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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-IURAED-2022-10-11Approved/Adopted: 11/8/22 8 108 E. Green St. Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 274-6565 MEETING MINUTES ITHACA URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY Economic Development Committee (EDC) 3:30 P.M., Tuesday, October 11th, 2022 Common Council Chambers,108 E. Green St., Ithaca, NY 14850 Present: Chris Proulx, Chair; Doug Dylla, Vice-Chair; Charlotte Hamilton; Leslie Ackerman; Donna Fleming Excused: None. Vacancies: 1 Staff: Nels Bohn; Charles Pyott Guests: IN-PERSON Steve Flash, Finger Lakes Development, LLC VIRTUAL Scott Whitham, Whitham Planning Design Landscape Architecture, PLLC Lynn Truame, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS) Jacob von Mechow, Whitham Planning Design Landscape Architecture, PLLC Jeff Rimland, Finger Lakes Development, LLC Sam Quinn-Jacobs, City Planning & Economic Development Division Victoria Neenan, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS) I. Call to Order Chair Proulx called the meeting to order at 3:30 P.M. II. Agenda Additions/Deletions None. III. Public Comments (3-minute max. per person) None. IV. Review of Meeting Minutes: August 23rd, 2022 Dylla moved, seconded by Hamilton, to approve the minutes, with no modifications. Carried Unanimously: 5-0 IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 2 of 9 V. Community Lending A. Close-Out of COVID-19 Small Business Resiliency Fund (SBRF) Program Bohn explained the proposed resolution would serve to formally close out the SBRF program and reallocate the remaining $13,645.56 balance from SBRF back to the Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund (ED-RLF). Dylla moved, seconded by Ackerman (as amended): Reallocation of Small Business Resiliency Fund (SBRF) Balance to Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund (ED-RLF) WHEREAS, on April 2, 2020, the IURA allocated $140,000 of economic development revolving loan funds to capitalize a COVID-19 Microenterprise Resiliency Program to assist local microenterprise businesses stabilize and survive the COVID-19 pandemic, and WHEREAS, the City, IURA, Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA), Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD) (now known as Ithaca Area Economic Development or IAED), and Alternatives Federal Credit Union (AFCU) collaborated on development of the Small Business Resiliency Fund (SBRF), a program to assist local businesses economically injured by the COVID-19 pandemic, administered by AFCU, and WHEREAS, the IURA entered into a funding agreement with AFCU to deliver the IURA component of the SBRF, and WHEREAS, the SBRF provided up to $5,000 in forgivable loans for operating expenses to eligible businesses which agreed to provide personal financial guarantees to secure each loan, and WHEREAS, loans were eligible to be forgiven upon receipt of complete and satisfactory documentation that the loan funds were used for legitimate and eligible business operating expenses, and WHEREAS, the IURA/AFCU funding agreement’s term ran from April 15, 2020 to December 31, 2021, and WHEREAS, AFCU delivered loans totaling $135,800 to 29 local small businesses from the IURA component of the program, and WHEREAS, vouchers totaling $13,645.56 submitted by AFCU to the IURA for reimbursement lacked complete and satisfactory documentation the loan funds were used for legitimate and eligible business operating expenses by assisted businesses, and IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 3 of 9 WHEREAS, AFCU earned $4,070.00 of up to $4,200.00 available in delivery fees, leaving an additional balance of $126.00 unallocated from the authorized project funding, and WHEREAS, the IURA/AFCU funding agreement has expired and AFCU has indicated its efforts to obtain the remaining eligible cost documentation have been exhausted; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the IURA hereby reallocates $13,645.56 from SBRF back to the Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund (ED-RLF). Carried Unanimously: 5-0 B. Shared Commercial Kitchen Feasibility Study — Report Bohn explained the feasibility study included with the agenda materials will be discussed in greater detail at the next Committee meeting. The IURA provided $5,000 towards the study, which was matched with $5,000 from Ithaca Area Economic Development (IAED), as well as a $16,000 pro bono consultant contribution. Proulx asked if the Committee had any initial comments or questions about the study. Hamilton remarked she did not see anything in the study that addressed how the kitchen would be staffed and how staff recruitment/management would be handled. She wondered about the kitchen’s worst-case financial projection, if it takes a long time to recruit tenants. She saw no reference to a ramp-up period for recruiting the kitchen’s tenants. The study seems to assume on day one it would have all its