DEPARTMENT: Transportation and Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council District 2
SUBJECT:
Amendment #2 to a Funding Agreement with the Witte Museum
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing a second amendment to the Funding Agreement with the Witte Museum in an amount not to exceed $1,201,615.67 for the rehabilitation and construction of river walls in Brackenridge Park located on the Witte Museum leased property in Council District 2.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Witte Museum ("The Witte"), located at 3801 Broadway, was opened to the public on October 8, 1926. Since its opening, the Witte Museum has showcased South Texas's rich Texas heritage and has served an average of 350,000 visitors each year, including 160,000 school-aged children and 60,000 free-of-charge visitors during weekly Free Tuesdays hours. Since celebrating its 87th Anniversary, the Witte has plans to invest $75 million in a campus expansion plan intended to serve the City's growing community needs.
The Witte has raised $30 million in private funds over the years for the City's first and largest public museum, specifically for the campus expansion. The Witte expansion plan included three phases of construction.
* Phase 1- Construction of Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center, has been completed and was opened to public in Spring 2012.
* Phase 2- Construction of a new museum entrance/receiving area; permanent dinosaur exhibition space; new galleries featuring collection-based interactive museums; and, a changing exhibit and special events center, including several riverside porches. Project will also include the new Witte Research and Collections Center. The 33,000 square-foot facility will allow the museum to place its collection of more than 300,000 artifacts in one place. Construction was completed and was opened to the public in April 2016
* Phase 3- Construction of the Center for Rivers and Aquife...
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