HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.23.08 EDA Packet - with notes
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AGENDA
ECONONOCDEVELOPMENTAUTHORlTY
June 23, 2008 - 7:00 p.m.
Citv Council Chambers. Citv Hall
Members
1. Call Meeting to Order
(7:00 D.m.)
Chair
David Pritzlaff
2. Pledge of Allegiance
Steve Wilson
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4. Citizens CommentslPresentations )&J /ci9
a. EGC Strategic Plan YI~
5. Consent Agenda (see attached) t:l'
a May 27, 2008 EDA Meeting Minutes
b. May Budget Details
......,
Vice Chair
Christy Jo Fogarty
3. Approve Agenda
David McKnight
Kevan Soderberg
Peter Herlofsky
City Administrator
6. Public Hearings (None)
7. Continued Business
a. Downtown Update (Tina)
b. Exchange Bank: Building, update to be provided at the meeting (Lisa)
c. Industrial Development Strategy (Lisa)
.itv Staff Representatives
Tina Hansmeier
Economic Development
Specialist
8. New Business
a. 308 Elm. Street (Tina)
b. ED Chapter Activity Update (Lisa)
c. Meeting Schedule (Tina)
9. City Staff Reports
a. Economic Update, see attached
b. Downtown Idea Exchange, see attached
. J&- (t Y I1lq?t,1 Arc ~-cI:vr
10. AdJo~rn U
Lisa Dargis
Administrative Assistant
325 Oak Street
Farmington, MN 55024
Phone: 651.463.7111
http://www.cLfannington.mn.us
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The Farmington EDA 's mission is to improve the economic vitality of the city of Farmington and to enhance the overall quality of life
by creating partnerships, fostering employment opportunities, promoting workforce housing and by expanding the tax base through
development and redevelopment.
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DrIving the New Agenda fot BusIness
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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FARMINGTON AREA
ECONOMIC GROWTH COMMITTEE
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2008 - 2010
ECONOMIC GROWTH
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The Farmington Economic Growth Committee is a public/private economic development
organization promoting business interests in the City of Farmington and surrounding townships.
The Committee's mission and goal is to enhance the economic vitality of Farmington and
maintain its outstanding quality of life through the retention and expansion of existing
businesses, and to attract new businesses to the community and surrounding townships. The
Committee's board of directors includes representation from leaders in the business community
as well as the City of Farmington, School District 192, Dakota County Regional Chamber of
Commerce, and surrounding Townships.
The Farmington Economic Growth Committee serves to promote, enhance and further strengthen
the Farmington economy through the development of strategic planning efforts, act as an
advisory body to the Farmington City Council and Economic Development Authority, as well as
the surrounding townships boards of Castle Rock, Eureka and Empire.
The Committee's goal is improve the economic vitality and wealth of Farmington through the
retention and expansion of existing businesses and attraction of new businesses to the
community and surrounding townships.
The 2008 - 2010 Strategic Plan for Economic Development begins a thoughtful and organized .
planning for the economic future of Farmington and the surrounding townships. The Strategic
Plan focuses the efforts of the business community and governmental bodies to achieve their
efforts and accomplish tangible results. The Strategic Plan will be presented to each
governmental body to unify the efforts, receive input to the level of commitment for economic
growth along with the development of a single effective platform about economic development.
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. PURPOSE of STRATEGIC PLANNING
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The Farmington Economic Growth Committee has participated in a process of discussion and
identifying key strategic elements that affect the future economic vitality of the City of
Farmington and surrounding townships. The Strategic Plan for Economic Development shall be
a written three year plan that guides work of the EGC, elected officials, and Economic
Development staff ofthe City of Farmington and surrounding townships in achieving the
economic growth objectives desired. In order to develop a living plan, it is imperative to have
open communication between the business community and the elected officials of the city and
townships, city and township staff.
The Farmington Economic Growth Committee identifies the following goals in the process of
the developing the Strategic Plan for Economic Development:
1. That the strategic plan be consistent with those established by the City Council and
township boards and,
2. Take a proactive and aggressive approach to economic development and redevelopment
that focuses efforts, including promoting the
. Creation of high quality employment that provides opportunity and prosperity for
area residents, coupled with promotion and retention of businesses and
entrepreneurship
. Identifying development of land for business, office and industrial parks through
partnerships with land owners and developers
. Development and redevelopment of historic downtown Farmington along with the
enhancing the ambiance and marketing the retail sector downtown.
The Strategic Plan for Economic Development will develop based on strategic areas that the
Farmington Economic Growth Committee has identified. This plan is to be based upon EGC's
synthesis of the output from recent assessment and target industry studies completed by other
consulting firms within the context of its own research and experience in business location and
economic development consulting. The strategic plan shall recommend a clear course of action
for Farmington and the surrounding townships to follow in economic development for the next
three years. The strategic plan also shall include a business perspective and assessment of the
area's assets and challenges (SWOT analysis) as they effect economic development.
2008 - 2010 Strategic Plan Goals and Outcomes
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The EGC, city, townships and other organizations should emphasize economic development in
aU business sectors. This effort should be accomplished through business attraction, business
expansion and entrepreneurial development programs. These programs should be done in
conjunction with a strong image-building and marketing campaign. General image enhancement
will be important in marketing the area to the rest ofthe county, the region, then the world. The
image should not be touted too strongly based on lower land costs or lower labor costs, but rather
as an environment for sophisticated, profitable office, manufacturing, technology and
distribution operations. In balance, an image that shows an area with significant advantages for
developing its own "homegrown" businesses. The message must be stated and supported that
Farmington area and surrounding townships are an excellent location for business that offers a
more "profitable operating environment" than the other metro areas offering Farmington's
affordable land costs, excellent quality of life, low cost of living and quality labor force.
Farmington and the surrounding townships need to focus on several fundamental issues of
economic transition as well as important preparative steps before it can realize its potential as a
dynamic, regional economic center. The area should encourage economic development that
builds on existing strengths and under-utilized assets.
Three strategic areas and supporting goals were identified for the 2008 - 2010 Strategic Plan for .
Economic Development.
Industrial Development
Goals
1) Advocate for additional land to become available in an orderly progression
west of Pilot Knob and north ofHwy 50.
2) Participate in the development of incentive funds, GAP financing and other
economic tools for development with staff and elected officials.
3) Promote and participate in development of area design standards for
development and redevelopment of city and townships borderlines.
4) Participate with city staff and township boards and their staff to develop a
streamlined approach for development.
5) Land development along rail/south of County Rd. 70 to Ash Street.
6) Advocate for commercial business south of Ash St. adjacent to Progressive
Rail line.
Transportation
Goals
1) Facilitate agreements to open Spruce Street at Hwy 3 to further expansion and .
future development of Spruce Corridor.
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2) 20gth Street
a. Complete the portion of the road west of Pilot Knob into identified land
for future commercial and industrial development
b. Engage conversation and determine feasible timeframe for completion
east of Middle Schools to Hwy 3.
3) 15t Street North to Diamond Path
a. Engage in study to determine feasibility of connecting 15t Street North to
future Diamond Path Road.
4) Advocate for extension of County Road 70 from Cedar Avenue East to Hwy
52, south of the fairgrounds.
5) Development of Rail as an asset to future development of heavier industrial
based businesses along County Road 70.
6) Participate in the development of Transit to Farmington, with consideration to
making the right investment, involving stakeholders in the decision making
process.
Downtown
Goals
1) Promote economic viability while retaining its unique and historical
characteristics.
2) Participate in determination of future use of the city hall located at 4th and
Oak.
3) Facilitate process to focus on the future of downtown, the desired
redevelopment including design standards, and the image that should be
marketed.
4) Advocate for redevelopment on McVicker and Riste lots, facilitating process
to identify opportunities and market.
5) Work with building owners to develop campaign to fill storefronts.
6) Address incubator type of system for downtown to facilitate "homegrown"
retail and office businesses
2008 - 2010 Work Plan
The 2008 - 2010 Work Plan will be developed and prepared based on a year to year process. The Farmington
Economic Growth Committee shall facilitate a process in which the work plan will be developed. The participants in
the process shall include the Farmington Economic Growth Committee, elected officials, city staff, township board
members and township staff and other organizations as identified through the process. The Work Plan will be
submitted to the City Council, EDA, City Staff and township boards. Upon acceptance, the Work Plan shall be
reviewed by government bodies and reported returned identifying the viable areas of work that each entity can
support for the overall economic vitality of Farmington and surrounding townships.
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MINUTES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Regular Meeting
May 27, 2008
1.
Call Meeting to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Pritzlaff at 7:00 p.m.
Members Present: Pritzlaff, Fogarty, McKnight, Wilson
Members Absent: Soderberg
Also Present: Tina Hansmeier-Economic Development Specialist, Lisa Dargis-
Administrative Assistant, Peter Herlofsky-City Administrator,
Michelle Leonard, Nick and Stacey Schultz, Laurie Brausen, Craig
Rapp, Jackie Dooley
2.
Pledge of Allegiance
3.
Approve Agenda
MOTION by McKnight, second by Wilson to approve the agenda. APIF, MOTION
CARRIED (Member Fogarty was not present for this vote).
4.
Citizen's Comments/Presentations
5.
Consent Agenda
a. April 28, 2008 EDA Meeting Minutes
b. Bills
c. April Budget Details
MOTION by McKnight, second by Wilson to approve the consent agenda. APIF,
MOTION CARRIED.
6. Public Hearings
None
7.
Unf'mished Business
a. Downtown Public Space
Improvements have been made to the vacant property in downtown Farmington
commonly referred to as the McVicker Lot. Picnic tables were added and garden
areas were created to make the space more usable and enjoyable for visitors to the
downtown area. Materials were both donated and loaned from The Farmington
Greenhouse and The Landscape Depot. Staff extended their thanks to these
businesses as well as to local resident Jackie Dooley who designed the garden areas
and volunteered her time to implement the planting.
i. Certificate of Appreciation - Jackie Dooley
Certificate presented by chairperson Pritzlaff.
ii. Sale Price of Property
EDA Minutes
May 27, 2008
Page 2
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The property was acquired through tax forfeiture so the lot must be sold at fair
market value. There are assessments on the property which will either need to be
paid by a potential purchaser or that could be waived and paid by the EDA as a
business subsidy. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Wilson to approve the sale
of the lot at fair market value and waive the assessments as recommended by
staff APIF, MOTION CARRIED.
b. Riste Lot
The Riste building was demolished last fall and the lot is currently a sand base. Staff
is looking into options to establish grass on the site. Not all of the quotes have been
received for seeding and additional quotes are being sought for sod. Staff would like
to continue researching this item. Chairperson Pritzlaff asked if there was a potential
to tie this item into the reseeding for the Elm Street project for areas where the grass
did not establish. Staff will look into this possibility although Dakota County is
ultimately responsible for the Elm Street project so they will most likely be
coordinating the boulevard reseeding there. Member Wilson stated that he is not in
favor of spending a large amount of money to improve the vacant lots. He also asked
if in the future we should consider whether or not to perform a demolition on this type
of property or to just market the property as is. Member Fogarty stated that she
would like to see the grass established before Rambling River Days. Staff will
attempt to have the grass established before that time and City Administrator .
Herlofsky will determine if the price is appropriate.
c. Exchange Bank Building
Staff provided an update on the progress of the renovation work at the Exchange
Bank Building. The Building Official stated that the remaining work appears to be
approximately 50% completed. Staff verified that the EDA's intent was to direct staff
to file the warranty deed if the deadline is not met and a fmal inspection is not passed
by Monday morning at the latest. The EDA gave their consensus that this was their
desired response.
d. Design Standards
The examples of design standards that were provided by staff in March are being
forwarded to the Planning Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission for
their review. It is the intent to have these two groups lead in the development of
design standards for the proposed Downtown Commercial District. Member
McKnight stated that he would like to have the Downtown Business Association
provide input as well. Staffwill be looking at options to obtain feedback from the
Downtown Business Association and also the Economic Growth Committee.
e. MetroMSP Website
Staff provided a brief demonstration of the new website.