tenants, which does not seem realistic. Overall, however, it seems like a great study. She is pleased the IURA helped fund it and would be excited to learn more about it over the coming months. Ackerman indicated she is interested in what the next steps would be, especially since time seems to be a factor, if the space is leased by a third party. VI. Urban Renewal Project A. Inlet Island 1. Revised Sponsor Submission — Review Proulx announced that Ackerman recused herself from discussion and any action on the Inlet Island Urban Renewal Project, due to her employment with Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS), which is on the project’s development team. (Ackerman departed at 3:44 p.m.) Von Mechow walked through the following presentation slides, noting the site design plan was revised to address the issues the Committee raised previously. Whitham added it is a preliminary conceptual design plan, so it remains subject to change (e.g., grading, building footprints, design elements). IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 4 of 9 IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 5 of 9 Von Mechow touched on the following design elements: • food trucks utility hookup and small plaza • kayak/canoe rack and launch • extensive street lighting for activity after sunset • small elevated private space for INHS building (screened with landscaping) and seat walls/benches • shade trees and landscaping • widening of existing paving along seawall to connect to existing trail (matching the trail width) • existing private dock would be made publicly accessible off the inlet The “Limits of Development” slide shows an area in purple of features the development team felt confident it could commit to, including sidewalk connections and crosswalks, to move pedestrians out of the throughfare. The areas outlined in pink would require coordination with DEC. IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 6 of 9 The area delimited in blue on the “Limits of All Improvements” slide represents improvements that neighboring property owners would need to be responsible for implementing. They are planned improvements the property owners have been receptive to, but which the developers cannot promise to complete. Public areas are demarcated in blue on the “Public/Private Diagram,” with private property outlined in red. Further discussion needs to take place with INHS regarding public access easements. The design team also relocated the property lines as close to the INHS building as possible. Von Mechow noted the developers feel confident they have addressed the key concerns raised by the Committee (e.g., public playground, circulation improvements, waterfront access, promenade upgrade, benches along trails). There is also a memorandum in the agenda packet enumerating the amenities being offered for the Coast Guard Auxiliary (CGA) building. Bohn noted plans for the flexspace and DEC negotiations for acquisition of the 508 Taughannock Boulevard property have moved forward. Originally, DEC wanted to have flood/dredging logistics established at the northern side of the island, but it is now open to having flood/dredging logistics focused on the flexspace. The City also appears to be satisfied with that approach. Fleming asked when the City would know that negotiations with the DEC have been entirely finalized. Bohn replied it may take some time, since many DEC divisions would be involved. Hamilton asked if anything had been done to respond to the public comment about creating a public restroom. Von Mechow replied there would a restroom in the lobby/café of the Stays building, during regular business hours. 2. Disposition & Development Agreement (DDA) Dylla moved, seconded by Fleming: Inlet Island Urban Renewal Project — Authorize Disposition & Development Agreement (DDA) WHEREAS, the IURA and the City of Ithaca collectively own approximately 2.5 acres of underutilized land on Inlet Island (Project Site), and WHEREAS, in April 2021, the IURA issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for conceptual development proposals at the Project Site, and WHEREAS, the IURA sought an urban renewal project that will improve the physical, social, and economic characteristics of the project site and surrounding area, and advance goals and objectives of the 2015 City’s comprehensive plan, and its Waterfront Plan chapter adopted in 2019, and WHEREAS, The Waterfront Plan encourages the following land use objectives:  Mixed-use development  Housing opportunities at all income levels  Public access to the waterfront IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 7 of 9  Better multi-modal connections  Vibrant waterfront, and WHEREAS, on June 24, 2021, the IURA selected Finger Lakes Development, LLC (Sponsor), pursuant to section 507 of General Municipal Law, to sponsor a proposed Inlet Island Urban Renewal project based on their conceptual RFEI submission, subject to the following conditions: • Commitment from the developer