Order of the Syracuse Urban Renewal Agency, April 30th Board meeting.

Uh roll call.

Uh Diane Nastery is excused.

Mike Collins present.

Council President uh Pandiawa present.

Mayor present.

We have a quorum.

Uh proof of notice.

The approval notice is on the second page.

Uh-huh.

Um just um need you to acknowledge that it's been given.

We acknowledge that there was a public meeting notice uh distributed announcing today's meeting at four o'clock at City Hall in the common council chambers.

We have minutes from the March 30th board meeting.

So I suppose everybody went through them, so I can move them.

I am not a voting board member, so I'm not second meeting.

Uh uh uh I have reviewed and I uh second the motion, my own motion, my own uh request.

So I will call this item approval.

Okay.

Yes, all right.

Uh new business.

Resolution 347.

Yes, Mayor.

So this is the annual budget for the urban renewal agency.

Um it has already been presented to the common council.

Um so it shouldn't be anything any new information here.

Um but if there are any questions, Commissioner Collins um is probably best suited to answer any if anybody has any.

Uh so it's just our annual approval.

All right.

Anything of significance that you'd like to point out?

So the only thing that looks different this year than previous years budgets is the recognition of the fact that uh there's no housing strategies corporation funding that runs through the agency, but when we look at the budget from a personnel standpoint, it's uh it's largely similar.

Um the uh uh the funds are largely similar.

The New York State Assistance Fund is uh the uh that's largely the money that we receive from the properties uh that we own.

So parking lots uh for the most part.

Uh the development fund that's interest off of uh previous um uh uh previous investments.

The money from uh we did have some money in that account uh last year that was added from the imminent uh eminent domain that was exercised upon uh a portion of a property that we had due to the uh 81 project.

Okay.

So um the 7500 is it's our best guess for right now.

Uh but yeah, that that could certainly fluctuate.

Uh and then we we will at some point have the uh accounting for the home headquarters funding that will flow through as well.

That's not shown uh at the moment, but it will look um very similar, if not exactly the same as the uh housing strategies corporation column in the way that it's accounted for.

It's it's uh simply um passing through as per the directive of how we receive the money from uh the city.

Okay.

Any questions?

Yeah, no, I I don't have any.

I mean, we went through extensive budget budget hearings on these.

There were several positions that will roll out from Sura to the departments as well.

So that you know have Sora kind of ground better.

So yeah, I mean it's okay.

Uh I have a motion to approve the resolution.

I will move.

I will second.

So move.

Uh resolution number 3478.

Uh yes, Mayor.

So this is just a resolution authorizing um a payment to Dryden Mutual.

So as you recall, uh last month we approved um new insurer Mesa.

Um, but we needed an extension from Dryden, our prior insurer, um, to be able to to acquire a new insurer.

So there's a small premium that's associated with with that.

Um so we found that out uh the the exact dollar amount.

We knew that there would be a small premium with it with the extension.

Yeah, so this is just approving payment.

So then uh Commissioner Collins as contracting agent can or age contracting officer can um get that payment.

Okay, all of our properties, you know, under Sura are property insured.

I mean, if anybody if anything should happen in any of those properties, we're okay.

You know, I can't predict uh, but like, but yes, we have insurance coverage for um the all all the SIR-owned properties that were part of the proposal.

I had mentioned that there are two properties on uh South Salina Street that are not part of that because those are leased to an adjacent property owner and as part of the lease they're required to have um insurance.

So um there's so those property owners know that they're responsible for that.

They've been leasing that for a very very that lease um was in existence even before uh I was Surax counsel.

So it's been quite some time.

We've had that arrangement and it doesn't expire for um a little bit.

So I I'd I'll simply add that um the uh changing policy uh gave Meg and I a chance to uh uh work with the broker to make sure that we really just had the coverage the way that we wanted to have the coverage and it gave them a chance to give some extra advice on that as well.

So I I feel like the new coverage that we've got is been well reviewed and is appropriate for what we what we need going forward.

And the new coverage, as you'll recall, is the higher limits with the two million and the four million motion.

So we'll second item approved.

Item for discussion potential lease of parking lot at 109 West Washington.

Yes.

So I have two gentlemen here that um could probably discuss this a little more with you.

But just so you uh so you're familiar with the address of the property 109 West Washington is the former farmer markets farmer market lot that is it's right by Perseverance Park and when one Lincoln Center.

So Lincoln Center.

Um it's right next door to that.

But it's Surah owned.

Yeah, typically the mic.

Yeah, just introduce yourself.

Even though we know you air.

Happy, happy to introduce myself.

So Eric Ennis uh with the city chief development officer.

Um so we the discussion we wanted to have for Surah to consider and think about is um the facility in the property that uh that council just mentioned uh is owned by the urban renewal agency.

