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11-15-2007 Community Redevelopment Authority Regular Meeting Packet Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Packet Board Members: Lee Elliott Tom Gdowski Barry Sandstrom Sue Pirnie Glen Murray 4:00 PM Grand Island City Hall 100 E 1st Street Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 1 / 67 Call to Order Roll Call A - SUBMITTAL OF REQUESTS FOR FUTURE ITEMS Individuals who have appropriate items for City Council consideration should complete the Request for Future Agenda Items form located at the Information Booth. If the issue can be handled administratively without Council action, notification will be provided. If the item is scheduled for a meeting or study session, notification of the date will be given. B - RESERVE TIME TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS This is an opportunity for individuals wishing to provide input on any of tonight's agenda items to reserve time to speak. Please come forward, state your name and address, and the Agenda topic on which you will be speaking. DIRECTOR COMMUNICATION This is an opportunity for the Director to comment on current events, activities, and issues of interest to the commission. Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 2 / 67 Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Item A1 Agenda Staff Contact: Chad Nabity Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 3 / 67 AGENDA Thursday November 15, 2007 4:00 P.M. City Hall Open Meetings Notifications (Posters on Wall) 1.Call to Order Barry Sandsrom This is a public meeting subject to the open meetings laws of the State of Nebraska. The requirements for an open meeting are posted on the wall in this room and anyone that wants to find out what those are is welcome to read through them. 2.Approval of Minutes of October 25, 2007 Meeting. 3.Approval of Financial Reports 4.Approval of Bills 5.Consideration of Generalized Redevelopment Plan for CRA Area #6 6.Consideration of Redevelopment Plan Amendments for areas 1, 4 and 6 relative to train horns and quiet zones 7.Consideration of Grant Request from the Grand Island YMCA for landscaping and fencing improvements to their site at the Corner of 3rd and Sycamore 8.Review of Committed Projects and CRA Properties 9.ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS NEGOTIATIONS RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION 10.Approve Resolution or Resolutions to Purchase/Sell Property 11.Directors Report 12.Adjournment Next Meeting December __, 2007 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 4 / 67 Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Item B1 Meeting Minutes Staff Contact: Chad Nabity Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 5 / 67 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS MINUTES OF COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING OF November 15, 2007 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Regular Meeting of the Community Redevelopment Authority of the City of Grand Island, Nebraska was conducted on November 15, 2007, at City Hall 100 E First Street. Notice of the meeting was given in the November 8, 2007 Grand Island Independent. 1.CALL TO ORDER Chair Barry Sandstrom called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. The following members were present: Barry Sandstrom, Tom Gdowski, Glen Murray, Lee Elliott. Also present were; Director, Chad Nabity; Secretary, Barb Quandt; Steve Riehle, Public Works Director; Thor Larson, YMCA; Cindy Johnson, GI Chamber of Commerce;Tracy Overstreet, Grand Island Independent; Marty Shukert, RDG, Planning & Design; Public Audience. Chair Barry Sandstrom stated this was a public meeting subject to the open meeting laws of the State of Nebraska. He noted that the requirements for an open meeting were posted on the wall easily accessible to anyone who would like to read through them. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. A motion for approval of the Minutes for the October 25, 2007 CRA Meeting was made by Gdowski, and seconded by, Elliott. Upon roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried unanimously. 3.APPROVAL OF FINANCIAL REPORTS. Chad Nabity reviewed the financial reports for the period of October 1, 2007 through October 31, 2007. He noted revenue in the amount of $89,284 and expenses in the amount of $5144 for the month. The total ending cash in the report was $1,036,637. Nabity also noted an additional expense for the prior approved purchase of the 211 E. First Street property. Motion by Murray, second by Elliott, to Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 6 / 67 approve the financial reports. Upon roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried unanimously. 4.APPROVAL OF BILLS. The bills were reviewed by the Authority. Motion by Elliott, second by Murray to approve the bills in the amount of $1762.03. Upon roll call vote all present voted aye. Motion carried unanimously to approve the payment of bills in the amount of $1762.03. 5.CONSIDERATION OF THE GENERALIZED REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR CRA AREA #6 . This Agenda item followed Agenda Item #7. Nabity reported that this is the Generalized Redevelopment Plan for CRA Area #6. RDG Planning and Design of Omaha, Nebraska prepared a generalized redevelopment plan for CRA Area #6. Council declared the area blighted and substandard at the October 9, 2007 meeting. If the plan is deemed appropriate by CRA members, the CRA needs to forward the study to the Regional Planning Commission for review and recommendation prior to approval of the plan. Marty Shukert from RDG Planning and Design was in attendance to present the plan and to answer questions. He apologized for missing his previously scheduled meeting to present the redevelopment plan. A discussion followed his presentation. Motion was made by Murray, seconded by Gdowski, to recommend the Generalized Redevelopment Plan for CRA Area #6 to the Regional Planning Commission as presented. Upon roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried. 6.CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS TO GENERALIZED REDEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR CRA AREAS 1,4 AND 6 RELATIVE TO TRAIN HORNS. This Agenda item followed Agenda Item #4. Peg Gilbert, Council Liaison, joined the meeting. Nabity reported. The CRA Board, along with the City of Grand Island, has considered the idea of funding the installation of wayside horns at railroad crossings in blighted and substandard areas, including downtown Grand Island. CRA is required to forward the study to the Regional Planning Commission for review, and recommendation, prior to approval of the plan. The CRA has budgeted $140,000 for this fiscal year for this project and $100,000 for fiscal year 2009. It is planned to install medians at the Elm Street, Oak Street and Walnut Street crossings. Steve Riehle explained the requirements and installation of the Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 7 / 67 medians and answered questions regarding the function of the medians. Motion was made by Gdowski, seconded by Elliott, to forward the study to Regional Planning Commission for review and recommendation concerning the Amendments to the Generalized Redevelopment Plans for CRA Areas 1, 4 and 6 relative to funding the installation of wayside horns at railroad crossings in blighted and substandard areas, including downtown Grand Island. Upon roll call vote, all present vote aye. Motion carried. 7.CONSIDERATION OF GRAND REQUEST FROM THE GRAND ISLAND YMCA FOR LANDSCAPING AND FENCING IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR SITE AT THE CORNER OF THIRD AND SYCAMORE. Nabity reported that Thor Larson, CEO/Executive Director of the Grand Island YMCA has submitted a letter requesting assistance from the Grand Island CRA with the planned improvements at the YMCA. He stated that they are requesting $13,250 in assistance for site work, landscaping and fencing to improve the greenspace at the corner of Third and Sycamore Streets. CRA funding is available for projects like this in the “Other Projects Category”. This application is similar in nature to grants approved for the Heartland Events Center, Cathedral Square, St. Stephens Annex, the Skatepark at Pier Park, the Central Nebraska Humane Society and the YWCA. Thor Larson was available to explain the project and for questions. A motion was made by Murray, and seconded by Elliott, to approve the assistance of $13,250 to improve the greenspace at the YMCA corner of Third and Sycamore Streets as presented. Upon roll call vote, Gdowski abstained and all others present voted aye. Motion carried. 8. REVIEW OF COMMITTED PROJECTS AND CRA PROPERTIES. This portion of the Agenda was covered following the presentation of Marty Shukert under Agenda Item #5. Nabity stated that the purchase of the property at 211 E. First Street had been completed. Letters will be sent to licensed contracting wreckers seeking bids for management of the demolition at that site. Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 8 / 67 9. ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS NEGOTIATIONS. There was no need for an executive session. 10. APPROVE RESOLUTION OR RESOLUTIONS TO PURCHASE/SELL PROPERTY. No action needed. 11. DIRECTOR’S REPORT. There was a brief discussion regarding a possible meeting date of December 6, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. Staff will send an email to CRA members as a reminder to check their calendars. 