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8.
New Business
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EDA Minutes
May 27,2008
Page 3
a. Craig Rapp Analysis
In follow up to the lCMA Peer Team strategic planning meeting that was held in
January of2007, Craig Rapp returned to provide an assessment ofthe progress that
has been made thus far. He stated that the six areas that were identified are being
addressed or are completed. The Business Outreach Program and the Economic
Update Newsletter were identified as examples ofthe type of activities that have
proven very successful. The identification of the top three priorities and the creation
of the Comprehensive Plan Chapter were discussed pertaining to Task 1. The
completion of the Market Study addressed Task 2. Task 3 was completed with the
Comprehensive Plan update. Staffmg capacity was discussed in relation to Task 4
and Mr. Rapp stated that he felt that this area was on track due to additional and
continued training of existing staff. Successful unification of all groups behind the
Economic Development Strategy was exemplified in the cooperation between the
EDA and the EGC and in the transition to the City Council serving as the Economic
Development Authority. Mr. Rapp pointed out that Task 6 has been addressed but
will need continued focus. He pointed out the importance of ongoing attention to
fmancial incentives and resources.
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b. Industrial Development Strategy
This item is a continuation of the discussion that began last month. An initial meeting
with staff and the identified consultants was held to discuss desired outcomes for
industrial park expansion. The consultants then held a meeting to discuss creation of
the work plan and cost estimates. Staff distributed a breakdown of cost estimates for
the initial phase of negotiations and meetings with land owners. There will be
additional information compiled pertaining to costs and time estimates for the second
phase of land assembly and preparation once negotiations have begun.
c. Downtown Advertising Sign
Staff would like to look into possible replacement of the EDA owned downtown
advertising sign. There is the possibility of potential cost sharing with other City
departments if they are able to advertise events on the sign. The current sign is
outdated and underutilized and there is limited interest from the business community
in renting advertising space. The current sign is located on a City owned parcel and
therefore offers some options that may not be possible in a right of way area. The
EDA mentioned that they would be interested in also replacing the sign located on
Spruce and Denmark that is currently used by the Park and Recreation Department.
Staff will create an RFP to solicit cost estimates for replacement of the sign.
Member Fogarty pointed out that it would be preferable to make sure that any new
sign be consistent in design with the other city monument signs. The EDA gave
consensus that they would be in favor of getting estimates via RFP.
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Mr. Nick Schultz stated that the current sign is not noticeable due to its design and the
sight line with the railroad crossing. He stated that he feels that business owners
EDA Minutes
May 27,2008
Page 4
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would be more interested in using the sign if it were replaced with an LED message
center.
d. Draft Business Guide
Staff has created a draft business guide that could be used to give to visitors to
Farmington. The guide identifies Farmington businesses by category and provides
location and phone number information. The guide could eventually be developed
into a complete visitor's guide with advertising space availability. Staff feels that it is
important to have a publication that includes all businesses without additional fees or
a membership requirement.
9. City Staff Reports
a. Economic Update
Information received.
b. Downtown Idea Exchange
Information received.
c. Inquiries List
Staff distributed information on recent contacts that have been received regarding
economic development.
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10. Adjourn
MOTION by Fogarty, second by McKnight to adjourn. APIF, MOTION CARRIED.
Respectful _ submitted,
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City of Farmington
325 Oak Street
Farmington, Minnesota
651.463.7111 . Fax 651.463.2591
www.ci.farmington.mn.us
TO:
EDA Members
FROM:
Tina Hansmeier, Economic Development Specialist
SUBJECT: Downtown Update
DATE:
June 23, 2008
INTRODUCTION /DISCUSSION
The Public Space, formerly referred to as the McVicker lot, has been improved and sod
has been installed on the Riste lot. All work was completed prior to the start of
Rambling River Days.
Downtown Public Space
Riste Lot
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City of Farmington
325 Oak Street
Farmington, Minnesota
651.463.7111 . Fax 651.463.2591
www.ci.farmington.mn.us
TO:
EDA Members
FROM:
Lisa Dargis, Administrative Assistant
SUBJECC: Industrial Development Strategy
DATE:
June 23, 2008
INTRODUCCION
Staff is providing additional cost estimate information for industrial park development
strategies.
DISCUSSION
Attached are additional cost estimates for Phases 1 & 2 of the industrial park expansion
work plan. Staff requested additional figures in order to more accurately estimate
possible budget impacts for 2009. It is understood that these estimates are broad and
could be impacted significantly by the level of success achieved in the City's initial
negotiations with land owners.
ACTION REQUESTED
This item is for information only.
Lisa Dargis, Adm' . rative Assistant
.
May 27, 2008
Mr. Peter J. Herlofsky
City Administrator
325 Oak Street
Farmington, MN 55024
Re: Industrial Park Expansion
City of Farmington
Bonestroo File No.: 141-08304-0
Peter,
The consultant team of Bruce Maus, Joel Jamnik and Lee Mann met on Friday, May 23 to
coordinate an approach for moving forward with the City's desired Industrial Park expansion.
.
In general, the following steps are recommended:
1. Meet with property owners and identify those willing to enter into an agreement for
development of the Industrial Park.
2. When willing owners and available parcels are identified, develop concept layouts for
roadways, infrastructure and parcels. Perform preliminary cost estimates for the
associated infrastructure. Perform land appraisals as necessary.
3. Finalize agreements with property owners.
4. Market the project.
5. When viable projects and willing investors are identified, the development contract and
platting process commences.
As part of the first step, it is recommended that property owners be contacted and initial
discussions and negotiations commence. The time frame to accomplish this initial phase of Step 1
will likely take a minimum of 90 - 120 days. Lee Mann would take the lead on contacting and
.
2335 Highway 36 W
St. Paul, MN 55113
Tel 651-636-4600
Fax 651-636-1311
www.bonestroo.com
Bonestroo
st. Paul
St. Cloud
Rochester
Milwaukee
Chicago
City of Farmington
Industrial Park Expansion
Page 2
May n 2008
meeting with the property owners. This task would be completed on an hourly basis at the rate
previously identified.
Once Step 1 is completed, a more detailed proposal for Step 2 can be formulated and the costs
associated with accomplishing Step 2 will be forwarded for the City's consideration.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. The first step of
contacting the property owners can be started immediately following the City's authorization to
proceed. Bruce, Joel and I look forward to assisting Farmington in this endeavor.
Sincerely,
BONESTROO
~ frt/Y1~
Lee M. Mann, P.E.
Principal
copy: Bruce Maus, Maus Group
Joel Jamnik, City Attorney
file
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Farmington Industrial Park Work Plan
Phase 1 - Estimated Costs
Jun-08
Project start up coordination and
Pre-Contact Consultation Hours Rate Cost
Joel Jamnik 1.5 $ 150.00 $ 225.00
Bruce Maus 1.5 $ 260.00 $ 390.00
Lee Mann 2.0 $ 129.00 $ 258.00
1 st meeting with Devney's
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
$ 1,324.50
Jut-DB
Pre-Contact Consultat;on Hours Rate Cost
Joel Jamnik 1.0 $ 150.00 $ 150.00
Bruce Maus 1.0 $ 260.00 $ 260.00
. Lee Mann 1.0 $ 129.00 $ 129.00
2nd meeting with Devney's
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00
Meet with Murphy
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00
Meet with Huber
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00
Meet with Wurdeman
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00
$ 5,465.00
.
Farmington Industrial Park Work Plan .
Phase 1 - Estimated Cost;;
Aug-08
Pre-Contact Consultation Hours Rate Cost
Joel Jamnik 1.0 $ 150.00 $ 150.00
Bruce Maus 1.0 $ 260.00 $ 260.00
Lee Mann 1.0 $ 129.00 $ 129.00
3rd meeting with Devney's
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00
2nd meeting with Murphy
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00
2nd meeting with Huber
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00 .
2nd meeting with Wurdeman
Lee Mann 3.5 $ 129.00 $ 451.50
Bruce Maus 3.0 $ 260.00 $ 780.00
$ 5,465.00
Estimated Total for Phase 1 $ 12,254.50
.
Lisa Dargis
.om: Peter Herlofsky
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 20084:32 PM
To: Tina Hansmeier; Lisa Dargis
Subject: FW: Farmington Industrial Park
Budget Information.
Peter J. Herlofsky, Jr.
City Administrator
City of Farmington, Minnesota
325 Oak Street
Farmington, MN 55024
Phone: 6514631801
E-mail: pherlofsky@cLfarmington.mn.us
From: Bruce Maus [mailto:bmaus@mausgroup.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 4:01 PM
To: Lee Mann
Cc: Joel Jamnik; Peter Herlofsky
Subject: RE: Farmington Industrial Park
Lee:
Assuming we have gone through 2 meetings with the 3 land owners in phase one to determine if they are
.rested in selling, we may proceed as follows:
E) 4 meetings @ 2 hrs ea. as we go back and forth discussing possible deal structure = 8 hrs
o time in preparation and follow up with each property owner = 16 hrs
o meeting with staff including Lee and Joel regarding the same issues and design = 8 hrs
o reports and public meetings before councils and commissions = 8 hrs
One property owner - 40 hrs @ $260 = $10,400
Arbitrarily, I would cut the time to 25 hrs for each additional property owner because much of the time
with others could be combined. Therefore for land owner #2 - 25 hrs @ $260 = $6,500
Third property owner = $6,500
Total = $23,400
This could vary significantly.. If we have folks willing to enter into options @ what we consider reasonable
prices, and the City can plan and install initial improvements it will help a lot. If there are protracted
negotiations with complicated schemes to make it all work it will take more time. I grew up on a farm and
I have bought land from farmers before. It's a whole different ball game than buying a lot in the city. You
can't push them. They may need to consider many different ways of putting a deal together. In the past
I have had experiences that drag out a long time. We will have to evaluate as we proceed. It doesn't
take into consideration doing anything like a 1031 Exchange meaning replacement property has to be
.d.
One concern I have is if this all appears we are duplicating time here. The City asked me to participate
because I have made recommendations regarding design, layout, cost and deal structuring. At the same
time you know the area well and Joel also apparently knows the property owners and the City of course.
I don't want it to appear there are too many cooks in the kitchen. I want to be conscience of the clients
6/19/2008
money and find the best way to achieve their goal. Therefore, I am not sure if my role will change.
I will copy Peter and everybody can weigh in on the issue.
.
Bruce Maus
Maus Group, LLC
1345 Corporate Center Curve
Suite 100
Eagan, MN 55337
W 651-379-5118
C 651-214-9833
bmaus@mausgroup.net
www.mausgroup.net
From: Mann, Lee M [mailto:Lee.Mann@bonestroo.com]
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 8:58 AM
To: Bruce Maus; Joel Jamnik
Subject: Farmington Industrial Park
Good morning gentlemen,
Last week I talked to Peter and he expressed a desire to obtain an estimate for our time to accomplish what I think
we would call Phase 2 of the plan, which would be getting the property in question under agreements so that the c.
can move forward. Peter acknowledged that the estimate would necessarily be very broad and would neea refinin
as we go, but he would like an idea for 2009 budgeting purposes. Let me know your thoughts on how we might best
put together this estimate. Thanks.
Lee M. Mann, PE
Principal
Tel 651-604-4850
Cell 651-775-5956
lee.mann@bonestroo.com
.. Bonestroo
2335 Highway 36 W
st. Paul, MN 55113
Tel 651-636-4600
Fax 651-636-1311
www.bonestroo.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained In this e-mail communication and any attached documentation may be privileged.
confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure and is Intended only for the use of the designated reclpient(s). It is not Intended for
transmission to, or receipt by, any unauthorized person. The use, distribution, transmittal or re-transmittal by an unintended recipient of this
communication is strictly prohibited without our express approval In writing or bye-mall. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please
delete it from your system without copying It and notify the above sender so that our e-mail address may be corrected. Receipt by anyone other
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.
6/19/2008
.
