HRA MINUTES 04221986 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

-z - because the H.R.A. would have to take some action in regard to Certificates of Occupancy to be issued for those instances, there might be a need for further • discussion with the developers regarding an indication they had recently made that they might be seeking permission to split the proposed larger units because the smaller units seemed to be selling better. Mr. Childs indicated he had warned the developers that they should be prepared to address H.R.A. resistance to any proposal which would call for a further increase in density. Commissioner Ranallo recalled that META had been involved in the last changes which had been made and had assured him at that time there would be no further requests for enlargement of the project. The consensus was that the H.R.A. would encourage no further increases in the number of Kenzington units. Mr. Childs stated that the Economic Development District which had been established when the Housing and Redevelopment District had been set up for the redevelopment of the southern commercial portion of the City had expired because of the lack of activity th-e last three years, but he indicated he perceived there might now be a need to reinstate that district to provide some source of funding for the improve- men�the City must no_w take in that area, including the upgrading of Coolidge and undergrounding of the tangled ut ITty lines in that area, and the reconstruction of Kenzie Terrace medians all the way up to the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant to provide a better traffic flow to accomodate the new developments in that area. With that thought in mind, Mr. Childs said he had met with Dick Krier and the - redevelopment -consulting firm Mr. Krier had recommended, Dalgren, Shardlow and Uban, to request they submit a proposal similar to the one Mr. Krier had initially developed for the first Kenzie improvements. This proposal for services would • cost the City nothing unless the H.R.A. entered into an agreement with them to utilize their services. When Commissioner Ranallo questioned why the City and not the merchants and the shopping center owners, who had shown no interest in taking advantage of the help the district could offer them to make their own improvements, was going to have to pay for the proposal, Vice Chair Enrooth told him if the H.R.A. wanted to proceed with the improvements of that area they had to make to "clean up the eyesore down there", only tax increment monies were available to get the job done. The Com- missioner was also told that as far as the tenant merchants who had indicated they wanted nothing done which would result in their rents being raised, went, they might just as well understand right now that just the increase in the number of persons living in the area would without a doubt, cause a raise in their rents without any improvements at all. Mr. Childs indicated he certainly would be the last person to suggest "giving a free ride" to the center owners, but said he perceived now was the time to reinstate the original _intent _of_ma_ki_ng_l,ow, interest loans available to the—les`eFdl-ders to -- — .... --- --el-64--the �, make improvements to their own interiors, but not to finance the upgra store exteriors orwalkways which were projects the owners could finance themselves or could seek Industrial Development financing for. From the standpoint of protect- ing the City from blight, the Executive Director said he perecived the City would be forced to make at least some of the improvements he had suggested soon. Commissioner Makowske commented that because it had taken the H.R.A. so long to get the residential development started, some of the merchants might have forgotten • the improvement options they had available to them and she perceived the improve- ments the City is making to its own property on the northern edge of this district might prove to be the impetus to getting something done in the other part of the shopping center.