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Columbus City Council on Dec. 13 authorized the city administration to enter into an economic development agreement with the Gateway Area Revitalization Initiative (GARI), a non-profit affiliate of Campus Partners, for development of the University Gateway Center. The agreement outlines responsibilities for property acquisition, requirements for a relocation plan, funding of public improvements, creation of a tax increment financing district (using non-school revenues), required traffic measures, neighborhood employment initiatives and related matters.
Pursuant to the terms of the economic development agreement, City Council on Dec. 13 also adopted an ordinance establishing a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district for the site of the Gateway Center. The non-school portion of the TIF revenue will be used to help fund the proposed 1,200-space parking facility associated with the Gateway Center.
Under terms of the economic development agreement, City Council held a public hearing on Jan. 12 on a draft relocation plan for businesses and residents who may be affected by the acquisition of property for the Gateway Center. Campus Partners staff prepared the relocation plan in consultation with city staff. The relocation plan must be adopted by City Council before it becomes effective. The relocation plan outlines the compensation and services which businesses and residents of rental property will receive when their properties are acquired by eminent domain.
The economic development agreement was the result of several months of discussion between Campus Partners and representatives of the city's Department of Trade and Development and City Council. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of both the city and GARI in the development of the University Gateway Center. George Arnold, director of the Department of Trade and Development, distributed a memorandum Nov. 29 to City Council members summarizing the agreement. A copy of that memorandum was mailed to members of the University Area Commission in early December and is available on the Campus Partners web page (www.osu.edu/Campus Partners/). The economic development agreement has been executed by Arnold and by Terry Foegler, president of GARI.
University District Code Enforcement Task Force
The University District Code Enforcement Task Force met on Jan. 11. Representatives of the city's Building and Development Services Section, Northside Development Corporation and Campus Partners outlined the bidding process for contractor selection for the University District's "Envelope Program," designed to assist low income homeowners with code-required improvements. To date, 24 applications have been received for the use of envelope program funds. Ten applicants are ready to begin construction, 11 applicants are in the initial application processing, and three have been denied.
The next meeting of the code enforcement task force will be Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 3 p.m. at the city's Building and Development Services office, 757 Carolyn Ave.
A six-member working group representing the Steering Committee of the proposed University Uptown Improvement District has been meeting almost weekly through November, December and into January to work on issues related to services, budget, assessments, and governance of the special improvement district (SID). The working group has reviewed cost estimates from several service providers, evaluated budget figures and considered how best to structure the SID. The working group met Jan. 18 and tentatively scheduled a meeting of the full Steering Committee for Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 4 p.m. to consider a number of recommendations. In addition, Campus Partners has asked its attorney, Larry Fisher, to assist the Steering Committee in establishing the legal structure of the SID and in drafting the petitions necessary to create the SID. Consultant Larry Houstoun of The Atlantic Group will continue to work with the Steering Committee on the SID business plan and petitioning campaign.
Burglaries in the University District are being combated through law enforcement and a public education campaign. On the enforcement side, the following actions have taken place:
On the public education side, Campus Partners staff continues to work with the Ohio State chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America on a burglary prevention campaign which will reach students at the end of winter quarter and in advance of spring break. In addition, Evans Scholars and Undergraduate Student Government plan to kick off a pilot of the "Adopt-a-Street" program this winter. Several student organizations have already committed to adopting streets. They would pick up litter regularly, distribute crime prevention information and encourage neighborhood involvement.
The Campus Partners Safety Coordinating Committee will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 2:30 p.m. at the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road.
A coordinating committee continues to meet monthly to plan the public safety aspects of the African-American Heritage Festival from May 9-14. The events drawing the largest crowds will be a step show in Mershon Auditorium on Friday evening, May 12, and the festival and dance on Saturday, May 13. The festival will be Saturday afternoon and early evening on the Oval. The dance will be in the south parking lot of French Field House from approximately 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. One of the largest challenges of that weekend is the unofficial "cruise" along High Street on Saturday night. Columbus Police expect to use the same traffic plan as last year to keep vehicular traffic moving. This plan will implement traffic controls, as needed, on High Street from Fifth Avenue to Lane Avenue and will restrict vehicular access to the side streets to neighborhood residents. Like last year, clergy volunteers will be helping the police.
University, city and law enforcement officials hope to create a welcoming climate for visitors. Steve Sterrett and Pasquale Grado are chairing a subcommittee dealing with issues involving area merchants and residents. Please share any suggestions or concerns with them. Bill Hall, Ohio State's associate vice president for housing, food service and event centers, is chairing the coordinating committee. The committee's next meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 1:30 p.m. in the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road.
The next meeting of the Public Service Committee will deal with refuse collection and will be Wednesday, Jan. 26, at 4 p.m. in the Campus Partners office. The next meeting of the Public Service Committee to deal with street sweeping will be Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m. in the Campus Partners office.
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Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment, Inc.
1824 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 294-7300; fax (614) 294-7333