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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDowntown Development Authority - Minutes - 08/01/2001C� • Larry Stroud, Chair 482-6066 (W) Chuck Wanner, Council Liaison 484-0810 (H) Anne Garrison, Staff Liaison 484-2020 (W) DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST 1, 2001 REGULAR MEETING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MET IN REGULAR SESSION AT 7:30 A.M. ON AUGUST 1, 2001 IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM AT HOME STATE BANK, 303 EAST MOUNTAIN AVENUE, FORT COWNS, CO 80524 PRESENT THERE WERE PRESENT: LARRY STROUD, CHAIR CHUCK WANNER GREG BELCHER RICK GooOALE MARY BRAYTON CAREY HEWITT ABSENT Kim JORDAN, VICE CHAIR JASON MEADORS, SECRETARY/rREASURER STAFF JAY HARDY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANNE GARRISON LUCIA ULEY, COUNSEL GUESTS DAVID SHORT, ANGELA MILEWSKI, TIM ROBERTS, CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING CAME TO ORDER AT 7.30 A.M. AND ROLL CALL WAS TAKEN. APPROVAL OF MR. BELCHER MOVED TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF JULY 12. 2001 AS WRITTEN AND MINUTES MR. GOODALE SECONDED THE MOTION WHICH CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 334 E. MOUNTAIN THE FORMER ADVENTURE OUTFITTERS BUILDING, JUST EAST OF THE ARMOR( WAS ACQUIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR. BUILT IN 1953 IT WAS REMODELED IN 1993 AND WILL NOW BECOME A RESTAURANT AND NIGHT CLUB WITH UVE ENTERTAINMENT. IN ADDITION THERE WILL BE A SMALL LEASABLE OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS WILL INCLUDE A FACADE RENOVATION AND NEW SIDEWALK, WHICH WILL CONTINUE THE THEME RECENTLY BEGUN BY THE ARMORY BUILDING. A WROUGHT IRON FENCE WILL ALSO BE ADDED TO FORM A PATIO. DDA MINUTES • • PAGE 2 IN MR. HARDY'S PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD, HE NOTED THAT IT WOULD BE THE FOURTH REDEVELOPMENT TO TAKE PLACE IN THIS BLOCK, WHICH 13 AN IMPORTANT CONNECTING POINT TO THE RIVER. OTHER PROJECTS IN WHICH DDA HAS (PLAYED A PART ARE HOME STATE BANK, THE OLD SALVATION ARMY BUILDING AND THE ARMORY. THE NEW OWNER PLANS TO OPEN ON OCTOBER 15, 2001 . IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION ON HOW COST ESTIMATES WERE OBTAINED, MR. ROBERTS RESPONDED THAT COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION OUT OF LOVELAND HAD PROVIDED HIM WITH A BID AND ACCOMPANYING COST SHEETS. MS. BRAYTON EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE ADVENT OF ANOTHER RESTAURANT/ NIGHTCLUB IN DOWNTOWN, BUT MOVED TO SUPPORT THE EXTERIOR UPGRADE. THE MOTION, THEREFORE, WAS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO $30,000 USING TAX INCREMENT FUNDING, WITH COMPLETION PRIOR TO DECEMBER 3 1, 200I . THIS MOTION IS MADE WITH THE CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT SIONAGE AND CANOPY OPTIONS ARE BROUGHT BEFORE THE DDA BOARD PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. HEwrrr. MS. LILEY CLARIFIED FOR THE BOARD AND BUSINESS OWNER, THAT FAILURE: TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT BY DECEMBER 3 1. 2001 WOULD RESULT IN THE: LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION BEING REDUCED BY ONE YEAR. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH MR. GOODALE OPPOSED. PERFORMING ARTS THIS ISSUE 13 SLATED FOR SECOND READING BY CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 2 1, 2001 . CENTER AT LEAST TWO OTHER TAX BALLOT ISSUES ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION, TOGETHER WITH IMAGINE FORT COLLINS, THE CITIZEN'S INITIATIVE TO FUND A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, MUSEUM EXPANSION/RENOVATION, JOINT BOX OFFICE WITH CSU, AND LAND PURCHASE FOR A FUTURE LIBRARY IN THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF FORT COLLINS. CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DEFEAT OF THESE