to share environmental clean-up costs; • Clarification of Finger Lakes Boating Center’s commitment to make improvements, in terms of visual access and limited boat storage; • Commitment by the developer to address the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s need to maintain its water access and continued operations; and be it further WHEREAS, in consultation with Common Council, a project objective was clarified to read: Ground-Level Activity: The development program shall include public amenities and programming to enhance ground-level activity and attract City residents to Inlet Island in a manner that does not result in a reduction of the proposed affordable housing units in the project, and WHEREAS, on December 21, 2021, the IURA entered into an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with the Sponsor, establishing a framework for negotiations, including a list of development and feasibility “issues to be resolved”, and performance milestone schedules, and WHEREAS, on August 8, 2022, Sponsor submitted a detailed development program and other project information specified in section III of the ENA, and WHEREAS, on August 25, 2022, the IURA found that the 8/8/22 submission did not satisfactorily address all issues necessary to structure a proposed Disposition and Development Agreement and authorized extension of the ENA to allow for a revised resubmission, and WHEREAS, the IURA Chairperson issued a Memorandum of Unresolved Issues, dated August 31, 2022, to the Sponsor, WHEREAS, an updated submission from the Sponsor was received on 10/4/22, and WHEREAS, per the ENA, upon receipt of a complete Sponsor submission the IURA shall submit a proposed Disposition and Development Agreement to the Sponsor within 30 days or seek a time extension via resolution of the IURA, and WHEREAS, should IURA submit a proposed DDA, Sponsor has a 15-day period to execute the agreement or submit a counteroffer, or the ENA terminates, and IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 8 of 9 WHEREAS, on October 11, 2022, the IURA Economic Development Committee reviewed the Sponsor’s updated submission against unresolved issues identified in the August 31st memo including: • ground level activity • public waterfront access • Coast Guard Auxiliary • marina operations • final project site • various clarifications Now, therefore be it RESOLVED, the IURA finds that the updated 10/4/22 Sponsor submission of the proposed detailed development program and other project information does satisfactorily address remaining unresolved issues for the IURA to structure a proposed Disposition and Development Agreement for the Inlet Island Urban Renewal Project subject to the following conditions/clarifications: 1. Sponsor’s accommodation to the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 2-2 (CGA) to continue to offer safety and educational programming shall include (A.) free use of a conference room in the Stays hotel facility for monthly meetings of the CGA at no cost unless special services are requested, and (B.) a standing offer to the CGA to use the conference room at other times at the hotel’s “best preferred rate,” and 2. Sponsor shall make a good faith effort to pursue permitting and installation of a public access floating dock at “Lookout Point.” And be it further, RESOLVED, that the IURA Chairperson, subject to review by IURA legal counsel, is hereby authorized to submit a proposed Disposition and Development Agreement to the Sponsor to implement this resolution. Carried Unanimously: 4-0 B. East Hill Fire Station (EHFS) Report Bohn reported the sale of the 309 College Avenue property is moving forward, including finalization of the terms of the DDA. The project is also been moving through the Site Plan Review (SPR) process and no major issues have emerged. VII. Old/Other Business A. IURA Financials Review: August 2022 Bohn reported all loan repayments are current, except the Tompkins Community Action (TCAction) loan, which is being worked out. All lease payments are now current. IURA EDC Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022 Page 9 of 9 B. Staff Report Bohn reported the City’s Restore NY6 (“Cayuga Street Rehabilitation”) $2M application was completed and submitted. The project consists of the rehabilitation of two adjacent vacant commercial multi-story buildings (115-121 S. Cayuga St. and 123 S. Cayuga St.). The buildings would be redeveloped for mixed- use (i.e., office, housing, retail), including 16 new affordable housing units and a new restaurant. Bohn reported the City also submitted its $10M NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) application for redevelopment of the W. State Street corridor, stretching from The Commons at Aurora Street to the Cayuga Inlet, providing a more robust connection between The Commons/downtown and the Waterfront/West End areas. VIII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 4:42 P.M. — END — Minutes prepared by C. Pyott, edited by N. Bohn.