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[00:00:01]
IT IS NOW 1:05. CALLED THE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE TO ORDER.
[Economic Development on February 3, 2025.]
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE MINUTES. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR THE MINUTE APPROVAL? CAN I GET A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.AYE. AYES CARRY. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS HERE.
OH, OKAY. I GUESS IT'S TIME FOR THE START OF THE MEETING.
I SAID 11:05 START ON THE MEETING. YES, I DID.
OKAY. ITEM BRIEFING MEMO. ITEM A IT'S A TIFF.
WHO'S GOING TO BRIEF THAT? KEVIN. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M KEVIN SPATH, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WITH ME HERE IS SUE HOUNSELL, SENIOR MANAGER OF OUR TIF DISTRICT PROGRAM.
THIS ITEM IS IT'S AN ITEM THAT WE BRING TO THE COMMITTEE EVERY YEAR ON THE 1ST OF FEBRUARY.
CITY COUNCIL. SO THESE ARE THE FY 23-24 ANNUAL REPORTS FOR THE CITY'S 18 ACTIVE TAX AND GRANT REINVESTMENT ZONES, ALSO KNOWN AS TIF DISTRICTS, THAT WERE ACTIVE DURING THE PAST FISCAL YEAR.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE CITY SUBMIT THIS ANNUAL REPORT ON THE STATUS OF EVERY ZONE TO THE TAXING UNIT THAT LEVIES TAXES ON REAL PROPERTY IN EACH ZONE, AS WELL AS TO THE STATE COMPTROLLER.
THE MEMORANDUM THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS A SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES IN ALL ACTIVE TIF DISTRICTS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, BUT ALSO TIF DISTRICTS THAT HAVE EXPIRED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO THAT WAS STATE THOMAS, WHICH EXPIRED IN OH EIGHT.
CITY PLACE AREA EXPIRED IN 2012. CEDARS AT THE END OF 2022 AND THEN THE CITY CENTER SUBDISTRICT OF THE CITY CENTER TIF DISTRICT ALSO AT THE END OF 2022. THESE END REPORTS ARE PRETTY ROBUST AND HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION IN THEM.
AND SO INCLUDES, OBVIOUSLY, THE MAP OF THE DISTRICT, THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE DISTRICT, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE OF THE DISTRICT, ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS, AND THE STATUS OF THE PROJECTS IN THE TIF TIP DISTRICT.
OTHER TIP DISTRICT WIDE INITIATIVES. A SUMMARY OF MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
ALL THE DETAILED FINANCIAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING TAXABLE VALUES AND INCREMENT REVENUES.
A WORK PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. LET'S SEE.
STATUS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND GOALS IN EACH PROJECT PLAN.
SO I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT THE TIF DISTRICT BOARD OF EACH TIF DISTRICT DOES REVIEW AND RECOMMEND COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THESE DOCUMENTS. I WOULD MENTION THAT THERE ARE FIVE TIF DISTRICTS CURRENTLY THAT DO NOT HAVE ACTIVE BOARDS FOR, FOR LACK OF THE MINIMUM FIVE APPOINTED MEMBERS, AND THOSE ARE THE DEEP ELM, TIF DISTRICT, FARMERS MARKET MALL AREA REDEVELOPMENT, SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL AND UNIVERSITY TIF DISTRICTS.
WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE ON THE BOARD? CHAIRMAN RIDLEY.
THEY HAVE BEEN AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS FOR OUR CITY, AS YOUR STATISTICS INDICATE.
AND I'M JUST VERY GRATIFIED TO SEE THESE KINDS OF RESULTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT REPRESENTS 19% OF ALL RESIDENTIAL UNITS, 43% OF ALL COMMERCIAL SPACE, AND 75% OF ALL HOTEL ROOMS THAT HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN ALL OF THE TIF DISTRICTS.
SO THAT, I THINK, REFLECTS THE PROPER CONCENTRATION OF OUR DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN.
