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CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM |
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Department: |
City Manager’s Office |
Commission Meeting Date: February 7, 2017 |
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Staff Contact: |
Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Brandon McGuire, Assistant to the City Manager |
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Recommendations/Options/Action Requested: |
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Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary agreements with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) and Amtrak regarding the land transaction, lease arrangements, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) cost reimbursements, on the Santa Fe Station project and authorize the project to proceed to construction. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to list the building on the historic register and apply for historic tax credits once the building transfer is complete. |
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Executive Summary: |
The final BNSF and Amtrak agreements are now ready to execute by the City of Lawrence to facilitate the Santa Fe Station project. The City of Lawrence was awarded a Transportation Enhancement Grant from the State of Kansas to restore the station in 2013. The transaction to transfer the building, initiate a land lease, and create a lease for Amtrak has involved numerous federal agencies, Amtrak, and the BNSF Railway.
Since the City Commission approved execution of documents by the City in 2015, there have been several changes which are now reflected in these final documents. First, Amtrak has agreed to reimburse the City up to $226,581 in ADA improvement costs. Second, BNSF has notified the City that it will not be leasing back the space within the building, but will require the option to do so with 20 days’ notice to the City. Also, the timing of the project will now enable the City to seek historic rehabilitation tax credits for the project, once it has been placed on the historic register after the building title transfer is completed.
The project has been given a firm deadline by the Kansas Department of Transportation that it must be ready for the June 2017 bid letting, which requires the land and building transaction to be completed this spring. |
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Strategic Goal Area: |
Infrastructure |
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Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source): |
The fiscal impact to the City is up to $385,000, less the reimbursement from Amtrak for the ADA improvements and less any funds from the sale of tax credits. Funds for the City’s match were committed in 2014. |
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Attachments: |
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Reviewed By: (for CMO use only) |
☐TM ☒DS ☐CT ☐BM |