6g Meditation and Sensory Room Memo
COMMISSION AGENDA MEMORANDUM Item No. 6g ACTION ITEM Date of Meeting February 11, 2020 DATE: January 13, 2020 TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director FROM: Julie Collins, Director Customer Experience & Brand Strategy Heather Karch, Aviation Facilities and Infrastructure Manager Architecture Mandy Xiggores, Capital Programs Development Manager SUBJECT: Meditation & Sensory Rooms (C801148) Amount of this request: $1,000,000 Total estimated project cost: $1,000,000 ACTION REQUESTED Request Commission single project authorization for the Executive Director to proceed with (1) design and construction of the Meditation and Sensory Rooms project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and (2) use Port crews to complete the work. The amount requested under this authorization is $1,000,000. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This project will convert a post-security airline training room in the South Main Satellite Train Station (STS), below Concourse A, and convert it into two rooms with a small entry vestibule. One room will be a relocated Meditation Room and the other will be a new Sensory Room. The current Meditation Room is a multi-faith room located pre-security on the Main Terminal Mezzanine that offers Sea-Tac Airport passengers and employees a quiet retreat for prayer and meditation. Relocation is required because the Employee Services Center project will displace the Meditation Room in Q4 2020. Additionally, a post-security meditation space has been requested by both passengers and employees. The new Sensory Room is a quiet area intended for passengers with neurological or developmental disabilities such as sensory processing disorders or autism spectrum disorder. It will provide a restorative or preventive environment during the travel experience to help make flying less stressful for passengers with sensory disorders. Template revised January 10, 2019. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. _6g_ Page 2 of 6 Meeting Date: February 11, 2020 JUSTIFICATION Meditation Room As an international airport, supporting a global community, it is critical that Sea-Tac provides high-quality amenities for all our passengers. In the last five years Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish leaders spoke unanimously in favor of a Meditation Room at Sea-Tac. The need was particularly acute for practicing Muslims, who according to their tradition, are expected to pray five times a day. W ithout a dedicated space many are left looking around the airport terminal for an appropriate place to pray. The Meditation Room provide the airport community an inclusive facility that provides a peaceful place for meditation, worship, general reflection, and quiet time for the traveling public and the airport community. Sensory Room Sensory Rooms are increasingly in demand in public spaces, specifically in overwhelming places like stadiums and airports. These spaces give people with autism and their families a convenient space, away from other people, to take a break from the commotion. We will create a specialized environment that passengers can interact with to help calm, prepare, or recover during the air travel experience through the use of specialized lighting, furniture, and materials. The Port of Seattle is dedicated to the goal of making Sea-Tac Airport the most accessible airport in the USA, and the addition of a Sensory Room to Sea-Tac will help address the needs of passengers with sensory disorders or autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, the Open Doors Organization (ODO) Report listed the creation of a "quiet room" as a primary recommendation to be completed within two years. The ODO report included an optional recommendation based on a stakeholder suggestion to repurpose some Mamava units into "quiet rooms". The number of people diagnosed with either autism spectrum disorder or sensory disorders is increasing. In 2018 CDC estimates were that 1 in 59 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and the number of people with sensory issues is increasing. Airports can be overwhelming for the average passenger and are especially challenging for passengers with additional sensitivities with the combination of unfamiliar processes with new people, large crowds, and loud announcements. Designated calm spaces can make air travel less daunting for all. DIVERSITY IN CONTRACTING The project will be utilizing an existing IDIQ contract for design. The project manager will work with the Diversity in Contracting Department to determine participation opportunities and set Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting). COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. _6g_ Page 3 of 6 Meeting Date: February 11, 2020 goals for women and minority business enterprises (WMBE) attainment during construction. These affirmative efforts are in accordance with the Policy Directive on Diversity in Contracting. DETAILS Scope of Work Meditation Room: This project will provide an accessible, enclosed space for Meditation. The room should be quiet and have furnishings and aesthetic treatments that would accommodate people in prayer. Sensory Room: The Sensory Room will provide an accessible, enclosed space and should include; gliding chair, soft seating, resilient flooring surface with durable finish, tactile wall with multiple textures and/or colors. As part of the design we will request stakeholder feedback from local autism organizations such as ARC of King County and/or an Occupational Therapist with a Sensory Integration Certification or comparable training to provide room requirements and design review. Infrastructure Changes/Upgrades: To accommodate these new functions there will need to be changes made to the HVAC system, Lighting Controls and the Sprinkler System. Additionally, the project will provide signage and appropriate security camera coverage. Relocate Training Room: This project will also relocate the Airline Training Room functions that are in the Port Conference room to a designated space pre-security on the Mezzanine Level. This will require the relocation of furniture, equipment, whiteboards and a projector. Schedule Activity Commission design and construction 2020 Quarter 1 authorization Design start 2020 Quarter 1 Construction start 2020 Quarter 3 In-use date 2020 Quarter 4 Cost Breakdown This Request Total Project Design Phase $324,000 $324,000 Construction Phase $676,000 $676,000 Total $1,000,000 $1,000,000 Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting). COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. _6g_ Page 4 of 6 Meeting Date: February 11, 2020 ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED Alternative 1 Find another space(s) post security for the meditation room function or a modular solution with a small footprint, comparable to a Mamava. Do not incorporate a Sensory Room Cost Implications: Capital $0 | Expense $7,000/unit Pros: (1) The Port of Seattle could offer more locations for meditation and prayer throughout the terminal. (2) A smaller footprint that is potentially relocatable. Cons: (1) Pods would likely take up space that may be more commercially valuable. (2) Siting would be difficult in our space constrained terminal. (3) Would not offer enough space for more than one individual, unless custom built/ordered. (4) Does not incorporate a Sensory Room. This is not the recommended alternative. Alternative 2 No longer offer the Meditation Room as a Passenger Amenity. Do not incorporate a Sensory Room. Cost Implications: Capital $0 | Expense $0 Pros: (1) No capital cost associated with this alternative. (2) Eliminates a critical path item from the Employee Service Center project. Cons: (1) The Meditation Room is an important amenity to the religious community. No longer offering it would be doing a disservice to this group of passengers and employees. (2) The Port has committed to the Commission that we will continue to provide this service. (3) Does not provide the opportunity to incorporate a Sensory Room. This is not the recommended alternative. Alternative 3 Convert an existing Port conference room, post security, into two spaces; a relocated Meditation Room and a Sensory Room Cost Implications: Capital $1,000,000 | Expense $0 Pros: (1) Meditation Room will be post security and easier for the traveling public to access. (2) Meditation Room will be a purpose-built space that will incorporate design and infrastructure elements requested by members of the Religious Community. Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting). COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. _6g_ Page 5 of 6 Meeting Date: February 11, 2020 (3) The Sensory Space will be the first room of its kind at Sea-Tac Airport and will help an underserved group of our community, passengers with sensory disorders or autism spectrum disorder. Cons: (1) The selected location will not allow for the integration of water for a foot washing station, a request by the Religious Community. (2) This relocated the Airline Training Room and Meditation Room will have less square footage than current spaces. This is the recommended alternative. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Cost Estimate/Authorization Summary Capital Expense Total COST ESTIMATE Original estimate $1,000,000 $0 $1,000,000 AUTHORIZATION Previous authorizations 0 0 0 Current request for authorization $1,000,000 0 $1,000,000 Total authorizations, including this request $1,000,000 0 $1,000,000 Remaining amount to be authorized $0 $0 $0 Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds This project, CIP C801148, was not included in the 2020-2021 capital budget and plan of finance. A budget $1,000,000 was transferred from the Aeronautical Reserve CIP (C800753) resulting in zero net change to the Aviation capital budget. The funding source will be the Airport Development Fund (ADF). Financial Analysis and Summary Project cost for analysis $1,000,000 Business Unit (BU) Terminal Building Effect on business performance NOI after depreciation will increase due to inclusion of (NOI after depreciation) capital (and operating) costs in airline rate base. IRR/NPV (if relevant) N/A CPE Impact Less than $0.01 in 2021 ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST (1) Presentation slides Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting). COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. _6g_ Page 6 of 6 Meeting Date: February 11, 2020 PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS May 20, 2019 The Commission approved Design Authorization for the Employee Services Center (C800934) October 22, 2019 The Commission was briefed on Accessibility Improvements at Seattle- Tacoma International Airport. Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
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