Uh that the city has had a working agreement between uh Sura and uh making those spots available and utilized for parking as we uh continue to move forward with the upcoming demolition of the Fayette Street Garage.

Um, as our understanding and as we work with our demolition contractor, it is a portion of um privately utilized parking spaces that are owned by Zamir Equities and the office building for one park place.

Um there's a certain number of parking spaces that may be taken offline because of the staging work that's needed for the demolition.

As we've tried to think about then how to offset the loss of the parking that's going to be taking place during the demolition, um, this parking lot with its proximity not too far away.

Is there an openness and and open for discussion from the Surah Board to pursue and consider the idea of making those lot those spaces available to offset the demolition?

Now the demolition time frame is somewhere between three to four months.

It'll be between 90 and 120 days.

Um and it's not the first time that we have made those spots available for a user.

And actually, there was an example uh in the past where we did it for mainly one Lincoln Center.

Um same owner of those two different properties, but it was more for the one Lincoln Center use, less for the for the one park place use.

Um but as we as we look at that and pursue that, we do understand based on the last arrangement, the common council also plays a role in this and that it would require common council authorization.

three to four months it'll be between 90 and 120 days um and it's not the first time that we have made those spots available for a user and actually there was an example uh in the past where we did it for mainly one link and center um same owner of those two different properties but it was more for the one link and center use less for the for the one park place use um but as we as we look at that and pursue that we do understand based on the last arrangement the common council also plays a role in this and that it would require common council authorization but we've really been trying to look at ways to offset the disruption that's being felt by office tenants and those in the community who are using and parking in that lot a lot of them connected to one park place uh in this parking lot currently available and made available for public parking but something that we would look to potentially look at the idea of making that available particularly for the time of the demolition and then also taking a look at what might happen after that so um happy to take any questions but we just wanted to introduce the discussion as uh as a possibility so that parking note has the um the parking uh meters or no it has there are meters there yes so those are they will they have to use those no right so if there was a separate lease arrangement um then those could temporarily be covered and ultimately just not continue to take quarters or take electronic uh credit card payments yeah so there is a way that that can and each parking space doesn't have a meter it's that general general meters that people use the tickets for it also has EV charging electric vehicle charging we understand that that technology is extremely out of date so that's the only thing is I don't know how I do not believe they are in service at all is my understanding at least at least not all of them some uh but that they are dated in that limits there that would be a plus not a mic yes it's and it's more I think because of the fact that the of course the demolition the the fact we need to take that down and the fact that there is going to be staging as part of that these are these are parking spots that will get lost but making sure that we are still addressing that and how what impact that's gonna have from do we have enough parkings to suffice the need if we go down for the the spaces being lost yes it is almost about the same I don't have the exact number of spaces but it would be a way to offset those loss of an of about 40 to 50 is kind of the number that we're being told and I think that there's upwards of 60 in the um in the Sura owned lot so it is a way to offset that.

Is it 100% of the Surah lot or or a lesser percentage of spots that are lost for the general public I think the Sura lot has a few additional spaces more than what potentially may be completed but we don't have the final count of what that is yet as we continue working with the demo contractor.

So Aiker you also mentioned during the demolition and subsequently beyond that so um agreement from SURA is for the demolition period or is it beyond the demolition period well I think initially what what we would ask for consideration if the board was open to it and obviously we can work with council on what terms would look like and then and then ultimately work with the common council if it has to come before them would start with the period of the demolition as a way to be able to just have definitively what will be taking place during the demo work.

And then I think being able to monitor how this arrangement is working what would it mean after the demolition is completed.

So what what's the time frame for that?

So the the duration of the demo is up to 120 days so about four months the exact timeline of the garage demo is still being determined so we would work out the timelines and I'll defer to council because I don't know what sort of action would need to be taken by the board but if there's a willingness and we would work out what that arrangement could look like it is something we view as a way to help support given the impacts on the business community with the demo work that's so what are the decisions that need to be made clearly the council does this body need to make a decision.

Yeah but we would need more precise details right um so I envision yes coming back to this board once you know Eric and I are able to to work out the details of you know what cost um time frame um those major we want to know um closer to how many of the spaces would be right taken down yes and is there an option if the chargers EV chargers are not working then they could be public parking for non-EV too if they're not working I never parked there because I see E V charges and now you're telling me they don't work there in theory any vehicle could park there it's just a matter of benefiting from the infrastructure that's there.

But yeah so we'll we will come back with more information that's something that Meg and I would work on and then consider for a future meeting um we wanted to introduce the idea something that is being discussed and uh demolition is to commence when we're working on that timeline.

And and part of it is that we want to make sure we're we're working closely with the impacted property owner surrounding um so we don't have that exact timeline yet but we're we will be proactive with those surrounding property owners and the other businesses that would be impacted.

Perfect okay okay thank you thank you thank you already uh any other items for discussion I'll undertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved so second thank you aye thank you thank you oh sure thank you