5.0. HRSR 09-07-1993 ELK RIVER HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
T
TO: HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
FROM: WILLIAM RUBIN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATO
DATE: SEPTEMBER 2, 1993
SUBJECT: AGENDA MEMO FOR SEPTEMBER 7TH HRA MEETING
5 . Jackson Square Parking Lot Improvements
At the HRA's August 12th meeting, Commissioners reviewed
several illustrations concerning improvements to the
Jackson Square parking lot. By way of HRA action, these
illustrations were referred to the Elk River Downtown
Development Corporation for review and comment. The
Development Corporation met on Wednesday, September 1,
1993, to review the parking improvement concepts.
Enclosed in the agenda packet is the concept the
Development Corporation recommends . It is a hybrid design
that the group came up with at the meeting. The group
took Concept No. 3 (attached) and revised it with the
following:
• - Parallel parking on the east side of Jackson Place
- Angled parking on the west side of Jackson Place
- The creation of a right turn only bulb from Jackson
Place to U.S. Highway 10 (Jackson Place continues as
a one-way, northbound street)
- Additional stalls are created in the parking area
near Highway 10 by way of the right turn only bulb
- The balance of the parking stalls in the lot are
angled
- Movement with the lot is counter-clockwise; a vehicle
enters or exits onto Jackson Place from Main Street;
vehicles may exit onto Highway 10, or, may exit onto
Jackson Avenue (that is,"exit only" )
This design retains the flag pole and evergreens in the
middle of the lot.
Action Requested
In order to keep the improvement project on schedule, the
HRA is asked to finalize this proposal and forward a
recommendation on to the City Council for implementation.
The rationale here is that the parking lot is owned by the
City, but it will rely on the HRA to fund the
improvements . Therefore, the City Council should have the
• final decision on the proposed improvements to Jackson
Square.
P.O. Box 490 • 13065 Orono Parkway • Elk River, MN 55330-1743 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425
Equal Opportunity Housing and Equal Opportunity Employment
• 6 . Former Railroad Parking Lot Improvements
Street/Park Superintendent, Phil Hals, and his staff have
put together an illustration for certain parking lot
improvements on the former railroad property bounded by
Jackson Avenue, U.S. Highway 10, Hunt' s Feeds, and the
railroad tracks . This illustration was also reviewed by
the Development Corporation at its meeting on September
1st.
It may be appropriate to implement improvements on this
site due to the cost savings relative to the curbing work
required by the Jackson Square site and for this site.
That is, should the HRA-City decide to move forward with
parking and landscape improvements here, a curbing
contractor can simply go from one site to the other rather
than to return in, say the spring, at what would likely be
a higher cost.
This illustration is an attempt to continue the momentum
of certain parking improvements and landscaping
enhancements that are now occurring at or along Highway
10. HRA funds for improvements here are available in the
1993 budget under the category of parking lot
improvements. Should the cost of both Jackson Square and
the former railroad property exceed what was set aside for
• this item, additional funds would be available under the
category "Reserved for Future Projects" .
Action Requested
If the HRA Commissioners are so inclined, they may wish to
move forward with parking and landscape enhancements on
this site too. As with Jackson Square, the Commissioners
should forward a recommendation to the City Council for
implementation.
7 . HRA Funds for a Redevelopment Project
At a public hearing on August 16, 1993, the Elk River City
Council approved a modification to Tax Increment Financing
(TIF) Plans No. 1 and No. 3. This modification will
enable a developer, Mr. Dennis Chuba, to be reimbursed for
certain eligible TIF expenditures as authorized by
Minnesota Statutes . TIF funds will be used for demolition
activities, site preparation activities, compaction of
foundation areas, etc. All of this will result in the
construction of a new office townhouse facility
immediately adjacent to Mr. Chuba' s 1992 project at Main
Street and Evans Avenue.
• In approving the Plan modification, the City Council also
passed a motion requesting that the Elk River HRA consider
funding 50% of the eligible redevelopment costs, up to a
0 maximum of $25,000 . This action will help the City
Council maximize the finite pool of TIF funds available
from Districts No. 1 and No. 3. Staff estimates that
Districts No. 1 and No. 3 will have excess funds totalling
approximately $410,000 if the City makes a $50,000
expenditure to this redevelopment project. Assuming the
HRA participates, the TIF balance will grow by $25,000 to
a total estimated at $435,000 .
Action Requested
The HRA is asked to consider a request by the Elk River
City Council to fund 50% of the redevelopment project's
eligible costs, up to a maximum of $25,000.
8. Reimbursement for a Change of Order
Elk Terrace Limited Partnership, the owner and developer
of the 1992 redevelopment/housing project known as Elk
Terrace Apartments, requests reimbursement for a change
order associated with the capping off of utility lines .
Per its request, the services were not located where the
City representatives suggested, and, the subsequent
excavation, compaction, and street patching was done in
vain. Reimbursement in the amount of $2, 100 is requested.
• The Finance Director is currently reviewing the status of
the TIF District No. 10 account in order to determine if
additional, unspent funds are available to honor the
request for reimbursement. This information will be
available at Tuesday' s HRA meeting. Please take note that
a copy of the TIF budget for District No. 10 is included
in the agenda packet. The budget discloses that $2,600
was set aside for capping utilities. The reimbursement of
$2, 100 is for costs over and above the budgeted amount.
Also included in the packet is correspondence from the
developer, contractor, architect, etc.
In terms of precedence, the EDA approved additional costs
for the Mork project - also a TIF financed transaction.
•