RD Commission Notes, March 2011

 

TIF UPDATES

 

River Center Update

At the February 28 meeting, you were asked to consider nine (9) bundles of parcels that the Department is proposing for disposal.  After meeting with appraisers, we have learned that our time frame was not realistic.  We had planned to advertise for Requests for Proposals by the end of March, with proposals to be received at the April 25, 2011 Redevelopment Commission meeting.  Appraisals for the nine areas will take approximately four - six weeks, which puts the advertising date closer to the end of April.  Therefore, proposals will be received at the May 23 Commission meeting and distributed for review.  Decisions regarding the submitted proposals will possibly be determined at the July 25th meeting.

 

Main Street - Church Street Connector

This project includes construction of Main Street from the south end of the bridge over the St. Joseph River to north of the Lincolnway East (SR 933) and Main / Union connector.  Work includes concrete pavement, curbs and sidewalks, pavement markings, signing, lighting and landscaping.  The estimated construction cost is $2.7 million.  DLZ is finalizing the bid documents; the project will be bid in the spring of 2011.

 

Church-Union Street:  Lincolnway East to Dragoon Trail

The soils work, survey and preliminary plans are 100% complete.  The environmental report and final plans are in progress. 

 

Main Street Improvements, PH. III:  Mishawaka Avenue to Battell Street

The pavement has been removed from the northbound lanes of Main Street between Mishawaka Avenue and Battell Street.  The installation of a new storm sewer is scheduled to begin the week of March 28.  Left turns within this corridor are still prohibited.  East Grove, East Lawrence and East Battell Streets will be closed to through traffic at Main Street, but access is available from Sarah Street.

 

North Main Street, PH VI:  Ardennes Street to Edison Road

DLZ is working on right-of-way acquisition.

 

Edison Road and Grape Road Intersection Improvements

DLZ is providing engineering services for the construction of Grape Road and Edison Road intersection improvements.  Services include utility coordination, right-of-way services, appraisal and acquisition, design and bid phase services.  Right-of-way is required for two parcels to the southeast and southwest of the intersection for a total length of approximately 700 feet.

 

Main Street Widening to Four Lanes: Edison Lakes Pkwy to Day Road

Appraisals of four parcels for the required right-of-way for this project and construction plans are complete.  Acquisition of right-of-way is underway.

 

Holy Cross Parkway Lift Station Forcemain, PH. IIE

New asphalt will be placed and landscape restoration will be completed at Chestnut and Russ Streets this spring.

 

Douglas Road Medical Park, PH. II

Bids for Phase II of this project will be opened at the Board of Public Works and Safety on March 29. Work includes earthwork, a three-sided precast concrete structure with a span of 32-feet for Juday Creek, curbs, pavement, driveways, sidewalks, storm sewer structures and pipe, sanitary sewer structures, pipe and water main.  The cost of construction is estimated at $1,820,000.

 

Fir Road Expansion, PH. I (Between the Toll Road bridge and Cleveland Road)

This project includes reconstruction of approximately .38 miles of Fir Road.  The environmental study review is complete, and drainage design and construction plans are underway.

 

 

Bremen Highway Improvements

This project consists of improvements to Bremen Highway to enhance traffic flow safety within this corridor from US 20 Bypass to approximately 500 ft. north of Ireland Road.  Abonmarche has completed the survey work for Bremen Highway right-of-way and all side streets for 100 feet of the project.  Drainage studies, lane configuration plans, corridor aesthetic enhancements and geotechnical investigations are underway.

 

North Cedar Street Demolitions

Lawson-Fisher has developed a grading plan for 421 N. Cedar Street.  A five-foot berm will be created along Alice Street to the north and the residential property to the west.  From there, the property will have a 4:1 grade with erosion control in the form of temporary matting and low-maintenance ground cover.  The remaining area will be hydroseeded.  The long-term plan is to create an alternate entrance to Central Park, and possibly construct a few homes.

 

Advertise for Property Disposition

The Department has three unbuildable vacant lots that we are requesting permission to advertise for sale:

219 S. Cedar St.          Site of substandard 4-unit apartment building that was donated to the City by Wells Fargo

2023 Lincolnway W    Site of substandard vacant house that was sold to the Department for $1

809 W. West St.           Site of substandard vacant house that the City purchased for $15,000

 

If you approve disposition of these lots, they will be appraised and advertised for sale.  Bids will be received at the May 23, 2011 Redevelopment Commission meeting.  The Commission will have the opportunity to accept or reject any bids.  Neighbors next to all three sites have expressed interest in purchasing the lots.