City of Farmington
325 Oak Street
Farmington, Minnesota
651.463.7111 . Fax 651.463.2591
www.ci.farmington.mn.us
TO:
EDA Members
FROM:
Tina Hansmeier, Economic Development Specialist
SUBJECT: 308 Elm Street - Old Park & Rec Garage
DATE:
June 23, 2008
INTRODUCfION
The property located at 308 Elm Street is owned by the Farmington Economic
Development Authority. Dakota County records indicate that the building located on
this property was built in 1946.
DISCUSSION
. The building, which has been used for office and storage for many years, currently stores
Engineering and Building Inspection vehicles. A couple years ago a portion of the
roof/ceiling fell on to one of the City's vehicles. At that time staff decided to temporarily
patch the affected area. As it is recognized the building is in a state of disrepair and will
no longer be utilized once staff moves to the new City Hall facility, staff is looking for
consensus to obtain estimates to demolish this blighted building.
It is anticipated that the cost to tear down this building is roughly $40,000 for
demolition, $7,000 to sod plus the cost to abate hazardous materials.
ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize staff to obtain cost estimates to demolish the building located at 308 Elm
Street.
Respectfully submitted,
~f; l0lc-lVLn 11<": i~f
Tina Hansmeier,
Economic Development Specialist
.
cc: Peter Herlofsky
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City of Farmington
325 Oak Street
Farmington, Minnesota
651.463.7111 . Fax 651.463.2591
www.ci.famlington.mn.us
TO:
EDA Members
FROM:
Lisa Dargis, Administrative Assistant
SUBJECT: Comprehensive Plan Chapter Activity Update
DATE:
June 23, 2008
INTRODUCTION
Staff is providing an update on activities related to the EDA's priorities as identified in
the 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
DISCUSSION
Staff has been actively working to support several of the strategies that were developed
as a result of the identification of priority items in the EDA's Comprehensive Plan
Chapter. This report includes a brief description of the initiated/ongoing activities and
indicates to which strategies they relate. Please see the attached report.
ACTION REQUESTED
This item is for information only.
Res~~bmi~~
'/ ..-::, X
~t.:Z~:~istant
irgi L'\
Economic Development Work Plan Activities
Business Outreach Program
Marketing Materials
Downtown Delineation
Industrial Park Expansion
Downtown Sign
.
Staff is continuing to conduct Business Outreach visits
and is documenting pertinent information obtained from
each visit. This activity supports the business retention
and expansion strategies that were identified for all three
areas of focus.
Staff is currently updating the marketing folder that was
created in October 2007 to include information received
as part of the market study and additional Farmington
information. Staff is looking into professional printing
of the materials and has created a brochure to be given
to business owners as part of the Business Outreach
visits. Staff is developing a preferred layout for the
website information pertaining to the EDA and
Economic Development Division of the City and has
created a draft business guide that will be developed
further and could potentially be expanded to an area
visitor's guide. This activity supports the marketing
strategies identified under Policy 2 (Industrial
Development) and will be expanded to support
promotion of infill development under Policy 1
(Downtown Development and Redevelopment.
.
A workshop was held on February nth to begin the
process of delineating the downtown commercial
district. A public input session was also held in April.
The HPC and Planning Commission are in the process of
developing design standards for the area. This activity
supports Policy 1 (Downtown Development and
Redevelopment) .
Consultant assistance has been investigated and the
appropriate parties engaged. Preliminary cost estimates
and a work plan have been created. Negotiation with
land owners will be commencing soon. This activity
supports Policy 2 (Industrial Development).
Staff is has created a draft RFP for replacement of the
Downtown Business sign located at 2nd and Elm Streets
and the City Attorney is reviewing the document. The
cost of converting a portion of the sign to an electronic
LED message center and potential addition of emblems
for the community's service organizations are being
.
.
.
.
Incentive Programs
Incubator Space
Vacant Property
Promotion of Avail. Property
explored. This activity supports Policy 1 (Downtuwn
Development and Redevelopment).
Staff is researching possible programs that might offer
incentives for existing businesses to expand or for new
businesses to locate within the city. The Business
Reinvestment Loan Program and Business Development
Grant have been implemented. This activity supports all
three areas of focus.
Staff is gathering information with regard to creation of
an incubator space in either the downtown or the
industrial park. Staff will be meeting with
representatives from Dakota County Technical College's
Entrepreneurship Institute to discuss a possible
partnership in this area. The Business Development
Grant program also offers rental assistance to
microenterprise businesses that might occupy vacant
space within the City. This activity supports Policy 1
(Downtown Development and Redevelopment) and
Policy 2 (Industrial Development).
The Riste and McVicker lots have been listed as available
for sale. Both properties have also been improved so
that they may be used as community green space in the
interim. This activity supports Policy 1 (Downtown
Development and Redevelopment)
As staff receives inquiries regarding commercial
development opportunities, available land and building
space is promoted accordingly. Staff currently maintains
a listing of all available land and building space of which
we are aware and it is distributed to interested parties.
This item supports Policy 3 (Commercial Development
Outside of Downtown)
.
City of Farmington
325 Oak Street
Farmington, Minnesota
651.463.7111 . Fax 651.463.2591
www.ci.farmington.mn.us
TO:
EDA Members
FROM:
Tina Hansmeier, Economic Development Specialist
SUBJEcr: 2008 EDA Meeting Schedule
DATE:
June 23, 2008
INTRODUcrION
Staff has discussed the idea of starting to meet every other month. This is due to the
time it will take to make progress and/or complete each of the items currently being
worked on by staff.
DISCUSSION
. The idea of meeting every other month surfaced during staffs' discussions regarding the
anticipated amount of time it will take to complete each task. Some of the activities that
the Economic Development staff are working on which would not require monthly EDA
Board action are:
. Industrial Park Expansion Discussions
<) Downtown Commercial District Design Standards
. Business Guide Completion
. Marketing Material Updates
. Incentive Program(s) Research
Therefore, it is being suggested that the EDA meet every other month, beginning in July.
Please see the attached Meeting Schedule for the remainder of 2008. On the months
that are determined, the EDA Board will not meet; however, a detailed report will be
mailed to each of the Board members indicating the progress and/or status of economic
development related activities. If it is necessary, a meeting will be called and business
will be conducted as usual.
.
ACTION REQUESTED
.
Approve the 2008 EDA Meeting Schedule.
Respectfully submitted,
,..~y( f'U0<C{A/l~rY/c{e tJ
Tina Hansmeier,
Economic Development Specialist
cc: Peter Herlofsky
.
.
.
200
Meeting
chedule
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Lisa Dargis
.From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
laurie@myeyesmyheart.com
Tuesday, June 03, 2008 5: 11 PM
Tina Hansmeier; Lisa Dargis
Just a quick thanks
Hello Tina and Lisa,
I just wanted to drop you a quick thank you for the hard work you have put into the
Farmington Business Guide. You handed out a draft of it at the meeting the other night and
I looked through it and wanted to let you know that you have done a very nice job with it.
I also wanted to pass along my store phone number since I noticed that you did not have it
in the guide. The # is 651-463-9499.
Thanks,
Laurie Brausen
My Eyes... My Heart...
.
.
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Workshops, Training &
Networking
. Lisa Dargis attended the Ram-
ble and Amble Kick-off Meeting
. Tina provided a tour of Farming-
ton to representatives from New
Richmond Wisconsin
. Staff toured the New City Hall
with representatives from DCTC
. Lisa & Tina attended the DCR
Chamber legislative wrap up
breakfast
INQUIRIES
Industrial Space 1
Industrial Land 3
Commercial Space 5
Commercial Land 1
( less Contact 6
'-..........,./
Information Request 18
Housing 1
Funding 8
Misc 8
Contact Info.
Lisa Dargis
(651) 463-1620 .
Ldargls@cl.farmlngto~.mn.us
Tina Hansmeier
(651) 463-1821
Thansmeler@cl.farmlngton.mn:lis}
Fartnington Econotnic Update
Economic Development Staff Report
June 23, 2008
Volume 11
Welcome Friends Floral
, Located on the corner of Third
and Elm Streets in downtown
Farmington, Welcome Friends
Floral offers flowers, plants and
gifts for any occasion. Stop in
and see their unique selection
of home decor items or to order
a gou rmet basket.
(651)460-6266
www.welcomefriendsfloral.com
HELP FIGHT CANCER IN FARMINGTON!
The 18th annual Farmington Ramble and Amble walk to benefit the American
Cancer Society is being held on Friday, 8/15/08, from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm at
the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington. Please join ourteams of walkers
to raise money and circling the track to join the fight against cancer. Light a
luminaria bag in honor of someone you know or to remember those we have
lost to cancer.
To learn more about how you can be involved in this event by forming a team,
volunteering, purchasing luminaria or other ways to get involved, please con-
tact Barb at 651-463-3542 or Steve at the American Cancer Society at
651-255-8145. Please join us in the fight against cancer!
-1
,','
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A CAlNSTCA'U;m
Palle 2 ,Farmington Economic Update
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Servicios Latinos
Menas
Specializing in Mexican and Central American Food,
Servicios Latinos Menas is the place to go for tama-
les in downtown Farmington. Owner Martha Mena
also offers wire transfers to Mexico, South America
and the rest of the world through Western Union and
international prepaid phone cards. Operating in
Farmington for two years now, Menas is already
widely known. Pay them a visit and try some of their
authentic products. They are located at 320 Third
Street. (651) 463-1380
Decache Style
.
Owner Ana Morino wants shop-
pers to know that she is
committed to making afford-
able fashion accessible to area
residents. With selections
changing monthly, and weekly
sale specials Oecache Style is
a place you'll want to visit
often. They offer a stylish
selection of clothing, jewelry
and shoes as well as a selec-
tion of children's apparel.
They are conveniently located
in downtown Farmington at
320 Third Street next to
Servicios Latinos Menas.
.
1 'f
"=\
. .. .
Page 3
.
Farmington Bakery
~
.
America's Fitness Center
Fitness is a passion for Kyle Snesrud, co-owner of America's
Fitness Center. With sites in both Farmington and
Rosemount, Kyle and his father Dale have had the opportu-
nity to share their enthusiasm for the benefits of exercise
and strength training with members of every age since
1999. Their easy card access system allows you to work
out at the times that work best for you and they offer a
variety of classes for any fitness level. Stop by and check
them out at 109 Elm Street or call (651) 463-8555
www.afc247.com
.
PaE!e 4 Farmington Economic Update
City Center
You may have noticed a new look to the City .
Center area along Elm Street. The strip center
portion of the development recently got a
fresh coat of paint and new awnings.
BEFORE
The updated look really makes the building
catch your eye!
AFTER
~
Did you miss an issue of The Economic
Update? Check out the City's website
under News and Information for past
issues.
www.ci.farmington.mn.us
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Essential Information For Downtown Revitalization
Vol. 55, No. 11 . June 1, 2008
.
State and Federal Policy
Broaden rationale in lobbying for laws
that better serve downtowns
.
In 2006, the Brookings Institu-
tion and GrowSmart Maine provid-
ed Maine with an ambitious action
plan for promoting sustainable pros-
perity. Under the action plan, titled
Charting Maine's Future, the state
would streamline and modernize
government and export some taxes
to out-of-state visitors, freeing up
money for new initiatives that
would provide benefits including
improving the state's downtowns.
The report argued that strength-
ening downtowns and main streets
would relieve development pressure
elsewhere, thereby preserving the
rural charms of the Vacation State
to tourists, and ensuring that
tourism revenue will not dry up due
to sprawl's homogenizing effect.
Now Maine's lawmakers,
spurred by GrowSmart Maine and
downtown advocates throughout the
state, have enacted two keystone rec-
ommendations from the GrowSmart-
Brookings report. New legislation
passed in the recently concluded
2008 legislative session will promote
new vitality and quality development
(Continued on page 2)
Arts & Entertainment
Film center opening demonstrates value
of building wide, solid base of support
A successful movie theater is
among the most wonderful sorts of
activity generators a downtown dis-
trict could have, capable of attract-
ing people every day of the year
and generating plenty of spin-off
business for restaurants and stores.
