The ATP board was set to vote Wednesday on the lease plus a $15 million contract to furnish...
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The ATP board was set to vote Wednesday on the lease plus a $15 million contract to furnish the space.
But now ATP says board chair Veronica Castro de Barrera has asked the item be postponed "to allow for additional information and a better understanding of the proposal." https://t.co/drKSt4W00g
PROJECT CONNECT NEWS: Austin Mayor Kirk Watson says he opposes an Austin Transit Partnership plan to lease prime office space at 100 Congress Ave. for $4.27 million/year ($32 million total for 7.5 years).
Watson sits on the ATP board.
Video of 100 Congress by Carr Properties: https://t.co/Bdnegltj4Z
Watson says he opposes ATP's proposed $32 million lease because it...
1) ...comes less than 6 months after Austinites rejected a tax rate election.
2) ...lacked an "analysis of alternatives" and would set back ATP's work "calibrating its plans and stabilizing governance." https://t.co/cWc5i5gSZd
Watson suggested to ATP executive director Greg Canally that the agency move into CapMetro HQ on East 5th.
Canally told Watson that ATP needed more space and "felt it important for ATP to be downtown," according to Watson's account.
https://t.co/yB0G8rcMjE
Watson says ATP should "immediately begin the process of looking at how it can co-locate with Capital Metro."
He says it would show ATP is "saving the taxpayers money, and watching their financial backs."
📸CapMetro HQ in 2023 https://t.co/WAd9UYXH1O
In a statement, ATP says it's "been located downtown near the alignment since day one, and at 200 people, has outgrown its current space [at 203 Colorado St.]. With plans to expand to around 300 people by the end of the year, ATP requires an additional 15,000 sq. ft..." https://t.co/kyt7eItssI
During a news conference about disaster preparedness today, Watson was asked about the two postponed items.
"I'm pleased that my compliant and concerns were listened to and that there's going to be a better analysis of what Austin Transit Partnership ought to do," he said.
In remarks today, Watson implied ATP's $32 million plan to lease downtown office space was politically tone deaf.
In addition to the failure of Prop Q, Watson cited Austin "seriously cutting services" and the severe budget crisis at Austin ISD.
Full audio of Watson's response. https://t.co/eXyNdULv9A
Thanks to my pal @LuzMorenoLozano for the audio!
@LuzMorenoLozano Mayor Pro Tem Chito Vela (a CapMetro board member) joins Watson's call for ATP to relocate into CapMetro headquarters. CM Duchen also signaled support.
"[T]he office rents ATP does pay will now go to CapMetro, helping the agency provide quality transit service," Vela said. https://t.co/n213R4p2JB
@MarkA95157 @KUT https://t.co/BAcF4Xws8F