TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Ted Semaan, Interim Public Works Director
Gilbert Gamboa, Acting City Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of the Preferred Option to Replace the Existing Escalators at the Metlox Parking Structure In-Kind (Budgeted) (Interim Public Works Director Semaan).
(Estimated Time: 30 Min.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve replacement of the existing Metlox Parking Structure escalators with new marine environment hardened escalators as the preferred option;
2. Direct staff to work with the Tolkin Group on cost-sharing per the Maintenance Agreement (attached);
3. Direct Staff to prepare plans and specifications to implement this option; and
4. Direct Staff to give further consideration and return at a later date for a future second elevator to provide redundant access from the Metlox Parking Structure to the Metlox Plaza.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Sufficient funds of $1,487,392 are budgeted for the project in the Parking Fund for the recommended option of escalator replacement at a design and construction cost estimate of $850,000.
BACKGROUND:
Several City buildings contain vertical lift devices (elevators, escalators, and/or wheelchair lifts). Regular maintenance of these devices is ongoing, but the devices do have a lifespan, after which the equipment needs significant restoration or replacement. Vertical lift devices generally have a lifespan of 20 to 25 years. The Metlox Parking Structure, constructed after its approval by the City Council in March 2002, contains four Escalators, one elevator and Building Code-required emergency egress staircases. The multiple access points provide connections to the subterranean two-level parking structure and to the Metlox Plaza at street level.
The Escalators are experiencing increasing maintenance needs and increased downtime, making them less available for public access. The Escalators are nearing the end of their lifespan, and direction on the replacement options is necessary to focus the design and future procurement process. The City Council held a discussion of this matter at the July 19, 2024, meeting, during which several options to address the replacement of the escalators were presented. The City Council did not adopt a motion and requested further evaluation of the options available to install an additional elevator, such as at an existing stair well and which does not violate Fire code requirements, to address the access needs from the Metlox Parking Structure to the Metlox Plaza.
DISCUSSION:
The Metlox Parking Structure is a City-owned facility constructed circa 2002. It serves the Metlox Retail Area and Hotel, as well as surrounding businesses and civic functions. The Parking Structure has two parking levels below street grade with vertical access provided by code-required emergency egress staircases, one gurney-compliant elevator, and a set of two (one up, one down) escalators per floor (four escalator units in total).
The City retained HKA Elevator Consulting, Inc., to inventory and evaluate the condition of all City vertical lift devices. In addition to the usual and customary recommended maintenance of the various City elevators, escalators, and wheelchair lifts, HKA noted that the Metlox Parking Structure escalators were reaching the end of life. Given that these escalators were constructed more than 20 years ago, their replacement needs to be scheduled.
The City retained Jeffrey Miller Architecture and Design, Inc., to evaluate multiple options to replace the existing Parking Structure escalators with the goal of maintaining reasonable accessibility from the Metlox Parking Structure to the Metlox Plaza. The following is a summary of the options considered, given the space and structure limitations at the site:
1. Escalators: Construct two new escalator sets (one up and one down) with marine environment hardened escalators to match the existing facilities, spaces, and the person/hour throughput. Escalators provide the highest person/hour throughput of any of the lift devices. This option also maintains the existing site geometry and the open air and light conditions in the Parking Structure.
2. Grand Staircase: Replace the escalators with a Grand Staircase. This option would maintain the same access as the escalators within the open-air nature of the Parking Structure but would rely on the single existing elevator, adjacent to the emergency egress staircase, for assisted or convenience access. This staircase option would greatly reduce the person/hour throughput as contrasted with escalators. Users may consider this option an impediment to convenient site access because of the stairs.
3. Escalator/Staircase: Replace the down direction escalator with a staircase and construct one new up direction only escalator with marine environment hardened equipment. This option would retain the person/hour throughput of the up escalator only but would require all patrons to walk down the stairs or otherwise use the single existing elevator to access the Parking Structure. Users may consider this option an impediment to convenient site access because of the stairs.