MEASURES IF THEY APPEAR TOGETHER ON THE BALLOT. WHILE THE BOARD SEES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO MEASURES, 1T BELIEVES IT IS A TIMING ISSUE; THAT BOTH CAN SUCCEED BUT NCT ON THE SAME BALLOT. MR. WANNER SPOKE TO THE FACT THAT FORT COLLINS COULD NOT SUSTAIN AN B% SALES TAX, AND THAT BASIC TRANSPORTATION DEMANDS ARE MORE NEEDED COMMUNITY WIDE. HE CONTINUED BY NOTING THAT AS A BOARD, DDA NEEDS TO SUPPORT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BUT HE ALSO STATED THAT HIS CONCERNS WERE BROADER. SOME OF THE FOLLOWING POINTS WERE DISCUSSED: ■ TAX LEVELS INCREASE DRAMATICALLY AS YOU 00 SOUTH. IF A TRANSPORTATION AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER TAX IS ADDED FORT COLLINS WOULD 00 FROM 0.7% TO 7.34% ■ CONSIDERABLE TIME AND PREPARATION HAS BEEN EXPENDED BY IMAGINE FORT COLONS TO GATHER SIGNATURES AND ELICIT THE SUPPORT OF PRIVATE INVESTORS, THESE PRIVATE DOLLARS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE ■ MR. WANNER SHARED RECENT INFORMATION WHICH INDICATED THAT VINE STREET INTERSECTION ALONE WOULD COST ABOUT 30 MILLION DOLLARS ■ BOARD WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE TIMING, AND DDA WILL COMMIT TO HELPING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION TAX IT WAS THEN SUGGESTED THAT A LETTER SE DIRECTED FROM THE CHAIR TO COUNCIL, INDICATING DDA'S SUPPORT OF BOTH ISSUES, WITH THE EMPHASIS ON TIMING AND STRATEGY, SO AS TO AFFORD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH ISSUES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. HOTEL/CONVENTION MR. HARDY NOTED THAT THE NEED FOR THIS PROJECT WAS DETERMINED SOME TIME AGO IN CENTER STUDY THE DDA'3 ORIGINAL PUN OF DEVELOPMENT, AND HAS APPEARED AS AN AGENDA ITEM MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS. BED AND BREAKFASTS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE, BUT ROOMS AND CONVENTION ACCOMMODATIONS ARE UNITED. JIM O'NEILL, PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, ADVISED THAT A STUDY OF SUCH MAGNITUDE WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE CITY'S RFP PROCESS. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A DIALOG BETWEEN THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, CONVENTION S, VISITORS BUREAU AND THE CITY TO DETERMINE THEIR INTEREST. ALL HAVE BEEN POSITIVE IN THEIR RESPONSE AND VARIOUS LEVELS OF FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION ARE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE DDA MINUTES • • PAGE 3 DIFFERENT ENTITIES. THE 'BALLPARK' FIGURE FROM TWO REPUTABLE NATIONAL FIRMS IS $75,000 TO $80,000 FOR A TWO PHASE PROJECT. THE CITY HAS BEEN ASKED TO CONSIDER $30.000 TOWARD THE STUDY, THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU AND DBA $5.000 RESPECTIVELY, AND MR. HARDY ASKED THE BOARD IF IT WOULD CONSIDER FUNDING UP TO $40,000. MR. HEWITT MOVED TO DELAY THE STUDY, HIS REASON BEING CONCERN OVER OTHER VITAL ISSUES ALREADY ON THE TABLE, IE. TRANSPORTATION TAX AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND A CHANGING ECONOMY. THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MR. GOODALE. MR. GOODALE SUGGESTED THE NEED FOR A PRIVATE DEVELOPER ON BOARD BEFORE WE BEGIN WORKING ON DEMOGRAPHICS. MR. BELCHER ADDED THAT SOME OF THE LARGER HOTEL/MOTELS IN THE AREA ARE EXPERIENCING THEIR LOWEST OCCUPANCY RATES IN YEARS. MR. BELCHER ALSO INQUIRED IF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE BY TOM LIVINGSTON FOR THE EMPIRE HOTEL MIGHT BE REVEALING. THE DISCUSSIONS CONCLUDED WITH MR. HEWITT ADDING TO HIS MOTION THAT HE WOULD BE PREPARED TO REVISIT THE ISSUE IN SIX MONTHS, AND THE DECISION TO DELAY THE STUDY WAS UNANIMOUS. OPERA GALLERIA LOFTS THE PRESENTATION GIVEN BY TRICIA DIEHL WAS INFORMATIONAL ONLY. SCHEMATICS WERE DISPLAYED. AND MS. DIEHL, REPRESENTING REALTEC COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, EXPLAINED