[00:05:03]
REPORTS. WHAT IS THE OF THE FIVE TIF BOARDS THAT DON'T HAVE THE REQUISITE FIVE MEMBERS? WHAT, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, DOES THAT MEAN WITH REGARD TO THEIR ABILITY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IF THEY DON'T HAVE A FULL BOARD? WELL, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A MINIMUM OF FIVE APPOINTED MEMBERS, THEY CANNOT HAVE A MEETING. MOST OF WHAT A TIF DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS DOES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS IS ADVISORY. AND SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT A TIF DISTRICT DOES CAN BE BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING FUNDING, YOU KNOW, PROPOSED FUNDING, COMMITMENTS TO PROJECTS AND WHATNOT.AND THESE ANNUAL REPORTS THE ONE THING IN STATE LAW THAT IS REALLY THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF WHAT A TIF DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IS THE PROJECT PLAN AND FINANCING PLAN.
AND SO ANYTIME THERE'S A CONTEMPLATION OF A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THAT PLAN, THE BOARD MUST MEET.
ALL OF THOSE WERE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THOSE BOARDS BEFORE THEY CAME TO YOU.
BUT FOR THOSE FIVE TIFS THAT DON'T HAVE A FULL BOARD, THEY CAN'T TAKE ACTION TO AMEND OR REVISE THEIR PLANS AT THIS AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. CORRECT. BUT TIF DISTRICT BOARDS RECEIVE NEW MEMBERS, NEW APPOINTMENTS ALL THE TIME AT EVERY COUNCIL MEETING THAT THE COUNCIL DOES THIS.
LACK OF BOARD APPROVAL FOR THE REPORTS OF THE FIVE DISTRICTS CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS WITH COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW? THEY DO NOT. STATE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE THE BOARDS TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON ANY REPORTS.
OKAY. JUST THE COUNCIL. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
AND THE APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM THE THREE TIF DISTRICTS OAK CLIFF GATEWAY, FORT WORTH AVENUE AND DEEP ELLUM TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S PROGRAMS. WHAT YOU INDICATE SOME PROGRAMS THAT THAT MONEY CAN BE USED FOR.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT FUNDING? IS IT SITTING IN A BANK SOMEWHERE OR IS IT ACTUALLY BEEN DEPLOYED? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. I THINK THOR ERICKSON WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HERE, HE CAN OFFER SOME MORE DETAILS, BUT EFFECTIVELY. ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE MOVEMENT OF THE FUNDS FROM THOSE THREE TIF DISTRICTS TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IN THOSE SPECIFIED AMOUNTS FOR THE FY 24 FISCAL YEAR. AND SO, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF DEPLOYING THOSE FUNDS IN THOSE PROGRAMS FOR HOMEOWNER STABILIZATION HOME REPAIR. I'LL BRING MR. ERICKSON UP, SEE IF HE WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING MORE TO THAT.
BUT SO, IT'S NOW THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATION AND RESPONSIBILITY TO DEPLOY THOSE FUNDS.
HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. THOR ERICKSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. WE HAVE THE FUNDS NOW ON HAND. THERE'S TWO PROGRAMS THAT WE DEPLOY THOSE THROUGH. THAT'S OUR HOME IMPROVEMENT PRESERVATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OUR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE. AND WE IN THE RECENT ROUND OF APPLICATIONS FOR HOME REPAIR, WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE TRANSFER OF THOSE FUNDS COMING TO US.
SO WE DID MORE TARGETED OUTREACH IN THE AREAS WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THESE FUNDS. SO DO YOU ANTICIPATE SPENDING ALL OF THIS $6 MILLION THIS FISCAL YEAR, OR WILL THIS BE SOME SPENT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS? THANK YOU. SO THIS WILL BE SPENT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE'RE PRIORITIZING ALL OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDS AT THE MOMENT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO OPERATIONALIZE OUR EFFICIENCY WITH OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, CONTINUE TO DO CONTRACTOR RECRUITMENT, CONTINUE TO DO RECRUITMENT WITH THE APPLICANTS TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN ANTICIPATE HOW MUCH MONEY WE CAN SPEND IN A GIVEN YEAR AND TRY TO SCALE UP APPROPRIATELY.
SO ARE THESE FUNDS SEGREGATED IN AN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT FUND, OR ARE THEY JUST COMMINGLED WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION? NO, THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN FUND AND UNIT CODES.
OKAY. OKAY. SO WE CAN TRACE WHAT THAT MONEY IS BEING USED FOR AND HOW SUCCESSFUL IT IS.