On the other hand, in many
. markets it can be hard for a down-
town movie theater to compete
with giant multiplexes featuring
wider selections of movies, wider
\
aisles and seats, and the giant park-
ing lots to match. To be economi-
cally viable, the downtown cinema
usually has to offer something dis-
tinctly different, and pursue a spe-
cial business model.
For example, out of the long-
term success of a college film soci-
ety grew an idea to create a film
center that would screen indepen-
dent, foreign, and classic films in
(Continued on page 5)
City pays difference
for matching fixture
Alexander City, AL (pop.
15,010), has been installing
decorative lighting in the down-
town area. There's nothing par-
ticularly original about that. But
the new lighting doesn't mesh
with the old silver colored traf-
fic signal pole and box in the
Broad Street Plaza area - and
the solution is noteworthy.
The old pole will be
replaced as part of a railroad
crossing project being under-
taken by the Alabama De-
partment of Transportation
(ALDOr) and Norfolk Railroad.
This required that Alexander
City agree to pay the differ-
ence between the normal type
of pole usually installed by
ALDOT and a decorative pole
that will match the new down-
town lighting.
Inside this issue
Downtown finds room for
both historic aesthetic and
new development.. . . . . . . . . 3
Bistro restaurant will help bal-
ance books for not-for-profit
cinema. ................. 6
TOO strategy will increase
residential density, reduce
parking requirements. ..... 7
Look local to find buyers. . . . 8
@ 2008 Alexander Communications Group, Inc. Af{ rights reserved.
ISSN 0012-5822
Downtown @
Idea Exchange
A publication of the
Downtown Research & Development Center
712 Main Street - Suite 187B
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Phone: (973) 265-2300 . Fax: (973) 402-6056
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2
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\
\
I
I
1
Lobbying for laws that better serve
downtowns - continued from page 1
ing code standards were similar
from one downtown to the next,
"the code enforcement officers
would still enforce them to differ-
ent interpretations. It was a mess."
Despite having a few develop-
ers in the state who are genuinely
interested in doing infIll and quality
downtown redevelopment projects,
he says, "it was really difficult for
them to operate in this atmosphere,
because there were so many differ-
ent standards from town to town.
So replacing that system with a
statewide standardized building
code based on the International
Building Code standard, we expect,
is going to simplify things and
make downtown and main street
development projects a lot easier."
Broadening the base of support
The key challenge to meet in
advocating policies that are good
for downtowns is to convey how
everybody benefits. And to win
policy supporters from the broad-
est base possible. That way, even if
the timing is not ideal, reasonable
people on either side of the aisle
will support the needed changes.
"In an abstract sense, every-
body agreed that an historic preser-
vation tax credit was an investment
that would payoff in the long term,
and that the crazy quilt patchwork
.
in Maine's downtowns.
The legislation measures are a
statewide building code that will
simplify rehab work and down-
town development. And a newly
expanded tax credit for historic
rehabilitation will return dozens
of underutilized historic buildings
to productive working and living
space.
"Those two bills were the focus
of our advocacy work this past win-
ter when the legislature was in ses-
sion. They're both important for
downtown redevelopment, in that
they will make infill development
and historic rehabilitation easier in
Maine," says Christian McNeil,
communications specialist for
GrowSmart Maine.
Making the right thing easy
Central to any effort advocating
better policies or laws is educating
the general public about why it mat-
ters. Most laypeople can easily per-
ceive why historic tax credits are
important to their downtowns, but
the need for a uniform building code
is not as obvious. It also lacks the
nostalgic appeal of keeping familiar
old buildings that people identify
their downtowns with.
But "when we've gone around
the state and talked with develop-
ers and owners of downtown build-
ings, they've oftentimes expressed
a lot of frustration at the state's
system of building codes," McNeil
says. Not all of the state's 400
municipalities had building codes,
but the larger towns with down-
towns typically did, and each
downtown's building code was typ-
ically different from the next.
What's more, even if the build-
IDI Web Extras
~ To view an interactive
Google Map of historic buildings in
downtowns and town centers all
over the state that have been
rehabilitated thus far with Maine's
pre-existing historic tax credit, visit
www.DowntownDevelopment.com
and click on Web Extras.
.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
June 1, 2008
f
.
of building codes wasn't something
that made any sense, and should be
replaced by a single statewide stan-
dard. However, the devil's in the
details," McNeil says.
This winter for example, Maine
lawmakers were overwhelmed with
trying to fill a $200-million budget
shortfall in state spending. So despite
the clear long-term benefits of ex-
panding the historic tax credit, sacri-
ficing short-term tax revenue was a
challenging proposition.
To broaden the scope of support
for the historic preservation tax
credit expansion bill, GrowSmart
Maine last summer convened the
Coalition to Revitalize Maine's
Towns and Cities, a statewide group
of downtown advocates including
Main Street and historic preserva-
tion organizations, developers,
design professionals, contractors,
architects, and other businesses and
groups. Both GrowSmart Maine and
the Coalition to Revitalize Maine's
Towns and Cities called on their
members to contact state legislators
in support of the tax credit issue.
"In the end, [legislators]
worked really hard to fmd the
money in this year's budget to pay
for this tax credit, and it passed
pretty overwhelmingly."
Be prepared to counter
opposition
It's also important to be ready
to counter organized opposition to
lobbying efforts. For example, the
Maine Municipal Association took
issue with the bill proposal calling
for statewide enforcement of a
statewide building code.
Some towns in the state "didn't
want to have to hire a code en-
forcement officer, or have their
developers or builders have to hire a
code enforcement officer. We didn't
want to give in to that demand
.
.
June 1, 2008
because this whole concept was
about having a single statewide
standard," McNeil says.
"But one of the nice things
about having a statewide standard
is that these smaller towns will be
able to actually share a code
enforcement officer. Because
there's only one system of regula-
tion for the whole state, you can
have an entire county share one
code enforcement officer, and all
those towns could share the cost,
where you couldn't do that before
with all these different standards."
Now the single statewide code
will replace dozens of regulatory
systems with one.
Successful advocacy speaks
with authority and reason
The key, McNeil says, was "to
frame this discussion as not just
being about promoting downtown
development because it's good in
its own right (although that is what
we think), but also as actions that
will revive our economy, and
attract talented new workers and
new businesses to our state
because of the quality of our place.
So we've been able to gather sup-
port from the environmental com-
munity, business community, and
chambers of commerce."
Even before the legislature
was in session, much of the
groundwork for successful advo-
cacy was laid with establishment
of the broadly based Coalition to
Revitalize Maine's Towns and
Cities. The group's clear plan of
action was already in place when
it was time to mobilize members
and ask them to contact the state
legislators.
Contact: Christian McNeil, or Maggie
Drummond, GrowSmart Maine,
(207) 847-9275, www.growsmart-
maine.org. .
Preservation
Finding balance between historic
aesthetic and new development
Aesthetic character is difficult
to measure, yet we all know that
people place immense value in it in
downtown areas. People will pay
hefty premiums to live or maintain
a business on downtown streets
with a distinct sense of place, and
shopping and dining on those
streets tends to be very special. So
much so that visitors can easily
forgive the tight supply of parking.
Therefore, aesthetic character
is a resource that every downtown
should work to preserve, protect,
and multiply, like any other that's
critical to its economic health.
That said, nobody comes for a
night out in a ghost town full of
great architecture. It's the business-
es that drive day-to-day downtown
activity, and actions to preserve
aesthetic character should always
keep property owners and business-
people front of mind.
To illustrate, in downtown
Wichita, KS (pop. 344,300), the
city's Historic Preservation Board is
proposing the development of
block-by-block design guidelines to
simplify infill development. The
guidelines will clarify what the
board will be looking for in judging
new designs to be compatible with
architecturally and historically sig-
nificant buildings. The board is also
working on revising the city's
Downtown Idea Exchange. www.DowntownDevetopment.com
3
preservation ordinance to allow
more notification to local property
owners when buildings are listed as
historic.
Protective historic environs
law has critics
"Historic preservation in
Wichita and everywhere doesn't
object to development. We really
do want to support development in
our downtown," says Barbara
Hammond, planning analyst, His-
toric Preservation Office, City of
Wichita. So "the proposed changes
are going to address complaints or
concerns" of downtown business
leaders, she says. "The historic
preservation ordinance is being
revised because it's time to, and it
comes at a time when the down-
town developers have some specif-
ic concerns."
A specific concern among
downtown developers is a state law
unique in the U.S. to Kansas, that
sets up a protective boundary around
any structure that is listed on the
State or National Register of His-
toric Places. "We refer to that area,
which is a 500-foot-radius, imagi-
nary circle around any listed struc-
ture, as the 'environs.' The effect of
this is that rehabilitation projects
within that environs are subject to
review by the Historic Preservation
Office, in the same manner that a
listed structure is subject to design
review," she says.
That is, for building permits on
Register-listed sites, the Historic
Preservation Office staff reviews
minor projects, and a seven-mem-
ber Historic Preservation Board
appointed by the city council and
mayor reviews major construction
and rehabilitation projects.
"The same thing happens, but
the criteria is not quite as severe,
for properties in the environs. But
4
they still have to be reviewed. And
this is what makes the developers
downtown nervous. Because
there's a lot of misperception that
the 'preservation police' won't
allow them to do anything they
want to do," Hammond says.
But it's not about being anti-
change. Design would only deny
any proposal for development that
would encroach upon, damage, or
destroy the environs around a His-
toric Register-listed site.
"So our job is to educate the
general public, developers, contrac-
tors, architects, and property own-
ers, to show them that this review
isn't designed to punish them. It's
designed just to guide them in
making appropriate architectural
choices for the exteriors of their
buildings, so that their projects will
help maintain what we call the his-
toric fabric of the neighborhood."
Mitigating measures proposed
Understandably, some down-
town developers and property own-
ers trying to market their properties
to new tenants or buyers believe that
the design review required within
historic environs impedes their abili-
ty to do that.
To address their concerns, the
Wichita Downtown Development
Corp. created a special committee
to work out a solution with the
Historic Preservation Board.
It turned out property owners in
'new' historic environs areas down-
town were often taken by surprise.
The new historic preservation
ordinance currently being drafted is
proposing that there be a notifica-
tion process when a building is
going to be nominated to the State
or National Register. So at the pub-
lic Historic Preservation Board
meeting, adjoining property owners
and anyone else will have fair
,
warning and opportunity to com-
ment on the possibility of a building
being listed.
Some on the special committee
who were uneasy about environs
review asked if that could be
changed as well. But that is a state
law, and relaxing the rules for envi-
rons review would require amend-
ing the state constitution.
"Because we can't change that
state law, and the Historic Preserva-
tion Office is sympathetic to the con-
cerns of developers, we addressed
their concerns by proposing that the
Wichita Office of Historic Preserva-
tion apply for a grant in order to
fund a consultant who would write
design guidelines for the downtown
properties:' says Hammond.
The project would employ a
historic preservation consultant
independent from the city, who
would go block by block, property
by property, to assess the architec-
ture. In other words, for every
address, the consultants would look
at a given property and what's next
to it on that block, and write down
some guidelines for future architec-
tural development.
Ideally, the guidelines will tell
prospective buyers of downtown
properties whether or not their
plans could pass design review in
the context of the rest of the block.
"In some cases, if a good num-
ber of buildings on a block are radi-
cally different and don't have much
historic context, then the possibili-
ties for new and more modem types
of architecture would be wider than
for those which are immediately
adjacent to an older or historic set of
buildings. It gives developers lati-
tude to pick and choose where they
need to be."
Contact: Barbara Hammond, Wichita
Historic Preservation Office, City of
Wichita, bhammond@wichita.gov. .
.
.
.
1
I
I
f
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
June 1, 2008
Film center opening demonstrates value
of building wide, solid base of support
- continued from page 1
downtown Shreveport, LA (pop.
200,100). The new Robinson Film
Center, containing two theaters, a
cafe and restaurant, opened in a
renovated building last month.