12. ADJOURNMENT. Chairman Sandstrom adjourned the meeting at 5:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Chad Nabity Director Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 9 / 67 Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Item C1 Financial Reports Staff Contact: Chad Nabity Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 10 / 67 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2007 MONTH ENDED 2007 - 2008 2008 REMAINING OCTOBER 2006 YEAR TO DATE BUDGET BALANCE CONSOLIDATED Beginning Cash 952,497 952,497 952,497 REVENUE: Property Taxes 83,668 83,668 722,796 639,128 Loan Proceeds - - - - Interest Income 4,316 4,316 10,000 5,684 Land Sales - - 50,000 50,000 Other Revenue 1,300 1,300 - (1,300) TOTAL REVENUE 89,284 89,284 782,796 693,512 TOTAL RESOURCES 1,041,780 1,041,780 1,735,293 693,512 EXPENSES Auditing & Accounting 375 375 8,000 7,625 Legal Services 150 150 10,000 9,850 Consulting Services - - 10,000 10,000 Contract Services 3,000 3,000 40,000 37,000 Printing & Binding 568 568 1,000 432 Other Professional Services 630 630 6,000 5,370 General Liability Insurance - - 250 250 Matching Grant - - - - Legal Notices 421 421 800 379 Licenses & Fees - - - - Travel & Training - - 1,500 1,500 Other Expenditures - - 500 500 Office Supplies - - 500 500 Supplies - - 300 300 Land - - 100,000 100,000 Façade Improvement - - 200,000 200,000 South Locust - - - - Alleyway Improvement - - - - Other Projects - - 500,000 500,000 Bond Principal - - 128,002 128,002 Bond Interest - - 94,794 94,794 Interest Expense - - - - - - - TOTAL EXPENSES 5,144 5,144 1,101,646 1,096,502 INCREASE(DECREASE) IN CASH 84,140 84,140 (318,850) (402,990) ENDING CASH 1,036,637 1,036,637 633,647 (402,990) LESS COMMITMENTS 450,041 - AVAILABLE CASH 586,596 1,036,637 633,647 (402,990) CHECKING 562,748 PETTY CASH 50 INVESTMENTS 473,839 Total Cash 1,036,637 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 11 / 67 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2007 MONTH ENDED 2007 - 2008 2008 REMAINING OCTOBER 2006 YEAR TO DATE BUDGET BALANCE CRA GENERAL OPERATIONS: Property Taxes 74,821 74,821 500,000 425,179 Interest Income 4,297 4,297 10,000 5,703 Land Sales - 50,000 50,000 Other Revenue & Motor Vehicle Tax 1,300 1,300 - (1,300) TOTAL 80,418 80,418 560,000 479,582 GILI TRUST Property Taxes - - 65,780 65,780 Interest Income - - - - Other Revenue - - - - TOTAL - - 65,780 65,780 CHERRY PARK LTD II Property Taxes - - 59,180 59,180 Interest Income 19 19 - (19) Other Revenue - - - - TOTAL 19 19 59,180 59,161 GENTLE DENTAL Property Taxes - - 4,202 4,202 Interest Income 1 1 - (1) Other Revenue - - - - TOTAL 1 1 4,202 4,201 PROCON TIF Property Taxes 8,846 8,846 19,162 10,316 Interest Income - - - - Other Revenue - - - TOTAL 8,846 8,846 19,162 10,316 WALNUT HOUSING PROJECT Property Taxes - - 74,472 74,472 Interest Income - - - - Other Revenue - - - - TOTAL - - 74,472 74,472 TOTAL REVENUE 89,284 89,284 782,796 693,512 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 12 / 67 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2007 MONTH ENDED 2007 - 2008 2008 REMAINING OCTOBER 2006 YEAR TO DATE BUDGET BALANCE EXPENSES CRA GENERAL OPERATIONS: Auditing & Accounting 375 375 8,000 7,625 Legal Services 150 150 10,000 9,850 Consulting Services - 10,000 10,000 Contract Services 3,000 3,000 40,000 37,000 Printing & Binding 568 568 1,000 432 Other Professional Services 630 630 6,000 5,370 General Liability Insurance - 250 250 Matching Grant - - - Legal Notices 421 421 800 379 Licenses & Fees - - - Travel & Training - 1,500 1,500 Other Expenditures - 500 500 Office Supplies - 500 500 Supplies - 300 300 Land - 100,000 100,000 PROJECTS Façade Improvement - 200,000 200,000 South Locust - - - Alleyway Improvement - - - Other Projects - 500,000 500,000 TOTAL CRA EXPENSES 5,144 5,144 878,850 873,706 GILI TRUST Bond Principal - 47,158 47,158 Bond Interest - 18,622 18,622 Other Expenditures - - - TOTAL GILI EXPENSES - - 65,780 65,780 CHERRY PARK LTD II Bond Principal - 36,824 36,824 Bond Interest - 22,356 22,356 TOTAL CHERRY PARK EXPENSES - - 59,180 59,180 GENTLE DENTAL Bond Principal - 2,127 2,127 Bond Interest - 2,075 2,075 TOTAL GENTLE DENTAL - - 4,202 4,202 PROCON TIF Bond Principal - 8,838 8,838 Bond Interest - 10,324 10,324 TOTAL PROCON TIF - - 19,162 19,162 WALNUT HOUSING PROJECT Bond Principal - 33,055 33,055 Bond Interest - 41,417 41,417 - - - TOTAL WALNUT HOUSING - - 74,472 74,472 TOTAL EXPENSES 5,144 5,144 1,101,646 1,096,502 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 13 / 67 Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Item D1 Bills Staff Contact: Chad Nabity Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 14 / 67 15-Nov-07 TO: Community Redevelopment Authority Board Members FROM: Chad Nabity, Planning Department Director RE: Bills Submitted for Payment The following bills have been submitted to the Community Redevelopment Authority Treasurer for preparation of payment. City of Grand Island Administration $1,500.00 Accounting Grand Island Independent Monthly & Redevelopment Plan Notices $12.03 Mayer, Burns, Koenig & Janulewicz $250.00 Total: $1,762.03 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 15 / 67 Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Item E1 Committed Projects Staff Contact: Chad Nabity Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 16 / 67 COMMITTED PROJECTS AMOUNT ESTIMATED DUE DATE Housing Study $8,250 Fall 2008 JEO Building $117,000 November 2007 Hall County $37,500 Fall 2007 Romsa Real Estate Center $75,000 Fall 2007 Harmony Bldg. 224 W 3rd Street $68,482 Fall 2007 Good Will Facade $36,800 Spring 2008 New Life Community Church Façade $107,000 Fall 2008 Total Committed $450,041 CRA PROPERTIES Address Purchase Price Purchase Date Demo Cost Status 203 E 1st St.$68,627 10-09-02 $23,300 Surplus 217 E 1st St $17,000 03-20-03 $6,500 Surplus 408 E 2nd St $6,000 11-11-05 $7,500 Surplus 2707 and 2709 S. Locust $155,740 12-30-05 $15,339.23 Surplus 211 E 1st $34,702 11-13-07 ?For Demo November 13, 2007 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 17 / 67 Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Item G1 Grand Request YMCA Staff Contact: Chad Nabity Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 18 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 19 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 20 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 21 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 22 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 23 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 24 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 25 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 26 / 67 Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Thursday, November 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Item I1 Redevelopment Plans Staff Contact: Chad Nabity Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 27 / 67 1       Grand Island Neighborhood  Redevelopment Plan  Grand Island Redevelopment  Area Number 6    Prepared for:  The City of Grand Island  &  The Community Redevelopment  Authority    By:  RDG Planning & Design    October, 2007    Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 28 / 67 2 Introduction    This plan focuses on the north central portion of Grand Island and the neighborhoods  around the Broadwell, Eddy, and 2nd Street corridors.  As stable working class  neighborhoods these areas historically provided jobs, housing and shopping to local  residents. However, over the years the neighborhoods have changed and face new  challenges.  Specifically:    • Growth along the Highway 281 corridor, west of the study area, has attracted much  of the city’s contemporary retail growth.  Conestoga Mall, restaurants, and big box  retailers along the highway have shifted some shoppers away from the study area.   Although Skagway retains a strong market presence, other smaller retailers have  struggled.   • The area still experiences a significant amount of visitor traffic, including visitors to  the Veterans Administration Hospital and truck traffic along Eddy and Broadwell.  However, this potential business traffic is often untapped.   • Frequency on the Union Pacific Railroad has increased dramatically over the years,  creating traffic congestion problems at the Broadwell crossing and the intersecting  Third and North Front Streets.  The Eddy Street underpass provides an alternative to  this surface crossing. However, during heavy rainfalls this underpass may be  inundated.    • Land use conflicts exist, specifically around the railroad corridor where housing is  located adjacent to light industrial uses and the impact of the railroad.     Despite these issues, the north‐central portion of Grand Island retains a strong  residential base.  The recent success of the South Locust Street redevelopment has  helped residents visualize new possibilities for the north‐central area. With the  completion of an area‐wide redevelopment plan, these neighborhoods can use economic  incentives that will add energy and stability to the area. This concept plan identifies new  opportunities for the study area neighborhoods.  Possibilities include new development  concepts, visual and functional improvements, urban design features, and other  strategies that capitalize on the area’s strengths.         Existing Conditions    This discussion addresses major features existing in the planning area and includes land  use patterns, and transportation context.     Land Use Patterns    The Grand Island Redevelopment Area Number 6 covers just over 412 acres and can be  divided into four distinct sub‐areas. The full legal description of these areas is located in  the Blight Declaration but can be generally described as:  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 29 / 67 281 34 281 281 2 30 30 30 Capital AveNorth Rd13th St Old Potash Hwy Stolley Park RdWebb RdSycamo re S t 4th StSt. Paul RdBroadwell AveGrand Island City Limits Grand Island, Nebraska NORTH 1 MILE0 RDG Planning & Design 900 Farnam St. Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68102 2007 Study Area Figure 1: Study Area 1/2 City Limits Sub-Areas 1. Five Points 2. Broadwell Street 3. 