UG agenda preview
A downtown grocery store and the funding for the district attorney’s conviction integrity unit will be on the agenda Thursday at the Unified Government Commission meeting.
Based on favorable response from the commissioners at previous meetings, both would be likely to pass.
The grocery store agreement was advanced at the Aug. 20 UG Economic Development and Finance Committee meeting.
Commissioner Gayle Townsend, at the Aug. 20 meeting, said the project was a success for the downtown area.
Under an agreement, the Merc grocery in Lawrence, Kansas, would be managing the grocery store in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. The UG would own the building and would manage the construction of the project, according to officials.
A 12,000 to 14,000-square-foot building is proposed for the southwest corner of 5th and Minnesota at a cost of about $6 million, according to officials. There may be 2,000 to 3,000 feet of additional retail space at the site.
If it passes Thursday, then the design and construction bid process would begin in September, and the final cost estimate and design is expected to be completed in October, according to officials.
Jon Stephens, UG economic development director, at the Aug. 20 meeting said funding sources are planned to be a $4.2 million UG cash contribution from the hotel revenue fund; and sales tax and property tax increment financing at $1.6 million. No community improvement district is planned so that the sales tax on food is not increased.
Project costs include estimated construction costs of $2.76 million, furniture, fixtures and equipment at $1.5 million, professional services at $500,000, and project contingency, $500,000, according to Stephens. A stabilization guarantee is at $540,000. The three-year stabilization fund would not be used unless the store is not performing at the minimum levels.
Stephens said The Merc will be very responsive to what the community wants in the store. He also said there are plans to include locally grown produce at the store.
“This is a tremendous potential development for downtown,” Jason Norbury, executive director of the Downtown Shareholders, said at the Aug. 20 meeting.
Besides approving the management agreement, the UG Commission will be asked to approve planning, design, construction and a stabilization fund for the store, and a public hearing date of 7 p.m. Oct. 11.
Also on the Aug. 30 agenda is the freeing of funds for the district attorney’s conviction integrity unit. The funds were being held in a special account until an opinion was received from the attorney general. The program itself has been approved by the commission.
The funds were placed in the special account at the end of July. For a past story on the conviction integrity unit, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/das-conviction-integrity-unit-to-come-before-ug-commission-aug-30/.
Among the other items on the Aug. 30 agenda:
• 13120 Leavenworth Road, change of zone from agriculture to single family district to divide lots with existing residential homes, Kenneth Miller.
• 616 Elizabeth Ave., home occupation special use permit for an AirBNB, Andrew Morgans with Marknology LLC.
• 601 Central Ave., special use permit for a drinking establishment and microbrewery operation, Strawberry Hill Brewing Co.
• 1017 Merriam Lane, special use permit for the expansion of an existing automotive repair business, Robert Dimond Jr. with D.A. Group Inc.
• 444 Shawnee Road, vacation application of an alley at 444 Shawnee Road, 411 Stine Ave., 1417 S. 5th St. and 448 Shawnee Road, BHC Rhodes.
• 8833 Waverly Ave., preliminary plan review for Brune Elementary School, MKEC Engineering.
• 950 and 952 Kansas Ave., ordinance rezoning from commercial district to planned light industrial and industrial park district.
• 609 and 631 Central Ave., ordinance vacating an alley.
• 4807 N. 124th Court, ordinance vacating a utility easement.
• Proposed UG holiday schedule for 2019.
• Plat of Rosedale Middle School.
• Nomination of Steve Neal to the Planning and Zoning Commission, submitted by Commissioner Ann Brandau Murguia.
• Nomination of Pat Garmon to the Library Board, submitted by Commissioner Ann Brandau Murguia.
• Nomination of Albert Deleon to the Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District, submitted by Commissioner Ann Brandau Murguia.
• Nomination of Don Jolley to the Advisory Commission on Human Relations and Disability Issues, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
• Nomination of Jeff Manning to the Golf Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
• Nomination of Jacques Barber to the Housing Authority, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
• Nomination of Scott Mackey to the Law Enforcement Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
• Nomination of Angela Lawson to the Library Board, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
• Nomination of Jeff Carson to the Planning and Zoning Commission, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
• Nomination of Craig Howell to the UG Board of Park Commission, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
• Nomination of Deloris Pinkard to the Wyandotte-Leavenworth Area Wide Advisory Council on Aging, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.
Several Land Bank items:
Applications for yard extension:
• 1710 State Ave. – Miguel Morales
• 4218 Orville Ave. – Maria Cervantes
• 2066 Springfield Blvd. – Jeanne Johnson
• 1108 Greeley Ave. – Rene Ojeda
• 1217 Georgia Ave. – Jovan Ledbetter
• 1052 Barnett Ave. – Joseph Sajiv
• 1873 N. 27th St. – Ioan Porta
• 259 S. Bethany St. – Jose Ordaz
• 2569 Cissna St. – Deborah Cunningham
• 1045 Waverly Ave. – Yvonne Porter
• 1334 Rowland Ave. – Teola Tillman
• 1223 Haskell Ave. – Christopher Connor
• 714 N. 10th St. – Mario Jimenez
Applications for property acquisition:
• 710 N. 10th St. – Mario Jimenez, property acquisition
• 3443 N. 33rd St. – James Jackson, property acquisition
• 1959 Garfield Ave. – Phillip Fracul, property acquisition
• 3706 N. 37th St. – Albert Walker, property acquisition
• 610 Quindaro Blvd. – Paula Howard, property acquisition
• 1708 Walker Ave. – Kenia Cruz, property acquisition
• 4315 Ann Ave. – Jeffrey Bowker, property acquisition
Transfers to Land Bank
• 3815 Strong Ave. – Argentine Neighborhood Development Association (ANDA) (Property has a large drainage ditch which covers about half of the property so it is not suitable for development. Work was to be done to the property by the city which would allow development of the property. ANDA would like to transfer this property to the Land Bank until this work can be completed.)
Donations to Land Bank (vacant lots), unable to maintain property to UG standards, unless noted otherwise
• 3100 Haskell Ave. – Henderson-Davis Holdings, LLC
• 912 New Jersey Ave. – Jura Williams
• 710 N. 78th St. – Mary Ellen Fielden, hoped for development in the area and selling it; doesn’t believe a developer purchasing it will happen
• 3608 Garfield Ave. – Peggy Graham
• 1018 Washington Blvd. – Rachel Rozell, thought property was going to tax sale/Land Bank, no longer wants property
• 1028 Richmond Ave. – Rachel Rozell, thought property was going to tax sale/Land Bank, no longer wants property
• 2500 Park Drive – Joseph Reyes
The 7 p.m. UG Commission meeting will be in the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.
A special session will be held at 5 p.m. Aug. 30 in the fifth floor conference room, City Hall, on the Community Health Improvement Plan, followed by a closed executive session on litigation.
