bicycle sharing program or bicycle rental facility
  • Pedestrian connections: A key priority for the project is the provision of enhanced pedestrian connections between the waterfront and the business and cultural venues along Court/Main Street. The project contains a 200’ covered walkway along Memorial Drive to facilitate this connection. On the Water Street face of the building, a widened sidewalk creates a space for larger numbers of visitors to pass in front of the building, outdoor seating in front of the visitor center, as well a grand stair to a second level public outdoor room from which visitors and residents alike can relax and enjoy the harbor views and activity along Water Street.
  • Plazas/open space: Two new public spaces are created as part of this project: a street level outdoor sitting area directly adjacent to the visitor Center and public sidewalk; and a second level covered outdoor space where visitors and residents can look out over the Hedge House lawn, south to the Mayflower II, and out toward the marina and Plymouth Harbor. These two outdoor spaces are connected by a grand “sitting-stair” intended as a visual landmark and meeting place for locals and visitors.
  • Connections from waterfront to downtown: The project is a true Intermodal Center located within a 10 minute walk of the main street business district and waterfront historic sites. Sited at the terminus of Route 44 and the Plymouth Harbor, the project will be a gateway to the Town of Plymouth, where visitors and tourists may park their cars and transfer to one of several local modes of transport (foot, bicycle, pedicab, etc.) housed at the Transportation Center. GATRA buses departing and returning to the facility make numerous stops through the downtown and waterfront.
  • Relationship to Memorial Hall: The intermodal Transit Center is important to the long term viability and growth of Memorial Hall. The project triples the available parking for events. The pedestrian colonnade along Memorial Drive links the Transit Center and parking to the memorial Hall Site with a covered walkway. A walkway adjacent to the sidewalk provides a direct link between a raised public “living room” on Water Street to Memorial Drive and up to Memorial Hall. This, combined with a new elevator at the West end of the structured parking combine to enhance the accessibility of Memorial Hall for the elderly and disabled.
  • Other uses: Along with the Visitor Center, the project contains several unique leasable spaces on the side facing Water Street. Not only does this buffer the scale and industrial quality of structured parking from the historic Plymouth waterfront. This “buffer zone” of occupied spaces are designed to accommodate a flexible variety of spaces, to house visitor services, café/restaurant retail, and public social spaces. The combination of commercial and public spaces help to stitch together the urban and economic ambitions of the project into a single identity that will enhance the growth, development, and character of the Plymouth waterfront

Innovation elements

Descriptions for innovative technology:

  • Smart cards for buses/parking – PGDC to provide–See below
  • Proposed Parking payment technology –

1. State-of-the-art Pay-on-Foot access control system which features hand’s free AVI transponders to permit holder regulation. The Pay-on-Foot format is more environmentally responsible because it reduces vehicle idle time over the traditional Pay-at-Exit format and allows for higher process rates for vehicles entering or exiting the facility, a critical concern given that transit integration tends to produce ‘waves’ of vehicles entering or exiting the facility, rather than the more steady turnover seen in a garage servicing other land uses. (This is also a consideration during events at the adjacent Memorial Hall.)

2. The AVI system allows for the highest process rate in the industry of all technologies regulating permit holder usage and also encourages drivers to keep both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road during transitions in and out of the garage.

3. Design team is recommending inclusion of a simple count system linked to a dynamic signage package – to be located at the point of entry – giving driver’s real-time data on the number of available parking spaces on each level of the garage. This will also reduce CO2 emissions and speed up process rates into the facility. Pending funding, PGDC could consider purchase of a more elaborate parking guidance package that would direct entering drivers from the opening gate all the way to the nearest available space utilizing sonic stall sensors and dynamic signage/light systems

  • “Next Bus” monitoring – GATRA to provide
  • Zip Car – 4 spaces have been allocated on-grade to be designated for accommodation of “Zip-Car” or other car-sharing services
  • Electric Vehicle charging - 4 spaces have been allocated on-grade for electric vehicle charging
  • Green building technology – Lighting Controls, high efficiency lighting (LED), Daylighting controls for perimeter lighting, MRL Elevator. Passive ventilation & daylighting. Proposing PV panels pending appropriate approvals.Post industrial (fly-ash) admixtures into precast concrete elements. Recycled content in steel. Recycling of construction material (construction waste management). Use of indigenous plants for landscape materials. Stormwater management. Alternative transportation.

LEED

Development Density and Community Connectivity - Previously developed site within 1/2 mile of residential zone (10 units/acre) and 10 basic services with pedestrian access.

Alternative Transportation - Within 1/4 Mile of 2 bus line stops or 1/2 mile of rail stop

Stormwater Design: Quality Control - Treat 90% of average annual rainfall using BMPs.

Low Emitting materials – Adhesives and Sealants, Paints and Coatings

Daylight and Views – Daylight 75% of spaces; Views for 90% of spaces

Construction Activity Pollution Prevention – Implement and Erosion and sedimentation control plan

Construction Waste Management – Divert 75%

  • Bicycle parking - Bicycle parking is to be provided for 20bicycles. An enclosed area of 250sf has been set aside to house a local bicycle sharing program or bicycle rental facility