Transportation center to get $1.8-million green building
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

Construction of a new building at the Community Transportation Center just south of the 101 Freeway on Rancho Road in Thousand Oaks has begun. Demolition of what was once a small brick structure with two restrooms was the first order of business.

In its place will be a 2,500square-foot building providing a climate-controlled indoor seating area for about 20 people, with vending machines, a ticket counter and restrooms. The $1.8-million facility is meant to consolidate and increase transportation services and ridership. Dial-A-Ride will be housed in the building when it opens in spring 2008.

The architectural style of the new center is designed to match surrounding homes in the area.

And the intent, according to city officials, is to create a "green building" that will be highly rated by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, a national rating system for buildings constructed with human and environmental health in mind. Water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality all must meet certain standards to receive a high LEED rating.

"Our architects tell us it costs about 10 percent more in construction costs to build it green," said Mark Watkins, public works director.

Materials that don't emit petroleum odors are required, so it won't have the smell of a new building.

"The initial cost is higher, but the energy savings in the long run will help to offset that," city spokesperson Andrew Powers said.

To get the LEED rating, most of the demolished building has to be recycled into the new building. Parts of the old structure are in bins nearby, waiting to be reused.

The original site opened in August 2001. A park-and-ride area, it offers 125 parking spaces in the front for those who carpool.

About 85 parking spaces for bus patrons are located behind the terminal area, where covered areas with benches can be found and bus schedules are available. Since the restrooms with flushtoilets are gone, portable toilets have been set up.

Currently, the center is used by the city's four T.O. Transit (TOT) bus lines that originate at the center and take various routes around town during the day. VISTA, a Ventura County bus service, also operates from the center. TOT carries about 180,000 people a year. VISTA transports about 53,000, and VISTA Highway 101, serving freeway commuters, has about 78,000 passengers, officials said.

Other buses from Los Angeles and surrounding areas will have a good place to connect or launch their buses, Watkins said.

He's hoping airport shuttles, Amtrak and other services will begin using the transportation center to serve those in Thousand Oaks.