Notice of Availability
of a Draft Environmental Impact Report and Public Hearing Caltrans District 7 Headquarters Building Replacement Project
WHAT IS BEING PLANNED: The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans District 7) is proposing to develop a new headquarters facility in downtown Los Angeles. The proposed project would consolidate and centralize Caltrans District 7 Los Angeles based personnel in a new building on the site of an existing state-owned, employee parking lot that occupies the southern two-thirds of the block bounded by 2nd, Los Angeles, Main, and 1st Streets. Three alternatives are under consideration. Alternative 1 would include the construction of a new 603,500-square-foot office building and a parking structure on the existing Caltrans employee parking lot. Alternative 2 proposes development of a 603,500-square-foot office building and parking structure on the entire block bounded by 1st, Los Angeles, 2nd, and Main Streets. Alternative 3 would provide an additional 112,700 square feet of space to accommodate Los Angeles Department of Transportation offices or a total of 716,200 square feet of office space on the entire block. Alternatives 2 and 3 are contingent upon completion of a land exchange between the City of Los Angeles and the State. Under the proposed land exchange agreement, the City would acquire the privately owned parcels on the block bounded by 1st, Los Angeles, 2nd, and Main Streets and exchange those parcels for the existing state-owned Caltrans headquarters building property. The City is also proposing to acquire the privately owned properties on the block that contains the existing headquarters building. These parcels, which contain several commercial uses, are located on the south side of 1st Street between Spring and Main Streets. Upon its completion, the new facility would contain sufficient office and support space to accommodate approximately 1,800 Caltrans employees. The proposed new headquarters facility would also include a childcare center and a cafeteria. A heliport would be provided atop the building to replace the heliport on the existing Caltrans headquarters building. Parking would be provided on the site for about 930+ vehicles under Alternatives 1 and 2 and 1,140+ vehicles under Alternative 3. Construction of the proposed building is scheduled to begin, pending the necessary approvals, in 2002 with completion anticipated in 2004.
WHY THIS AD: This notice is to inform you that Caltrans has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR), which describes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project. Our studies show that the proposed project could result in significant unmitigable impacts to aesthetics (shade/shadow impacts on proposed parkland), air quality (temporary impacts during construction), and historical resources (demolition of the existing Caltrans headquarters building, which was completed in 1949.). Other impacts were identified as significant but could be reduced to a level of insignificance with implementation of proposed mitigation measures. These include impacts to: archaeological resources, paleontological resources, geology/soils, hazardous materials, and traffic.
ABOUT THE HEARING: The hearing will be an "open forum." There will be no formal presentation, but you may speak directly with Caltrans and Department of General Services staff and the environmental consultants who prepared the report (Myra L. Frank & Associates, Inc.). A certified court reporter will be available to take your comments, or you may submit them in writing. All substantive comments on environmental issues will be addressed in the Final EIR.
WHAT IS AVAILABLE: You can review the Draft EIR and appendices and all documents referenced in the EIR at the Caltrans District 7 office: 120 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles (Contact: Jinous Saleh, 213-897-0683) on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional copies of the Draft EIR and appendices will also be available at the following locations: Los Angeles Central Library at 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles (Contact: Sue Oppenheimer, 213-228-7200); Dept. of General Services, Environmental Services Section, 1102 Q Street, Suite 5100, Sacramento (Contact: Susan Stratton, 916-323-6951).
WHERE YOU COME IN: Have all of the potential issues been addressed? Do you have information that should be included? Do you agree with the findings? Your comments will be part of the public record. If you wish to comment on the Draft EIR, you may submit written comments from July 5, 2001 until August 20, 2001 to Susan Stratton, Sr. Environmental Planner, Dept. of General Services, Real Estate Services Division, Professional Services Branch, 1102 Q Street, Suite 5100, Sacramento, CA 95814.
WHEN AND WHERE: The public hearing will be held on August 1, 2001 in the Multipurpose Room B in the Juniperro Serra state office building at 320 W. 4th Street, Los Angeles (see map for location). Attend anytime between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Individuals who require special accommodation (American Sign Language Interpreter, accessible seating, documentation in alternate forms, etc.) are requested to contact Jinous Saleh at Caltrans District 7 at 213-897-0683 at least 21 days prior to the scheduled hearing date. TDD users may contact the California Relay Service TDD line at 1-800-735-2922.
CONTACT: For more information about this project, please contact Susan Stratton, Sr. Environmental Planner at 916-323-6951, Fax 916-445-3556, Department of General Services, Real Estate Services Division.