2nd Street 4. Eddy Street 1 2 3 4 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 30 / 67 Five Points Area Eddy Street AreaEddy Street Area Broadwell Ave AreaBroadwell Ave Area Second Street West AreaSecond Street West Area Five Points Area Eddy Street Area Broadwell Ave Area Second Street West Area Prospect St College StCollege St Waugh St Waugh St State St State St 18th St 18th St 17th St17th St 16th St16th St 15th St15th St 14th St14th St 13th St13th St 12th St12th St 11Ave St11Ave St 11th St11th St 10th St10th St Faidley AveFaidley Ave 6th St6th St 5th St5th St 4th St4th St North Front StNorth Front St Blake StBlake St George StGeorge St Old Linc ol n Hwy O ld Lin c o ln H w yCuster AveCuster AveWaldo AveWaldo AveGrace AveGrace AveCarey AveCarey AveRuby AveRuby AveDarr AveDarr AveBoggs AveBoggs AveWhite AveWhite AveGre e nw i c h S tGree n wic h S t Li n c o ln S t Lin c ol n StWa s h in g t o n S tWa s hi ng t o n S t A da ms S t A d ams St Jef f e rso n S t Je ffe rs on StMa d i s on S tMa dis o n S t Cl a r k S t Cla r k St E d d y S t E d d y S t Cle b u r n S tCle b u r n S t Elm S t El m S t C e d a r S t C e d a r St Wa l n u t S tWa l n u t St Whe e l e r S tWhe ele r St S y c am o r e St S yc a mo r e St P i n e S t P i n e S t Lo cu s t S t L oc ust St 21st St 20th St 19th S t 1 9 t h S t 18th St18th S t17th St17th S t16th S t 1 6 t h S t 15th St15th S t14th St14th S t 13th St13th S t12th St12th S t11th St11th S t 10th St10th S t9th St9th S t8th St8th S t 7th St7th S t 6th St6th S t 5th St5th S tHuston AveHuston AveHa r r i s on StHa rris o n St L o g an S t L o g an St T i l d en S t T ild e n S t Cl a y S t Cla y S tG r a n t St G r a n t StGarf i eld S tGarfield St B r o a dwe l l A v e B r o a d well A v eMo n r o e S t Art h u r S tArt h u r St Cl e ve l a nd S t Cle v el a n d S t Bla i n e S t Bl ain e S t South Fr ont St S o u th F ro n t S t 4th St4th S t3rd St3rd S t 2nd St2nd S t1st St1st S t Div ision St D iv i sio n S tProspect St College St Waugh St State St 18th St 17th St 16th St 15th St 14th St 13th St 12th St 11Ave St 11th St 10th St Faidley Ave 6th St 5th St 4th St North Front St Blake St George St Old Linc ol n HwyCuster AveWaldo AveGrace AveCarey AveRuby AveDarr AveBoggs AveWhite AveGre e nw i c h S t Li n c o ln S tWa s h in g t o n S t A da ms S t Jef f e rso n S tMa d i s on S t Cl a r k S t E d d y S t Cle b u r n S t Elm S t C e d a r S t Wa l n u t S t Whe e l e r S t S y c am o r e St P i n e S t Lo cu s t S t 21st St 20th St 19th S t 18th St 17th St 16th S t 15th St 14th St 13th St 12th St 11th St 10th St 9th St 8th St 7th St 6th St 5th StHuston AveHa r r i s on St L o g an S t T i l d en S t Cl a y S t G r a n t StGarf i eld S t B r o a dwe l l A v eMo n r o e S t Art h u r S t Cl e ve l a nd S t Bla i n e S t South Fr ont St 4th St 3rd St 2nd St 1st St Div ision St Study Area Boundary Policy Redevelopment MAP DRAFT PRIORITY ZONES Priority Grand Island Redevelopment Areas GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA Planning, Architecture, Lanscape Architecture and Urban Design 900 Farnam Street, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68102 June 12, 2007 Project #26099.00 NORTH 1000’500’0 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 31 / 67 3   • The Five Points Area, defined by Capital on the north between Huston and  Broadwell Avenues and the south side of the Veterans Administration from  Broadwell to Wheeler Street; Wheeler to 18th Street, 18th Street to Walnut Street,  Walnut to State Street, State to 17th Street, 17th to Huston Ave; and Huston as the  western boundary.    • The Broadwell Area, bounded by Huston and White Avenues on the west, 17th Street  on the north, North Front Street on the south, and a zigzag pattern on the east  following Madison, Jefferson, Adams, Washington, Lincoln, Greenwich and Clark  streets.      • Eddy Street Area, bounded 17th on the North, Clark Street on the west, 6th Street on  the south, and Cleburn Street on the east.     • Second Street West Area, defined by North Front Street, Broadwell, 2nd Street, Clark  Street, 1st Street, and Custer Avenue.     Map 1 illustrates current use of land in the study area. The discussion below describes  the land use character of each subarea.    Five Points     The Five Points subarea is centered at the intersection of State, Broadwell and Eddy  Streets, creating the five point intersection for which the area is named.  Five Points has  much of the study area’s most substantial commercial development, situated near stable  single‐family housing.  North of State, Broadwell Avenue’s west side accommodates a  mixture of uses, including both residential and service‐oriented commercial.  Skagway  and other commercial uses dominate the east side of the street south of the VA Hospital.  Huston Avenue frontage is primarily single‐family, with the exception of a carwash at  the corner of Huston and Capital Avenues.  Grand Island Christian School is located at  the northwest corner of State and Broadwell, and includes a substantial open area.       The Five Points area north of State has significant aesthetic and functional issues. Most  of the commercial area is hard‐surfaced with poor pedestrian accommodation.   Businesses located directly along Broadwell and State suffer from divided parking and  poor access. Skagway in particular has a split parking lot, requiring two entrances and  check‐out areas in the store.      Blocks south of the Five Points intersection combine commercial, residential, and park  uses.  Commercial development is generally located between 18th and State Streets,  between Broadwell and Cleburn.  A Casey’s convenience store is located on the triangle  created by the divergence of Eddy Street and Broadwell Avenue. Casey’s has optioned  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 32 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 33 / 67 4 property and the current property owner has removed some houses to the south for the  purpose of replacing the existing building.  The character of the neighborhood becomes  residential south of 18th Street.  A fire station, storage, and a multi‐family housing  structure are located south of 18th Street.      The housing in the Five Points Area is structurally sound with some repair and site  improvement issues. Repair issues include deteriorated siding, peeling paint, and  damaged windows and roofs.  Site maintenance issues include storage of household  materials on the property, poorly maintained landscaping, and vehicle storage.      Broadwell Avenue    The Broadwell Avenue corridor is defined by the intersection of the city’s two street  grids.  Broadwell and the area to the west were built on the surveyor’s original section  line grid pattern in ordinal directions, while plats east of Broadwell paralleled the Union  Pacific. These “colliding grids” create complex intersections, small triangular blocks, and  interrupted east/west access through the community.       Residential uses dominate the Broadwell blocks between 5th and 17th Streets, with some  commercial services scattered throughout.  These businesses include a clinic, copier  business, liquor store, and a vacant former convenience store.  Most of the residential is  single family, with some multi‐family structures located between 8th Street and Faidley  Avenue.  The majority of residential units are structurally sound, with occasional site  maintenance problems.    From Fifth Street south, Broadwell becomes more commercial in nature.  Most area  businesses are service‐oriented, including such establishments as a convenience store,  tire center, uniform supply, and appliance repair.  Most buildings are in fair to good  condition, with some occasional structural and site deterioration.  Sites provide little  landscaping, resulting in large hard‐surfaced areas and limited accommodation for  pedestrians.      The Huston Avenue frontage includes stable single family housing with few site  maintenance issues.  The White Avenue blocks are also predominately single family,  with larger multi‐family structures at the corner of 6th and White.  South of 5th Street  businesses along Broadwell have expanded to the west, replacing housing between 5th  and 4th streets.       As a local arterial,  Broadwell Avenue will remain a mixed use corridor.  The area’s  biggest challenges will include improving vehicular and pedestrian access along the  seam of the two street grids, and expanding the aesthetic and green character of its  commercial sites.     Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 34 / 67 5 Eddy Street    The Eddy Street corridor, bounded by Cleburn Street on the east and Clark on the west,  is part of the railroad street grid and connects the downtown to the Five Points Area.  The street functions as a local collector with an underpass at the Union Pacific tracks and  truck access to the grain elevators along the rail line.  As a former U.S. Highway, the  corridor has a wider right‐of‐way, permitting a three‐lane section. Higher volumes of  traffic have attracted businesses and civic institutions to the corridor.  From 17th to 6th  streets businesses are scattered along the corridor, intermingled with single family  residential units and a number of churches.  The corridor’s larger churches are located at  15th, 12th, and 10th streets. The older housing of the corridor is in good condition with  scattered units needing repairs and site improvements.  Businesses along the corridor  have remained fairly stable with some site improvement issues.     Second Street West    Second Street West is the largest of the four subareas in this study.  Major transportation  features of this area include the Union Pacific main line tracks and the large Highway 30  overpass.  Commercial and service oriented businesses are the dominate land use south  of the railroad tracks and along 2nd Street.  Lots along Second Street east of Arthur are  primarily commercial in use, bordered by older, stable single family residential facing  First Street.  Existing commercial uses along the corridor include banking, restaurants,  auto services, and visitor services.      The 3rd and Broadwell corner includes large retail establishments with two major  grocery stores and the Ace Hardware.  The 3rd Street corridor is a mixture of residential,  commercial and some light industrial on the far western edge of the study area.   Memorial Park is also located between 3rd Street and the railroad tracks.  Some of the  housing in this area is marginal and conflicts with surrounding commercial and light  industrial uses.    North of the railroad the area is divided between residential and light industrial uses  along George Street.  Light industrial uses are located south of George Street and along  the railroad.  Some of these uses are housed in older, metal structures with significant  amounts of outdoor storage, including inoperable vehicles and miscellaneous  equipment.  North of George Street, the area becomes more residential in nature.  