LORA Budget approval tonight - what's next for downtown

The LORA Budget Committee meeting held quite a surprise for this reporter.  Just from the last fiscal year ( 2013-14 LORA Budget, pg. 12), the "Civic Center" project has jumped from the lowest priority group into the highest priority category.  In addition, the $10,076,682 requested for Proposed Requirements for next fiscal year (2014-15 LORA Proposed Budget, pg. 4), is over double the amount of the previous two years, and significantly more than the year before that.  

The Civic Center is described in the East End Redevelopment Plan as:

Project O     Civic Center
Future development on Block 135 should consider the changing needs for public services together with the changing mixed-use nature of downtown. Private/public partnership proposals that incorporate ground floor retail, restaurant or service uses, provide separate police and court functions, improve the City's emergency dispatch capabilities, provide adequate public parking, and allow for increased public participation in civic functions should be considered. The design and character of any project should address the space and use needs for city offices and should also demonstrate that the city is an active participant in the redevelopment and revitalization of the downtown. Additional property acquired for civic center use could be used for structure expansion, parking, and landscaping. 

  

The proposed budget for next year is to purchase the remaining property held in private hands on the City Hall block for a new police station and emergency dispatch center.  The new building would cover the half block east of City Hall and be connected to it in some way.  This sets the stage for the redevelopment of the City Hall building in the future.  The "park" on the corner of Evergreen and 4th will become part of the development.

Emergency Dispatch:
The city has NOT done any study to see if our emergency dispatch services could be handled better and/or more efficiently by the County's system.  Lake Oswego's system is the only system operating outside the County consortium.  West Linn contracts with LO for services, so this makes LO and WL outliers in this area.  Is there a good (VERY good) reason LO needs to duplicate County services?  What could we get and how much money would the citizens save if we used County services?   How much money can we save in capital (and facility operations) expenses alone?  Of 33 counties in the state, 22 are the sole providers for emergency dispatch for the entire county.   It is this unwillingness to consider [outside] alternatives that makes it seem like Lake Oswego City Hall is in the business of building empires rather than providing quality services for the best value.

East End Capital Outlay

                                                                                                                   2011‐12           2012‐13           2013‐14             2013‐14            2014‐15            2014‐15        
                                                                                                                 ACTUAL         ACTUAL       BUDGET      ESTIMATE       PROPOSED      APPROVE      

Tax Increment Excess Projects

Millennium Park Improvements.                                      $34,152 
North Shore Gateway                                         199,311
Sundeleaf Plaza Park (close‐out)                                     169,320          12,000
Second St. Improvements (A to B Aves)                          238,976        909,000                            44,000
Third Street Left Turn Improvements                                                     94,000
Millennium Plaza Kiosk.                                                                         55,000
First Street North Anchor Project                                  3,643,608    2,008,000    2,890,000    1,461,000       150,000
Trolley Station Parking Improvements                                                                     250,000         40,000       300,000
State Street Pedestrian Improvements                                                                        60,000                             80,000
Block 137 (Wizer Redevelopment)                                                                                                                4,700,000
Civic Center                                                                                                                                                    3,500,000        
Second St. Improvements (south of A Av                                                                                                           25,000
Façade Improvement Project                                                                                                                              50,000                      
Total Capital Outlay                                            $4,285,367  $3,023,000   $3,255,000  $1,545,000  $8,805,000    $          

This schedule details East End capital outlay investment.                                                                                                                  

Besides moving the Civic Center project to the head of the class, this project brings up another question. There is a proposal to page the public parking lot by the RR tracks that is currently (pervious, easy to repair) gravel.  Is this part of Project D Transit Center in the East End Redevelopment Plan?  If not, should LORA be spending money on it?  If it is, can the persons in charge explain how the proposed parking lot "improvements" fit with the purpose of Project D - to encourage redevelopment, etc.?

Project D    Transit Center (from the East End Redevelopment Plan)

A multi-modal transit center should be developed along the east side of State Street. The project should accommodate a park-and-ride facility and bus transfers. It should include or support adjacent mixed-use development, include amenities for pedestrians and transit-users, provide parking opportunities for other downtown activities, and minimize pedestrian/vehicle conflicts. A new multi- modal transit center will provide for additional transportation connections and services necessary to enhance the vitality of the Redevelopment Area and both support and incentivize additional retail, commercial and housing development in that area as described in the Plan. 

From the Proposed 2014-2015 LORA Budget:

Proposed projects in 2014‐15 for the East End District include Block 137 (Wizer Redevelopment), parking lot improvements to the Willamette Shore Line Trolley Station, sidewalk improvements along State Street between A and B avenues, and property acquisition and design for a new Public Safety facility. Work will continue on the First Street North Anchor to determine the type of project that will be best for downtown and the community as a whole. Lastly, a new Store Front Improvement Program is being proposed to assist property owners with enhancements to their buildings. For the Lake Grove Village Center Urban Renewal District, the Agency will continue to accrue tax increment funds to finance the two future projects identified in the Plan: Boones Ferry Road and Parking Improvements.