[00:10:03]
YES, SIR. GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE FOR VIRTUAL? START ONE. ONE QUESTION. YOU. YOU ARE SAYING THAT HOME REPAIRS AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENT ARE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SO, WHEN THERE'S NEW HOMES AVAILABLE AND A HOME BUYER IS LOOKING FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, WE CAN USE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO HELP THE HOMEOWNERS STABILIZE AND BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THOSE HOMES ON THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.WHAT ABOUT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS? I KNOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CONTRACTORS. SO DO WE HAVE ENOUGH CONTRACTORS TO DO THE HOME REPAIRS? SO WE'RE ALWAYS RECRUITING FOR MORE CONTRACTORS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME MORE.
WE HAVE THREE MORE THAT ARE JOINING OUR POOL OF CONTRACTORS THIS MONTH.
THAT'LL TAKE US UP TO ABOUT 15 ACTIVE CONTRACTORS, BUT I'M CONSTANTLY RECRUITING FOR MORE.
ARE WE BEHIND SCHEDULE IN HOME REPAIRS? WE NEED MORE CONTRACTS, SO IF THERE'S A WAITING LIST, WE DON'T ESTABLISH A WAITLIST. HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE IN OUR PIPELINE, WE HAVE ABOUT $6 MILLION COMMITTED TO ADDRESSES.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE SYSTEM TO GET CONTRACTS OUT, PROCEED ORDERS OUT ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE CAN DO MORE WORK WITH MORE CONTRACTORS. SO THAT'S WHY WE CONSTANTLY HAVE RECRUITMENT EVENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY IN YOUR DISTRICT WHO'S A GENERAL CONTRACTOR OR TRADESPERSON WHO WANTS TO DO MAJOR SYSTEMS REPAIR, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, ROOFING, PLEASE SEND THEM DIRECTLY TO ME SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW TO GET WORK WITH THE CITY'S HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT I THINK WE GOT HEATHER WITH ITEM ATTACHMENT B IN THE QUESTION.
THIS IS ITEM B. MEMORANDUM IS IN THE QUESTION.
IF NOT, WE GO TO THE NEXT ONE. OKAY. LET'S GO TO SEE HEATHER.
THAT'S YOUR ECONOMIC INCENTIVE AWARD. HEATHER'S GOT MANY OF THESE TODAY.
SO THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS THAT WE ISSUED FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES UNDER OUR POLICY, WHICH IS ALLOWED IN THREE CASES. ONE IS FOR AS OF RIGHT, TAX ABATEMENTS FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS IN TARGET AREAS.
THE SECOND IS FOR INCENTIVES VALUED AT 1 MILLION OR BELOW IN TARGET AREAS.
WE HAD ONE AGREEMENT THAT WAS ISSUED VIA ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.
WE HAD ONE AMENDMENT TO A PREVIOUSLY ISSUED ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.
AND THEN IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY'S REQUEST AT THE PREVIOUS THE PREVIOUS TIME THIS WAS BRIEFED, WE DID INCLUDE A CHART OF ALL THE PREVIOUS ACTIONS THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED BY AA FOR THE YEAR.
OKAY. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTION ON ATTACHMENT C? SEEING NONE, LET'S GO TO D. ALSO, THIS IS HEATHER LEPESKA.
OKAY. DO YOU WANT A SUMMARY? YEAH. WELL, I'M STILL KIND OF WORRIED ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS.
SO THEREFORE, WE DON'T CHANGE THE SMALL BUSINESS.
WE GOT ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE SMALL BUSINESS SINCE WE'VE DONE KIND OF MOVE OVER? SURE. SO, THIS IS A LEGACY PROGRAM THAT WE INHERITED FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER.
WHEN WE INHERITED THE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER, WE THEN TOOK OVER IMPLEMENTATION.
SBC HAD RECEIVED 60 APPLICATIONS, BUT NONE HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR FUNDING.
THEY'RE $5,000 MICRO GRANTS TO QUALIFIED SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND TO DATE, WE'VE AWARDED 21. AND THERE'S ONE PENDING.
AND SO WE'VE AWARDED $105,000 THUS FAR. AND THEN I WILL JUST NOTE THAT WITH COUNCIL APPROVING THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN JANUARY, WE HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT DALLAS.
CHAIRMAN RILEY, YOU HAD A QUESTION. YES. THANK YOU.
