Title
Innovation District Utilities (B)
Explanation
For a number of months, the CRA has worked with stakeholders from GRU, the City of Gainesville, UF, Shands, UFDC, and the private sector in order to facilitate on-going coordination of utilities, other infrastructure, and development in the Innovation Square area and in the larger Innovation district. Work in the Innovation Square area is an important initiative that has been highly prioritized via the CRA Strategic Planning process. The initiative implements a number of redevelopment objectives identified in the CPUH Redevelopment Plan, most notably Infrastructure, Private Investment, and Urban Form; additionally, the Plan identifies both the SW 2nd Avenue corridor and the former AGH site/iSquare area is identified as "Cornerstone Projects" for the district.
As part of the on-going iDistrict collaboration, GRU has developed a scope of work for surveying and utility master planning within the Innovation district. The information compiled through this surveying and planning analysis will be utilized by the utilities in preparing a long term strategy for addressing the needs of the area. Additionally, this information will also be made available to the CRA for use in bringing redevelopment projects in the district to implementation. In order to foster collaboration between the various entities involved in infrastructure initiatives within the iDistrict, it has been requested that all partners provide some funding for this initiative to move forward; however GRU will bear responsibility for managing this engineering initiative. Moving forward, CRA responsibilities in the Innovation District will primarily be directly connected to the design and implementation of redevelopment projects. CRA staff will bring additional information to the CRA board about specific projects in the coming months as details are identified and moved forward.
Fiscal Note
The proposed CRA portion of funding is not-to-exceed $75,000. This project will be funded from the CPUH "AGH/ SW 2nd Ave Improvements (Innovation Square)" account.
Recommendation
CPUH to CRA Board: approve cost sharing with GRU and other entities to fund the surveying and utility planning, at a cost (to the CRA) not-to-exceed $75,000