The  single family homes are smaller and need more repair than in other parts of the study  area. Residential upkeep and value may suffer from a lack of buffering between the light  industrial and residential uses, conflicts do occur.      The railroad strongly influences local traffic patterns, with access across the tracks  limited to three crossings between the western edge of Custer to Clark Street.  The  Custer and Broadwell crossings are both at‐grade intersections, while Highway 30  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 35 / 67 6 crosses on an elevated structure above 3rd Street, the UP, and Custer Street.  The  3rd and  Broadwell grade crossing is one of the city’s most difficult bottlenecks, worsened by the  growing rail traffic.  A grade separation has been discussed for this area and solutions  are discussed later in this section.  Any alternative should preserve the surrounding  businesses to the greatest degree possible.     Transportation Context    The Grand Island Redevelopment Area Number 6 has some of the city’s busiest  transportation corridors.  These include the Union Pacific Railroad, 2nd Street/Highway  30, Broadwell Avenue, and Eddy Street. Second and Broadwell is one of the city’s  busiest intersections, with functional problems complicated by the adjacent UP grade  crossing. Specific transportation issues to note in the area include:    • Broadwell Crossing of the Union Pacific, causing backups on Broadwell and along  intersecting collector and even arterial streets.  The resulting tie‐ups sometimes  induce motorists to detour through residential neighborhoods in an effort to get to  the Eddy Street underpass.     • The Two Grid System.  As mentioned above, Grand Island’s intersecting grids come  together along Broadwell Avenue.  This seam creates confusion and difficult turning  patterns, as well as occasionally interesting urban spaces. These triangles provide  opportunities to create community green spaces that can add to the attractiveness of  this mixed use corridor.     • The Five Points Intersection. The intersection of Broadwell, State and Eddy is often  viewed as a confusing intersection.  Grand Island Senior High School is located to  the west of the study area and brings a significant amount of traffic during peak  school hours.  This often makes turning movements difficult.     • Pedestrian and Bicycle Access.  Access for pedestrians and bicyclists in the area is  limited in some areas.  Bicycle use of Broadwell Avenue and Eddy Street is  prohibited, and cyclists and pedestrians are challenged by the Broadwell Avenue  intersections.  This is especially true at Five Points, with significant pedestrian  demand. Pedestrian amenities also limit the access to Grace Abbott Park and  commercial destinations in the area.  On the other had, State Street is a designated  on‐street bicycle route, and Grand Island’s grid makes bicycle transportation on  parallel, local streets quite inviting.    Community Input and Visioning    To provide a better understanding of the opportunities and issues within the  redevelopment area, the planning process engaged the community in several events.   Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 36 / 67 7 The first was a community presentation to explain the planning and redevelopment  process and address concerns.  The process also included one‐on‐one interviews and  small group discussions with selected residents and businesses,  and all residents were  invited to share their thoughts and ideas for the area during four separate design  workshops.  This section provides an overview of the major themes that were  highlighted at these sessions.       Broadwell and Eddy Street Corridors.  • These corridors should maintain their mixed use nature south of State Street.  A mix  of locally owned businesses with a strong residential base is what many see for the  future of these corridors.   • Heavy truck traffic could be slowed with landscaping and traffic calming devices.   • There is some localized flooding in the Eddy Street area during heavy rainfalls.   During these instances the Eddy Street underpass pumps the water out of the  underpass and into the storm sewer system to the north.  During large rain events  the storm sewer system cannot handle the additional water and localized flooding  has occurred.      • The area north of State is more commercially oriented than to the south and this will  likely continue to be the pattern.      Five Points Area  • The Five Points area should remain and grow as a strong commercial anchor.   • Significant untapped commercial opportunity with the VA and high school in close  proximity.  • Need for additional restaurants in the area.  These should be oriented toward  visitors, especially family members and patients visiting the VA.   • The area is a gateway to the community and is beginning to look tired.  Businesses  are showing age and there is little street appeal.  • Traffic issues need to be addressed to support commercial growth in the area.   However, redesigning the intersection is not necessarily the solution.  Providing  other solutions, including offering other routes for through traffic, an additional stop  light at Broadwell and College, and light timing at the Five Points intersection were  all seen as better solutions.   • The senior citizen market appears to be an untapped market for this area of the city.     Broadwell South of North Front Street.    • Redevelopment has to come with a new separated intersection.   • Businesses are difficult to access because of traffic volumes and congestion near the  railroad.  If possible, a grade separated intersection should preserve strong  businesses like Sutter’s Deli and Ace Hardware while also creating development  opportunities.   Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 37 / 67 8   2nd Street Area  • Addressing the Broadwell railroad crossing is important to this area.   • The large volume of traffic that moves through the 2nd Street corridor will continue  to generate commercial demands.      Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 38 / 67 9 Neighborhood Opportunities     Five Points Concept Plan    Five Points, the major neighborhood commercial node of Grand Island’s north side,  offers major opportunities for new development.  For many years, this commercial  intersection, along with Broadwell Avenue north to Capitol, has been anchored by  Skagway, an unusual, locally‐owned “big‐box” retailer that combines a wide selection of  groceries and general merchandise with the character and intimacy of a neighborhood  business.  Skagway’s existing building is obsolete and no longer meets the requirements  of contemporary retailing.  Its floor plate is large and inefficient; parking is split into two  lots, requiring two sets of check‐outs at separate entrances; the store has poor visibility  and access from surrounding streets; and the exterior of the structure is outdated.  As a  result, Skagway ownership hopes to replace the store with a new facility, a development  that would reinvigorate the entire retail areas and stabilize the surrounding residential  area. While a new Skagway development is the centerpiece of the revitalization of Five  Points, it is just one element of a comprehensive strategy for this potential  redevelopment area.  This more comprehensive concept addresses real estate  development site along with transportation and the public environment.    Development Sites    The development opportunities envisioned by this concept plan include:    • A new Skagway with supporting retail development on a site between State Street  and an extended College Street east of Broadwell.  In this concept, the existing store  would remain in place until completion of the new building.  The structure would be  oriented to the south, and a new front drive would align with Waugh Street.   Parking with aisles in a north‐south orientation would replace both existing parking  and the existing banquet hall.  New, street‐oriented commercial buildings would  define State Street and continue north along an extended Cleburn Street and a new  parking area and drive between the proposed new Skagway site and Blessed  Sacrament Church.  These buildings could have a double row of storefronts.  This  plan incorporates Skagway’s newer storage and refrigeration addition into the new  structure.  A gasoline and convenience outlet for Skagway would be located directly  west of the proposed new store, with access from Broadwell. Full implementation of  this plan requires assembly of most of the site south of College Street extended  between Broadwell Avenue and the church property line.    • A realigned and extended College Street.  College would be realigned to the north at  the Broadwell intersection and extended east to Wheeler Avenue.  This provides a  badly needed east‐west neighborhood connection that removes some pressure from  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 39 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 40 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 41 / 67 10 the complex Five Points intersection, and provides better service to potential  development sites. The existing bank south of Broadwell and College would remain,  bit its parking and site plan would be modified as part of transportation  improvements in the project area.      • A new development of single‐family attached homes or townhomes, located on the  Blessed Sacrament Church property along the new College Street extension.   Medians with narrow lanes would be used as a traffic‐calming technique.  In single‐ family attached configuration, this site comfortably accommodates 24 housing units.    • Rehabilitation of the Holiday Garden apartments north of the church property, with  new housing developed on the vacant site within the development.  The internal  drive should be extended to the College Street extension, providing better access for  residents and pedestrians.  As part of a rehabilitation program, Holiday Gardens  may be repositioned as a rent‐to‐own development, permitting residents to build  equity through a set‐aside of their monthly rent.  Tax credits may be an ingredient of  financing such a comprehensive rehabilitation and ownership conversion program.    • Redevelopment of the school site at the northwest corner of State and Broadwell, if  the school chose to relocate.  