Since its inception as a roving
not-for-profit operation six years
ago, the film center has grown into
a permanent venue that will screen
films daily, offer gourmet conces-
sions, and continue to offer educa-
tional programming and also serve
as a resource for the local film
industry. Thanks to state tax credits,
Shreveport has become a hotbed of
film production. Now its downtown
has a place where viewing and dis-
cussing film is something the whole
community can share.
.
.
Conceived early on as
a catalyst for downtown
The Shreveport Downtown
Development Authority, Downtown
Development Corp., and the city all
made key contributions to seed the
theater project. "Our original
money from the downtown devel-
opment authority was to serve as
an anchor in a part of town that
was relatively deserted, especially
after 5 o'clock, and so that original
seed money really gave us the mis-
sion to bring people downtown,"
says board chairman Jefferson
Hendricks.
For 25 years, Hendricks, a pro-
fessor of English and Film Studies
at Centenary College, has been
running the college film society
that inspired the film center with
board secretary and Centenary art
professor Bruce Allen.
A traditional stage theater or
playhouse was originally in the
.
June 1, 2008
DDA's plans for an arts-based revi-
talization catalyst, Hendricks says.
"When we heard that, we asked,
'Have you thought about a movie
theater?' They hadn't, and said,
'Make us a proposal,'" he says. "I
think we will very much bring peo-
ple downtown. We had between 600
and 700 people at the grand opening
gala," which he estimates raised
between $100,000 and $150,000.
"A lot of people came down-
town that perhaps hadn't been in
that part of downtown at night
before. They were very excited to
see us, and I think it's the begin-
ning of something very special
there," he says.
Multiple finding sources are
essential
To make the theater a reality,
"we had to have buy-in from all
segments of the community," Hen-
dricks says. To date, the film cen-
ter has received about $2.36
million in government funding,
including city, state, and some fed-
eral support.
"We had to really work hard to
convince some people that the
movies were a serious enough busi-
ness, potentially," he says. "We did
our homework and researched sev-
eral film centers across the nation.
We visited them and put together a
business plan, and I think a concep-
tion for what we're aiming to do
that will make it work."
Board president Sylvia Good-
man spearheaded efforts to raise
about $6.2 million to build and
operate the Robinson Film Center.
Renovation and equipment costs
totaled $4.2 million. The addition-
al $2 million will fund the not-for-
profit center's start-up operational
costs. The annual budget for the
film center is expected to be about
$1.5 million.
The board plans to raise the
money needed to operate the film
center through a mix of government
funding, corporate and private
donations, grants, fundraisers and
revenue earned through space
rentals, food and beverage sales,
and ticket sales.
"Revenue from the movies, the
concession stand, space rental, and
the bistro (see box, page 6) will we
think be $1.1 to $1.2 million. And
we're thinking we'll have to raise
in the community through dona-
tions, grants, and memberships
about $400,000 or so. Those are
very rough numbers at this point,
but that's what we're looking at,"
Hendricks says.
Programming for all segments
of the community
"Absolutely the key here is to
appeal to as many different con-
stituencies as possible," Hendricks
advises any downtown looking to
create this sort of attraction. "In
terms of our programming, for
example, we'll offer things to a
wide variety of people, not just the
art film audience that's our core
audience. We're very hopeful that
we will be able to program on mul-
tiple levels. We really envision this
to be a community center that is
focused on film," where all types of
people will come to be entertained,
learn, and mingle.
In visiting other film centers
around the country, "the key that
almost everyone mentioned is you
have to have buy-in from multiple
levels of the community - not just
people who are interested in high
culture, but people who are interest-
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
5
ed in the possibilities of education,
and people who see the fIlm center
as an advantage in the cultural
economy and economic develop-
ment in downtown. What's also key
for us that we learned from other
facilities is, you don't want to do
only exhibition. You also want to
bring in things like educational
experiences. We're doing that with
grades K through 12."
In terms of diversifying, for
example, there are several church-
es located nearby, and film center
leaders have been talking with
ministers and laypeople in those
churches about how they can part-
ner. "One of the film series that
we'd like to have is a Religion in
Cinema series, where people could
get together maybe once a month
to talk about issues related to the
representation of religion and spir-
ituality in film. Hopefully we'd get
people from different congrega-
tions that haven't necessarily sat
down very much together to expe-
rience something and then talk
about it. We have people in town
who are looking forward to run-
ning that series for us."
Experience programming for
community will be boon
"In an ideal week, we would
have two English-language, inde-
pendent films, a foreign film, and a
documentary film. We also will
have one night a month that we
will open up for local and emerg-
ing filmmakers. So students can
put their movies up on the big
screen and invite their parents to
come down," Hendricks says.
"We certainly have I think the
ideals in place. The real challenge,
of course, is we have to make it an
economically viable organization.
We do want to reach out to the
very different aspects of our com-
6
munity here. I think the key for us
is to program something for as
many people as possible."
"We have tried to tailor our
whole idea towards a real commu-
nity effort as opposed to something
that would cater to a more educat-
ed crowd," notes Allen.
It helps that the programmers
for the film center have already
done 25 years of programming for
the Centenary Film Society.
"We're taking the programming
ideas from the Centenary Film
Society out into the community,
basically," Hendricks says.
"We had a base constituency
and had experience programming
for this community, so we have a
strong sense of what will play well
here and what will work in this
community. The community is much
more progressive, and the area has
grown a lot in the last 25 years.
That's all very much to the positive.
It's an exciting time to be in Shreve-
port," especially in downtown.
Contact: Jefferson Hendricks, jhen-
dric@centenary.edu, or Bruce Allen,
ballen@centenary.edu, Centenary Col-
lege; Robinson Film Center, www.robin-
sonfilmcenter.com. .
.
Bistro restaurant will help balance books
for not-for-profit cinema
"What we figured when we started this film theater was that every
day, people would be coming down there, as opposed to a playhouse,
where it happens only on weekends once or twice a month," says
Bruce Allen, Robinson Film Center board secretary.
"Plus, we wanted to make it accessible more than just for film, so
we added a second-floor bistro restaurant and a ground-floor cafe that
doubles as a concession stand, so we could have an atmosphere that
would bring people in." The idea is that many moviegoers coming to
the Robinson will realize that this would also be a great place to meet
up with friends and hang out after work, and go to a movie, too.
"We're hoping to maximize what profits can be made from the
restaurant to help support the rest of the program. The educational
program's not going to make money in the traditional sense. It has to
be supported by grants." And the films that the Robinson will be show-
ing won't be drawing the huge crowds of a conventional movie the-
ater's popular fare.
"So we wanted to have some way to help subsidize the less-
attended features, and we want to maximize the money from the
restaurant. So we kept it in house. It's part of the operation, and it
helps us integrate dinner and a movie, and catering for events that
might be associated with the films."
There are a couple of successful restaurants on the same street as
the theater, he says. And as work on the film center was being com-
pleted, a restaurateur bought a building next door to convert it .into a
new restaurant.
"We thought that this would add more people to the mixture, and
make downtown more successful for everybody."
.
.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
June 1, 2008
.
Transportation
TOO strategy will increase residential
density, reduce parking requirements
.
Nearly three years ago, the
City of San Leandro, CA (pop.
79,450), was awarded a $450,000
planning grant from the Metropoli-
tan Transportation Commission to
study the potential for transit-ori-
ented development (TOD) within a
half-mile radius of a proposed Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) Station, a
study area that also included the
San Leandro Bay Area Rapid Tran-
sit (BART) Station and downtown.
The City also received a supple-
mental grant of over $50,000 from
the Alameda County Transportation
Improvement Authority to cover
matching requirements. The end
result of this public investment in
planning is the Downtown San
Leandro Transit-Oriented Develop-
ment Strategy, a long-term roadmap
to foster TOD and revitalize down-
town in the process.
The strategic plan expands on
the policies in the General Plan
for the downtown, and articulates
and quantifies the potential of the
greater downtown area for TOD.
Comprehensive land use policies
and a detailed land use map reflect
the future benefits of enhanced bus
service through the downtown and
improved multi-modal connectivity.
Selected opportunity sites were also
studied to provide more specific
guidance for future development.
"One of the things that we
found was very successful about
this was that we had a very
engaged Technical Advisory Com-
mittee, which included regional
planning and regional transit agen-
cies. We all sat at the table together
as we were developing reports and
ideas to present to our Citizen
.
June 1, 2008
Advisory Committee," says Kath-
leen Livermore, planning manager,
City of San Leandro. "That provid-
ed us with excellent technical
knowledge, and state-of-the-art
ideas related to capturing transit
ridership based on land use."
The Technical Advisory Com-
mittee would review draft reports
before they were forwarded to the
city council-appointed Citizen Advi-
sory Committee. This process led
city planners to rethink and argue
for changing, for example, a critical
opportunity site that had always
been designated for office land use.
"It never had been considered as
residential, and the regional agencies
said, 'Listen, with residential, you
get a 40-percent capture rate on
transit. With office and retail, you
get at best 10 to 15 percent. Having
[the Technical Advisory Committee]
have a loud voice really helped us
make that jump to something that
was going to be much more effec-
tive in terms of increasing transit
ridership. And increasing transit rid-
ership was the point of the grant."
Development of the Downtown
San Leandro Transit-Oriented
Development Strategy also benefited
from highly engaged community
involvement. The 27-member Citi-
zen Advisory Committee held 10
meetings over 17 months. There
were also three community meet-
ings, attended by 240 area residents.
The resulting strategy, adopted
unanimously by the city council,
which was kept updated throughout
the process, entitles 3,431 new res-
idential units, about 121,000 sq. ft.
of retail, and 781,000 sq. ft. of
office space in the TOD study area
through the year 2030.
"The General Plan had thought
we would have 590 new residential
units in that same area between now
and 2015. This strategy looks at
double that General Plan between
now and 2015, and the additional
balance by 2030. It's a much more
intense density."
The TOD plan calls for de-
creasing parking requirements, to
one parking space per unit immedi-
ately adjacent to BART, and 1.5
parking spaces for the remainder
of the study area.
"We have about 20 implemen-
tation strategies related to parking,
so it's a whole menu to choose
from, to mix and match, and imple-
ment over time," Livermore says.
Those strategies include reduc-
ing the commercial, office, and
retail parking requirements to two
spaces per thousand square feet,
with no parking requirement at all
for commercial spaces under 5,000
square feet.
"One of the things that really
got residents excited about the plan
was that with increased residential
densities, there's a wonderful
opportunity to enhance the retail
experience," she says. "We also had
three visual simulations of three
opportunity sites that identified the
existing condition compared to five,
10, and 20 years, which really
allowed the community to visualize
what could happen instead of being
afraid of the d-word, density."
Contact: Kathleen Livermore, City of
San Leandro, (510) 577-3350, kliver-
more@ci.san-leandro.ca.us. .
[JI Web Extras
1m ('uD To view the Downtown
San Leandro Transit-Oriented
Development Strategy, visit
www.DowntownDevelopment.com
and click on Web Extras.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
7
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New program gets
the word out
The Derry, NH (pop. 22,660),
Economic Development Corpora-
tion launched a local access cable
television show last fall to inform
residents about local, regional,
and state economic development
issues that affect the community.
For instance, the fIrst episode of
What's Developing? included dis-
cussions with the town administra-
tor and with the developer of a
local construction project. Copies
of the program on DVD are also
available for $5 (to cover shipping
and handling costs). The organiza-
tion plans to eventually make the
program available on the Internet
as well.
Program prepares leaders
Wondering where tomorrow's-
downtown leaders are going to
come from? That's not a concern
in Basehor, KS (pop. 2,240),
where for the past two decades, the
Southern Leavenworth County
Leadership Development program
has provided training for tomor-
row's leaders. Established by the
Basehor and Tonganoxie (KS, pop.
2,730) Chambers of Commerce,
the program has graduated 250
students over the years. Persons
living or working in the Leaven-
worth County area, including high
school juniors and seniors who are
interested in developing their lead-
ership skills and becoming better
informed citizens are eligible to
participate in the class. The pro-
gram covers such valuable topics
as leadership development, busi-
8
.
ness and economic development,
city government in planning, and
state legislature in action.
tude ... is detrimental to attracting
new businesses, residents and visi-
tors," he wrote. "If [the mayor] is
serious about downtown revival, he
will reinstate seven-day downtown
garbage pickup, and educate down-
town residents and landlords and
enforce the rules for proper trash
disposal."