 

** MERRIFIELD PARK ENTRANCE STUFF **

 

 

 

NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS

 

Mishawaka River Center Apartments

To supplement the tax credits we were awarded for this project, we are applying to Federal Home Loan Bank for $750,000 in Affordable Housing Program funds.  This is a forgivable loan that reduces to a zero balance over the course of 15 years, as long as the project remains affordable.  The application will be submitted this week; award announcements will be made in July.  The completion of the project is not dependent upon this additional funding.  We can use TIF funds for any funding gaps that we may have.

 

Neighborhood Stabilization Program 3 (NSP3) Grant

As previously mentioned, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority awarded the City $1.18 million in NSP3 funds.  The money is to be used in our original NSP1 target area to mitigate the impact of foreclosed and abandoned properties.  We anticipate receiving the contract from IHCDA within the next few weeks, and we will proceed with acquisition activities as soon as it’s executed.

 

Habitat for Humanity Builds

Habitat for Humanity has excavated foundations for two new houses in our NSP1 target area:  116 East Seventh Street and 715 East Sixth Street.  Also, they are in the process of finishing the house at 327 Milburn Court that they started last year.  Later in the summer construction will begin at 548 West Sixth Street and 616 East Battell.  All of the homes built this year will be two-story.

 

Summer of Service Program

There are now nine churches interested in working on houses for the Summer of Service program.  As of today, we have four qualified participants.  The addresses are:

            2357 N. Main Street - owner 84 y.o.; $17,981.16 (43% AMI)

            218 Maplewood Street - owner 48 y.o. (disabled); $9,324 (18% AMI)

            1002 Lincolnway East - owner 66 y.o.; $15,289 (37% AMI)

            205 E. LaSalle - owner 70 y.o.; $13,932 (34% AMI)

* HAVE THEM SIGN THE APPLICATIONS *

 

We are working with the City’s Code Enforcement Department to identify more garages and homes that require exterior repairs to bring them up to code.

 

Spot Blight Elimination

At the March 8, 2011 Commissioner’s Tax Certificate sale, the Department bid on and won the property located at 1724 E. Jefferson.  It is a vacant former welding shop that Code Enforcement yellow-tagged.  Our winning bid was $6,101.  It is anticipated that we will have clear title to the property in about six months.  The structure will be demolished and cleared; we have no immediate plans for the site.

 

Sixth and Wells Streets

The three properties at the northeast corner of Sixth and Wells Streets have been replatted into two lots.  The parcels will be deeded to Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County; Habitat will construct a two-story home on each lot.  Construction will begin on the first home in May 2011.

** HAVE THEM SIGN REPLAT **

 

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM

We set a goal of constructing five homes in 2011.  Working with Horizon Bank and 1^st Source Bank, five applicants have been pre-approved for mortgages.  Once third party income verifications are received from employers, we can move forward with lot selection.  We could break ground on the first home in April. 

 

A meeting was held today with our participating builders:  Place Builders, Jeff Moser Homes and The McCollester Group.  It was agreed that homes would be built on our existing lots for $130,000 ($5,000 more than in the past two years).  The builders will build on the following lots:

            611/613 E. Third St. - Place Builders

            519 W. Sixth St. - Place Builders

            510 W. Tenth St. - Moser Homes

            407 W. Sixth St. - The McCollester Group

            311 Cleveland St. - The McCollester Group

 

Construction agreements for the above properties are presented for your approval.

 

We have solicited quotes for a privacy fence for the backyard at 501 W. Sixth Street.  After the fence is installed, sod will be placed in the front yard and the backyard will be hydroseeded.

 

ANYTHING BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSION

Release of Mortgage

The First Time Homebuyer at 622 East Grove Street sold her property.  The closing took place on March 24, 2011.  She originally purchased her house in October 2005 with a $90,000 mortgage from 1^st Source and a $35,380.74 forgivable loan from our Department.  The house was built for $113,000.  After having it on the market on and off for four years, she sold the home for $97,700.

 

After the payoff to 1^st Source, as well as closing costs, points conceded to the buyer, realtor commission, 2010 and 2011 property taxes, and other costs, there was no cash out.  The balance of her forgivable Redevelopment loan had reduced to $16,510.48.  Per Federal regulations, we are required to write-off the balance of the loan and release the mortgage. 

 

NEXT MEETING

The next regular meeting of the Redevelopment Commission will be Monday, April 25th, 2011 at 6:30 p. Respectfully Submitted:                                            

 

 

 

 

Approved:

 

 

Respectfully submitted:                                              Approved:

(Signature on File)                                                                 (Signature on File)

___________________________________  ____________________________________

Kari Myers, Administrative Planner                           M. Gilbert Eberhart, President

 

(Signature on File)

__________________________________

Lory L. Timmer, Community Development Director

 

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