Downtown Development Authority Minutes

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Present: DDA Members: Christopher Johnson, Margene Buckhave, Jim DeHaan, Lynda Heaton, Lou LaChance, Dave Larsen, Jim Long, Greg Presley, Rick Shaffner. Others: City Manager Gary Word, DDA Director Lori Ward, DPW Director Jim Gallogly, Matt Jobin of Rich & Associates, Recording Secretary Carol Kasprowicz, School Board President Joan Wadsworth, Reporter Maureen Johnston, MGM Representative Sue Scott.

Approval of Minutes: There being no corrections or additions, the minutes of the April 8, 2003 meeting and the minutes of the Special Meeting of April 16, 2003 were approved.

New Business:

Parking Expansion: Presentation of Five Parking Concepts and

The Selection of the Preferred Concept

Matt Jobin reviewed the five alternate concepts for a downtown parking deck. Three concepts dealt with variations (with or without adjoining developments, with or without a basement, two or three floors) of a parking deck on the Wing Street parking lot. Two concepts dealt with a parking deck on the Marquis Theatre/Dunlap Street parking lot. Additionally, three concepts were presented dealing with additional and improved surface parking on the Marquis/Dunlap Street lot.

Included in the review of each concept were construction costs and owners’ direct costs, the total parking spaces realized, the number of net new spaces, the cost per parking

space, and the pros and cons of each deck option. Questions were asked regarding the method of arriving at the net new spaces, the possible facades of the decks, and what was included in the costs listed. Staff stated there are different issues to be worked out with each concept and direction was needed before proceeding any further.

A preference was indicated for Concept A, which is a 3-story deck plus basement on Wing Street along with the two development projects (Long project and Buckhave project), and surface parking on the Marquis Theater/Dunlap Street lot. Further discussion centered around the ramifications of removing the building that is housing Edward’s Catering, and the architectural and constructional details of the proposed Wing Street deck in relation to the proposed developments on Wing Street It was stated that the Wing Street deck and the Long and Buckhave projects were a "complete package." It was conjectured that the deck could not be built on Wing Street without the proposed projects.

Clarifications were made regarding the three concepts offered for the Marquis Lot surface parking lot.

It was stated that three DDA board members (Buckhave, Long, and Presley) were to refrain from voting on any matters dealing with the deck due to personal interests in the proposals.

Motion Larsen, seconded by DeHaan to recommend to City Council the adoption of Concept A (3-story deck plus basement with Long and Buckhave projects) on Wing Street and Concept B (reconfiguring surface parking by patching asphalt) at the Marquis/Dunlap Street parking lot.

Voice Vote: Yes: Johnson, DeHaan, Heaton, LaChance, Larsen. No: Shaffner. Abstain: Buckhave, Long, Presley. Motion carried.

Survey of Parking Lots

Prior to initiating property acquisition and/or land swaps, and subsequent construction on the parking lots, it is required that topographical and property surveys be conducted on the lots. In addition to the two lots in question, the Police Department has requested that a mapping be conducted of Parking Lot #1 (the Mary Alexander Court lot) to aid in enforcement of parking restrictions. McNeely & Lincoln Associates, Inc. have submitted proposals for each of the lots.

Motion Larsen, seconded by DeHaan to approve the contracts to McNeely and Lincoln Associates Inc. for the topographic and property survey for Municipal Lot #2 (Wing Street lot) at a cost of $8600, and Municipal Lot #3 (Theatre Parking Lot) at a cost of $12,600, and the property mapping of Municipal Lot #1 (Mary Alexander Court) at a cost of $5200. Voice Vote: Yes: Johnson, DeHaan, Heaton, LaChance, Larsen, Shaffner. Abstain: Buckhave, Long, Presley. Motion carried.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Meeting adjourned 9:35 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol T. Kasprowicz
Recording Secretary