Title
CRA Project Summary (B)
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
CRA Office Options - The CRA's offices are located at 300 E University Ave, Suite 240 in the Commerce Building. The Commerce Building was constructed between 1999 and 2001. The CRA borrowed $839,000 from the City of Gainesville to provide as an incentive to AMJ, Inc., the developer of Commerce. The CRA also contributed funding to pay for streetscape along Regents Park, the residential development directly behind the Commerce Building.
The current lease at the Commerce Building has been extended for one year and will expire on February 28, 2010. Before the one-year extension was approved, the CRA Executive Director asked that staff consider alternative locations. Also, during the FY09/10 budget discussions, the City Commission asked that the CRA consider alternative locations.
There were four options that were considered:
1. Remain in Commerce Building
2. Relocate to Thomas Center
3. Relocate Depot Building (post renovation)
4. Relocate to a new Office Building on one of two CRA-owned NW 5th Ave lots
4a. 414 NW 5th Ave
4b. 802 NW 5th Ave
Staff prepared an analysis to list the pros, cons, and financial implications of each option. The analysis was then presented to each Redevelopment Area Advisory Boards. Each Advisory Board member was asked to rank the options in order of their preference. The scores were then tabulated. Relocating the offices to one of the two NW 5th Ave lots (options 4a and 4b) ranked 1 and 2 with every Advisory Board, with the exception of CPUH, which only ranked of one of the lots (option 4a) in one of the top 2 rankings.
CRA Sustainability Policy - This project is ...
Click here for full text