Loading...
265719 WHIYE - CITY CLERK PINK - FINANCE GITY OF SAINT PALTL Council ��5��9 CANARY -DEPARTMENT BLUE . - MAYOR File NO. cil olution Presented By Referred To Committee: Date Out of Committee By Date WHEREAS, the City Council approved Saint Paul's Couenunity Development Year I application on February 20, 1975, Council File No. 265032; and WEIEREAS, the following programs and pro3ects were placed in an earmarked contingency fund pending the completion of planning activities; and WI�REAS, the planning of these programa and projects has been completed and the United Statea Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved the expenditure of Community Development funds for these pro,jects, now therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the following pro�ects are removed from the Comnunity Development Year I earmarked contingency fund: Union Goapel Misaion Relocation $144,000 Payne Avenue Parking Lot 100,000 - Davis School Site 35,000 � Wilder Square 54,000 � TOTAL $333,000 and be it FURTI�R RESOLVED, that the proper departments and agencies are authorized to carry out these pro�ects, a copy of which is attached hereto and made a part hereof. COUIVCILMEN Requested by Department of: Yeas Nays Christensen � Community Develop ction Hozza In Favor Levine ,� * � Rcedler B ����r-s"'K �2 Sylvester A gainst Y Tedesco President Hunt �' Ju� 8 �9'e Adopted by Council: Date �s� ��w Form Approved C' y Atto ey Certified P ed b ouncil Se etary � BY By Approv y Mayor: Date Approv Mayor fo ub C nci By By PUBLISHED .�UL 1 9 137$ � � . � �-�� � l � Item B. Union Gospel Mission Relocation The proposal for Union Gospel Mission was to provide $144,000 in conanunity development funds for provision of a site for their new facility. Because of the concerns of a number of groups and individuals, including the City Council, regarding finding an acceptable site, these funds were placed in the earmarked contingency account. � The Union Gospel Mission has now selected a site located on the fringe of the Central Business District on East Seventh Street near Neill and Kittson streets. This site has been reviewed and approved by the City Planning Co�nission subject to the resolution of certain environmental concerns regarding the design of the buildin�. The site has also been approved by those citizens groups who have been most concerned about the selection and location of a site. These groups include the Dayton's Bluff, Payne-Minnehaha, and the Phalen Area Community Councils. - The progosal of the Union Gospel Mission is to build a facility for housing approximately 200 residents and providing certain services, including meals, dental and medical care, library and recreational facilities and referral for necessary social services, on the site. The estimated cost of the structure is $800,000 and the $144,000 in community development funds would be used to assist in the purchase of the site. They propose to begin construction in October of 1975, with actual acquisition of the site to Ue completed during the month of July, 1975. Based on the above information, we are now requesting t�at the funds be released from the earmarked contingency and be utilized for acquisition of this site. Item C. Payne Avenue Parkin� Lots The original community development program called for the purchase . of two sites at Payne and Lawson and Payne and Sims for parking lots. This acquisition involved the purchase of one vacant lot and ons area that contains a discount bakery operation, There were concerns expressed regarding the removal of an existing viable business (bakery) and whether or not other means of financing such as tax increment or direct assessment, could be used for the parking lot development. Since the original proposal was presented, the Payne Avenue Development District Task Force has modified it so that the new proposal is to purchase one area containing three structures at Case and Payne. The three structures proposed for acquisition are all substandard. This modified proposal was presented to the City Council in late April,• at which time �he �ity Cuur�cil gdve approvai in cuncepL', iue primary resr�i�n for modi=ying the parking lot proposal was to permit a 7-11 grocery store to be constructed on the vacant property at Case and Lawson and to permit the existing bakery store to continue in operation at Payne and Sims. Therefore, the concern regarding removal of an existing business has already been alleviated. In add�tion, a preliminary analysis was made regarding the utilization of tax increment or other means to finance these proposals. Since there is no new developmen.t occurring in this area of Payne Avenue, except for the 7-11 store, there is no obvious available tax increment to finance the development of parking lots. In discussing the proposal with Mr. Donovan, City Valuations Engineer, regarding an assessment to benefiting properties, it does not appear feasible to assess for the improvements, since the businesses in the area will be required to also pay for the annual maintenance costs of the lot. Based on the information presented above, we are requesting that the $100,000 originally placed in the earmarked contingency for Payne Avenue parking lots be released and that we proceed with the modified parking lot proposal as presented by the Payne Avenue Development District Task Force to the City Council. Item F. Davis School Site . Thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) in community development funds were placed in the earmarked contingency fund because of concerns raised regarding a high water table and poor soil conditions on the Davis School site. In response to these concerns, three soil borings were taken on the site in February of 1975. A report of the "Soil Exploration Company" indicated that no ground water was found in the borings and that rock �x��L�t��^ for hus�Tcr.ts w�uld be foun3 ut 3..5 ie�t �elaw t�e surface. The soil report did indicate that seasonal fluctuations in the water table may be expected in this area. The staff of the Aousing and F.edevelop- ment Authority has recommended that housing structures be limited to split entry design with shallow basements and/or structures with no basements at all. In addition, they have recommended that special water proofing materials be placed on the exterior of the basement walls, These recommendations would alleviate most of the concerns expressed regarding the site conditions. Since the PAC of the West Seventh Street area continues to support the utilization of the site for single-family housing, we request that the funds be released from the earmarked contingency and that the housing development proceed. Item H. Wilder Square This money was allocated to the Wilder Foundation to conduct a senior citizen program in the new community center in the Wilder Square Development. The funds were placed in an earmarked contingency at the time of Council approval, inasmuch as the Wilder Foundation was still attempting to secure other funds so that they could open the facility and operate a complete variety of services. . The Foundation has been able to secure other limited funds to operate the facility; and thus, we would recommend that the $54,000 for the senior program be approved so that a contract may be finalized between the City and the Wilder Foundation.