Explanation
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to apply for and accept a grant from the Roadwork Development (629) Account of the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) valued at $1,000,000 for costs associated with the completion of public roadwork improvements in support of the Big Lots, Inc. (Big Lots) corporate headquarters project. 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 requirements.
The City entered into an Economic Development Agreement (the “EDA”) with Hamilton Crossing, LLC, Casto AP Residential, LLC, The New Albany Company LLC, and Center State Enterprises LLC (the “Development Team”), pursuant to ordinance number 1802-2015 passed on July 15, 2015 for the purposes of funding public improvements in the northeast area of the city located adjacent to the N. Hamilton Road and State Route 161 interchange.
The City is currently in the construction phase of the Hamilton Road S-Curve roadway that will connect existing portions of N. Hamilton Road between Preserve Boulevard and State Route 161. The City is now in the design phase of subsequent roadway projects including the relocation of the portion of Dublin Granville Road that is situated between the existing portions of North Hamilton Road.
Big Lots is constructing a new, 300,000 square foot headquarters facility on the northern side of Dublin Granville Road; the construction of Relocated Dublin Granville Road is necessary to allow Big Lots access to the site. The construction of Relocated Dublin Granville Road and Big Lots headquarters is part of a larger development project that will include mixed-use development located adjacent to the N. Hamilton Road and State Route 161 interchange. The development will include approximately 300,000 additional square feet of Class A office space, 1,000,000 square feet of retail space, 800 multi-family residential units and 125 senior housing units; the private investment occurring in the area will be in excess of $250 million.
Fiscal Impact: There is no cost to apply for and accept the state roadwork development grant. If successful, the City will receive a total of $1,000,000 to apply towards public roadway improvements along Dublin Granville Road. The City will be required to provide approximately $2,333,333 as matching funds for the roadway project. Additional legislation will be submitted at a later date to appropriate the matching funds for the roadway project if the City is awarded the grant.
Emergency Justification: Emergency legislation is required to allow for immediate application and execution of the Roadwork Development Grant, which is necessary to facilitate the construction of Relocated Dublin Granville Road to maintain the project schedule and to coincide with the established development timeline.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to apply for and accept a grant from the Roadwork Development Account of the Ohio Development Services Agency valued at $1,000,000.00 for costs associated with the completion of public roadwork improvements in support of the Big Lots, Inc. corporate headquarters project; to authorize the repayment of any unused funds to the grantor per the terms of the grant; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus entered into an Economic Development Agreement with Hamilton Crossing, LLC, Casto AP Residential, LLC, The New Albany Company LLC, and Center State Enterprises LLC pursuant to ordinance number 1802-2015 for purposes of funding public improvements in the area adjacent to N. Hamilton Road and State Route 161; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is currently in the construction phase of the Hamilton Road S-Curve roadway that will connect existing portions of N. Hamilton Road between Preserve Boulevard and State Route 161; andWHEREAS, Big Lots, Inc. is constructing a new, 300,000 square foot headquarters facility on the northern side of Dublin Granville Road; and
WHEREAS, the construction of Relocated Dublin Granville Road is necessary to allow Big Lots, Inc. access to the site; and
WHEREAS, the construction of the Relocated Dublin Granville Road and Big Lots, Inc. headquarters facility will be in conjunction with a mixed-use development that includes approximately 300,000 additional square feet of Class A office space, 1,000,000 million square feet of retail space, 800 multi-family housing units and 125 senior living housing units, which represent over $250 million in private investment; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development was invited to apply for, and pending City Council approval will accept, an amount up to $1,000,000 in grant assistance from the Roadwork Development (629) Account of the Ohio Development Services Agency to facilitate improvements of a public roadway on Dublin Granville Road situated between the existing intersections of N. Hamilton Road to benefit the construction of Big Lots, Inc. new headquarters; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, in that it is immediately necessary to apply for and accept the roadwork development grant to maintain the project schedule and to coincide with the established development timeline, thereby preserving the 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 Department of Development is hereby authorized to apply for and accept a grant from the Roadwork Development (629) Account of the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) valued at $1,000,000, and if awarded the grant, is authorized to execute a grant agreement and any other documents necessary to effectuate said application, acceptance, and agreement on behalf of the Department of Development; and for costs associated with the completion of public roadwork improvements in support of the Big Lots, Inc. (Big Lots) corporate headquarters project.
SECTION 2. 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 requirements.
SECTION 3. 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.