[00:15:05]
THE MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT WITHIN YOUR GUIDELINES OR WHAT EFFECT IT HAS ON THE BUSINESS? SO THIS PROGRAM IS SET UP THAT THERE IS A COMPLIANCE CHECK IN AFTER 30 DAYS.SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THOSE COMPLIANCE CHECKS.
AND THIS PROGRAM IS UNIQUE BECAUSE THE MONEY WAS ACTUALLY FRONTED.
OKAY. SO WE CAN TELL IF THE BUSINESS OWNER IS TAKING A VACATION TO MEXICO ON OUR MONEY.
OKAY. YES, SIR. AND SO WHAT METRICS DO YOU APPLY TO? WHAT EFFECT THESE GRANTS ARE HAVING ON THE BUSINESS? DO YOU EVALUATE THAT? YEAH, THIS WAS A STABILIZATION PROGRAM, SO IT WAS TO REIMBURSE EXPENSES OR LOSSES THEY HAD DURING COVID.
WHEN WE ISSUED THE AWARD LETTER, THEY HAD TO DOCUMENT HOW THEY WERE GOING TO USE THE FUNDS, AND WE'RE JUST CHECKING BACK AGAINST THAT. OKAY.
AND PRESUMABLY, IF THEY ARE STILL IN BUSINESS AFTER COVID THEY ARE SOLVENT AND STILL CONDUCTING BUSINESS. SO THERE IS SOME INDICATOR OF SUCCESS JUST BY VIRTUE OF THAT FACT, I SUPPOSE. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
ANYONE ELSE? HEATHER, YOU SAID THEY UP TO $5,000 TO EACH DEAL, SO COULD THAT BE MORE THAN $5,000? IS THAT CORRECT? SO HOW ARE WE ADVERTISING THIS? $5,000. HOW ARE WE DOING? I MEAN, HOW AND WHAT IS THE RESPONSE? WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO, WE WEREN'T MANAGING THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO THAT WAS WHEN THE SBC WAS OVERSEEING THE PROGRAM.
SO, I'M NOT 100% SURE WHAT ALL THE OUTREACH WAS.
THE MAXIMUM AWARD AND ACTUALLY EVERY AWARD HAS BEEN $5,000, THOUGH.
SO RIGHT NOW, SINCE YOU ARE MANAGING THIS FUND, SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE OUTREACH? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN TELL US SO PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS? THIS IS A SERVICE THAT YOU KNOW. SO WE ARE NOT CONTINUING THIS PROGRAM.
OKAY. IT CLOSED WITH THE SBC TRANSITION TO US.
SO WE MADE SURE THAT NOBODY COULD SUBMIT APPLICATIONS AFTER JULY SOMETIME IN JULY.
BECAUSE WE HADN'T, THERE WAS A BACKLOG OF 60 APPLICATIONS THAT STILL NEEDED TO BE WORKED THROUGH, WHICH WOULD HAVE USED ALL THE MONEY THAT HAD BEEN APPROPRIATED.
SO ALL THE MONEY HAD BEEN ALLOCATED, RIGHT? NO.
WE WE'VE AWARDED $105,000. SO YOU HAD SOME MONEY IN THE BANK? HAVE NOT BEEN AWARDED. THERE ARE REMAINING. HOW MUCH IS THAT? IT WILL BE UP TO $120,000. SO WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH 120? DID IT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU DEPLOY THAT? THAT'S ULTIMATELY A QUESTION FOR CITY COUNCIL, BUT WE COULD REPROGRAM IT TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SO IT COULD CONTINUE TO SERVE SMALL BUSINESSES. WHERE COULD YOU LET US LET THE COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT CAN BE AWARDED TO GET IT BACK OUT IN THE SYSTEM.
YEAH. AND THERE WILL BE THE ARPA BRIEFING ON WEDNESDAY THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT, THOSE FUNDS.
OKAY. JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT'S PART OF IT. THANK YOU.
YEAH. WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH BUDGET ABOUT WHAT'S REMAINING.
OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. I'M SORRY. HEATHER, IS THERE ANY RESTRICTION ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT QUALIFIED FOR ONE OF THESE GRANTS ONCE YOU DO? THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE LOCATED AND OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
THEY HAD TO BE REGISTERED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
THEY HAD TO MEET THE SMALL BUSINESS CRITERIA UNDER THE SBA'S DEFINITIONS.
