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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMACIA Meeting Minutes 1.19.241 Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority Board of Director’s Meeting Friday, January 26, 2024 – 8:30 AM Foster Community Center 200 N. Foster Ave., Room 211 Lansing, MI 48910 Members Present: Yvette Collins, Jon Lum, Scott Gillespie, Joan Nelson, Laurie Baumer Mayoral Designee: Dr. Andrea McSwain Members Absent: Elaine Barr Facilitator Present: Alex Watkins (LEDC) Public Present: Margaret Tassaro (Eastfield Neighborhood Association), Rawley VanFossen (City of Lansing), Mike DeBroske, Eric Helzer (Advanced Redevelopment Solutions) Recorded by: Yvette Collins Call to Order/Roll call Chair Lum welcomed everyone and called the MACIA Board of Directors meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. Approval of the Amended December 15, 2023, MACIA Meeting Minutes (Action) MOTION: Gillespie moved to approve the November MACIA Meeting Minutes. Motion seconded by Nelson. YEAS: Unanimous. Motion carried. 2000 Block Facade Update Gillespie shared his discussion with Gordon Construction. Gordon Construction looked at the plans from Studio Intrigue and came in with a total of $750,000. Lum asked if we should gather the business owners to see if they are able to contribute a different amount or more than initially allocated. Collins suggested getting the businesses engaged, so they know what the estimated costs are at present. There was a discussion on whether there are restrictions on the dollars. Lum talked about going back to the businesses to let them know what we have and what we can match and go from there. Nelson asked if that is a “group meeting,” Baumer suggested individual meetings. Baumer asked if Krupka and 2 Gillespie could meet with them individually. Lum offered that if Gillespie and Krupka are willing to meet with the businesses that is the next step. Lum liked the idea of exploring special sub districts. Website Update Jennifer McKinstry was not able to join the MACIA meeting because of the meeting date change. Collins asked if McKinstry could be asked to join the February meeting. Some MACIA members reviewed the website during the meeting. Overall, the consensus was that the website looks good so far. Eric Helzer special presentation Eric Helzer provided his background. He offered that there is a strong brownfield program in Lansing, multiple TIF programs. He asked MACIA: Has the brownfield and the CIA interacted very much? When he looked at the CIA that was the first question he had. Private development is key to bringing in revenue, without it you will limp along with not much capture. Your focus is on public infrastructure. He wants to share what other CIAs are doing and what they can do. Allowing for acquisition is a good thing. The CIA can acquire property for economic development purposes. Lum shared information about the development of the board. Helzer suggested that brownfields do not have an opt- out provision which is why brownfields have been so effective. Helzer recommends we re-write language into the CIA that would allow for an amended brownfield program. He suggested that the CIA layer a CIA into a brownfield. Land assembly is an option, but not done in this corridor. Trying to get the value for the property vs the real value. CIAs, brownfields, DDAs can control key parcels of land to acquire properties and to be highly effective. You think there is time, but it takes 3 - 4 years for good TIF capture to benefit the CIA. Revenue, new investment is key. The CIA should be thinking today about amending the development and TIF program. Everything he sees is looking 10 - 15 years out. Allow as much investment as possible. Helzer shared information on the governor’s focus on the missing middle. There are a lot of tools if you use them. Lum says he wondered if this authority could issue a bond - what is the minimum amount of revenue to make it feasible. Helzer suggested that you need private businesses in your area so you can access the revenue. There was a discussion that a municipal services agreement might be an option with a 10% pass through. Safety Meeting Update (Scott Gillespie and Jon Lum) Lum shared that we received contact cards from the city for businesses/residents along the avenue. He passed along bundles of contact cards to all MACIA board members who were present. Vote on 2024 Meeting Schedule – Action MOTION: Gillespie moved to approve the 2024 MACIA Board meetings for the third Friday of every month in 2024, at 8:30 a.m. Motion seconded by Collins. YEAS: Unanimous. Motion carried. Board Elections – Action The officer slate put forth was as follows: Jonathan Lum, Chair 3 Joan Nelson, Vice Chair Elain Barr, Treasurer Yvette Collins, Secretary MOTION: Gillespie moved to approve the proposed slate of officers. Motion seconded by Baumer. YEAS: Unanimous. Motion carried. Other Business VanFossen sits on the Continuous Care Board. Some of the things that can be looked at. The immediate some hope down the road. City Rescue Mission will double capacity to Kalamazoo if successful. Most immediate success plan - still two years down the road. VanFossen also shared that MSDHA has $3.8M for the region focused on overall housing solutions (not just unhoused). Helzer mentioned one of the best programs the Catalyst Project Incentive program - a cash incentive program (forgivable loans). Go out as a CIA and targets for a specific use. Gillespie shared information about a DDA in Holt. Baumer asked Helzer directly for his recommendations. In summary, he suggested: Have meetings and set up specific goals. Policies and changes to your governing document (not need to change it a lot) the framework is here for most of it. Take the gloves off and use the tools. Workforce housing right now is the greatest tool we have for the state - over half of housing stock is pre-1970. The more eyes you have the problems go away (helps w/the homeless)/the more housing along the corridor. Get more housing options. Some discussion centered around whether the CIA could purchase land for economic development purposes. No funds to do this as the language is currently written. Could use dollars from the Community Foundation. Workforce housing development attraction for Sparrow. Actively being discussed. Watkins talked about collaboration from the multiple corridors. Shared ideas and shared folks. Public Comment None Adjournment Chair Lum adjourned the Michigan Avenue Board of Directors at 10:30 a.m. Jonathan Lum, Chair Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority