Title
Authorizing the vacation and disposal of the former Public Safety Annex to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority for subsequent redevelopment, and authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into agreements for the implementation of Pedro Park.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul ("City") owns the real property located at 100 Tenth Street East, which is the site of the former Police Public Safety Annex (the "PSA"), which is currently vacant following the relocation of operations to other facilities, as described and depicted in Exhibit A attached hereto; and
WHEREAS, the city is the owner of Pedro Park at 104-124 10th St E, which was donated to the City in 2009 by the Pedro family after the closure of the Pedro Luggage store; and
WHEREAS, the park is located on the block bordered by 9th Street, 10th Street, Minnesota and Robert Streets; and
WHEREAS, at the time of the donation, the City’s Comprehensive Plan envisioned a larger park area and the Donation Agreement had a time limit for turning the donated land into a park; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the Donation Agreement, the City demolished the building on the site, and made efforts to obtain financing for construction of park improvements as envisioned during a community process; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, the city in partnership with Public Art Saint Paul created a temporary art installation, Urban Flower Field, to provide use for the park space at Pedro Park after attempts to obtain funds for extension and improvements contemplated by the City’s comprehensive plan were unsuccessful; and
WHEREAS, in 2017 the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul (HRA), marketed the former Public Safety Annex adjacent to Pedro Park to explore the sale of the building; and
WHEREAS, the Board of the HRA voted to grant tentative developer status to The Ackerberg Group, and negotiated a potential Development Agreement to provide the City Council with information to consider in deciding whether to transfer the PSA property to the HRA; and
WHEREAS, sale proceeds from the building, anticipated to be $1,317,500 would be available to construct permanent park improvements on the Pedro Park property; and
WHEREAS, in May and June of 2018 the Department of Parks and Recreation engaged the community in a design process intended to create a conceptual design for improvements to the existing Pedro Park in the event that the PSA building was not demolished; and
WHEREAS, The Ackerberg Group is willing to commit to long-term contributions for annual maintenance of the park if they are able to develop the PSA; and
WHEREAS, if the PSA is not sold, there is no budget for the removal of the building and subsequent development of the land as park space; and
WHEREAS, the City will continue to explore the possibility of acquiring property to the south of the alley which bisects the block and if it is able to expand the park in the future the City Council acknowledges that will need to realign the alley access to the PSA parking garage; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes that the opportunity to obtain money to make improvements to Pedro Park and to have a funding stream for long-term maintenance are significant opportunities and will enable the Department of Parks and Recreation to construct improvements which will enhance the enjoyment and use of the park; and
WHEREAS, the Report to the City Council, attached hereto as Exhibit B, recommends the sale and disposal of the PSA, with sale proceeds to be used for improvements to the adjacent city-owned Pedro Park; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that upon the petition of the City, as documented in Office of Financial Services File Number 06-2018, the PSA is hereby vacated and discontinued as public property, subject to the terms and conditions of Chapter 130, codified March 1, 1981, of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, as amended; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council does hereby authorize and direct the proper city officials to:
1. Dispose of the PSA in accordance with Chapter 51 of the Administrative Code;
2. Convey the PSA by quitclaim deed to the HRA for subsequent sale by the HRA to a potential developer; and
3. Deposit sale proceeds less reimbursement of any City administrative costs to dispose of the PSA into the proper city account as determined by the Office of Financial Services, for use by the Department of Parks and Recreation to improve Pedro Park; and be it
FINALLY RESOLVED, the Department of Parks and Recreation is authorized to enter into agreements to set forth funding and maintenance expectations, memorialization of any encroachment permits, and a construction timeline for the park improvements.