AND THEY HAD TO BE REGISTERED WITH A VENDOR. AND HONESTLY, IF THEY WEREN'T REGISTERED WITH A VENDOR OR WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WE WORKED WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD BE ELIGIBLE UNDER THIS PROGRAM. YEAH, I SAW ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
I ALSO NOTED THAT IT SAYS THAT THEY HAD TO BE A DALLAS BASED, FOR PROFIT BUSINESS, CORRECT? SO, I'M CURIOUS, WHEN I SAW WHAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE A NONPROFIT GUIDING MINDS MINISTRIES IN MY
[00:20:05]
DISTRICT, IS THAT ACTUALLY A FOR PROFIT BUSINESS? IT WAS. YES. OKAY. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO? I BELIEVE THEY DO COUNSELING SERVICES.OKAY. SO WERE SOME OF THE APPLICANTS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE GRANTS? WERE THEY NONPROFITS? AND THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T QUALIFY.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. LET'S GO TO E. THAT'S HEATHER AGAIN.
AND OF COURSE, FOR ANYONE. OKAY, I'M DOING GOOD.
LET'S GO TO F THEN. I CAN TAKE THIS ONE. OKAY.
F IS ANOTHER UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM THAT WILL BE AT CITY COUNCIL NEXT WEEK.
IT'S ACTUALLY AN ITEM THAT THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL BE PUTTING ON THE AGENDA TO EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION SERVICES CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 8.79 MILLION. THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM THE DESIGN DISTRICT, TIFF DISTRICT.
THIS IS EFFECTIVELY ONE BRIDGE OR TWO BRIDGES AND A NEW TRAIL SEGMENT WITHIN THE DESIGN DISTRICT.
IT WILL CONNECT THE CIRCUIT TRAIL AND THE KATY TRAIL TO THE TRINITY STRAND TRAIL.
AND SO, THIS IS VERY MUCH A MUCH A PROJECT THAT THE TIF DISTRICT HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT'S INVOLVED A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR OFFICE, THE CITY'S PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND SEVERAL OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING FRIENDS OF THE TRINITY STRAND TRAIL.
THE CIRCUIT TRAIL CONSERVANCY, ALSO KNOWN AS THE LOOP AND DALLAS COUNTY, ALSO HAS BEEN PART OF THIS.
SO, IT'S FOUR PLUS YEARS OF HARD WORK TO GET TO THIS POINT.
WITH THAT CHAIRMAN STEWART, AT THIS POINT, YOU GOT ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS GREAT PROJECT? PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. YOU ARE PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. NO, I'M SORRY, I DO NOT.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RIDLEY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE PROJECT HAS ALREADY BEEN FULLY DESIGNED BY PACHECO KOCH, AND IT'S PREPARED FOR THE BIDDING PROCESS. IT'S ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS.
AND SO THAT'S THE PARK DEPARTMENT, THE BOARD.
THE PARK BOARD ALREADY RECOMMENDED THE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT, I THINK, LAST WEEK.
I SEE. AND THE THIRD PAGE, THE EXHIBIT A, SHOWING THE GRAPHIC PORTRAYAL OF THE TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE DASHED LINE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THAT DIAGRAM IS IDENTIFIED AS SEGMENT TWO EXTENSION TO IRVING BOULEVARD WITH BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION. ADD ALTERNATE. IS THAT PART OF THIS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT? SUE COUNCIL OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT IS INITIALLY WHEN THIS WAS DESIGNED IN BID.
THAT'S WHY IT'S BEEN THAT YOU HAVE THAT DEMARCATION, BUT IT IS ALL INCLUDED.
OKAY, SO IT'S WITHIN THE $8 MILLION CONTRACT PRICE.
YES. OKAY. AND WILL THEY BE PHASED IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION OR WILL IT ALL BE CONSTRUCTED AT THE SAME ON THE SAME SCHEDULE? IT'S ALL ONE PROJECT FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES.
WHERE THEY DECIDE TO STAGE WILL BE INTERESTING WHETHER THEY DECIDE TO GO ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S ALL INTENDED TO BE DEPLOYED AT THE SAME TIME.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, SIR. CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN.
I THIS IS IN DISTRICT SIX. THIS WAS, AS KEVIN SAID, STATED.
