Memorandum

City of Lawrence

 

TO:

Mayor and City Commissioners

FROM:

City Manager David L. Corliss                            

CC:

Debbie Van Saun, Assistant City Manager

Date:

July 19, 2007

RE:

Downtown Redevelopment Opportunities

 

At your July 24, 2007 City Commission you will be presented with a request from Thomas Fritzel concerning efforts to proceed with downtown redevelopment, including a focus on Vermont Street redevelopment and Mr. Fritzel’s plans for the building at 123 W. 8th Street.  City staff is seeking the appropriate procedural means to assist these redevelopment plans within the City Commission’s goals for downtown enhancement.

 

123 West 8th Street

 

The request is to acquire 8 public parking spaces in the City’s public parking lot adjacent (to the south) to the 123 West 8th building.  In exchange for these public parking spaces the applicant will provide the City with $25,000.00 for each space, with the funds to be used by the City to acquire/build additional parking in the downtown area, specifically supporting this portion of downtown.  This action would be a significant precedent for downtown.  City staff is supportive of the concept, recognizing that a number of important details need to be finalized and the City Commission and the downtown stakeholders need to understand the future commitment that such an arrangement requires.  Specifically, the City is committing to replace these parking spaces with new parking spaces (funded as noted above) within some reasonable period of time.  Additional parking spaces are not likely to be added in the downtown area at 8-space increments; instead, larger facilities are contemplated.

 

ACTION REQUESTED:   Direct staff to prepare an agreement with the applicant concerning the parking spaces as generally outlined above for future City Commission consideration.

 

Additional Redevelopment Opportunities

 

There is also strong interest indicated in the letter for additional downtown redevelopment opportunities, including the possible acquisition of other City surface parking spaces with the building of replacement parking spaces either on-site or at other locations.  It is appropriate to consider proposals on these redevelopment opportunities as well.   Staff recommends that a solicitation of proposals be sought to ensure wide participation.  We should also actively investigate opportunities to use tax-increment financing (TIF), transportation development districts (TDD) and similar State programs as a means to assist in the financing of additional parking facilities in the downtown area.   These efforts need to be coordinated with our exploration of a Neighborhood Revitalization Act district for the downtown area.  There is a substantial amount of planning which will be necessitated by these efforts.  Coordination of redevelopment in the downtown will also be an important element. There will likely be a number of different property owners involved – with varying levels of participation and interest.   Parking in the downtown area has been a City responsibility and operated with substantial cooperation from downtown businesses and property owners.  Substantial changes to the downtown parking system should involve participation of these businesses and property owners, as well the interests of adjacent neighborhoods.

 

ACTION REQUESTED:   Direct staff to prepare a draft Request for Proposals to seek proposals on the possible redevelopment of surface parking lots in the downtown area; and provide additional research on the items outlined in this memorandum.