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For more information, please see the entire document:

CRA-1 Action Items

The City Administration has recommended awarding investment packages totaling $17M over five to ten years in incentives and hard infrastructure costs as well as another $10M-$20M in R.I.V.E.R. Project activities.  This means the public would own significant properties and have a significant investment in the area—investment that would be used and enjoyed by citizens on a daily basis. 

 

An initial assessment and COAN applying to the SPARC designated CRA-1 indicate benefits following general funding limits: $667,000 in CRA funds; at least one new fire station; $17M+ in hard infrastructure improvements, $1M in housing infrastructure for designated development proposals, and $1M+ in recreation infrastructure; and, potentially, up to $10M in designated funds to receive matching for riverfront development activity (to be allocated by the Commission or Management Teams to a mega-project or projects).   

 

Already, the City has applied for and received $3.9M in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds for matching with the SPARC-CRA-1 Housing Initiative. 

 

In addition, as much as $1M is federally earmarked for R.I.V.E.R. activity and almost $3M for recreation under the City’s FastTrack or general municipal capital outlay programs.  

 

Finally, as much as $10M may be available through state capital outlay for Sugarhouse Road. 

 

This is a working document, not meant to be a final assessment or “Findings of Necessity.”  Partial recommended awards, however, have been determined as follows: 

 

Riverfront Activities (R.I.V.E.R.) 

•  Riverfront Enhancement Project ($4.5M – $5M out of $17+M allocated in CRA-1) (matched with $1M in federal funds for feasibility): 

 

- Design, planning, and construction of improvements and enhancements to the Alexandria Riverfront Amphitheater (which might be renamed after an important local figure, or, alternatively, the subject of naming rights from a private-sector company in exchange for an investment of at least $500K), including but not limited to changes in accessibility, the installation of stadium seating, the improvement of staging and acoustics, and the construction of restroom facilities.  Attention should also be given to the improvement and augmentation of aesthetics and design of the facility.  (Seeking $1M in federally-approved monies and $120K+/- in design, planning from S.PA.R.C.) 

 

- Design, planning, and construction of improvements and enhancements to the Alexandria Riverfront Center, particularly along the riverfront.  (Seeking $2M- $2.5M, including $380K- $500K in design, planning from private sources.)  (Note, the Downtown Hotels Initiative was issued as a separate RFP; it can be located at www.sparccommission.com/rfqs-and-rfps.) 

 

- Main Street streetscape project: Complements improvements made to Upper, Middle, and Lower Third Street.  ($1M- $1.5M, including $200K in design, planning). 

 

 

R.I.V.E.R.:      $5M 

 

Street design, drainage, sewer, utilities and permanent public space to be donated/owned by the COA 

 

Soft Incentives such as plan costs and feasibility studies or direct business incentives such as façade aid - $167K

 

TOTAL:      $5.167M in permanently- and privately-owned infrastructure improvements 

 

$5.167M 

 

 

Ruston Foundry Megasite 

Parish Multi-Purpose Recreation Facility 

• These projects could be developed as a mega or mega development(s), allocating funds up to $10M.   

- Long term “nominalized” agreement on lease of 30+ acres  

 

- Design, planning, and construction of infrastructure supporting a large-scale industrial and/or commercial office park, including but limited to the construction of roads, sidewalks, and utilities, the design and implementation of a business plan for the location of tenants, investors, and developers, and the development of a comprehensive master plan for the development: $5M 

 

- Construction of a multi-use arena/professional recreational facility: $5M SPARC (along with $10M Police Jury or Cooperative Financing District or Plan, $1M G.A.E.D.A., $1M APCVB/City of Pineville, $5M+ private contributions with naming rights). 

 

 

Ruston Foundry Megasite(s):   $5M 

 

Street design, drainage, sewer, utilities and permanent public space to be donated/owned by the COA 

Soft Incentives such as plan costs and feasibility studies – $333K  

 

TOTAL:      $5.333M in permanently- and privately-owned infrastructure improvements 

 

$10.5M 

 

 

Sugarhouse Road 

• Sugarhouse Road funding of $5M in S.P.A.R.C. funding to begin immediately. 

$15.5M