A redevelopment program for the site could include  both retail and other commercial uses oriented to Broadwell, with medium‐density  residential development to the west.  Higher density residential uses will require  below grade parking, incorporated into the building design.    • A new Casey’s convenience store on the point of the Eddy and Broadwell  intersection, replacing the existing building.  The proposed siting would link 18th  Street West between Eddy and Broadwell, improving neighborhood access to Grace  Abbott Park and providing another local circulation alternative to the Five Points  intersection.    • Additional private development projects along the west side of Broadwell Avenue  north to Capital Avenue.  These future projects would be catalyzed by the major  Skagway project and other area improvements.  Commercial development should:    - Have a strong presence and orientation along Broadwell Avenue.  - Avoid negative effects on adjacent residential blocks.  - Following design guidelines that include high quality materials and windows  along the street.  - Orient buildings to corners, with parking at midblock when possible.          Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 42 / 67 11 Transportation and the Public Environment    While Five Points serves as a neighborhood retail area for the north side of Grand  Island, many aspects of its public environment prevent it from fulfilling its potential to  increase the value and quality of surrounding neighborhoods.  The area suffers from  poor street connections, requiring unnecessary use of the complex Eddy/Broadwell/State  intersection.  Properties are isolated from one another, and suffer from poor pedestrian  connectivity. For example, visitors to the Veterans Administration Hospital, a key  business attractor in the district, have great difficulty walking to retailers at Five Points.   Local circulation to parking is also improvised and very inefficient.  Finally, the  appearance of the public environment is poor – the Five Points intersection lacks design  distinction or clarity and the overall streetscape is unattractive.  The high level of  awareness that citizens have of the district is not used effectively from a marketing  perspective.  The following elements of the Five Points concept plan are designed to  address these issues.    • College Street should be extended from Broadwell to Wheeler, as mentioned above.   This provides an important east‐west neighborhood link and allows access to the  high school without going through the Five Points intersection.    • 18th Street would be before Broadwell and Eddy, providing both motorist and  pedestrians with a way to reach Grace Abbott Park, again without going through  Five Points.   • The geometrics of the Five Points intersection would remain basically unchanged,  but other local circulation improvements would reduce some of its congestion.   • Design and streetscape improvements, at Five Points would improve both safety and  the sense of quality of the intersection.  Specific features include:  o Crosswalks defined by a contrasting paving surface, to both define clear  pedestrian pathways and help manage traffic through the intersection.   o Pedestrian oriented common areas at some of the points of the intersection.   The triangles formed by the Eddy/Broadwell convergence should be a major  iconic feature, perhaps a fountain.  New development at both the northeast  and (if redeveloped) northwest quadrants of State and Broadwell should  have a corner orientation, relating to these introduction places.   o The north side of State Street should provide diagonal parking and  landscaped nodes, adjacent to the redeveloped Skagway site.  State Street, as  a designated on‐street bike route, should include bicycle lanes.  Diagonal  parking adjacent to a bike lane should be done in a “back‐in” configuration to  maximize safety and visibility.   Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 43 / 67 12 o The Broadwell streetscape should be improved between 18th Street and  Capital Avenue. Features should include sidewalks with adequate setbacks  to permit street landscaping; street trees and ground cover; a lighting system  that includes both pedestrian and roadway scale lights, comparable to South  Locust; special graphics noting the Five Points district and significant  entrance situated at Capital. Similar features should be developed along the  new College Street and State Street to Walnut Street.   o New pedestrian pathways, including:  − A pathway from the Veterans Administration through Holiday Garden  apartments, the western edge of the Blessed Sacrament Church  residential development site and along the “parkway street” between the  Skagway redevelopment project and the church, eventually leading to  Grace Abbott Park. This part would be limited to the walk in front of the  new Skagway store.  It would connect the Veterans Administration, new  housing, retail development, and an improved neighborhood open space.   − A sidewalk along extended College Street.  − A link for College Street extended into Holiday Garden apartments.       Actions that Address Blighted Conditions    This major development program addresses blighted conditions by:    • Rehabilitating, redeveloping, and/or demolishing buildings that are exhibiting signs  of deterioration or replacing buildings that are obsolete for their current use.   • Correcting deficiencies in the transportation system by creating new pedestrian,  bicycle, and vehicular linkages.   • Enabling major commercial and mixed use development that will stabilize values in  the surrounding neighborhoods and continue and expand convenience retail  services.   • Assemble land that is inadequately platted and under multiple ownerships, for the  benefit of the entire district.   • Rehabilitate housing that is currently under stress and providing opportunities for  new population growth.     Conceptual Project Costs    The following table presents a general statement of potential project costs.  Costs are  allocated by private and public components.  Private costs include site preparation,  landscaping and improvements on private property, and structures.  Public costs  include public realm investments such as streets, sidewalks, landscaping; site assembly;  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 44 / 67 13 and public spaces.  More specific project budgets should be included with subsequent  redevelopment plans or redevelopment plan amendments for the site.  It should be  noted that tax increment financing (TIF) can be used to help finance all public costs and  some categories of private cost.    The calculation below suggests a potential for nearly $25 million in development, with a  private investment in the range of $23.5 million.  The use of TIF or other redevelopment  tools to assist one or more of the projects included in the concept will require a  subsequent redevelopment plan or plan amendment.      Five Points Concept  Potential Project Cost    Project Item Private Cost Public Cost Total Cost       Major single‐tenant  retail   $6,500,000 $300,000 (land  acquisition) $6,800,000 New pads or multi‐ tenant retail, east of  Broadwell  2,500,000 300,000 (land  acquisition) 2,800,000 New  commercial/mixed  use buildings west  of Broadwell,  College to Capital  4,800,000 4,800,000 Mixed use  development at  school site  3,300,000 3,300,000 New convenience  store  1,000,000 1,000,000 Blessed Sacrament  housing  3,450,000 3,450,000 Holiday Garden  attached homes  1,500,000 1,500,000 College Street  extension  400,000 400,000 18th Street extension 80,000 80,000 Five Points plazas 250,000 250,000 State Street redesign 75,000 75,000   Total Cost 23,050,000 1,405,000 24,155,000   Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 45 / 67 14   2nd and Broadwell Concept Plan    The Broadwell corridor from 2nd to 4th street (with surrounding areas) is both an  important commercial and light industrial node and a major transportation bottleneck.   Here the surface crossing at Broadwell over the UP main line often backs traffic up, and  is compounded by the closeness of the 2nd and Broadwell intersection, one of the city’s  busiest. A grade separation has been extensively discussed, but the type of facility and  its impact on adjacent businesses have produced controversy.  This concept integrates  transportation options and development possibilities for this strategic area.     As discussed in the blight declaration section of this study, the 2nd and Broadwell  vicinity displays many of the physical characteristics of blight, including underutilized  land and poor site conditions.  However, area redevelopment and enhancement begins  with resolving transportation issues.  This plan proposes specific actions that address  issues of congestion, the railway crossing, and poor local circulation that also leave  significant redevelopment possibilities.  These actions include:    • A new underpass carrying Broadwell under the Union Pacific.  An underpass  takes less space and has more manageable economic and visual impact than  an overpass.  On the other hand, an underpass must contend with  groundwater and evacuation of stormwater, and may be moderately more  expensive to build.     • A recommended underpass alignment that curves slightly to the west of the  current Broadwell alignment.  This avoids possible demolition of businesses  on the east side of Broadwell north of the UP, including the signature Sutter’s  Deli in the historic dairy building.     • An underpass design that maintains an intersection at 3rd and Broadwell.   Third Street is Downtown Grand Island’s main street and is an attractive  mixed use connection between downtown and Broadwell. In order to  maintain full intersection access, 3rd Street will begin to drop slightly as it  approaches the Broadwell intersection.  This allows ramping on the  Broadwell underpass to begin further south, producing a longer approach  and more favorable grades.     • New streets and realignments that greatly improve access.  Old Lincoln  Highway North would be linked to a new roadway, following the alley  between Broadwell and White and curving to Broadwell near the existing  North Front Street intersection.  