The subject project is a 475,000SF mixed use tower that includes retail, office, condominium and underground parking. The building replaces older, run-down low-rise structures and adds desirable density, retail services, Class A office space and underground parking to serve the building. A nexus of transportation options is located within a couple of blocks of the project to include two light rail lines, multiple bus stops, bike lanes connecting to a citywide network and two streetcar lines. The site is one of a series of half-sized blocks that extend North to South through the City. The Northernmost and Southernmost tails of this gridline of blocks are designated as the North and South Park Blocks. The South Park Blocks date back to the late 1800\'s and is used for farmer\'s markets, active/passive recreation, public demonstrations and homeless feeding events among other socially valuable activities. The project owner owns multiple developed blocks at the terminus of the South Park Blocks. Two of these blocks are along the same North-South gridline as the South Park Blocks and are located one block past the last South Park Block. These blocks are located adjacent to each other- one was a surface parking lot ("Park Block 5") and the other is the project site. The block between the last South Park Block and the project owner\'s two adjacent blocks is owned by a separate entity and hosts a new hotel. In 2006, the owner donated the surface of Park Block 5 to the City for the express purpose of replacing the surface parking lot with a public park, the first new South Park Block in over 100 years. The owner had full right to develop another structure on what will now become the City\'s Park Block 5. However, the owner recognized the public value of adding another South Park Block to serve the growing number of downtown residents, visitors and professionals and forewent personal financial gain in the interest of the public good. The benefits realized by the addition of Park Block 5 realize many of the objectives sought by the LEED program. In recognition of the effort, the team would like to know if it is permissible to encompass Park Block 5 in the project\'s LEED boundary. This would influence SSc5.2 and possibly SSc5.1 as the design of the park is fleshed out. We are able to provide an aerial map to help show the park, project and developed block locations as well as the agreement showing the dedication to the City.
The owner of the project donated a parcel of land adjacent to the subject property to the City for the express purpose of creating a public park and would like to include this area in the LEED Project Boundary. The donated parcel may be included within the LEED Project Boundary provided that the submission includes documentation of the deed transfer, as well as evidence that the donated parcel will be developed into a public park that meets the performance requirements under SSc5.2. As a reminder, the project area must be consistently defined across all credits. Applicable Internationally.