Title
CRA Project Summary April (NB)
Explanation
As a regular informational item on CRA agendas, Staff provides a brief update on selected referrals, redevelopment projects and development agreements under review. This monthly update is typically a limited sampling of the CRA’s many on-going projects, as opposed to a complete list.
CRA Wide
Façade Grant, Project Manager, Michael Beard - The Façade Grant program is a competitive matching grant program that is designed to encourage reinvestment in building facades, specifically those located on highly visible target corridors within each district. Staff continues to meet with potential applicants in each district and recently presented two applications including 19 SE 2nd Place and 16 SW 1st Ave. which will be presented to the DRAB Board at the April 13th meeting.
Eastside Redevelopment Advisory Board (ERAB)
Heartwood, Project Manager, Michael Beard- Through the executed contract with EDSA for Architectural Standards and Design Guidelines, 4 Floor plan options and 4 Elevation options have been produced. Staff are in the process of developing cost estimates for the horizontal improvements and appraisals for the conceptual designs on the approved lots. The completion of the Architectural Standards will also provide the final elements needed to fulfill website development for Heartwood, which will act as a major marketing component for the community, as well as a source for progress updates. Staff is continuing to reach out to the builder/developer community in order to discuss innovative approaches to partner on the new development. As we move forward, CRA will work with the community, builder/developer’s, as well as the local finance and real estate professionals to create the new Heartwood community.
Cotton Club Grant Management, Project Manager, Stephanie Seawright - On Agenda
GTEC Area Master Plan & Phase 1 Development, Project Manager, Michael Beard - The CRA Board approved the 100% master plan for the 13.6 acre GTEC site in May 2015. The master plan is a blueprint for a mixed-use site with up to ten new commercial buildings, which will provide opportunities to retain GTEC graduates on site as well as attract new economic activity to the area. Project’s construction document set was resubmitted for Design Review Board (DRB) and GRU Utility permit review in December. Full construction documents submitted to Planning Department on February 2nd. The possible naming and logo options were presented to the community during the February ERAB meeting.
ERAB Residential Paint Program, Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner - Eastside Redevelopment Area Program will provide an eligible applicant with a voucher for paint and painting supplies up to $500 to be used for the exterior painting of their home. To date we have assisted 15 applicants with paint and supplies. We currently have several applications pending in along NE 11th Place in the Duval Neighborhood as well as NE 13th Ave in the Cedar Grove Neighborhood.
Greater Duval Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI), Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner - CRA launched a partnership with Alachua Habitat for Humanity called the “Partnership for Paint” program. Habitat’s A Brush with Kindness program provides volunteer groups who assist homeowners in completing minor repairs, painting, and other home maintenance. The program allows the CRA to offer a grant of up to $500 to eligible home owners in the NRI area. The $500 grant will be applied to the fee associated with participation in “A Brush with Kindness”. CRA Staff as well as Alachua Habitat is currently accepting application for the Partnership for Paint Program, we currently have completed 15 homes in the area and have two additional homes scheduled for paint in May and June.
Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Board (DRAB)
Downtown Plaza, Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner - The CRA Board approved a lease with Jan and David Patterson owners of “Patticakes” to operate a “Patticakes on Plaza” in the new Café space during the March 18th meeting. The buildout of the space is anticipated to take between 6-8 weeks.
Programming at the Plaza went well in the month of March, Zumba, Nia, and the Union Street Farmers Market have all been well received at the Plaza. The official website www.Bodiddleyplaza.com <http://www.Bodiddleyplaza.com> was also launched, the website host a new rental packet and calendar of events. Staff will continue to enhance programming and management at BDP, this includes streamlining our rental process and developing a new process for City sponsored events.
University Avenue Substation, Project Manager, Stephanie Seawright -
Staff is still in discussions with County Staff with regards to the property being transferred to the City or CRA through the surplus program. CRA Staff plans to take the project through our First Step process to determine the viability of the types of projects envisioned for the site. Possible uses for the redeveloped site are a restaurant, newspaper kiosk, juice bar, pizza take-out and a specialty shop to name a few.
Downtown Redevelopment Area Residential Paint Program - To date the DRA Residential Paint Program has completed seven (7) homes (407 SW 5th Ave, 428 SW 3rd St., 436 SW 3rd St., 507 SW 6th Pl, 608 SW 4th St., 627 SW 5th St., 703 SW 5th St.). We have four (4) pending applications (621 SW 5th St., 704 SW 5th Terr., 803 SW 5th Terr., 614 SW 3rd St.)
