Explanation
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this legislation is to authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Development Services Agency to receive and administer a Clean Ohio Brownfield Fund grant in the amount of up to $1,000,000 for environmental cleanup, demolition, infrastructure improvements, and other eligible program expenses at The Trautman and The HUB Buildings located at 203-213 and 221 South High Street, respectively, in Downtown Columbus and to authorize and direct entering into a Development Agreement with The Annex at River South II, Ltd., to apply the grant funding toward eligible program expenses at the project site to prepare for redevelopment.
Pursuant to Ordinance 2076-2013, passed by Columbus City Council on September 16, 2013, the Columbus Department of Development applied for a Clean Ohio Brownfield Fund grant of up to $1,000,000 and was awarded a Clean Ohio Brownfield Fund grant of $1,000,000 from the Ohio Development Services Agency for environmental cleanup at The Trautman and The HUB Buildings site in partnership with The Annex at River South II, Ltd.
Planned environmental cleanup activities for the project property include universal waste abatement, demolition of The Trautman Building, demolition of The HUB Building and any auxiliary structures, recycling of building products, infrastructure upgrades to prepare the site for development, and development of a new structure.
The current development design is for an eight-story, mid-rise mixed-use structure that will cover the entire 0.538 acre site, LC RiverSouth Phase II. The project will consist of 106 top quality apartments, street level retail space, and a partially subterranean parking garage. The building is configured in a "U" shape around a center courtyard which will open to Rich Street and feature more than five thousand square feet of outdoor urban green space. The Annex at River South II, Ltd. will invest approximately $20,900,000 in the project for property acquisition, site preparation and construction.
This legislation is submitted as an emergency to commence work under the grant immediately.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this project is provided by a Clean Ohio Brownfield Fund grant from the Ohio Development Services Agency in the amount of $1,000,000. There are no costs to the City to receive and administer the grant.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Development Services Agency to receive and administer a Clean Ohio Brownfield Fund grant in an amount of up to $1,000,000 for environmental cleanup, demolition, infrastructure improvements, and other eligible program expenses at The Trautman and The HUB Buildings located at 203-213 and 221 South High Street, respectively, in Downtown Columbus; to authorize the appropriation of $1,000,000 from the General Government Grant Fund; to authorize the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to enter into a Development Agreement with The Annex at River South II, Ltd. to apply said grant funding toward eligible program expenses; to authorize the expenditure of $1,000,000 from the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the State of Ohio, through the Clean Ohio Council and the Ohio Development Services Agency, provides financial assistance to local governments for the purpose of addressing local needs related to environmental cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated or abandoned properties; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development desires to participate in the Program to receive financial assistance for the LC RiverSouth Phase II project under the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development has the authority to administer the amounts received from the State of Ohio, Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Columbus must direct and authorize the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to act in connection with the grant award; and
WHEREAS, Clean Ohio grant funding will greatly complement the efforts of the developer, The Annex at River South II, Ltd., as the company plans to invest approximately $20,900,000 for property acquisition, site preparation and construction of 106 top quality apartments, street level retail space, and a partially subterranean parking garage in Downtown Columbus; and
WHEREAS, Clean Ohio grant funding will provide up to $1,000,000 in cleanup, demolition, infrastructure improvement costs, and other eligible program expenses; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus whereby it is immediately necessary to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Development Services Agency to receive and administer a Clean Ohio Brownfield Fund grant in an amount of up to $1,000,000 and to enter into a Development Agreement with The Annex at River South II, Ltd. to apply said grant funding for environmental cleanup and demolition of The Trautman and The HUB Buildings located at 203-213 and 221 South High Street, respectively, in Downtown Columbus, all for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Columbus Department of Development is hereby authorized and directed to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Development Services Agency to receive and administer a Clean Ohio Brownfield Fund grant in the amount of up to $1,000,000 for environmental cleanup, demolition, infrastructure improvements, and other eligible program expenses at The Trautman and The HUB Buildings in Downtown Columbus.
Section 2. That the sum of up to $1,000,000 be and is hereby appropriated from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources appropriated and un-appropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013, to the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, Division 44-02, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3526, with the OCA and grant codes to be issued by the City Auditor upon award of said grant. The appropriation is effective upon receipt of executed grant agreement.
Section 3. That the Director of the Columbus Department of Development is hereby authorized and directed to enter into a Development Agreement with The Annex at River South II, Ltd., in the amount of up to $1,000,000 for environmental cleanup, demolition, infrastructure improvements, and other eligible program expenses at the project site.
Section 4. That for the purpose stated in Section 3, the expenditure of up to $1,000,000 is hereby authorized from the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, Department of Development, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3526, with the OCA and grant codes to be issued by the City Auditor upon award of said grant.
Section 5. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
Section 6. Funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
Section 7. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.