Trash pickup is key to
downtown's image
There are some expenses
and services you can cut back on
that most people won't notice.
Trash pickup isn't one of them.
When weekend trash pickup was
suspended in downtown Pough-
keepsie, NY (pop. 29,870), one
downtowner wrote to the local
paper to complain about overflow-
ing trash containers and litter.
Among the issues he raised was
proper use of public trash recepta-
cles, stating that residents and
business owners used the public
containers for their household and
commercial garbage.
"Having this laissez-faire atti-
Move hot dog stands
to reduce crime
Police in Boise, ill (pop.
185,800), credit better lighting,
education for bartenders, and new
rules covering the location of hot
dog vendors with helping lower
the crime rate. Changing the
approved location of hot dog
stands and creating specific taxi
pickup zones has helped to reduce
drunken fights and other crimes
downtown, they claim. .
.
Look.local to find buyers for old"buildings
Bringing a downtown landmark back toitsiformerglory canb~
expensive, which is a prime reason why it's often difficult to .find sqme:..
onewiUing to take on the project. Understanding the funding opti?nl;
beforehand can ease much of that anxiety. This spring, a. grol..lpofsix
local residents bought the 78-year-old EI Ra.ton theater inRatbn, N. M.
(pop. 7,280), with plans to renovate it and tUrn itinto a "spark" for
future. downtown. development.
Renovations and repairs will be extensive. In addition to fix.ing(i
leaky roof (estimate: $60,000),' the group plansto.upgradeheCltingand
electrical systems. and renovate the front of the buildin9,whiQHi9Q'l.ldes
two storefronts. and an apartment. Updating this area and renting out
those spaces is expected to bring in money for the remainingrestora-
tions. The theater was listed on the New Mexico.State Register of Cul-
tural Properties in200q and added to the National Register of Historic
Places in 2007, which could also lead to taXcreditsandgfants.
Thenew owners plan to find and satisfythecommunity'sJilrn nich,-
eS,and hope to have the theater open on a consistentbasis,l:l,lthough
they. say. that may take . two or three years.
.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDeve/opment.com
June 1, 2008
Essential Information For Downtown Revitalization
Vol. 55, No. 12 . June 15, 2008
.
Business Recruitment & Retention
Serendipity and the city play leading roles
in relocating primary employer downtown
.
With a serendipitous mixed-use
agreement struck with a downtown
property-owning couple and a cash
incentive from the city easing a
costly old building renovation, the
local office of an engineering firm
will soon be relocating from an
unincorporated area to downtown
Loveland, CO (pop. 50,610).
KL&A Inc. a structural engi-
neering firm that has been west of
Loveland for more than a decade,
has invested in a complete renova-
tion of the building along with its
co-owners, Doug and Leslie Collins.
"We actually met one of their
principals, [Loveland native] Doug
Rutledge, at a downtown festival
last summer," says Doug Collins,
who's also, appropriately, business
vitality chairperson of the Down-
town Loveland Association. "My
wife and I were actually working a
booth for the Downtown Loveland
Association. He came up and men-
tioned he was looking for some
space downtown. We said, 'Well,
we happen to know of some!' That
started the conversation.
(Continued on page 4)
Management
A recipe book for high-impact downtown
revitalization projects
.
Based on downtown revitaliza-
tion efforts over the past 30 years,
the Pennsylvania Department of
Community & Economic Develop-
ment (DCED) has distilled a
three-step process for attracting
high-impact private investment to
spur new economic growth.
"In general, the phases of
conceptualization, planning, and
implementation, are pretty much
the same wherever you go," says
Ken Klothen, deputy secretary for
community affairs and develop-
ment. "Obviously, different mar-
kets make one or another issue
along the way more salient. But,
in general, it's the same set of
factors in any revitalization pro-
ject in any older downtown."
Take inventory of assets
and prioritize
The most critical thing at the
beginning of conceptualizing a
(Continued on page 5)
Are gas prices making
living downtown more
desirable?
There are a lot of reasons
to complain about high gas
prices this summer, but for
downtowns looking to increase
their residential base, there's
optimism associated with the
pain at the pump. Economist
Joe Cortright believes that
increasing gas prices are caus-
ing more demand for down-
town housing as suburbanites
look to shorten their commute
and live closer to the amenities
that downtowns otter. He
points to home price changes
in several metro areas where
neighborhoods near downtown
appreciated while suburban
neighborhoods depreciated.
It's a great marketing angle to
keep in mind when promoting
downtown living.
Inside this issue
Perspectives: Ten realistic
retail themes for a vibrant
downtown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
City prefers case by case
flexibility over policy.. . . . . . . 4
Guide designed to serve as
reference as a project moves
forward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Finding, keeping good board
members involves sawy. . . . 7
@ 2008 Alexander Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ISSN 0012-5822
Downtown @
Idea Exchange
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Downtown Research & Development Center
712 Main Street- Suite 187B
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Phone: (973) 265-2300 . Fax: (973) 402-6056
Email: info@DowntownDeve!opmentcom
Website: www.DowntownDevelopment.com
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2
Perspectives
Ten realistic retail themes for
a vibrant downtown
.
By Bill Ryan, University of Wisconsin-Extension
Based on market analysis fmd-
ings of many communities, coupled
with business examples being
submitted to the University of Wis-
consin-Extension's Innovative
Downtown Business online clear-
inghouse, 10 broad categories of
retail are emerging as good fits for
downtown. These can include both
chains and independents and should
be considered when downtown
develops its business expansion and
recruitment wish list.
1. Lifestyle and wellness
retail: An innovative example of a
business designed to respond to
busy lifestyles is Meal Time in
downtown Platteville, WI. This
independent business allows busy
people to prepare their own healthy
meal, take it home to freeze or bake
at their convenience. The business
creates late afternoon traffic for the
nearby wine and cheese store and
fitness center.
Ladles to Linens in Winnsboro,
TX, a gourmet kitchen shop, allows
shoppers to take evening cooking
classes. Shoppers are drawn from
as far as Dallas, and often end up
staying downtown for a visit to the
spa and the nearby cafe.
Earth Rider is a bicycling busi-
ness in downtown Broadhead, WI
that supports a lifestyle of fitness,
achievement, wellbeing, and quality
of life through cycling. The busi-
ness combines a retail store, rentals,
tour packaging, and a bicycling-
inspired inn, providing an escape
from urban stress.
2. Community gathering
place businesses: Downtown's
central place and sense of place
make it uniquely suited for people
to congregate for social or commu-
nity purposes.
The Red Mug Coffeehouse
in downtown Superior, WI has
carved out a niche not only as a
coffee shop, but also as a culturally
aware store promoting the arts and
organic/fair-trade food. They have
become a gathering spot to orga-
nize community-oriented events
geared toward education and
activism.
3. Retailers that celebrate
local heritage: The character of
traditional downtowns is well suit-
ed to businesses that sell products
to celebrate the past. While antique
shops are common examples of
such stores, other retailers also cel-
ebrate a community's past.
In Prairie du Chien, WI, the
wood counters and floor found in
Hamann's Variety Store add to the
nostalgic atmosphere of the com-
munity. Candy purchased at the old
wood counter remind many parents
of the comer stores of their youth
while creating the same kind of
memories for their kids.
Sarah Winter Clothworks has
helped call attention to the textile-
manufacturing heritage in Willi-
mantic, CT. Clothing is designed,
cut, dyed, and sewn by hand onsite
using natural fibers such as hemp
and organic cotton. Because the
products they sell are made in their
store, the business is creating a
connection that celebrates local
heritage.
4. Stores that entertain:
'Shoppertainment' is a concept
adopted by certain major chains in
.
.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
June 15, 2008
.
recent years. But entertainment can
be part of the downtown retail
experience on a smaller scale.
The Mustard Museum in
downtown Mount Horeb, WI, has
become a draw to many visitors
because the business promotes
inside jokes through products such
as "Evaporate Your Eyeballs Hot-
sauce" and collegiate T-shirts car-
rying the name "POUPON D."
Similarly, Das Wurst Haus in
Lanesboro, MN lures customers in
for German deli food (sausages,
mustards, breads) with the sound
of an accordion and the smell of
great food.
5. Stores that celebrate local
arts: Often people look to down-
town as a place where local prod-
ucts are sold. Unlike the regional
mall, downtowns often have stores
showcasing locally made jewelry,
art, and gifts.
Wind, Water and Light in
downtown Champaign, IL features
original pieces in a variety of
mediums from 180 local and
national artists. They developed a
reputation as a gallery that edu-
cates its customers about the art,
the process, and the artists.
6. Stores that educate: Busi-
nesses that provide the communi-
ty with education to accompany
their products often find down-
town the most attractive place to
do business.
The Family Piano Co. has
played an active role in the revital-
ization of downtown Waukegan,
IL. Not only does it sell and ser-
vice pianos, but the shop offers
tours, lessons, and performances.
Scrapbook Attic in Fremont, OR
sells scrap-booking essentials, but
also offers free workshops.
7. Stores with a community
and global perspective: A growing
segment of the population is inter-
.
.
June 15, 2008
ested in supporting businesses that
help the local economy and con-
tribute to a better world.
Autumn Leaves has developed a
niche in Ithaca, NY as a used book-
store with the selection and quality
of a new bookstore. It participates in
the Ithaca HOURS program, a local
currency effort in which 600 busi-
nesses participate. By participating,
these businesses help keep dollars
local and promote growth of the
Ithaca economy. A quarter of the
merchandise at Earth and State, a
pottery and gift store in Media, PA,
is Fair-Trade certified. The focus at
Earth and State is on local artists,
but integrated with pottery and
pieces from allover the world.
8. Gift and indulgences
stores: Chocolate Harbor in St.
Clair, MI is committed to the old-
fashioned method of making every-
thing from scratch. Customers can
watch as they make caramel or fon-
dant in the open kitchen, or view
the making of fme German choco-
late and hand-dipped truffles.
Evolutions in Design in down-
town Wausau, WI is a full-service
floral business with five staff
designers to help customers craft
their own unique arrangements. The
floral business also has a large retail
area, where shoppers can buy items
ranging from jewelry and gifts to
furniture and local artwork.
9. Unique destination retail-
ers: Many one-of-a-kind and inno-
vative businesses successfully
operate downtown. In Faribault,
MN, Burkhartzmeyer Shoes prides
itself on its understanding and care
of feet. They retain two certified
pedorthists (people trained in foot
care), to assist customers in fmd-
ing the perfect shoe. They attract
customers from up to 50 miles
away and have benefited from
physician referrals.
10. Neighborhood-serving
retailers: The growing downtown
housing market requires conve-
niences to support quality of life.
Town Meat Market in Garden
City, NY is an example of a full-
service butcher characterized by
high-quality products and excep-
tional customer service. Their spe-
cialty is dry-aged prime beef, but
their selection of meats also
includes fresh fish, lobster, chick-
en, pork, veal, lamb, and a variety
of sausages. They offer a door-to-
door delivery service that operates
six days a week.
In Newport, VT, the Pick &
Shovel Do it Best store is one of
4,100 independently owned hard-
ware and home improvement retail-
ers that are members of Do it Best
Corp., which claims to be the only
full-line, full-service buying coop-
erative in the hardware, lumber, and
building materials industry. The
Newport store serves the surround-
ing neighborhoods by filling local
product gaps such as pet supplies,
storage and organizing, electronics,
and office supplies.
Restaurants are also a key com-
ponent to bringing people back
downtown and can contribute to a
vibrant retail center. While dining
places add to downtown vitality and
extend commercial activity into the
evening, too many can give the
appearance of a food court. Similar-
ly, too many drinking establishments
may actually discourage retail devel-
opment. Accordingly, a balance
between retail and food and bever-
age establishments is necessary.