THAT OPERA GALLERIA IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF A THIRD FLOOR RENOVATION WHICH WILL BECOME HIGH END RESIDENTIAL LOFTS. MS. DIEHL SHARED THAT PERMANENT PARKING HAS BEEN SECURED IN THE PARKING GARAGE, THAT THE PROJECT WILL COMPRISE NINE UNITS, SOME TWO BEDROOM, OTHERS WITH ONLY ONE. AMONG THE SPECIAL FEATURES MENTIONED WERE SOME SPIRAL STAIRCASES, BALCONIES, A COMMON AREA WITH GRILL, HOT TUB AND SAUNA., LARGE PATIO AND AN EXERCISE ROOM. SOME UNITS WILL DISPLAY EXPOSED BRICK WALLS. THE SUGGESTION WAS MADE THAT OWNER, ED ORR COVENANT SO THAT UNACCEPTABLE ODORS OR NOISE FROM RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTCLUBS WILL NOT BE A FACTOR FOR RESIDENTS. DBA PARKING SIGNAGE DAVID SHORT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, (DBA) PRESENTED A PLAN FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND VISASLE SIGNAGE ON BOTH PARKING STRUCTURES, TOGETHER WITH A FUNDING REQUEST. THE DBA HAS COMMITTED FUNDS TO PURCHASE SIGNS FOR A VALIDATION PROGRAM BETWEEN PARTICIPATING MERCHANTS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS. THESE MERCHANTS WILL HAVE A SIGN ON THEIR DOOR STATING THEIR PARTICIPATION, AND WILL RETURN SO CENTS TO A CUSTOMER WHO SPENDS TEN DOLLARS OR MORE IN THEIR STORE. THIS WILL BE 100% FUNDED BY THE MERCHANTS. THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBER AND NON MEMBERS ALIKE, BUT ONLY MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE THE PARKING SIGN, BOTH AT NO COST. MR. SHORE HAS MET WITH DARIN ATTEBERRY AND RANDY HENSLEY AND HAS REQUESTED THAT THE CITY UNDERTAKE THE MAINTENANCE AND ELECTRICAL HOOK UP OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE SIGNAGE. MR. SHORT IS SLATED TO MEET WITH MR. FISCHBACH ON AUGUST 23, 2001 AND IDEALLY, HE FEELS IT SHOULD BE A THREE WAY FUNDING PARTNERSHIP. THE COST PER SIGN 15 ESTIMATED AT $6, 500. AT THIS JUNCTURE, MR. HEW= MOVED TO SUPPORT THE NEW SIGNAGE IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO $6, 500 BUT TO SEEK CITY AND DBA PARTNERSHIPS. THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. BELCHER. THEN MR. ATTEBERRY SPEAKING FOR THE CITY, AGREED TO COMMIT UP TO ONE THIRD OF THE COST. THE MOTION WAS AMENDED TO REFLECT THE THREE WAY PARTNERSHIP OF UP TO $4,500 PER ORGANIZATION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. PINE STREET TRACY DYER FROM THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPEARED BEFORE THE BOAIRD TO REQUEST IMPROVEMENTS DDA'S PARTICIPATION IN REPLACING THE SIDEWALK FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF 200 WALNUT STREET TO THE ALLEY. THIS SEGMENT WAS NOT REPAIRED DURING THE FINISH WORK ON THIS BLOCK AND CORNER. DDA WOULD BE ONE OF THREE PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT, WITH VELDMAN MORGAN. THE OWNER OF 200 WALNUT STREET, AND THE CITY BEING THE OTHER ENTITIES. ODA MINUTES • PAGE 4 • MR. HEWITT MOVED TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT UP TO $2,000 THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. BELCHER AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTHER BUSINESS THE ANNUAL RETREAT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING, HAS BEEN SET FOR SEPTEMBER 6, 2001 AT THE LODGE. TIMES AND OTHER DETAILS TO BE DETERMINED. ADJOURN THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9:30 A.M. JASON MEADORS, SECRETARY AWMOWN � DEVELOPMENT ddoAUTHORITY 19 OLD TOWN SQUARE, SUITE 230 Telephone (970) 484-2020 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 Telefax (970) 484-2069 AGENDA DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORrrY ANNUAL RETREAT THE LODGE 139 MELDRUM (BEHIND PARKING LOT OF EDWARDS HOUSE) SEPTEMBER 6, 2001 DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE BOARD MEETING 1. PROJECT REVIEW GUIDELINES 2. DDA FINANCIAL OUTLOOK 3. PERFORMING ARTS CENTER/LIBRARY/MUSEUM BALLOT ITEM 4. FUTURE OF DDA - UPDATE