4. Elevators: Remove the escalators and construct two new elevators in their place. This option would provide three elevators (two new and one existing) servicing the Parking Structure. The two new elevators will fill the space occupied by the escalators, and it is not feasible to also include a grand staircase with this option. The adjacent emergency egress staircase will also remain available and is suitable for refurbishment. While this option provides redundancy for elevator operations, it greatly reduces the person/hour throughput as compared with two escalators and reduces the open air and light penetration of the current access into the Parking Structure.
5. Staircase conversion. This option would convert the existing emergency egress staircase to a second elevator, in combination with other options, such as the construction of two new escalators (#1 above), to provide redundancy for elevator operations. An analysis of this option determined it to be infeasible due to inadequate space available for a standard elevator within the dimensions of the staircase, the need for significant structural changes at this location, and the need to replace the emergency egress. However, the concept of developing a second elevator in proximity to the existing elevator within the Parking Structure for access to the Metlox Plaza is worthy of further evaluation.
Upon consideration of the various options evaluated for replacement of the escalator sets providing access from the Metlox Parking Structure to the Metlox Plaza, only two options will best fit the facility and public needs. These options are 1) construction of two new marine environment hardened escalators that will maintain the person/hour throughput, the current functionality provided by the existing escalators, and maintain the open air and light into the Parking Structure, or 2) construction of two new elevators as a replacement for the escalators. This option will provide a lesser person/hour throughput and alter the open air and light conditions into the Parking Structure. This option will provide elevator redundancy.
A presentation of the best fit options at this meeting will provide the City Council the basis for discussion and selection of a preferred option. Preliminary estimations of procurement costs by option are as follows:
Option Preliminary Estimate
1) Replace escalators with marine hardened equipment $0.85 Million
2) Construct two elevators in lieu of escalators $1.5 Million
The first option of replacing the escalators with new marine environment hardened equipment will continue the original design intent of Metlox Plaza and the Parking Structure, as well as provide the greatest throughput of persons per hour. The Metlox Parking Structure escalators are an integrated feature of the Metlox Retail Area and adjacent Shade Hotel. The space the escalators occupy provide both open air and natural light into the Parking Structure.
The second option of two elevators in lieu of escalators relies upon the existing emergency egress staircase for the only alternative to an elevator. This staircase does provide direct access to the Metlox Plaza level. The throughput of persons per hour in Option 2 is substantially less than Option 1. Under this option, improvements to the emergency egress staircase can include an enhanced door access (still meeting the Fire Code), lighting upgrades and fresh painting.
The maintenance of an escalator or an elevator are different given the different types of infrastructure. However, both lift device types require regularly scheduled inspections and routine maintenance. There are wearing parts in all lift devices that, along with regular maintenance, require parts replacement over time. The Metlox Escalators have suffered increased down time and maintenance costs as their useful lifespan is near their end. The City is annually incurring $50,000 - $100,000 in excess maintenance costs. HKA states, “A strong effort to properly maintain vertical transportation equipment greatly increases the remaining useful life. Likewise, poorly maintained equipment will reduce the remaining useful life of the equipment.”
The Architect estimates, for the escalator replacement Option 1, the process of design, plan check, bidding and equipment procurement will require approximately 9 to 14 months prior to site construction. For the elevator Option 2, the process of design, plan check, bidding and equipment procurement will require approximately 10 to 16 months prior to site construction.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Preliminary discussions have taken place with the Downtown Business and Professional Association, and The Tolkin Group. Stakeholder engagement will be integrated into the design process. Staff met with both the Tolkin Group and the Manhattan Beach Downtown Business + Professional Association (DBPA) Executive Director. The Tolkin Group and DBPA Executive Director indicated that they prefer the in-kind replacement of the escalators.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment; therefore, pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Although environmental review is not necessary at this time, a CEQA analysis of a selected Project is to be prepared during the design process.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Location Map
2. Maintenance Agreement - Metlox
3. PowerPoint Presentation