Bill Ryan is a community business
development specialist at the University
of Wisconsin-Extension, Center for
Community & Economic Development.
Contact him at bill.ryan@uwex.edu. To
nominate an Innovative Downtown
Business, go to http://www.uwex.edu/
ces/CCED/downtowns/innovative. .
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
3
Serendipity and the city play key roles in
business recruitment - continued/rom page 1
"We partnered with them, and
they're now part owners of the
building with us. We made a deal
that worked for everybody, to bring
them into the building and into
downtown," he says. The plan is for
KL&A to occupy the building's
main floor, and for Doug and Leslie
Collins to make a pied-a-terre loft
home for themselves upstairs.
"I think it's going to have a
very positive impact. Bringing
roughly 20 well-paid engineers
into the downtown area means
people who will eat more lunches
downtown, and shop downtown
more since they'll be down there
already," Collins says.
Downtown could certainly use
more professional office space to
support itself economically, he
adds. "It's filling a need. Bring in
some of those primary jobs. Bring
in outside money versus recirculat-
ing the existing money in town."
City incentive makes locating
downtown easier
The city has approved a
$50,000 cash award to KL&A upon
completion of the renovation pro-
ject, payable once the company
moves into its new downtown
offices. "So we'll be cutting a
check of $50,000 for the attraction
of the 25 engineering jobs to down-
town Loveland," says Betsey Hale,
Loveland business development
City prefers flexibility over policy in economic
development efforts
In Loveland, CO, the city does not have a formal economic devel-
opment policy. Rather, the city council entertains incentive packages
citywide on a case by case basis. "That offers them some flexibility in
their decision-making process," says Betsey Hale, business develop-
ment manager.
For downtown, "we're looking at not only partnering for primary
employment, but we're also partnering on redevelopment projects.
When we had a Walgreen's [pharmacYl go out of business here in
downtown, we partnered with a real estate developer on what's called
the Lincoln Place URA project. It has two stories of parking and three
stories of single-, double-, and family-occupancy apartments." Street-
level retail includes a coffee shop and hair salon.
The city agreed to waive its 3 percent tax on building materials on
the parking structure as well as the commercial portion of the project,
worth approximately $60,000.
In the interest of the project's commercial viability, the garage's
292 parking places will be reserved for residents and retailers; it will
not be a public facility operated in partnership with the city as first
agreed upon. Still, the city's creation of an urban renewal district
allowed the city to support the project with tax increment financing.
4
manager. The $50,000 will cover a
new sprinkler system and complete
electrical rewiring of the building, .
which will make the building and
downtown Loveland safer.
KL&A, which currently has
19 employees at its suburban office
and needed the larger space avail-
able downtown to expand, will also
be applying to the city for what
will probably be a $50,000 facade
improvement grant.
''About $100,000 of the project
budget, about $1.3 million, was
improvements in the utilities that
were somewhat public improve-
ments, because there was another
building that was benefiting from
the upgraded power and fire sup-
pression system. When we see that
over-sizing of utilities also benefits
an adjacent property or a block in
downtown, that's a natural fit for the
city to partner on that, if it protects
the health, safety, and welfare of the .
citizens," Hale says. 'We're trying
to use every tool that we can use."
"When the city was made
aWare of our move from the county
to the city, they were very support-
ive of trying to get us downtown,"
says Josh Olsen, project manager,
KL&A. If there were no incentives
from the city, "I can't say that it
would have been totally unfeasible,
but it certainly made the decisions
much easier," he says.
Building will showcase good,
green design
The renovation of the building
will "certainly" showcase the engi-
neering firm's own work, Olsen
says. "We're going to incorporate
our expertise to design some
canopies for the front of the build-
ing," he says, a part of the project
that will take advantage of the .
city's TIP-funded facade program.
"More importantly, we're pur-
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
June 15, 2008
.
suing LEED [Leadership in Ener-
gy and Environmental Design] cer-
tification for the building. That's a
big buzz word in design, construc-
tion, and engineering right now.
We want to lead by example by
going through that process."
"You do it hoping that the
value of your building increases,
as you've done green building, and
you've got more efficient appli-
ances and HVAC systems. And it's
just doing the right thing. If you
can make it feasible in your pro-
ject and do the right thing for the
environment, and create a healthier
work and living environment, it's
just a better approach if it's feasi-
ble," Collins says.
.
Keep efforts multi-
departmental
A top priority for all down-
towns should be working to keep
the primary employers they already
have, Hale says, noting that Love-
land is currently working to keep
a primary employer downtown.
"They may go into an existing
building, or partner with us on a
new project similar to Lincoln
Place [see opposite page]. We're
looking at every possible scenario."
It's also critical for business
recruitment and retention efforts to
be multi-departmental, she adds.
To that end, the City of Love-
land maintains a city-run group
called the Loveland Downtown
Team that works on improving
downtown's infrastructure, street-
scape, and parking as well as busi-
ness recruitment and retention.
The group includes four of the
city's nine city council members,
downtown business owners, city
development review people, and
representatives of the building
department, municipal utility, pub-
lic works, and city finance depart-
.
June 15, 2008
ment. A city support staff prepares
reports and recommendations
made to the full city council.
"You have to have the knowl-
edge and experience at the table
with the policy-makers and the cit-
izens," Hale says, so that recom-
mendations made to council are as
well-informed as possible from
multiple points of view.
"Be innovative in your think-
ing," she adds. For example, con-
sider deferring building permit
fees, say for five years. "If they
don't have to put that money out
on the front end of the project,
they can get established or relocat-
ed and be successful so that over
some period of time they can pay
it back."
"The other thing we do specifi-
cally for primary employment is an
expedited review process, where
we assign a rapid response team
and do pre-application meetings."
Olsen also stresses the impor-
tance of maintaining open dialog
between the city and private sector
regarding potential relocation
incentives.
Incentives and expedited
review aside though, space, ameni-
ties, restaurants, and good parking
are the top considerations for busi-
nesses looking at locating down-
town. "In our case, the business
wanted to be downtown. They
really like the atmosphere and the
culture. All the great things that
downtowns typically bring were a
desire for them and their employ-
ees," Collins says.
"I think the ambience of being
in a downtown area with all of its
services provides good motivation
for employees," Olsen adds.
Contact: Betsey Hale, City of Loveland,
(970) 962-2304, haleb@ci.loveland.
co.us; Josh Olsen, KL&A, (970) 667-
2426, jolsen@klaa.com. .
A recipe book for high-impact downtown
revitalization projects - continuedfrom page 1
high-impact project for downtown
is to "understand what your assets
are. Almost every community has
some kind of asset around which
to focus a project," Klothen says.
Those assets may be environmen-
tal (e.g., a riverfront), cultural (a
theater), educational (a college or
university), infrastructural, archi-
tectural, or historic in nature.
"Any of these can be the core
asset around which a revitalization
project is built. But you have to do
a real inventory of what your
assets are, and figure out which
are the best and most appropriate
to form the core of a project.
That's the critical thing going in,"
he says. In other words, to concep-
tualize ideas for what downtown
could do next to substantially
improve, it's critically important
to prioritize what it already has
going for it. Good development
ideas are always good for down-
town because of their context.
Build stakeholder support
and go to market
After the conceptualization
comes the planning and implemen-
tation. "Make sure that all of the
stakeholders in the community
understand the importance and pri-
ority of the proposed project, and
are supportive," says Klothen.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
5
"Then, of course, it's key to
attract private developers," he says.
"The kind of capital that you can
generate in the public sector is not
going to be sufficient to build and
sustain a significant impact pro-
ject. The public sector Can be and
usually is critical in providing gap
fmancing, and patient capital
(e.g., soft loan terms) that makes a
project economically viable. But
it's got to have private sector
involvement if it's a project of any
significant scale and scope."
Once the town is working with
a downtown developer, "you have
to do what's necessary in the pub-
lic sector to expedite the permit-
ting and zoning in order to make
the project happen. That's a critical
role that public officials play after
a project is planned for."
Understand what will and
won't stop development
The final step is: Make it hap-
pen. "People in the public sector
often think, 'We can never attract
development because we don't
have a big enough market,' or 'this
place is too much of a brownfieId.'
"What they'll hear from private
developers is much more an
emphasis on how prepared the
municipality is to really expedite
things like permitting and zoning,
and how much unanimity of public
opinion there is on the side of
doing this particular project,"
Klothen says. "Developers will say
that many of the other problems
can be overcome when those fac-
tors are present. That's important
II~I Web Extras
I 0-&> To read the Community
Revitalization Desktop Guide, visit
www.DowntownDevelopment.com
and click on Web Extras.
6
Guide designed to serve as reference as
a project moves forward
Downtowns can view the Community Revitalization Desktop
Guide as an interactive eBook and/or download a PDF version. The
electronic format of the guide has distinct benefits. "It's almost like a
recipe walking you through the steps of doing a development pro-
ject," says Ken Klothen, deputy secretary for community affairs and
development, PA Dept. of Community & Economic Development.
"We've tried in the electronic format to make it user-friendly in
that way, so that in a municipal government that's trying to do this,
you can bookmark a page, send that page to a colleague, make
notes in particular sections and send those notes to colleagues. It's
really designed to be something that's used as a project goes for-
ward," he says. "Of course, the other major advantage of the elec-
tronic format is it can be updated by us easily and in real time, so it's
much easier to keep this thing [relevant] as a working document."
for public officials to hear."
"Don't go public with vision-
ary programs too soon," the guide
advises. "Once municipality lead-
ers have settled on a plan, they
need to spend time figuring out its
implementation. In particular, it is
necessary to identify the four to
five greatest obstacles the visionary
program will likely face and work
hard to reduce them in order to
prevent the plan from becoming a
political football.
"Also, this time can be used to
get "buy-in" from other leaders,
including city administrators, city
council members and business
leaders. Their support will be nec-
essary later on."
A sense of what private
developers really want
With the DCED's own limited
resources to provide technical
assistance and so many small
downtowns throughout the large
state to advise, "we tried to find a
way to provide useable, practical
assistance to elected and appointed
.
officials, that would help them
walk through this whole process.
The end result is the Community
Revitalization Desktop Guide.
The guide includes four
detailed case studies of cities and
towns that have attracted their first
high-impact private investment in
decades, and interviews private
developers who share how they
choose a downtown site for invest-
ment. It also includes interviews
with mayors who have taken
action to prepare their city to wel-
come new investment.
"The idea is to give people
who haven't done [any high-
impact downtown revitalization
projects] yet a real sense of what
private developers are looking for
- what kinds of things they want
of public sector officials that will
make it more likely that they will
invest. It's important for public
officials to hear that directly from
developers," Klothen says.
Source: Ken Klothen, PA Dept. of Com-
munity & Economic Development, (866)
466-3972, www.newpa.com/revitalize. .
1
~
.
.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
June 15, 2008
.
I
f
~
~
~
r
i
.
.
Management
Finding and keeping good board members
for downtown involves political savvy
Downtown Wilmington, NC
(pop. 75,840), recently issued a
public service announcement call-
ing for volunteers to serve on the
board of directors of Wilmington
Downtown Inc. for the coming fis-
cal year. The PSA started like this:
"Wilmington Downtown, Inc.,
Wilmington's Downtown Area
Revitalization Organization, is
accepting applications for at-large
positions on its 2008-2009 Board of
Directors. The 36-member board
includes representatives of civic
organizations, governmental bodies,
professional groups, and members
of the community at large. ..."
With such a large board to be
appointed each year, it helps that
17 of those 36 positions are desig-
nated according to specific roles in
the public and private.sectors, says
John Hinnant, executive director of
Wilmington Downtown Inc.
The downtown board's desig-
nated appointees include represen-
tatives from the city council, the
county commissioner, city and
county staff members, three indi-
viduals from the [mancial sector, a
real estate agent, a lawyer, an
architect, a member of the hospi-
tality industry, and members of
other stakeholder groups like the
Historic Wilmington Foundation,
Residents of Old Wilmington, and
the Downtown Business Alliance.
For the remaining at-large board
positions, there is no restriction
based on job title or affiliation.
