Maker
Nexus
1330
Orleans
Drive
Sunnyvale,
CA
94089
(408)
685-2500
www.makernexus.org
Letter of Intent for the Mutual Cooperation between the City of Palo Alto (hereinafter “the City” or
“CPA”)
and
Maker
Nexus,
a
nonprofit
501(c)(3)
charitable
organization
incorporated
in
the
state
of
California.
The City of Palo Alto reached out to Maker Nexus to explore the possibility of our potential role as
a
nonprofit
organization
anchor
facility
in
the
Cubberley
site
renovation
development.
This
project
is
dedicated
to
supporting
the
City’s
efforts
to
expand
indoor
recreational
space
by
building
community
awareness
of
the
need
for
additional
space,
catalyzing
community
engagement
in
the
creation
and
ongoing
support
of
the
space,
and
helping
raise
public
and
private
funds
for
development
and
operational
costs.
Maker Nexus empowers people of all ages and backgrounds to learn, create, and innovate. Our collaborative
community
provides
access
to
hands-on
training
with
professional-grade
tools.
We
lower
barriers
to
craftsmanship,
build
confidence,
create
opportunity,
and
foster
a
culture
of
creativity
and
resourcefulness
across
our
region.
Our
facility
is
open
to
members
and
the
public
from
10 am
to
10 pm,
7 days
a
week.
This
type
of
access
is
consistent
with
our
mutual
goal
to
lower
barriers
of
access
to
the
facility
and
maximize
the
opportunities
for
community
use
of
the
space.
Maker Nexus now wishes to explore collaboration and negotiations toward a long-term public-private
partnership
to
empower
the
broad
community
of
residents
to
learn,
create
and
innovate
by
lowering
barriers
of
access
to
hands-on
training
with
professional-grade
tools,
by
achieving
the
following
strategic
objectives:
1. Identify a potential location within the Cubberley campus, on City-owned land, of sufficient size
and
location
to
accommodate
a
full
featured
industrial
grade
shop
that
will
provide
work
and
program
space
accessible
to
the
community.
The
parties
will
mutually
determine
a
location
at
the
Cubberley
site
to
accommodate
the
project
in
concert
with
development
of
a
master
plan
for
a
community
center
at
the
Cubberley
site.
2. Plan for facility use that is flexible and adaptable to both the current and the evolving future needs
of
the
community.
Explore
preliminary
concepts
and
feasibility
standards
for
a
facility
intended
to
be
renovated
as
potentially
the
first
phase
of
the
master
plan
for
the
Cubberley
site.
3. Pending agreement, Maker Nexus may participate in the City’s development of a master plan for
the
Cubberley
site,
to
reinforce
coordination
and
comprehensive
planning.
1 of 3
4. Maker Nexus and the City may mutually explore development of a preliminary construction and
program
budget.
We
anticipate
mutual
cooperation
in
bringing
existing
buildings
up
to
code,
including
required
sprinkler
systems,
ADA
compliance,
bathrooms,
etc.
Certain
key
infrastructure
elements
outside
the
existing
buildings
are
anticipated
in
order
to
ensure
a
usable
site,
including
sufficient
parking
throughout
the
day
and
into
the
evening
to
support
program
delivery,
as
well
as
suitable
heavy
load/unload
access
to
the
building
for
deliveries
of
relatively
large
materials
and
supplies.
5. Maker Nexus may explore fundraising strategies in connection with a potential project, contingent
on
clarity
regarding
site
control,
scope,
and
City
commitments,
in
order
to
offset
the
City's
capital
development
costs.
The
minimum
and
total
goals
will
be
agreed
upon
between
the
City
and
Maker
Nexus
following
the
development
of
the
budget.
6. CPA may provide Maker Nexus with site access and contracting authority to manage renovation
construction
with
oversight
by
the
City.
7. As part of a future agreement, Maker Nexus will provide an operating plan for programs to be conducted
in
the
new
facility.
Maker
Nexus
will
be
solely
responsible
for
programming
and
membership
management.
8. The City agrees to pursue the adoption of the revised Cubberly Master Plan as expeditiously as
possible,
subject
to
any
required
public
processes
and
approvals.
9. Maker Nexus, in order to recoup required investment in the space, anticipates a term of agreement
of
at
least
7 years
in
the
space
with
two
options
to
extend
for
5 years
each.
Maker Nexus and CPA are interested in undertaking and completing the new facility in accordance
with
one
or
more
future
agreements
subject
to
mutually
acceptable
terms
and
conditions.
The
City
and
Maker
Nexus
will
endeavor
to
negotiate
a
potential
agreement
as
soon
as
possible.
Elements
to
be
included
in
the
agreement(s)
include:
1. Term of the agreement(s) 2. Acknowledgement that the City is commencing a master planning effort for a new community center
at
the
Cubberley
site
that
will
include
community
engagement
building
upon
the
Cubberley
Concept
Plan
completed
in
2019,
and
coordination
and
cooperation
with
that
effort
will
be
necessary
to
meet
milestones
defined
in
the
Memorandum
of
Understanding
between
the
City
and
Palo
Alto
Unified
School
District.
3. Distinct phases for fundraising and renovation, respectively, with separate terms for each phase.
4. Contracting requirements that would allow Maker Nexus to efficiently manage renovation and build
out
of
the
facility.
5. Establishment of a time frame and details, including goals for fundraising activities. 6. Acknowledgement and stewardship of coordination with City departments to be involved in the
project.
2 of 3
7. Development of a community outreach and engagement plan by the City and Maker Nexus to build
support
for
the
project
and
to
receive
and
address
community
comments.
8. A project schedule, including timelines for review by the City's Architectural Review Board, Planning
and
Transportation
Commission,
and
other
boards
and
commissions
as
may
be
required.
9. Options for either party to terminate the partnership (or “joint planning process”) agreement. 10.The City acknowledges that Maker Nexus will start a major donor fundraising effort and may require
commitments
from
the
City
in
terms
of
a
lease
or
other
process
requirements
in
order
to
close
a
major
donation.
The
City
acknowledges
it
will
be
responsible
for
providing
those
commitments
in
a
timely
manner
or
risk
losing
major
donors.
This letter is not a binding contract between CPA and Maker Nexus and does not establish a legal
partnership
or
any
other
legal
relationship.
Nor
shall
this
letter
create
any
reliance
on
either
party
to
act
or
not
act
in
any
specific
way.
It
is
intended
to
facilitate
discussion
of
the
key
agreement
terms
and
conditions
of
the
future
agreements
relating
to
this
joint
project.
Maker
Nexus
and
CPA
both
reserve
rights
to
explore,
evaluate,
or
pursue
other
potential
sites
and/or
partnerships
during
the
term
of
this
Letter.
Date Approved: ____________________________________________________________________________ Ed Shikada City Manager Regina Sakols/Kelly Yamanishi Maker Nexus 3 of 3