City Beat: City begins tasks for Government Plaza development

At the May 20 City Council meeting, council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing City Manager Tom Finnie to prepare plans and solicit proposals for a public/private development in the Government Plaza.

Finnie said since the early 1990s the city has been interested in developing better use of the area.

The biggest need is to expand surface parking, he said, and a parking deck is one possibility. Other possibilities include a high-rise office building to complement the parking deck and complementary retail uses.

Finnie is accepting proposals for development at the Central Street and Jefferson Avenue corridor. In 1992, a Drury University architecture class built a model with a parking deck at that intersection. Finnie said the model "didn't catch fire" then, but may be useful in the new plans.

A developer would lease the land from the city for $1 a year.

Creamery Building tenant

A council vote in two weeks will decide if the city will sublease office space in the Creamery Building, 411 N. Sherman Ave., in Jordan Valley Park to the Springfield Regional Arts Council.

The initial lease would be for 5,871 square feet of space for one year, but Finnie said the long-range goal is to lease the entire building to the arts council and allow it to develop the building.

"This is going to be a great contribution to the whole area of Jordan Valley Park," said Councilman Ralph Manley.

"I think it's even more exciting to see what that's going to become," Council-woman Mary Collette added.

OTC master plan

Council unanimously approved an amendment to the Ozarks Technical Community College master plan boundaries to include the property at 931 N. National Ave.

The land is owned by the National Avenue Assemblies of God Church and consists of two structures. The church has contacted OTC about selling the property.

Brian King, OTC's vice president of administration and business, told council the property would be used as a gateway to the campus from the north. OTC plans include greenways, landscaping and signage similar to that on the southwest side of the National and Central intersection.

King said enrollment for the fall semester is up 20 percent. OTC has already acquired the Sub Shop property at the northwest corner of National and Central. OTC's original plan was adopted July 6, 1998, as part of the city's comprehensive plan.

City raises

Council heard a first-reading bill that would approve a 1 percent across-the-board pay increase for city employees. It also would make provisions for 28 new job titles and delete 24 existing titles.

The new pay rates relate to the professional, administrative, technical, crafts, trade, labor, fire protection, law enforcement and department head positions. Finnie said, "It's the best we could do this year," with the tight budget and without raising taxes.

Department of Justice grant

Council heard a first-reading bill that would allow Finnie to accept a $205,570 grant from the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Universal Hiring Program. The grant would assist in the hiring of four new police officers. Through the program, Finnie said, the federal government would pay for half of the officers' salaries in their first three years of service.

Another first-reading bill would restrict the use of metal tires or tracks on public streets, roads or highways. Finnie said most cities already have this law, and it will not include studs on snow tires.

Pipeline improvements

The construction of improvements to the James River Force Main would cost $683,650 if council approves the plans and specifications in a first reading bill.

The sanitary sewer pipeline is located near the intersection of Golden Avenue and Republic Road. The pipeline collapsed in July 2000.

The contract would be awarded to LS & C Development Services Inc.

Rezoned land

More than five acres of land throughout the city was rezoned.

The largest plat is the 2.5 acres at 1322 S. Campbell Ave. that changed from a medium density multifamily residential district to an office district. The other sizable plat is 2.1 acres of single-family residential land on the north side of the 1500 block of East Republic Road. It also was rezoned to an office district.