Title
CRA Project Summary AUGUST (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
SW 9th Street at Innovation Square - Project Manager, Nathalie McCrate - Innovation Square roadways again made the news by winning an Award of Honor in the “Open Space” category from the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (Florida ASLA). The project was also recognized with a state-level Environmental Sustainability Honor at the award jury’s discretion-for its ‘exhibition of sound sustainable practices.’
Façade Grant - Project Manager, Lynn Janoski - 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 approved applications include 12 South Main St., (DRAB) and 1510 S. Main St., 424 SW 7th Terr./417 SW 8th St. and 102-112 SW 6th St. (CPUH).
Economic Development - Project Manager, Lynn Janoski -Staff has prepared solicitation materials for selection of a tenant for the café which will be built as part of the Downtown Plaza renovations. Staff is seeking a single tenant for the Depot Building for restaurant, café, retail and event space uses. Staff is reviewing current economic development incentives and will return with further recommendations.
Eastside Redevelopment Advisory Board (ERAB)
1717 SE 8th Avenue - Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner- On this agenda
GTEC Area Master Plan & Phase 1 Development - Project Manager - Sarit Sela -- The largest undertakings of the Eastside Redevelopment District include the redevelopment of the Gainesville Technology Entrepreneurship Center (GTEC) area and the former Kennedy Homes site. The sites are located within a quarter mile of each other, about one mile from downtown Gainesville and two miles from the University of Florida.
In May, the CRA Board approved the 100% master plan for the 13.6 acre GTEC site. 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. CRA staff has been working with JBrown Professional Group and sub-consultants on the creation of construction documents for the permitting and construction of the master plan and a Phase 1 construction on the site.
CRA staff has been working collaboratively to foster full development of the site, combining tenant recruitment, marketing and physical improvements for a cohesive economic development strategy.
ERAB Residential Paint Voucher Program - Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner -Like the FAPS Residential Paint Voucher Program, the Eastside Redevelopment Area Program provides an eligible applicant with a voucher for paint and painting supplies up to $500 to be used for the exterior painting of their home. A home was completed in July and there are 7 applications pending in the Springhill and Cedar Grove neighborhoods.
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 currently manages a program called “A Brush with Kindness” the program helps preserve homeownership by partnering with homeowners struggling to restore and maintain a safe and decent place to live. Habitat’s A Brush with Kindness program provides volunteer groups who come alongside and 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 12 homes in the area.
Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Board (DRAB)
SW 5th Avenue - Project Manager, Cindi Harvey - On this agenda
Downtown Plaza - Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner - The Bo Diddley Plaza was closed for construction on March 1st, with Oelrich Construction acting as the Construction Manager for the project. We anticipate the Plaza construction improvements will be at substantial completion in December. The scope of construction consist of demolishing the bus shelter and public restrooms on the north end, constructing a new Green Room to support increased programming on the plaza, as well as new public restrooms, a new 1,100 sq. ft. café on the northeast end of the Plaza and a new Kiosk on the northwest end. Construction is currently underway with the new structures coming out of the ground.
Steamers Inc. which began leasing the Bethel Station in March has been ramping up operations, expanding their menu and now holds regular open mic and music performances on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Staff is in the process of preparing a Request for Proposal to recruit a tenant to build out and operate the new café space which is currently under construction. The new café will have approximately 972 sq. ft. of interior space and an additional 1,150 sq. ft. of outdoor seating area.
CRA staff is examining how The Bo Diddley Plaza (BDP) has been programed in the past and what programing can happen in the future, with the goal of activating the space more often and to a greater number of users. Currently staff is pursuing potential programing and sponsorship opportunities and community partnerships and will be returning to the board this fall with a proposed programming and management plan.
Downtown Redevelopment Area Residential Paint Program - Project Manager - Stephanie Seawright - The first house has been completed under the DRA Residential Paint Program in the Porters Neighborhood. The home was featured in the Gainesville Sun, the Gainesville Guardian and the overall program was featured on TV20. We currently have five additional applications - with four of the five awaiting powerwashing. We hope to have these home painted by the end of summer.
Depot Park - Project Manager - Cindi Harvey - In December 2014, the Depot Park construction documents and Guaranteed Maximum Price for construction were approved by the CRA and City Commission to enter the construction phase. The Depot Park plans were submitted for City site plan permitting in early December. The project was heard at the Development Review Board in late February. Since that date, the CRA has obtained all permitting and approvals required to commence construction.
Currently, the City’s Public Works Department has been working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to receive approval of the contamination cap on the Depot Park site. In June, the City’s Public Works Department began conducting a series of soil borings. An analysis of that data concluded that there were deficiencies with the current contamination cap. That information was disclosed to the FDEP at that time. Since that date, the City’s Public Works Department has procured JBrown Professional Group to assist in the development of a modification to the current Remedial Action Plan (RAPMOD). In lieu of the RAPMOD, the City’s Public Works Department has also procured Oelrich Construction, Inc. for Construction Management services to administer the scope of work outlined in the RAPMOD. Oelrich Construction Inc. has also been procured to manage the landscape maintenance scheduled to take place in the conservation area, south of the main pond. This final series of site work to complete the contamination cap per FDEP requirements is scheduled to begin on August 17, 2015. CRA staff has been working closely with the City’s Public Works Department to dovetail the Depot Park Phase II construction into the remaining site work currently underway.
