Laserfiche WebLink
CIP - Community Facility <br />April 3, 2000 <br />Page 2 of 5 <br /> <br />location. However, if the city was to be part of the project and the project size <br />increased due to the large meeting room space component, then it is very <br />questionable whether everything could be accommodated at the existing <br />Community Education site. Accordingly, an alternative location may need to be <br />identified for this joint project and neither the school nor the city has the funds to <br />purchase a site that is large enough and centrally located to accommodate this <br />proposed facility. The obvious option then is somewhere at the City Hall complex. If <br />the total project was in the 35,000 square foot range and was two stories, it may <br />work at the existing Community Education site, but if the project was 50,000 <br />square feet and was all on one level, then this could not work at the existing <br />Community Education site. Regarding financing, it should be noted that the Ivan <br />Sand School was financed through a lease/purchase plan, and that the builder, <br />Winkelman Construction from St. Cloud, owns the facility until all of the payments <br />are made by the school district. The school could likewise finance its proposed <br />facility outside of a bond referendum through the lease/purchase approach if <br />another agency financed the project. Under a joint project, the logical fiscal agent <br />would be the EDA. <br /> <br />After discussing things with Charlie, it appeared as though there were a few <br />options in addressing the city need for additional larger multi-purpose meeting <br />room space. One option would be to work with the school district for a new building <br />at the Community Education site and, as they have some meeting room space in <br />their proposed facility, simply provide some funds for increasing the size of this <br />space. The school could then own, manage and operate the facility, and the city <br />could simply be an investor into the project with the assumption that it would be <br />available for community use under certain conditions. A deviation of this option is <br />for the city to own and manage the meeting room space, and this may be something <br />that needs to happen if liquor is going to be served at banquets or weddings. <br />Another option is for the city to provide its own meeting room space for the <br />community for larger weddings, banquets, or conferences as part of a City Hall <br />expansion project and as Phase I of a community center. A third option is for a new <br />joint facility at the City Hall complex. A concern with this option is whether enough <br />land is available for this joint project plus the other city facilities that may be in our <br />future at this location. If any option is pursued, and assuming that this space could <br />be divided into smaller areas, then it could be fully programmed during the day or <br />weekday nights by Community Education, Community Recreation, various <br />businesses or nonprofit groups for meetings, or for senior activities and dining <br />location. <br /> <br />On Tuesday, March 7, 2000, I met with Gary Tushie from the architectural firm, <br />Tushie Montgomery Associates, Inc. This is the firm that did the new liquor store <br />and the city was very happy with the project, the process, and the expertise of this <br />firm. One of the things Gary and I discussed was "why the city would want to be <br /> <br /> <br />