Main Street Challenge Grant - Revisions to Central Avenue Committments Copyright 2014
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 6.
ITEM TITLE: Main Street Challenge Grant- Revisions to Central Avenue
Fagade Commitments
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval of revisions to the
Main Street Challenge Grant for fagade improvements to
properties in the Central Avenue Corridor.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Main Street Challenge Grant-MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
THE CITY OF Dubuque
U E I
erica .i
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007-2012-2013
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Main Street Challenge Grant — REVISED Central Avenue Fagade
Commitments
DATE: February 25, 2016
In October 2013, City Council endorsed Dubuque Main Street's application to the Iowa
Economic Development Authority (IEDA) for a Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant.
Dubuque Main Street proposed incenting fagade improvements on five properties in the
Central Avenue Corridor, by using funds from both the state and Dubuque's Downtown
Rehabilitation funds (TIF) to match those of the developer, essentially providing a two-
to-one match for the developer's investment. The intent was to jump start some
transformational fagade improvements in the Washington Neighborhood.
Economic Development and Planning Department staff worked with Dubuque Main
Street to identify the final list of properties, draft design guidelines, and draft letters of
commitment, which were brought to the property owners/developers in November 2015:
• $19,933 for 2204 Central — the former TNT Framing and Gifts, is located on
the prominent corner of 22nd and Central
• $10,400 for 1902 Central — Players Bar building, the only historic building
remaining in its block
• $12,133 for 1838 Central — now owned by Dubuque Main Street, currently
with a vacant storefront
• $15,600 for 1473 Central — the Conlin Building, currently covered in mosaic
tile, will be a transformational project in its block
• $6,933 for 1433 Central — Great Dragon restaurant, in combination with the
Conlin Building, will transform the 1400 block of Central
Since that time, the owners of both 1902 Central and 1433 Central have decided not to
participate in the program. However, the City has received an application from Chris
Richard for a fagade grant for his recently-acquired property at 1804-1812 Central. His
architect has provided renderings, which were sent to Planning for approval.
In discussions with Dubuque Main Street and the Planning Department, staff concluded
that this would be an appropriate placement of the newly-available funds. The project
will not only restore 3 storefronts, but will also provide 8 quality market rate residential
units in the neighborhood.
In order to provide an incentive that was both motivating and still allowed the other
remaining projects to benefit from the available funds, the recommendation is to offer
the $10,400 to the 1804-1812 Central project and divide the $6,933 evenly among the
four projects.
This would distribute the $65,000 budgeted for the Challenge Grant projects as follows:
• $21 ,666.50 for 2204 Central –the former TNT Framing and Gifts, is located on
the prominent corner of 22nd and Central
• $13,866.50 for 1838 Central – now owned by Dubuque Main Street, currently
with a vacant storefront
• $12,133.50 for 1804-1812 Central – owned by Chris Richard, with three vacant
storefronts and multiple upper-level apartments
• $17,333.50 for 1473 Central –the Conlin Building, currently covered in mosaic
tile, will be a transformational project in its block
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Miclfael C. Van Milligen'-4 s
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
2
Dubuque Economic Development Department
THE CITY OF 50 West 13th Street
All-AmMmIily Dubuque,Iowa 52001-4864
DUB3 &kE1 I Office(563)589-4393
TTY(563)690-6678
® http://www.cityofdubuque.org
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 200.2012.2013
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
SUBJECT: Main Street Challenge Grant— REVISED Central Avenue Fagade
Commitments
DATE: February 18, 2016
INTRODUCTION
This memorandum presents for your review and concurrence four letters of commitment
to fagade improvement projects, in conjunction with the Main Street Iowa Challenge
Grant. It also requests clarification on the balance of CI P 3602436.
BACKGROUND
In October 2013, City Council endorsed Dubuque Main Street's application to the Iowa
Economic Development Authority (IEDA) for a Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant.
Dubuque Main Street proposed incenting fagade improvements on five properties in the
Central Avenue Corridor, by using funds from both the state and Dubuque's Downtown
Rehabilitation funds (TIF) to match those of the developer, essentially providing a two-
to-one match for the developer's investment. The intent was to jump start some
transformational fagade improvements in the Washington Neighborhood.
Dubuque Main Street worked with Tim Reinders (Design Consultant for IEDA) to
develop conceptual drawings for multiple buildings along the Central Avenue Corridor,
and a committee worked to narrow the field to a short list of transformational projects.
Dubuque Main Street then worked with property owners to discern interest and capacity
for completing a fagade improvement project.
DISCUSSION
Economic Development and Planning Department staff worked with Dubuque Main
Street to identify the final list of properties, draft design guidelines, and draft letters of
commitment, which were brought to the property owners/developers in November 2015:
• $19,933 for 2204 Central — the former TNT Framing and Gifts, is located on
the prominent corner of 22nd and Central
• $10,400 for 1902 Central — Players Bar building, the only historic building
remaining in its block
• $12,133 for 1838 Central — now owned by Dubuque Main Street, currently
with a vacant storefront
• $15,600 for 1473 Central — the Conlin Building, currently covered in mosaic
tile, will be a transformational project in its block
• $6,933 for 1433 Central — Great Dragon restaurant, in combination with the
Conlin Building, will transform the 1400 block of Central
Since that time, the owners of both 1902 Central and 1433 Central have decided not to
participate in the program. However, we have received an application from Chris
Richard for a fagade grant for his recently-acquired property at 1804-1812 Central
(attached). His architect has provided renderings, which were sent to Planning for
approval.
In discussions with Dubuque Main Street and our Planning Department, we have
concluded that this would be an appropriate placement of the newly-available funds.
The project will not only restore 3 storefronts, but will also provide 8 quality market rate
residential units in the neighborhood.
In order to provide an incentive that was both motivating and still allowed the other
remaining projects to benefit from the available funds, our plan to is to offer the $10,400
to the 1804-1812 Central project and divide the $6,933 evenly among the four projects.
This would distribute the $65,000 budgeted for the Challenge Grant projects as follows:
• $21 ,666.50 for 2204 Central —the former TNT Framing and Gifts, is located on
the prominent corner of 22nd and Central
• $13,866.50 for 1838 Central — now owned by Dubuque Main Street, currently
with a vacant storefront
• $12,133.50 for 1804-1812 Central — owned by Chris Richard, with three vacant
storefronts and multiple upper-level apartments
• $17,333.50 for 1473 Central —the Conlin Building, currently covered in mosaic
tile, will be a transformational project in its block
An amount of$65,000 had been budgeted for the payment of these amounts, in the
Washington Neighborhood Fagade Program CIP (3602436). Although that CIP has a
budget shortfall at this time, the program will be covered by a transfer of funds from CIP
3602267 (funds allotted but not used for housing unit creation at Holy Ghost project).
That fund has $261 ,728 available at this time.
RECOMMENDATION/ ACTION STEP
I am requesting your concurrence on committing the above mentioned amounts of
downtown rehabilitation grant funding from the City to these projects, pending
Planning's approval of the 1804-1812 Central renderings.
Cc: Jenny Larson, Budget Director