Title
Authorizing the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) to file an application with the Office of the Budget, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, under the Capital Redevelopment Assistance Program, in an aggregate amount not to exceed Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($40,500,000) to assist in the development of the Northeast Community Center, Please Touch Museum, Universal Commercial Center, University of Pennsylvania Cancer Treatment Center, University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, and the Sixtieth Street Commercial Corridor.
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WHEREAS, The City and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) are desirous of obtaining funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Office of the Budget in an amount not to exceed Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($40,500,000) for the undertaking of approved Capital Budget projects under Section 4(c) of the Housing and Redevelopment Assistance Law as amended; and
WHEREAS, Guidelines issued pursuant to the Housing and Redevelopment Assistance Law, as amended, define blighted area to include portions of an urban community with economically undesirable land uses; and
WHEREAS, The City and PAID recognize that blighting influences exist due to economically undesirable land use throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, Six projects (Projects) are being proposed in order to eliminate the existing blighting influence by renovating facilities to house commercial, medical, educational and cultural facilities; and
WHEREAS, The City and PAID desire to advance the necessary development of the above-referenced Projects; and
WHEREAS, The Housing and Community Development Program authorizes PAID to file applications for grants; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth regulations require the City and/or its designated project recipients to assume the provision of the full local share of the project costs above the aggregate amount of Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($40,500,000); or to reimburse the Commonwealth for project expenditures for projects not completed within the agreed upon term of the grants; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth regulations require the City to obligate itself to reimburse the Commonwealth for expenditures found to be ineligible and not reimbursed by the project recipient; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth regulations require the City to enter into a Cooperation Agreement between PAID and the City to create the mechanism to reimburse the state for project expenses found to be ineligible and not reimbursed by the project recipient; and to reimburse the state when warranted for project expenses on projects not completed within the agreed upon term of the grants; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth regulations require City Council's approval prior to PAID's submission of an application; now, therefore,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. The City of Philadelphia authorizes the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) to file applications for Capital Redevelopment Assistance Grants through the Commonwealth Office of the Budget, including all understandings and assurances contained therein, in an aggregate amount not to exceed Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($40,500,000) to assist in the development of and improvements to the Northeast Community Center, Please Touch Museum, Universal Commercial Center, University of Pennsylvania Cancer Treatment Center, University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, and the Sixtieth Street Commercial Corridor, as individually described in various Capital Budget Project Itemization Acts, including 1997-47, 1999-35 and 2000-27, and as described in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein.
SECTION 2. The City of Philadelphia authorizes PAID to enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Office of the Budget to carry out the purposes of this Ordinance.
SECTION 3. The City and/or its designated project recipients will assume the provision of the full local share of project costs above the aggregate amount not to exceed Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($40,500,000).
SECTION 4. The City, or the designated project recipient, will reimburse the Commonwealth for the State's share of any expenditures awarded pursuant to this Ordinance which are found by the Office of the Budget to be ineligible.
SECTION 5. The City of Philadelphia also agrees to guarantee that it shall fully complete the projects within the agreed upon term of the grant (including reasonable extensions requested by the City).
SECTION 6. The City Council of Philadelphia also authorizes the City to enter into an agreement with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) whereby the City and/or its designated project recipients, at the discretion of the City, will assume the provision of the full local share of the project costs above Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($40,500,000); or to reimburse the Commonwealth for project expenditures for projects not completed within the agreed upon term of the grants.
EXHIBIT A
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Northeast Community Center:
The Capital Programs Office, City Recreation Department will build a 20,000 SF center at the existing Rhawnhurst playground at Bustleton and Solly Avenues, replacing the current Northeast Older Adult Center. The new center will include a gym with a regulation high school basketball court, space for the older adult center, and an expanded computer, arts, health and wellness program. The total project cost is $4.42 million.
RDA Grant $1,000,000
Please Touch Museum:
The Please Touch Museum ®, the Children's Museum of Philadelphia, proposes to build a state-of-the-art children's museum with a Philadelphia theme at the proposed family entertainment center at Penn's Landing. It will be an educational resource, a family entertainment destination, a place that is stimulating for children and adults, and attractive to residents and tourists alike. The new museum will be 110,000 SF with 45,000 SF for new indoor and outdoor exhibits. The museum expects to draw an annual attendance in excess of 500,000 annually. The museum is planned to begin construction August of 2002, at the same time of the family entertainment center, and to open its doors in 2005. The total project cost is $43,958,591.
RDA Grant $12,500,000
Universal Commercial Center:
Uni-Penn, a joint venture between Universal Community Homes, Inc. and Pennrose Properties, Inc., is undertaking a commercial real estate project located along the Avenue of the Arts, Broad Street between Fitzwater and Catherine Streets in South Philadelphia. The project is to construct an 82,000 SF, four story building with 140 surface parking spaces. The ground floor allocates 11,650 SF for retail space, and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors will provide 65,760 SF of office space. Universal hopes to break ground early in 2003. The total project cost is $15,517,054.
RDA Grant $4,500,000
University of Pennsylvania Cancer Treatment Center Site Preparation:
The Project involves the environmental remediation and demolition of an 8.5-acre portion of the former Philadelphia Civic Center properties, which have been vacant and non-tax revenue generating since 1993. The subject property is located at Civic Center Boulevard and Osler Circle (Extended) and was previously occupied by the former Exhibition Hall, Center Hall and Underground Garage structures that were part of the Civic Center Complex. The work undertaken by the project provides a cleared and environmentally clean site, on which the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia will expand their medical services and life services research facilities. The total project cost is $17,315,521.
RDA Grant $4,000,000
University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School Expansion:
The University's new Veterinary School Building will be developed on a site located at the intersection of 38th Street, University Avenue, Woodland Avenue, and Baltimore Avenue. The 80,000 to 100,000 SF building will house research space, faculty offices, and teaching areas, for example: lecture rooms, library, student common areas, and seminar rooms. The total project costs are estimated to be $48 million.
RDA Grant $18,000,000
60th Street Commercial Corridor:
The first of a multi-phased revitalization of the area immediately surrounding the 60th Street Commercial Corridor will begin this summer with streetscape improvements from Arch Street south to Catherine. Capital improvements on the consolidated corridor include: street trees, improved lighting, paving, benches, and façade improvements. The total project cost is approximately $1.2 million.
RDA Grant $500,000
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