North Front would be slightly realigned to  the north to line up with the new street.  The result is a continuous circulation  north of the tracks that provides adequate length for the underpass approach.   Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 46 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 47 / 67 15   • With possible redevelopment, a 4th Street west realignment that forms a right  angled intersection with Broadwell.  If the current used car lot were acquired,  4th west of Broadwell could be angled north to create a 90 degree intersection  with a realigned street to the east.     • Diagonal parking along a realigned North Front Street, supporting Sutter’s  Deli and potential new retail development across the street.    • Incorporation of quiet zones at the Custer Street and Broadwell Avenue  railroad crossings until a grade separation is accomplished.    Redevelopment Opportunities    The transportation framework described above provides a number of new  redevelopment sites, creating an opportunity for the lower Broadwell segment to evolve  as a reinvigorated commercial and mixed use district.  The four principal redevelopment  sites create a new “four corners” business district at the new North Front and Broadwell  intersection and include:     • Site 1, the southwest quadrant.  A new commercial or mixed use building about  18,000 square feet (assuming two levels) could be developed surrounded by a public  plaza, with supporting parking to the south, adjacent to the railroad and accessed  from the extended Old Lincoln Highway.     • Site 2, the southeast quadrant.  Here, existing buildings are retained and enhanced.   As Broadwell descends to the underpass the former street level sidewalk and  building yards would become an outdoor dining deck to Sutter’s Deli.  Diagonal  parking would be provided along the realigned North Front Street, serving  businesses on the block. Monroe Street is extended into the site as a cul‐de‐sac,  providing access to internal parking and service.      • Site 3, the northeast quadrant. Potential redevelopment suggests street orientated  commercial or mixed use buildings relating to the realigned North Front and  Broadwell.  Businesses may be set back behind a relatively small landscaped front  yard.  Parking would be located behind street facing buildings, and accessed off  Monroe Street.     • Site 4, the northwest quadrant.  A new commercial or mixed use building would be  located at the new North Front and Broadwell intersection.  Parking would be  located to the north with access from Broadwell and North Front streets.       Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 48 / 67 16       The Public Environment    The evolution of this strategic area as an identifiable business district also includes  significant improvements in the quality of the public realm.  The concept plan suggests  the following features:    • Effective street landscaping along Broadwell Avenue.  This can help break up the  mass of large parking lots on the 2nd to 3rd Street block, and create a physical  environment that supports adjacent development in other parts of the potential  redevelopment area.    • A central “preserve” incorporated into the proposed Broadwell underpass between  3rd and North Front Street.  Articulating this central area can help to separate traffic  streams and improve both the safety and appearance of the underpass roadway.   This need not be a raised median, but could be a surface raised slightly above the  street channels, articulated by a contrasting paving surface such as pavers, or even a  stamped concrete pattern.  Landscaping could be provided in a raised median.  This  treatment can also help to calm traffic as it approaches intersections at either end of  the underpass.    • Plazas and public spaces at intersections.  The development pattern proposed by the  concept creates new buildings that define street corners.  This provides safer access  to parking lots and improved intersection stacking space. It also creates the potential  for new public space at the proposed intersection of North Front and Broadwell.   Similar development, as well as a significant green space, can also enhance the  realigned intersection at 4th Street.    • Buffering and berms along the Union Pacific mainline, reducing casual access to the  tracks and helping to reduce the impact of the railroad.    • Well‐defined crosswalks, using clear markings or contrasting pavement materials at  the 3rd, North Front, and 4th Street intersections.    • Quality aesthetic design for the underpass structure itself, making this important  structure a strong design statement for the city.  The superstructure of the project  should express themes appropriate to the Union Pacific and western railroading.      Actions that Address Blighted Conditions    This major development program addresses blighted conditions by:  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 49 / 67 17   • Rehabilitating, redeveloping, and/or demolishing buildings and sites exhibiting  evidence of deterioration.  • Correcting deficiencies in the transportation system by addressing one of Grand  Island’s most difficult points of traffic hazard and congestion, and creating improved  east to west traffic movement.  • Enabling major commercial and mixed use development that will stabilize values in  the surrounding neighborhoods and continue and expand convenience retail  services.   • Assembling land that is inadequately platted and under multiple ownerships, for the  benefit of the entire district.   • Reducing noise impacts from the railroad.    Conceptual Project Costs    The following table presents a general statement of potential project costs.  Costs are  allocated by private and public components.  Private costs include site preparation,  landscaping and improvements on private property, and structures.  Public costs  include public realm investments such as streets, sidewalks, landscaping; site assembly;  and public spaces.  More specific project budgets should be included with subsequent  redevelopment plans or redevelopment plan amendments for the site.  It should be  noted that tax increment financing (TIF) can be used to help finance all public costs and  some categories of private cost.    The calculation below suggests a potential for over $16 million in development, with a  private investment in the range of $6.5 million.  The largest project cost, accounting for  about half of the total investment, is the proposed Broadwell underpass.  A significant  source of financing for this vital project will be Federal transportation funds, and the  Union Pacific Railroad is also a probable contributor. If the overpass is excluded from  the redevelopment calculation, public cost is in the range of $1.6 million, with funds  being used to assist with land assembly and build the collector street system that  supports substantial private development.  As above, the use of TIF or other  redevelopment tools to assist one or more of the projects envisioned by this concept will  require a subsequent redevelopment plan or plan amendment.                    Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 50 / 67 18         2nd and Broadwell Concept  Potential Project Cost    Project Item Private Cost Public Cost Total Cost       Broadwell Avenue  Underpass   $8,000,000 $8,000,000 Old Lincoln  Highway relocation  325,000 (including  acquisition of ROW) 325,000 4th Street  realignment  145,000 145,000 Site A  redevelopment  $1,900,000 250,000 (shared  public/private land  acquisition) 2,150,000 Site B improvement 250,000 210,000 (for public  areas and parking) 460,000 Site C  redevelopment  1,775,000 (assuming  2 levels) 225,000 (shared  public/private land  acquisition) 2,000,000 Site D  redevelopment  2,650,000 (assuming  2 levels) 350,000 (shared  public/private land  acquisition) 3,000,000 Broadwell  landscaping  100,000 100,000   Total Cost 6,575,000 9,605,000 16,180,000   Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 51 / 67 19 Second Street West Concept Plan    The Second Street West section of the overall study area presents opportunities for  development that are compatible with its highway and railroad dominated  environment.  Redevelopment in the Second Street West area should focus on  commercial, office, and light industrial uses, while establishing a clear boundary  between these intensive activities and residential neighborhoods north of George Street  and along and south of 1st Street.  The plan calls for a gradual upgrade and  redevelopment of underused sites in this area, where the personality of 2nd Street  changes from an urban arterial to a higher‐speed, limited access environment.  These  upgraded uses can also benefit from the development momentum and improved  circulation achieved by recommended improvements around the 2nd and Broadwell  intersection.       Development Sites    The development opportunities envisioned by this concept plan include:    • Redevelopment or revitalization of the blocks on the south side of West 2nd Street  between Clay and Garfield Streets.  Current commercial properties are either vacant  or are likely to experience right‐of‐way acquisitions with an upgrade of 2nd Street to a  five‐lane section that could limit continued operation.  A reuse possibility envisions  commercial or office buildings at the Clay and Grant Street corners, with parking to  the west of each building.  These new buildings would define their respective  intersections, reinforcing the urban character of the street, while providing  convenient adjacent parking.  Parking lots would be accessed both from 2nd Street  and from an improved alley to the south.  Garfield Street north of 1st Street would  become an outlet for the westernmost of these parking lots and the alley, and would  not connect directly to 2nd Street.  This eliminates a dangerous convergence of US 30,  2nd Street West, and Garfield.     The site concept also should preserve the integrity of West 1st Street as a residential  street.  New infill single‐family houses would be built on the site of the current motel  parking lot on 2nd and Clay, reinforcing the character of the adjacent neighborhood.   In addition, new West 2nd Street development should include landscaping along the  improved alley to soften the residential edge between the highway corridor and the  residential neighborhood.      • Revitalization of the existing motel between Arthur and Garfield Streets on the south  side of West 2nd.  This unusual building group marks a transition between the  primarily residential street environment west of the 2nd Street and Highway 30  intersection and the commercial environments of the 2nd Street corridor to the east.   While full redevelopment is a possibility, some communities have successfully  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 52 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 53 / 67 20 breathed new life into older, architecturally significant motels by capitalizing on  heritage themes such as Lincoln Highway lodging.  A re‐planning of this site could  include converting all or part of the existing parking sandwiched between the  buildings into a landscaped or recreational feature, and developing a new parking  lot on the vacant part of the site east of Arthur Street.  Site redevelopment should  also include modernization of units and restoration of the motel’s distinctive  character.      • Redevelopment of the north side of 2nd Street between Grant Street and Highway 30.   Current uses include automotive repair, convenience storage, and small‐scale  industrial uses.  The site wraps around Memorial Park, a linear open space that runs  between 3rd Street and the Union Pacific Railroad.  A reuse concept envisions a small  office or business park with buildings defining the Grant Street corners at 2nd and 3rd  Streets.  Parking opens off 3rd Street, and a pedestrian path would cross under the  Highway 30 overpass ramp to connect 3rd Street and the proposed project to Arthur  Street.      • Establishment of George Street between Darr Avenue and Custer Street, and Blake  Street between Darr and Old Lincoln Highway as the edge between industrial and  residential development.  Redevelopment financing may be used for acquisition of  scattered houses remaining in this area and expansion and upgrade of industrial  uses.  In order to be eligible for future assistance, project applicants should at a  minimum:    - Establish a landscaped buffer on the south side of George west of Darr, the east  side of Darr between Blake and George, and the south side of George between  Darr and Old Lincoln Highway.    - Eliminate any outdoor storage exposed to casual view along street frontages.    - Follow design guidelines for new building projects or retrofits of existing  structures.    The Public Environment    The 2nd Street West concept is based in part on the proposed widening of US Highway  30 to a five‐lane section east of the overpass landing.  Redevelopment in this area is  likely to be privately initiated, with the possibility of city assistance through tax  increment financing available for project specific redevelopment plans consistent with  the objectives of this concept.  Components of the public environment that should be  incorporated into project plans include:    • Improved streetscape along the 2nd Street/US 30 corridor.  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 54 / 67 21   • Continuous sidewalks and pedestrian paths along 2nd Street and north‐south  local streets.  A major path should be developed along Arthur, crossing under  Highway 30, and linking the neighborhood to 3rd Street and Memorial Park as  part of redevelopment on the north side of 2nd Street.    • Upgraded alleys to provide access to new development on the south side of 2nd  Street.    • Buffers along the industrial edge of George, Darr, and Blake to protect the  integrity of primarily residential areas to the north.    Actions that Address Blighted Conditions    This major development program addresses blighted conditions by:    • Redeveloping marginal commercial or industrial sites, including sites whose use  may be affected by right‐of‐way acquisition.  • Over time, enabling acquisition and demolition of houses that are surrounded by  industrial uses, and protecting residential areas from commercial or industrial  encroachment.  • Assembling small sites into larger development parcels that permit landscaping and  adequate parking.  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 55 / 67 22   Broadwell Avenue Concept Plan    Broadwell Avenue connects this concept plan’s two principal redevelopment nodes –  Five Points to the north and Second and Broadwell to the south.  In general, the street is  a stable mixed use corridor, largely residential in character with commercial and civic  uses along its length.  The Grand Island Housing Authority’s major housing complex,  along with its administrative offices, is located one block west of Broadwell, with  principal access from 7th and 8th Streets.  Within the fabric of Grand Island, Broadwell is  the seam that connects Grand Island’s intersecting grids – the Downtown grid oriented  to the Union Pacific and the balance of the city, aligned on ordinal directions.   This  intersection of grids along Broadwell creates a number of awkward and sometimes  hazardous intersections and undevelopable parcels.  Dedicated streets at the triangles  also limit the function of existing site development.    The Broadwell Avenue concept does not anticipate major redevelopment.  It is designed  to help stabilize the neighborhood by making minor functional improvements at  intersections that also create small green spaces.  These spaces can become landscaped  and thematic elements of the street, punctuated by public art and plantings and  improving the quality of the street environment.  Public art along the corridor could be  done on a consignment basis, providing an outdoor “sales gallery” that creates an  amenity for the street and an opportunity for artists to display outdoor works.     The intersection redesign in some cases also adds unnecessary public right‐of‐way to  adjacent private development, providing opportunities for off‐street parking and  building improvements.  As a result, this group of small projects can increase traffic  safety, enhance the pedestrian environment, create a more attractive street, and open  possibilities for private property improvements.    Development Sites    The project sites envisioned by this concept include:    • 18th and Broadwell.  Clark Street would be closed between the existing alley that  runs between 16th and 17th Street, and the Clark and Broadwell intersection.  The  street right‐of‐way would become a greenway and pedestrian path connecting 16th  Street with Broadwell.  A triangular open space created by the closure north of 17th  Street would be landscaped as a small garden, and could provide a public art display  opportunity.    • 15th and Broadwell.  Greenwich Street would be closed between 15th Street and  Broadwell Avenue, producing a triangular green space and public art display  Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 56 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 57 / 67 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 58 / 67 23 opportunity.  A driveway serving an existing house would be reconfigured and  extended to 15th Street.      • 13th and Broadwell.  Lincoln Street would be closed between 13th Street and  Broadwell.  A portion of the right of way would provide needed off‐street parking  for the adjacent commercial building, owned by Nebraska Copy Machine.  The lot  would provide access for the existing east‐west alley to 13th Street.  A triangular  green space is also created at 14th and Broadwell, providing additional street  landscaping and a public art display opportunity.     • 11th and Broadwell.  A vacant site on the northwest corner of these streets should be  redeveloped with a neighborhood commercial use.  New development should  provide street yard landscaping along Broadwell.    • 10th and Broadwell.  Tenth and Adams street would be connected and the existing  access to Broadwell closed.  Houses along 10th and Adams would now access  Broadwell from 9th Street.  The vacated intersection would be landscaped and would  also provide a site for public art displays.    • 8th and Broadwell.  Jefferson Street between 8th Street and Broadwell would be closed  and the former right‐of‐way landscaped, providing a neighborhood green space and  another public art opportunity.      • 6th and Broadwell.  Madison Street would be closed between the nominal east‐west  alley between 6th and 7th Street and Broadwell.  An existing garage access would be  directed to Broadwell and the surplus right‐of‐way sold to adjacent houses.    Actions that Address Blighted Conditions    This development program addresses blighted conditions by:    • Improving platting and increasing safety of local streets that intersect with  Broadwell Avenue.  • Promoting spot redevelopment of vacant sites, and providing better parking or sites  for adjacent commercial and residential uses.  • Improving the appearance of the street environment.  • Providing an arts theme for the street that can encourage further property  investment.  • Acquisition with rehabilitation and/or demolition of substandard properties.     Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 59 / 67 24 Eddy Street Concept Plan    Eddy Street is another principal arterial connecting the edge of Downtown Grand Island  with Five Points.  Eddy is a particularly important street because its underpass at the  Union Pacific avoids the delays experienced at the Broadwell Avenue crossing.  Like  Broadwell, Eddy is a mixed use corridor, somewhat more commercial in character than  its counterpart to the west.        The Eddy Street concept does not anticipate major redevelopment.  Projected projects or  approaches to the corridor should:    • Improve the streetscape by upgrading landscaping in the relatively deep tree lawn  on either side of the trafficway.  Additional trees should be planted in open parts of  this sidewalk setback, and damaged or dying trees should be removed.    • Provide sidewalk continuity by replacing deteriorated sidewalk segments.    • Encourage streetyard landscaping along parking lots and commercial sites.      • Promote upgrades of commercial uses by offering potential financing incentives  such as tax increment financing.  TIF should be directed to substantial commercial or  mixed use projects.  