The Unified Government Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 13, for several items, including a public hearing on the Riverfront Redevelopment District.
After the public hearing on the district, the commission will decide if it will adopt the Kaw River Bridge Development Agreement, the bridge lease agreement and management agreement. Also, it will be asked to adopt an ordinance adding property to and amending the existing Riverfront Redevelopment District.
The proposed $4.975 million development on the bridge would include trails, restaurants, coffee shop and bar, food area, retail, public gathering spaces and an event venue, among other features. The developer is Michael Zeller and Flying Truss LLC.
The development and lease agreements, contained in the May 13 UG agenda, call for the historic Rock Island Bridge to be turned over to the Unified Government for $1. The bridge over the Kaw River is near the stockyards area and HyVee Arena.
A previous development agreement with Kansas City, Missouri, outlines a public and private partnership to develop walking and bicycle trail systems, and making improvements on the bridge for 25 years. The bridge, constructed in 1905, is currently owned by the city of Kansas City, Missouri.
The agreement calls for the UG to provide $2 million for the project from the UG’s Convention and Tourism Fund. Those funds come from tourist dollars spent in Wyandotte County. Community improvement districts with a sales tax are proposed. A tax increment financing (TIF) district has been created for the area. Industrial revenue bond financing is proposed.
The development agreement received preliminary approval at a UG Committee meeting March 29. At that meeting, economic development officials said the bridge is seen as a catalyst for future growth in the area. More details about the agreement are at https://wyandotteonline.com/development-agreement-for-bridge-entertainment-over-the-kaw-river-receives-preliminary-ug-approval/.
Also on the 7 p.m. agenda:
• Authorization to apply for two historic preservation grants from the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office. The focus of the requests will be a downtown historic district, a multiple listing of historic downtown churches and historic downtown buildings.
• Adopting the third amendment to the Downtown Campus Development agreement with Lanier United LLC, to extend the final date for closing to June 30, with an automatic extension to July 30.
• Termination of the 38th and Leavenworth Road redevelopment district, and tax increment financing with the district.
• Termination of the Mission Cliffs-Rainbow Park TIF.
Several Land Bank items are on the 7 p.m. agenda, including:
• Six single-family homes: 2829 S. 8th; 2815 S. 8th; 929 Freeman; 935 Freeman; 1203 Ann; and 5705 Tauromee.
• One 4-plex: 416 Cambridge.
• One garage: 1713 Troup.
• One commercial-residential: 5320 State Ave.
The UG Commission also will meet in a special session at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 13 for an update on the levees project, followed by a report on economic development incentives.
The public will not be able to attend the meetings in person, but the meetings will be on UGTV cable television, YouTube and on Zoom.
The 5 p.m. special session Zoom link will be at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83675668213?pwd=S25acFhNeTUvWkx6R1ZZSFJ4cW9PZz09#success.
The passcode is 210725.
The webinar ID is 836 7566 8213
The phone number is 888-475-4499 (toll free) or 877-853-5257 (toll free).
The 7 p.m. UG Commission meeting will be on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83065774454?pwd=U1pVZ2N5TkpNcGhQdG5LdWhmNU5UZz09#success.
The passcode is 152094.
The webinar ID is 830 6577 4454.
Phone numbers are 888-475-4499 (toll free) or 877-853-5257 (toll free).