Top qualities are being diligent,
well-connected
The board selection commit-
tee consists of Wilmington Down-
June 15, 2008
town's president-elect, president,
and immediate past-president.
"Typically, we look for folks
who are going to roll up their
sleeves ... We like folks who are
going to come to the meetings and
participate, and who don't mind
picking up a little bit of the work-
load," Hinnant says.
The other top consideration in
scouting for board members is to
seek people who are part of the
big players in downtown business,
e.g., the general manager of down-
town's largest (or sole) hotel.
Big business reps sharpen
fund-raising approach
Wilmington Downtown has
also benefited from recruiting
board members from among the
downtown's largest businesses.
For example, a pharmaceutical
research company that left down-
town for the suburbs in the 1990s
recently moved back, into a
490,000-sq.-ft. office tower that
will be the workplace of some
2,000 employees.
When the company moved
downtown last year, Hinnant
recruited one of its executives to
serve on the board. "He's very,
very informative when we're dis-
cussing fund-raising," he says.
"These large corporations get hit
up constantly for community fund-
raising events. He's been a very
influential and informative person
in telling us, 'Hey, you need to
think about when and how you ask
us for money.' He gives us the
big corporate-guy understanding
fund-raising."
Set clear expectations, and
keep it fresh and fun
Being up-front about the time
commitment board member candi-
dates must make is essential. To
help find board members who are
already committed to the cause,
Hinnant likes to scout people who
are doing a good amount of work
downtown, such as representatives
of design and engineering or archi-
tectural ftrms.
"I also like to go after some of
the developers who are active in
downtown, because they're the
ones moving dirt and building the
tax base. And it's important to have
them on your team," he says.
"I think it's important that they
have a very clear understanding of
what's expected of them when they
join. And if they are in a designat-
ed slot - if the city manager des-
ignates somebody to serve in that
capacity - understand that their
role and responsibility within their
[paying] job description will be
their priority over coming and sit-
ting in a board meeting. If they
have a staff division or department
meeting, they're going to be there
before they're here."
Another key to keep in mind is
don't wear out your board mem-
bers. Results don't always happen
quickly for downtowns, and that's
not something that people should
jump in expecting, lest they burn
out after a year or two.
To keep board members 'on
board' with serving downtown, keep
it fresh by mixing fun things in with
the informative or dutiful things, and
don't forget to thank them for their
service, especially in public places
and in front of their peers.
Contact: John Hinnant, Wilmington
Downtown Inc., (910) 763-7349,
www.wilmingtondowntown.com. .
Downtown Idea ExChange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
7
Sometimes all you need
to do is ask
If you feel that improvements
are needed downtown, sometimes
you just have to speak up. When
businesses and residents in the
Theater Alley area of downtown
Medford, OR (pop. 63,150),
expressed the need for brighter
lighting in the alley adjacent to the
Craterian Theater, Valley Electri-
cal Contractors donated and
installed new light fixtures. In
addition, Medford Urban Renewal
Agency, in partnership with the
Craterian, made it possible for
existing lighting around the the-
ater, alley, and public parking area
to remain on during evening and
nighttime hours. Merchants have
also made the area safer by adding
motion sensor lighting to their
entrances.
Land cost could derail
development plans
When planning any large
downtown project, leaders must
fully understand its scope. Plans
for a new town center in Apopka,
FL (pop. 26,640), ran into trouble
when city council was informed it
would have to spend more than
$3 million to acquire additional
land for the project. The new town
center would include retail and
office space, condominiums and
apartments, four parking garages, a
new city hall, and a library. Based
on a market-demand analysis,
which considered Apopka's demo-
graphics and amenities, the city
would have to purchase 12.8 acres
in addition to the 20 it already
8
owns to make the development
successful. "The town center will
not happen without it," said a con-
sultant for the project.
"I wish I'd known we had to
have X number of acres to be suc-
cessful," said one councilman.
New businesses bring
new funds
Sometimes the best place to
look for new development funds is
new businesses. They can often see
the potential and opportunity that
more established downtown stake-
holders have overlooked. For
instance, last year Eunice, NM
(pop. 2,560), began preparing to
invest millions of dollars on new
water lines, a downtown beautifi-
cation project, a new public swim-
ming pool, and a new sewage
treatment plant, in large part
thanks to contributions from the
town's new corporate citizen,
Louisiana Energy Services.
.
Wave bye bye to
downtown Wi~Fi?
A few years ago, downtown
Wi-Fi coverage was touted as the
wave of the future. But as recent
events in Philadelphia, PA (pop.
1.5 million), indicate, many are still
struggling with how to harness the
technology's potential. Internet
provider EarthLink Inc. announced
that it was discontinuing service to
its subscription-based Philadelphia
network, in which the Wi-Pi equip-
ment was attached to streetlights.
The network had been promoted as
a model for how to deploy Wi-Fi,
but reliability was an issue. Earth-
Link also shut down a similar oper-
ation in New Orleans, while the
cities of Corpus Christi, TX, and
Milpitas, CA, agreed to take owner-
ship of the networks in their cities.
"It was a great idea a few years ago,
... but it's an idea that simply didn't
make it," Earthlink CEO Rolla Huff
told the Associated Press. .
.
Whatto do with a budget surplus?
It's a problem. many downtown. organizaticmswould like. to have __
extra moneyinthecoffers. But whatdo you do with thisextra~<:l$h?
That questionwas discussed at a council meetinginH~rtford,WI -
(pop. 1 0,91 0), early this spring. Revised property taxes,^,ould lea.yethe
business improvement district with a large budget surplus fortheyear.
The BID wanted to give the money back to business owners, and it
requested. a change in the. assessment. rate. from $2.50 per$1,0()Q in
assessed value to $2.10 per $1 ,000. Even. at the lower rate, the~ID
would collect $40,665, or $254 more than. the. 2008 budget.
..... At. leastonealderperson suggestedkeepingJhe as~essrTlent rate
at $2.50, with the additional. funds being u$ed for advertising and pro-
motin9 dovvntown businesses. The BID president countered. thatthe.
BID could operate effectively with its established budget No ruling was
made at the time.
.
Downtown Idea Exchange . www.DowntownDevelopment.com
June 15, 2008
Page 1 of 1
Peter Herlofsky
en: Joel Jamnik [JJamnik@ck-law.coml
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 11: 13 AM
To: Peter Herlofsky
Cc: Tom Scott
Subject: Certificate of OccupancylExchange Bank Building
Peter,
Thank you for the update on the Exchange Bank Building and the news that the Browns completed the required improvements
necessary to obtain a certificate of occupancy.
Given that notable accomplishment, it is our recommendation that at the next EDA meeting we present a certification of
completion for the project and a mutual satisfaction and release between the Browns and the City for the EDA's approval in order
to wrap up and conclude the project. As part of that approval, the City would re-deed the property to the Brown's and return the
security. There is no need for any formal action as part of tonight's meeting.
If there are any questions regarding the resolution of this matter, please have the EDA member(s) contact me or my partner Tom
Scott.
Joel
Joel J. Jamnik
ca. en Knutson, P.A.
31 andale Office Center
13 orporate Center Curve
Eagan, MN 55121
Direct Dial: 651- 234-6219
Cell: 651-470-0756
Fax:651-452-5550
Email: ijamnik@ck-Iaw.com
IMPORTANT: This electronic message contains information from Campbell Knutson or its attorneys that is presumptively
confidential and, if sent to clients or co-counsel, may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. The unauthorized use,
distribution, or re-transmission of any part of this message by an unintended recipient is strictly prohibited and may be a violation
of law. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please contact the sender immediately and delete all copies.
.
6/23/2008
Page 1 of 1
Peter Herlofsky
.: Joel Jamnik [JJamnik@ck-law.coml
Sent: Monday, June 23,200811:13 AM
To: Peter Herlofsky
Cc: Tom Scott
Subject: Certificate of Occupancy/Exchange Bank Building
Peter,
Thank you for the update on the Exchange Bank Building and the news that the Browns completed the required improvements
necessary to obtain a certificate of occupancy.
Given that notable accomplishment, it is our recommendation that at the next EDA meeting we present a certification of
completion for the project and a mutual satisfaction and release between the Browns and the City for the EDA's approval in order
to wrap up and conclude the project. As part of that approval, the City would re-deed the property to the Brown's and return the
security. There is no need for any formal action as part of tonight's meeting.
If there are any questions regarding the resolution of this matter, please have the EDA member(s) contact me or my partner Tom
Scott.
Joel
Joel J. Jamnik
C.ben Knutson, P.A.
3 gandale Office Center
13 orporate Center Curve
Eagan, MN 55121
Direct Dial: 651- 234-6219
Cell: 651-470-0756
Fax: 651-452-5550
Email: iiamnik@ck-Iaw.com
IMPORTANT: This electronic message contains information from Campbell Knutson or its attorneys that is presumptively
confidential and, if sent to clients or co-counsel, may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. The unauthorized use,
distribution, or re-transmission of any part of this message by an unintended recipient is strictly prohibited and may be a violation
of law. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please contact the sender immediately and delete all copies.
.
6/23/2008
Page 1 of 1
Peter Herlofsky
en: Joel Jamnik [JJamnik@ck-law.coml
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 11: 13 AM
To: Peter Herlofsky
Cc: Tom Scott
Subject: Certificate of Occupancy/Exchange Bank Building
Peter,
Thank you for the update on the Exchange Bank Building and the news that the Browns completed the required improvements
necessary to obtain a certificate of occupancy.
Given that notable accomplishment, it is our recommendation that at the next EDA meeting we present a certification of
~ompletion for the project and a mutual satisfaction and release between the Browns and the City for the EDA's approval in order
to wrap up and conclude the project. As part of that approval, the City would re-deed the property to the Brown's and return the
security. There is no need for any formal action as part of tonight's meeting.
If there are any questions regarding the resolution of this matter, please have the EDA member(s) contact me or my partner Tom
Scott.
Joel
Joel J. Jamnik
ca. ell Knutson, P.A.
31 andale Office Center
13 orporate Center Curve
Eagan, MN 55121
Direct Dial: 651- 234-6219
Cell: 651-470-0756
Fax: 651-452-5550
Email: jjamnik@ck-Iaw.com
IMPORTANT: This electronic message contains information from Campbell Knutson or its attorneys that is presumptively
~onfidential and, if sent to clients or co-counsel, may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. The unauthorized use,
distribution, or re-transmission of any part of this message by an unintended recipient is strictly prohibited and may be a violation
of law. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please contact the sender immediately and delete all copies.
.
6/23/2008
Page 1 of 1
Peter Herlofsky
.: Joel Jamnik [JJamnik@ck-law.coml
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 11: 13 AM
To: Peter Herlofsky
Cc: Tom Scott
Subject: Certificate of Occupancy/Exchange Bank Building
Peter,
Thank you for the update on the Exchange Bank Building and the news that the Browns completed the required improvements
necessary to obtain a certificate of occupancy.
Given that notable accomplishment, it is our recommendation that at the next EDA meeting we present a certification of
completion for the project and a mutual satisfaction and release between the Browns and the City for the EDA's approval in order
to wrap up and conclude the project. As part of that approval, the City would re-deed the property to the Brown's and return the
security. There is no need for any formal action as part of tonight's meeting.
If there are any questions regarding the resolution of this matter, please have the EDA member(s} contact me or my partner Tom
Scott.
Joel
Joel J. Jamnik
ca. ell Knutson, P.A.
31 andale Office Center
13 orporate Center Curve
Eagan, MN 55121
Direct Dial: 651- 234-6219
Cell: 651-470-0756
Fax: 651-452-5550
Email: jjamnik@ck-Iaw.com
IMPORTANT: This electronic message contains information from Campbell Knutson or its attorneys that is presumptively
confidential and, if sent to clients or co-counsel, may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. The unauthorized use,
distribution, or re-transmission of any part of this message by an unintended recipient is strictly prohibited and may be a violation
of law. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please contact the sender immediately and delete all copies.
.
6/23/2008
.
.
.
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