These projects should, at a minimum:      - Establish a landscaped edge on the Eddy Street side adjacent to residential  development on interior streets.    - Provide expanded landscaping along Eddy Street.    - Follow upgraded design guidelines for new building projects or retrofits of  existing structures.    - Avoid substantial impact or conflicts with adjacent residential properties.    Actions that Address Blighted Conditions    This development program addresses blighted conditions by:    • Improving the quality of the Eddy Street public environment.  • Promoting spot redevelopment of underused or unattractive sites.    • Acquisition with rehabilitation and/or demolition of substandard properties.         Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 60 / 67 2/14/2013 8:20:28 PM Page 1 Grand Island Redevelopment Plan Railroad Corridor Noise Abatement In CRA Areas Number 1, 4 and 6 November 1, 2007 Introduction This plan focuses on noise issues associated with the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) as it crosses Grand Island through Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Areas 1, 4 and 6 from Broadwell Avenue on the west to Oak Street on the east. Figure 1 identifies 6 at grade crossings between the Union Pacific Railroad and Grand Island City Streets that are in CRA Areas. The Grand Island CRA is considering appropriating money allocated under the budget heading Other Projects toward: 1.either the purchase and installation of wayside horns at some or all of these crossings; 2.or toward physical improvements to the crossings that would result in removing the necessity for any horn to sound at the intersection other than during emergency conditions. Existing Conditions Blight and Substandard Declaration The six crossings are completely contained within CRA Areas 1, 4 and 6. The Areas have been declared blighted and substandard by the Grand Island City Council and are entirely within the Corporate Limits of the City of Grand Island. Existing Land Use and Condition of Properties All of the property involved in the proposed redevelopment plan for these 6 crossings would be located either within railroad right-of-way or city street right-of-way and used for transportation purposes. In October of 2007, the UPRR upgraded the southerly track with concrete ties, constant warning circuitry and continuous rails. Figure 2 identifies the existing land use of the properties around the crossings under consideration for improvements. Necessary Property Acquisition No acquisition of private property will be required to implement this redevelopment plan. Closure of accesses to private property may be necessary to eliminate the necessity to sound horns at the crossings in some places. This is most likely on the south side of the crossings at Elm, Walnut and Oak. Issues with Train Noise The UPRR sends more than 80 trains per day over the tracks that nearly bisect the city. That is an average of 1 train every 18 minutes. Train traffic is expected to continue to increase. UPRR Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 61 / 67 2/14/2013 8:20:28 PM Page 2 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 62 / 67 2/14/2013 8:20:28 PM Page 3 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 63 / 67 2/14/2013 8:20:28 PM Page 4 representatives have recently been quoted in the Grand Island Independent at least twice stating that more than 100 trains per day use those tracks. CRA Areas 1, 4 and 6 are immediately adjacent to the tracks. The noise of the trains is an environmental disincentive to investment in the area. CRA Area 1 includes the downtown business district. The downtown business district is currently trying to: Attract niche businesses Increase the number of downtown residences, Create a distinct sense of place for the downtown area, Define itself as an arts and entertainment center, Attract office uses that complement the existing government center, and Renovate historic buildings At the current daily number of trains, the train noise makes it difficult to conduct business when a train is passing through the area. With the continued increase in rail traffic, this issue is only going to get worse and weaken the market and marketability of properties close to the tracks for office or residential uses. Comprehensive Plan The 2004 Comprehensive Plan for the City of Grand Island included input from a variety of subcommittees as part of the planning process including one focusing on transportation related issues. Transportation Objective 8.03.01 from the 2004 comprehensive plan specifically calls for the installation of directional railroad horns that direct sound down the street. Projected Costs Wayside Horn Areas The anticipated cost to purchase and install wayside horns is $33,000 for each horn and an additional $16,500 for installation and utilities. Installing a horn on each side of the tracks at a crossing is estimated to cost approximately $99,000. Figure 3 shows the typical installation of the wayside horns to provide the appropriate decibel level 100 feet from the tracks. No Horn Areas No horn areas may be possible at some intersections if driveways and other access points of 100 feet away from the crossing and raised medians are installed to discourage people from driving around the crossing arms when they are down. The cost of creating no horn area would be less than the cost of purchasing and installing wayside horns but it will not be possible to use no horn areas at every intersection. Based on the current figures the total cost to purchase and install wayside horns or to create quiet zones at all six crossings is $480,000. These improvements are public improvements and could be financed through tax increment financing (TIF) if they could be tied into a suitable project. Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 64 / 67 2/14/2013 8:20:28 PM Page 5 Figure 3 Typical Wayside Horn Installation Budgeting It is suggested that the CRA set aside up to $140,000 for the 2008 fiscal year and up to $100,000 for the 2009 fiscal year toward this project. A proposed budget for the project by crossing and improvement is shown on Table 1. Money is available in the 2008 fiscal year under the category of Other Projects within the adopted budget for the CRA. The remaining funds should come from other sources including the City of Grand Island. Based on these figures and with similar participation by the City all of the crossings between Webb Road on the west and Oak Street on the east could be treated with either a wayside horn area or a no horn area. Table 1 Estimated Cost Improvements for Quiet Zones at Identified UPRR Crossings Crossing Number Street Solution Cost with Installation Cost per Crossing North Side Wayside Horn $49,5001BroadwellSouth Side Wayside Horn $49,500 $99,000 North Side Wayside Horn $49,5002LincolnSouth Side Wayside Horn $49,500 $99,000 North Side Wayside Horn $49,5003ElmSouth Side Median $11,000 $60,500 North Side Wayside Horn $49,5004WalnutSouth Side Median $11,000 $60,500 North Side Wayside Horn $49,5005PineSouth Side Wayside Horn $49,500 $99,000 North Side Wayside Horn $49,5006OakSouth Side Median $11,000 $60,500 Total $478,500 Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 65 / 67 2/14/2013 8:20:28 PM Page 6 Interlocal Agreement An interlocal agreement should be drafted and approved between the CRA and the City of Grand Island to define the terms of participation in this project prior to beginning the project. Timeline November 15, 2007 CRA Considers Redevelopment Plan Amendment December 5, 2007 Planning Commission Considers Redevelopment Plan Amendment December 6, 2007 CRA Recommends Council Approve Redevelopment Plan Amendment January 8, 2008 City Council Approves Redevelopment Plan Amendment February 2008 City Council approves agreement for Consulting Engineer to prepare plans and bid specifications. April 2008 Approve Agreement with NDOR for Quiet Zone Project. May 2008 Update Diagnostic Review of Crossings. June 2008 Update National Inventory to reflect existing conditions. June 2008 Submit Notification of Intent to create Quiet Zone. June 2008 Submit Quiet Zone plans to the Union Pacific Railroad for approval. July 2008 Open Bids for the project - Including construction of medians and purchase/installation of horns Fall 2008 Installation of Supplemental Safety Measures for crossings at Elm, Walnut, Pine and Oak Streets. Fall 2008 Update National Inventory to reflect existing conditions. Fall 2008 Submit notification, silence train horns and install signage at all crossings. Fall 2009 Installation of Supplemental Safety Measures for crossings at Broadwell Avenue and Lincoln Street. Custer Street outside of the area would also be considered at this time. Fall 2009 Update National Inventory to reflect existing conditions. Fall 2009 Submit notification, silence train horns and install signage at all crossings. Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 66 / 67 2/14/2013 8:20:28 PM Page 7 Anticipated Conditions After Redevelopment Landuse It is not anticipated that the installation of the wayside horns would significantly alter the land uses or land coverage in the redevelopment area. This area is already largely developed. The reduction in noise due to this project should encourage reinvestment in the area and positively impact property values. Other redevelopment projects are more likely to occur because of this project but those projects would be reviewed separately. Impact to Downtown This corridor will continue to function the way the Downtown has functioned for the past 20 years. Primary uses will be office and specialty retail with some housing. Population densities in the Downtown area may increase as these changes would remove one barrier (train horn noise) to second and third story residential development in the downtown area. The Comprehensive Plan and current zoning ordinance supports higher population densities in the Downtown area. Changes to Regulations and Public Infrastructure No changes would be anticipated to street layouts or grades; other public infrastructure (outside of the addition of the wayside horns to the public infrastructure; or to the current zoning regulations based on this project. Grand Island Regular Meeting - 11/15/2007 Page 67 / 67