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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-29-2001 Meeting I I I SITE SELECTION COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - May 29, 2001 11 :30 A.M. PRESENT: Hon. B. Kuhlke, Chairman, Hon. W. Mays, Mayor Pro Tern, Hon. S. Shepard, Hon. L. Beard, Commissioners, Hon. A. Cheek, Commissioner, Hon. Wm. Fleming, Judge Superior Court, Hon. D. Craig, District Attorney, R. Snellings, Historic Preservation, J. Carter, DDA, J. Wall, Attorney, V. Flournoy, Staff Attorney, R. Acree, Facilities Maintenance, B. Maddox and S. Nicholson, Coliseum Authority,L. Bonner, Clerk of Commission. ABSENT: H. Barrett, Augusta Tomorrow. MEDIA: D. Bence, Channel 12, H. Coryell, Augusta Chronicle, G. Eskola, Channel 6. The meeting is called to order by the Chairman. Mr. Kuhlke: The Commission did approve the site selection and also appointed the same committee as the over site committee on the Site Selection. I spoke with Mr. Wall and I felt like it was important that we go ahead and have some conversations with the First Presbyterian Church and with the Coliseum Authority. Because one of the proposals is to consider swapping maybe 2 acres of the Coliseum Authority property for the property that the First Presbyterian owns on the north side of Telfair Street. Jim, if you want to expand on that a little bit. I have the plat of the 2-acre tract that we're talking about. Mr. Wall: I had some. preliminary discussions with David Hanks and Tom Harley representing First Presbyterian Church as well as Sam Nicholson on behalf of the Coliseum Authority. Because the Coliseum Authority was obviously concerned as to how much parking they might lose as a result of any exchange and on that basis they had 2-acres drawn out to indicate how much parking would be lost. And that's a 2-acre parcel that would adjoin First Presbyterian Church property line immediately to the south. Also, then had prepared a new parking layout that would encompass the area where R&R Trucking is currently located and would complete that block to the south. Based upon that using the same width of the driveway for the new ticket booth as they currently have immediately behind First Presbyterian Church there would be a net lost of approximately sixteen parking spaces according to the layout that Public Works did. I think there are some things that could be done in so far as the curb along there that might reduce that we might be able to come out with an equal amount of parking spaces. The 2-acres would give First Presbyterian Church the amount of acreage that they need in so far as their planned expansion. I think we would need to get the Coliseum Authority's approval to pursue that concept. The R&R Trucking obviously, we would need to do an environmental study there to determine if there is any pollution or contamination there that we might have to be concerned with. Mr. Kuhlke: I feel like we need to go back to the Commission with some recommendations, some steps that we need to take. The first is to see if we have any hang ups. We have to negotiate with the Coliseum Authority from the standpoint of getting the 2- acres, having it available to swap with First Presbyterian Church. Being able to acquire the 2.5 acres, abandon the street back there. The Coliseum Authority in an exchange like this their interest would be for us to do the demolition and to put the parking lot in for them. The environmental part is something that we need to take a look at on the R&R Trucking and also on the whole bus station. We need to go ahead and get appraisals on all of the properties that are effected in that block. Until we do that we really don't know where we are. So we need to go back to the Commission to give us the permission to expend funds to get the environmental work and appraisals done and to allow us to go ahead and enter into negotiations with the Coliseum Authority. I Mr. Shepard: I would like to put your recommendation in the form of a motion that we recommend to the Commission that we expend monies to hire the necessary appraisers to get the properties appropriately appraised and that we expend the money to make the necessary environmental studies that we're looking at. And to go ahead and enter into negotiations witbthe Coliseum Authority for the 2-acres. Mr. Carter: Second. Mr. Mays: I think we need to allow Mr. Maddox who is a member of the Coliseum Authority an opportunity to speak. Mr. Maddox: Basically we've had some preliminary discussion. We were waiting really to see just how much property it would require. We are concerned about parking. Mr. Wall said sixteen spaces, we're talking about 170 spaces of our prime parking right in front of the Civic Center. The only money we make at the Civic Center is on our parking and our conceSSiOns. I Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Kuhlke: There are two other things that I would like to bring up. One is Ross I would like if you would to look at what our options are on the historic structures over there. And at our next meeting if you would give us a report on what kind of options we might have on those buildings. We will need the land and if the possibility exist of moving those buildings. The other thing is Mr. Wall if you could follow up on this. As we go through the process of working with First Presbyterian Church, they are utilizing I understand, all of the buildings that they own. We need to have some information that if something is worked out with the Coliseum Authority and they take title to these 2-acres, what's their schedule for construction in being able to vacate those buildings over there so that we'll have them available. Mr. Nicholson: That does bring up another point that the Civic Center was expressing concerns about is the use of that property from the time they acquire it until the time they actually do something with it. The Civic Center would like to retain some type of right to use that as opposed to them using it themselves and parking in competition with the Civic Center. Mr. Wall: Supposedly, they have the plans already developed as far as what they intend to construct. My idea has been that we would acquire the R&R Trucking site as early I I I I as possible. Allow that parking to be completed and reconfigured before possession was delivered to First Presbyterian Church. Then work through the process of acquiring the properties within the Greene Street block after we have some idea of what the overall cost is going to be. And as the new Judicial Center is being designed, that will take some time hopefully the church would have relocated, the Coliseum would have relocated its parking actually before we would have to do any clearing on the Greene Street. Mr. Kuhlke: Rick at some point, as we move into the process I think we need to develop some type of bar chart to give us a schedule of events that we want to take place. And Mr. Maddox if you would arrange for Mr. Wall and myself to come and meet with the Authority just so that we could begin some conversation and bring you update on what we're trying to do. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission Ibb I 15 STEPHEN E. SHEPARD, COMMISSIONER, DIST. 3 701 Greene Street Augusta, GA 30901 (706) 736-8884 (H) (706) 724-6597 (8) (706) 722-4817 (F) MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Ulmer Bridges, Chairman and Members of the Engineering Services Committee FROM: Steve Shepard, Chairman Railway Traffic Subcommittee DATE: June 20, 2001 SUBJECT: Recommendations In the Wednesday, June 20 Railway Traffic Subcommittee meeting the following recommendations were approved. By copy of this communication, I'm asking Ms. Bonner to place these recommendations on the June 27 Engineering Services agenda for discussion. I Amtrak Strate2Y ~ Correspond in writing to our Congressional Delegation. ~ Seek a local match for the planning grant. ~ Sponsor a demonstration train. ~ Build a corridor alliance consisting of Atlanta-Augusta-Columbia-Charleston. Sixth Street Safety Corridor Improvements ~ Adopt the Project Concept Report. Cc: Ms. Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission I 530 Greene Street - Augusta, Georgia 30911- 706/821-1820- Fax 706/821-1838