Title
Resolution Approving and Authorizing Execution of: 1) A Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Saint Paul and the Metropolitan Council Regarding Redevelopment of the Central Station Block in Downtown Saint Paul; 2) An Easement Agreement with the Metropolitan Council Related to Bus Waiting Improvements on the Central Station Block; and 3) An Operations and Maintenance Agreement with the City of Saint Paul and the Metropolitan Council for a Stair and Elevator Tower on the Central Station Block.
Body
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council (“Met Council”), the City of Saint Paul (“City”), and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota (“HRA”) have been focused on the improvement of transit within Saint Paul, most notably through the development of the Light Rail Transit (“LRT”) Green Line; and
WHEREAS, in conjunction with the construction of the LRT Green Line the Met Council acquired approximately 1.32 acres of real property located in the Central Station Block - that block in downtown Saint Paul bounded by Cedar, Fourth, Minnesota, and Fifth Streets - as depicted on Attachment A (“Central Station Block”); and
WHEREAS, the HRA owns 0.22 acres of real property in the northeast corner of the Central Station Block adjacent to the Met Council land (“HRA Property”); and
WHEREAS, the three parties have been working together for many years on the LRT Green Line and related efforts, and desire to continue working collaboratively and cooperatively to define parameters for the redevelopment of the Central Station Block that meet the shared goals of increased transit ridership and economic development to increase the tax base of the City; and
WHEREAS, the three parties share an interest in promoting transit oriented development on the Central Station Block, utilizing the adjacent properties owned by the Met Council and the HRA; and
WHEREAS, the three parties desire to continue their ongoing working relationship as it relates to the LRT Green Line and memorialize their understandings and expectations regarding the Central Station Block and its redevelopment in a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”); and
WHEREAS, the Met Council proposes to make improvements to the bus waiting area at 5th Street & Minnesota Street funded via a Federal Transit Administration Bus Livability Grant; and
WHEREAS, the proposed bus waiting area improvements were developed with, and are supported by, City and HRA staff; and
WHEREAS, the Met Council requires an easement over eight feet of the HRA Property (800 square feet), legally described in Attachment B, in order to implement the bus waiting area improvements; and
WHEREAS, the three parties have agreed that any future development of this Central Station Block, as envisioned in the MOU, will incorporate this bus waiting area into its design;
WHEREAS, the Met Council owns and will operate a light rail station (“Central Station”) on the LRT Green Line within the Central Station Block; and
WHEREAS, it is proposed that a stairway and elevator be located on Met Council property adjacent to the Central Station to connect with the skyway system (“Vertical Access Tower”); and
WHEREAS, the proposed Vertical Access Tower, which will be built and paid for by the Met Council, has an estimated construction cost of $1.4 million; and
WHEREAS, the Met Council will own and operate the Vertical Access Tower provided the three parties share the Vertical Access Tower’s operating and maintenance costs; and
WHEREAS, the HRA believes that the decision to share in the ongoing operation and maintenance costs up to a limited amount is supported by the benefits the Vertical Access Tower will provide to citizens and businesses in the downtown area; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota as follows:
RESOLVED, the HRA is authorized to enter into a MOU with the City and the Met Council setting forth the three parties’ intentions and expectations for the redevelopment of the Central Station Block; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the HRA agrees to enter in this MOU based upon the assumption that the Met Council will: 1) construct the Vertical Access Tower adjacent to the Central Station; 2) fund the capital costs associated with the construction of the Vertical Access Tower, and pay for a minimum of one-half of the ongoing operation and maintenance costs for the Vertical Access Tower; 3) make improvements to the bus waiting areas at the intersections of 5th and Minnesota Streets, 6th and Minnesota Streets, and 6th and Cedar Streets (“Bus Waiting Area Improvements”); 4) cooperate with a developer to incorporate into any design of a future redevelopment on the Central Station Block, a bus waiting area at 5th and Minnesota Streets; and 5) work with the City to support the future use and design of the small triangular parcel north of the Athletic Club building; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the HRA agrees to enter in this MOU based upon the assumption that the City will: 1) facilitate and participate, to the extent City funding is available, in streetscape and pedestrian improvements such as curb extensions and landscaping within the public right-of-way related to the Bus Waiting Area Improvements; 2) share in 50% of the ongoing operation and maintenance costs for the Vertical Access Tower, with the understanding that the total combined annual share for the City and HRA will not exceed $37,500; and 3) work with the Met Council to determine the future use and design of the small triangular parcel north of the Athletic Club building; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the HRA will agree to: 1) grant an easement to the Met Council for approximately 800 square feet of the HRA’s property adjacent to 5th Street, legally described on Attachment B, at no cost to the Met Council, to allow for improvements to the bus waiting area on the Central Station Block; 2) actively encourage and market redevelopment opportunities on the Central Station Block; and 3) share in 50% of the ongoing operation and maintenance costs for the Vertical Access Tower, with the understanding that the total combined annual share for the City and HRA will not exceed $37,500; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the HRA’s and Planning and Economic Development Department’s (“PED’s”) annual participation in the ongoing operation and maintenance costs for the Vertical Access Tower will be limited to the net revenues from the operation of a parking lot on the HRA Property available for deposit into the Parking Fund; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that staff of PED are further authorized and directed to proceed with all other actions necessary to implement this Resolution; and be it
FINALLY RESOLVED, that the HRA Executive Director is hereby authorized and directed to execute all agreements and documents necessary to implement this Resolution.