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Authorizing a loan up to $115,000 of $84,000 $34,000 from the HRA Business Assistance Fund to West 7th / Fort Road Federation, including a waiver of the Business Assistance Fund guidelines, toward the total project cost to (1) stabilize; (2) disassemble; (3) move; and (4) store the stones and other structural elements of the building, and (5) re-construct of the Justus Ramsey House, currently located at 242 West 7th Street, District 9, Ward 2
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WHEREAS, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota (the “HRA”) is a public body corporate and politic established pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 469.001, et seq. (the “Act”); and
WHEREAS, the HRA has the power to engage in development or redevelopment activities under Minnesota law and the HRA is authorized to engage in activities relating to (a) housing projects and development, (b) removal and prevention of the spread of conditions of blight or deterioration, (c) bringing substandard buildings and improvements into compliance with public standards, (d) disposition of land for private redevelopment, and (e) improving the tax base and the financial stability of the community, and to engage in the aforementioned activities
when these needs cannot be met through reliance solely upon private initiative and which can also be undertaken in targeted neighborhoods; and is authorized to create redevelopment projects as defined in Minnesota Statutes, Section 469.002, Subdivision 14; and
WHEREAS, the Justus Ramsey House was built in 1852 and is a locally designated historic preservation site, a state designate site, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, the Justus Ramsey House is currently located on the patio of Burger Moe’s restaurant and is in a state of disrepair, structurally unstable, unsafe and in danger of further collapse, and a Demolition Order from the City of Saint Paul has been issued; and
WHEREAS, West 7th / Fort Road Federation has applied for a loan for a portion of the total project costs to (1) stabilize; (2) disassemble; (3) move; and (4) store the stones and other structural elements of the building, and (5) re-construct the Justus Ramsey House at a location within the City of Saint Paul (the “Project”) as further detailed in the Board Report; and
WHEREAS, the Project will serve a public purpose by preserving a historically significant building; and
WHEREAS, the Project will also serve economic development purposes by allowing the restaurant Burger Moe’s to expand its patio which is expected to have positive tax base impacts; and
WHEREAS, Staff determined that due to the immediate need of the loan funds to stabilize the structure, preserve the stones and structural elements of the Justus Ramsey House and re-construct the building using the original design, the Business Assistance Fund guidelines adopted by the HRA Board should be waived to allow the funds to loaned for the purposes requested in a timely manner; and
WHEREAS, Staff recommend approval of a loan in the amount of up to $34,000 up to $115,000 of $84,000 to West 7th / Fort Road Federation from the HRA Business Assistance Fund (the “Loan”), consistent with the loan terms articulated in the attached Board Report; and
WHEREAS, the HRA Board of Commissioners find that there is a proper public purpose to approve the Loan and allocate HRA Business Assistance funds up to $34,000 up to $115,000 of $84,000 for the Project, for the reasons articulated above and further detailed in the Board Report accompanying this Resolution and to waive the adopted guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota that:
1. The HRA hereby approves and authorizes a Loan under the terms articulated in the Board Report as revised by this Resolution accompanying this Resolution, including a waiver of the adopted Business Assistance Fund guidelines, with any additional terms and conditions as deemed necessary and appropriate by the HRA Executive Director and the City Attorney’s Office.
2. The terms articulated in the Board Report are revised as follows:
a. Any reference to reconstruction of the Justus Ramsey House is deleted and if needed will be considered by the HRA Board at a future meeting.
b. Condition 2 which states “West 7th / Fort Road Federation must enter into a written agreement with the owners of the new site for the Justus Ramsey House agreeing to re-construct the Justus Ramsey House using the original design of the House” is deleted.
c. Condition 6 is revised by deleting reference to reconstruction.
d. Both conditions 1 and 2 relating to forgiveness are deleted.
3. The HRA hereby approves and authorizes staff, under the direction of the Executive Director, to take all actions necessary to carry out the activities authorized by this Resolution, including finalizing all documents and agreements necessary to effectuate the activities to be undertaken by this Resolution, subject to approval by the City Attorney’s Office.
4. That the only signature that shall be required on any and all documents in connection with this Resolution, subject to approval by the City Attorney’s Office, is that of the Executive Director who is hereby approved and authorized to execute all said documents and instruments, which shall be sufficient to bind the HRA to any legal obligations therein.
5. That this Resolution does not constitute a binding legal agreement; rather, the action taken herein shall not be effective until said documents are executed by the appropriate official(s) of the HRA.