A groundbreaking ceremony for Depot Park Phase II will take place on Wednesday, September 2, 2015 from 8-10 a.m. There will be food, drinks, and entertainment to thank everyone who has helped move the project to this point and to celebrate the next exciting phase of construction. If you would like to attend the Depot Park Phase II groundbreaking ceremony, please RSVP to Nathalie McCrate at McCrateNA@cityofgainesville.org or call 352.393.8213.
Power District - Project Manager, Andrew Meeker - Following Staff’s presentation of the Building Needs Assessment at the June Board meeting, several interrelated tasks continue to progress that will be presented to the Board at upcoming meetings. These include the Utility Infrastructure Analysis, Sweetwater Branch Creek Daylighting Feasibility Study, Existing Environmental Conditions Analyses and Remediation Action Plan development, Property Disposal Strategy, and short-term aesthetic site improvements. It is anticipated that in the Fall of 2015 once the above projects have been presented and completed, Staff will provide the Board with a comprehensive investment strategy presentation that will investigate various concepts, methods, projects, and opportunities to leverage existing CRA, General Government, GRU, and state/federal resources to position the Power District for private investment.
South Main Street - Project Manager, Andrew Meeker - In April the CRA launched a Façade Facelift program targeted towards businesses and properties along South Main St. After receiving substantial stakeholder feedback regarding the potential for improved facades along South Main Street, the CRA has responded by developing a unique initiative that offers free technical design assistance for any interested property and business owner located directly along the corridor between Depot Ave. and S. 16th Ave. The program is intended to assist property and business owners envision possible site, signage, and building façade treatments to improve the overall visual character of the area. The initial response from interested participants has been positive and staff along with its contracted architectural consultant has been meeting with applicants to discuss initial design concepts. We anticipate this exercise leading to future façade grant applications.
College Park University Heights Redevelopment Advisory Board
NW 5th Avenue (1300-2000 blk) - Project Manager, Suzanne Wynn -The design of the NW 5th Avenue corridor has reached 30% completion. The 30% plans were distributed to the appropriate departments for review and comment. Staff received comments from the respective departments on April 29th 2014 and has since instructed DRMP, Inc. to move forward with 60% design development. During this phase of design, DRMP, Inc. will be working closely with GRU to coordinate a design and layout for undergrounding the utilities along the corridor. The CRA has entered into an agreement to develop the design of the electric utility undergrounding design. The GRU design is estimated to take approximately 2 months and will be provided to DRMP so the civil design work can proceed.
NW 1st Avenue Streetscape (1600-1900 blocks): Phase 2 - Project Manager - Sarit Sela - On this agenda
Fifth Avenue Pleasant Street Redevelopment Board
A.Q. Jones House Museum - Project Manager - Stephanie Seawright - Construction documents have been completed for the building. Staff is currently negotiating a Guaranteed Maximum Price proposal for the interior build-out and site work for the museum. A full update on the project will be presented at the September CRA meeting.
Neighborhood Spruce Up Program - Project Manager, Malcolm Kiner - The FAPS Residential Paint Voucher Program is on-going and accepting applications. Currently there is one application pending.
NW 3rd Ave. Sidewalks - Project Manager, Andrew Meeker - Construction is underway and is expected to be completed in September 2015.
Seminary Lane - Project Manager, Sarit Sela - the 5.9-acre property, formerly known as Seminary Lane, was a low-income housing complex located on NW 5th Avenue, midway between Downtown and the University of Florida, in the heart of the Fifth Avenue community. In 2009, the development was deconstructed due to severe building deterioration. The property is owned by the Gainesville Florida Housing Corporation (GFHC) and was the housing development was managed by the Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA).
The CRA expressed interest in redevelopment of the property and discussed partnering on the project with GFHC and GHA since 2010. Since 2013, CRA obtained a real estate option on three City owned parcels, contiguous to the former Seminary lane property (City Parking Lot, Tot Lot, & Moms Kitchen Property). In 2014, CRA staff developed two alternative conceptual master plans for the sites. The layouts incorporate many of the shared goals the CRA, GFHC, and GHA have for the property, and include a variety of housing types and mixed use spaces. Both the GFHC and the GHA boards unanimously voted in support of the vision of the plans, as well as the FAPS and CRA boards. In January, CRA staff and GFHC wrapped up negotiations on a proposed option agreement on the former Seminary Lane property. The Option Agreement provides GFHC with $25,000 in consideration for the property; it states that the CRA and GFHC will work together on the pre-development/due diligence and vision for the property. The option agreement also provides the CRA with the Right of First Refusal, the ability to assign the option, as well as three optional one year renewals.
CRA and GHA staff began planning the next steps of the project, with the goal of creating a widely accepted, fully developed master plan for the site. Process will include multiple stakeholder meetings and presentations to the various boards.
Fiscal Note
None at this time
Recommendation
CRA Executive Director to the CRA Board: Receive project update from Staff