I'VE BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE. I KNOW, FOR GETTING THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THE TIF BOARD FINALLY WAS ABLE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS.
THE DISTRICT TIF BOARD IS MADE UP OF ALMOST ONLY DESIGN DISTRICT RESIDENTS AND OR STAKEHOLDERS.
[00:25:06]
AND SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS CORRECT AND ACCURATE.THIS ALL STARTED WHEN THE HOTEL WANTED TO DO THEIR SIGNATURE.
JUST SIGN ON TOP OF THE BUILDING. AND FROM THERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE HIGHLINE TRAIL AND THE CONNECTIVITY THAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE TRINITY STRAND TRAIL, BECAUSE THE CURRENT TRAIL GOES UP ALMOST TWO BLOCKS TO THE WEST AND THEN GO UP A BLOCK NORTH AND THEN GO BACK TWO BLOCKS EAST IN ORDER TO GET BACK ON IT. AND IT MADE NO SENSE. AND SO THE SECOND BRIDGE WAS ADDED.
THAT'S GOING TO GO ACROSS FROM THE HIGHLINE TRAIL ACROSS FROM WHERE THE VIRGIN IS ACROSS THAT CREEK, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT. AND THEN IT'LL BE ON THE MEDICAL DISTRICT TRAIL, WHICH THEN CONNECTS TO THE HIGHLINE TRAIL.
AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE HUGE BECAUSE ALL THE FOLKS THAT COME INTO TOWN TO VISIT WHETHER THEY'RE AT THE VIRGIN OR VISITING FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE RESIDENTIAL THAT'S THERE AND THE NEW RESIDENTIAL THAT'S BEING BUILT THERE, AND THE HOTELS ON THAT SIDE WILL BE ABLE TO CROSS OVER A BRIDGE INSTEAD OF THAT ODD WAY OF TRYING TO GET AROUND, WHICH NOBODY WILL DO. AND THEN THAT WILL HELP WITH THE HOTELS ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH IS THE ANATOLE, THE DOUBLETREE AND THE DAYS INN, AS WELL AS SOME APARTMENTS AND THEN SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE.
AND WITH EVERYBODY KNOWING THAT THAT WAS GOING ON, ONE OF OUR REALLY NOTORIOUSLY BAD BUSINESSES WAS CAUSING A LOT OF CRIME HAS SINCE BEEN SOLD AND HOPEFULLY A GOOD OWNER BUYS IT, OR SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO DO SOMETHING REALLY DIFFERENT WITH IT.
AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THIS INVESTMENT THAT'S COMING IN HERE FOR THE AREA.
I WANT TO THANK STAFF AND ALL THE HARD WORK. AS KEVIN STATED, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT FOLKS YOU KNOW, ALL BECAUSE I'VE NOTICED THAT THAT BRIDGE, THAT SECOND BRIDGE, IF IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, IT WASN'T GOING TO BE AS IMPACTFUL AS IF IT DID HAPPEN.
AND I THANK THEM FOR SEEING THE VISION AND TAKING IT TO FRUITION.
AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK ALL THE DIFFERENT DESIGN DISTRICT TIF BOARD MEMBERS OVER THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS THAT HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IN THEIR WORLD, AND I LOVE SEEING THAT THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION AND I DEFINITELY WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS WHEN IT COMES TO FULL COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. I DON'T SEE NO ANYONE ELSE.
I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A SUGGESTION. SO, EVERYONE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, IF Y'ALL GOT SOME PROJECTS THAT Y'ALL FEEL LIKE HAVE NOT GONE FORWARD FAST ENOUGH, WILL YOU PLEASE SEND ME A MEMO, A MEMORANDUM AND SAY WHAT PROJECT? BECAUSE I KNOW WE GOT A SHORT MONTH IN MARCH AND APRIL IS FIGHTING SEASON.
SO THEREFORE, IF YOU GOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE BRIEFED TO GET ON THE AGENDA TO GET A VOTE, SO BE SURE YOU GET WITH HEATHER OR MYSELF OR SOMEONE THERE.
JUST MAKE SURE WE GET SOME, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PROJECTS UP THERE AND WE WANT TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE FINISH LINE PRETTY SOON.
SO JUST MAKE SURE. AND EVEN, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE KEVIN IS IN THE LOOP.
SO, WITH THAT IT IS NOW 1:33. I CALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO BE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.