Depot Park Phase II, Project Manager, Cindi Harvey - Construction is currently underway on this project. To date; all of the playground equipment has been installed, the corten steel structure at the NW gateway has been installed, the corten steel Depot Park sculpture in the NE gateway has been installed, the pedestrian bridge is complete, and all of the lighting footers have been set. The water’s edge promenade concrete walkway is currently being poured and the hand-railing installation is underway. The bathrooms and main pavilion are also nearing completion. Most recently, the wet-deck and dry-deck for the splashpad were poured and cured. In the following months, Park viewers will witness the construction of the splashpad rock structure. Also coming soon is the installation of the boulders and trees in the children’s play area followed by the installation of the surface materials. Phase II construction at Depot Park is on schedule with an anticipated substantial completion date in Summer ’16.
Power District, Project Manager, Andrew Meeker - After receiving Board approval at the February CRA meeting, Staff has proceeded with the advertisement of the Development Partner RFQ (Request for Qualifications) for the Power District. The goal of the solicitation is to identify potential private development partners by way of an RFQ that will advertise, market, and promote the redevelopment opportunity within the Power District to a local, regional, and national audience. Because of the uniqueness of the Power District as well as the significant amount of existing due diligence work with the site, a RFQ will serve as a mechanism to announce our desire to formalize private public partnerships and begin strategic development driven implementation of the master plan. The 60-day solicitation advertisement will be followed by a shortlist ranking of qualified respondents that will be submitted to the CRA and/or City Commission for review/approval. Based on the feedback such as phasing and sequencing of development received during the RFQ process, shortlisted respondents will then participate in subsequent RFP’s (Request for Proposals) for specific redevelopment projects that will result in potential development agreements.
College Park University Heights Redevelopment Advisory Board
NW 5th Avenue (1300-2000 blk), Project Manager: Suzanne Wynn -The CRA has received preliminary electrical undergrounding designs and required easement locations from GRU. The easements required are extensive and involve numerous properties along the entire project corridor from NW 13th Street to NW 20th Street. The CRA’s next steps for this project will be meeting with individual property owners over the next several months to determine the feasibility of the acquisition of all of the easements required. We will be moving toward a community meeting after all potential easement stakeholders have been contacted.
NW 1st Avenue (1600-1900 blocks): Project Manager, Sarit Sela - CRA staff with its project design team, led by CHW Engineers, and CPPI project construction management team, have been working closely with internal and external stakeholders to finalize the 90% construction documents sets for the two-folded design effort for the NW 1st Ave revitalization: Project 1: Underground Infrastructure and Roadway Improvements, and NW 1st Ave Project 2: Utility Conversions and Streetscape Improvements. The 90% sets are due this month, and a 90% cost estimate is anticipated in May. Construction is anticipated to begin in late November and be completed by September 2017.
The team is also developing an incentive and marketing package to local stakeholders, to encourage façade improvements and support businesses during construction.
South Main Street, Project Manager, Andrew Meeker - Over the past several months a series of activities such as Façade Facelift outreach targeted towards businesses and properties along South Main St., coordination with planning and construction activities related to Depot Park and the Cade Museum has been underway. Staff is beginning to strategize on possible next steps related to short and long term safety, aesthetic, functional, and accessibility improvements that could be made to the corridor to support existing as well as future users. A strategy and schedule to advance the project will be included in the upcoming Workplan Update to be presented to the CRA Board in May/June 2016.
Fifth Avenue Pleasant Street Redevelopment Board
A.Q. Jones House Museum, Project Manager, Stephanie Seawright - On Agenda
FAPS Residential Paint, Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner -To date the program has accounted for the completion of 16 homes; there are currently four pending applications three in the Fifth Avenue neighborhood and one in Pleasant Street.
Seminary Lane, Project Manager, Sarit Sela - Project team has been exploring ways to implement mixed-income, mixed-use development on the project site. The project engineers and planners, EDA, have been researching the stormwater, parking and planning requirements for the site. In February, the Gainesville Florida Housing Corporation (GFHC) and Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) boards, the majority owner of the site, approved to sale 2.77 acres of the 6.55 site, located northwest of the NW 5th Avenue and NW 12th Street intersection. Future transaction proceeds will be used to self-finance construction on the rest of the property. The CRA will lead an FRP process, which will be presented to the CRA Board in the coming months.
The first community meeting for the site was held in December 2015, at the A. Quinn Jones Exceptional Student Center <https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj2-tnY7b3JAhVB6SYKHXw4CNsQFggoMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fk12.niche.com%2Fa-quinn-jones-exceptional-student-center-gainesville-fl%2F&usg=AFQjCNEO_wmpdvrkA-Caz-guHwk_TxDceg&sig2=ccLkD9yTVXZ1QM3-jMkjCA>. More than 40 stakeholders attended the event. A second community meeting is anticipated to be held in the coming months
Fiscal Note
None at this time
Recommendation
CRA Executive Director to the CRA Board: Receive project update from Staff