Council ActionMAYOR
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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 Fifty-seven Million Three Hundred Twenty-seven Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($57,327,600) 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 in Center City Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, and West Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Fourteen projects ("Projects") are being proposed within such areas and the proposed Projects will eliminate the existing blighting influence by renovating facilities to house 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 Fifty-seven Million Three Hundred Twenty-seven Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($57,327,600); 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 submitting 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 Fifty-seven Million Three Hundred Twenty-seven Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($57,327,600) to assist in the development of and improvements to the Philabundance Hunger Action Center, Manayunk Canal, Pennsylvania Port of Technology, Cobbs Creek Environmental Education Center, Peoples Emergency Center, West Philadelphia YMCA Annex, International House, Christian Street YMCA Center, Association of Puerto Ricans on the March, House of Umoja, Chelten/Wayne Development, Dorothy Emmanuel Recreation Center, Academy of Fine Arts, and National Constitution Center, as individually described in the Capital Budget Project Itemization Acts of 1997-47 and 1999-35 approved by Governor Ridge on July 12, 2000, 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 Fifty-seven Million Three Hundred Twenty-seven Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($57,327,600).
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 Fifty-seven Million Three Hundred Twenty-seven Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($57,327,600); or to reimburse the Commonwealth for project expenditures for projects not completed within the agreed upon term of the grants.
EXHIBIT "A"
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Philadelphia Hunger Action Center
Philadbundance is a nonprofit organization that works to end hunger and malnutrition in the Greater Philadelphia region by rescuing surplus food and distributing it to local organizations serving people in need. In order to forward its mission, the organization developed a new Hunger Action Center by renovating an existing building.
Constructed in 1964, the building has served as a food storage and distribution warehouse. The site fronts Galloway street near the corner of Pattison avenue, one of two major east-west corridors in South Philadelphia's food distribution complex. The building contains a total of 26,500 square feet of space and has seven dock ports for straight trucks and tractor-trailers. In addition, the site is easily accessible by public transportation.
RDA Grant
$ 227,600
Manayunk Canal
This project is being done to provide the community and visitors with a recreational area for use by all ages for walking, jogging, biking, fishing and future boating. The project will include rehabilitation of the Manayunk Canal from Lock street to 8700 feet north. This rehabilitation will include: stabilization of canal banks with new soldier piles and wood lagging; dredging/removal of list deposits to improve water flow; re-grading to improve drainage and pedestrian access along the former towpath, including landscaping; rehabilitation of timber walks at Leverington street, Fountain street and at the upper end; installation of benches, trash receptacles, bicycle racks and other site amenities for safe, enjoyable use of the area; and installation of lighting for nighttime use of the area from Lock street to Fountain street.
RDA Grant
$ 3,000,000
Pennsylvania Port of Technology
The Port of Technology will be a link to the businesses and government communities in order to establish a center of excellence where emerging domestic and international technology companies can begin to grow and develop their enterprises and create wealth. The new 8-story building contains approximately 150,000 square feet with 21,000 square foot floors available. It is centrally located in the University City Science Center, adjacent to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. It is located in a Keystone Opportunity Zone which offers special economic incentives.
RDA Grant
$ 5,000,000
Cobbs Creek Environmental Education Center (CCEEC)
The Fairmount Park Commission will restore the 10,000 square foot former Cobbs Creek Stables in Fairmount Park into facilities that will be used the CCEEC, a West Philadelphia nonprofit organization. The restored facility will be used as an environmental education center and will serve as a focus of community activity to attract minority students to careers in math and the natural sciences. It will also create aware and sensitivity to the environmental needs of the urban neighborhood.
RDA Grant
$ 1,000,000
Peoples Emergency Center (PEC)
PEC helps to ensure that welfare reforms succeed in moving families toward economic independence. PEC is developing a one-stop center for welfare-to-work services in West Philadelphia. Current design calls for a two-story, 14,900 square foot facility.
RDA Grant
$ 1,800,000
West Philadelphia YMCA Annex
The YMCA will acquire and demolish existing properties on Sansom street. The YMCA will be renovated and a two-story addition added for a child-care facility.
RDA GRANT
$ 2,000,000
International House
The International House is proposing to renovate its current facility with exterior facade work and repairs to the interior banquet facility and all common rooms.
RDA Grant
$ 2,700,000
Christian Street YMCA Center
This project includes the complete renovation of the facility for use by the children of the community. Renovations include refurbishing the gymnasium, boys and girls locker rooms, and the executive offices.
RDA Grant
$ 750,000
Association of Puerto Ricans on the March
APM will renovate a currently vacant building at the corner of Sixth and York streets. The new facility will serve as APM's new centralized headquarters. It will house the core programs, social services, and administrative offices.
RDA Grant
$ 1,500,000
House of Umoja
The House of Umoja is a group home for delinquent boys. The proposed project is to renovate the existing kitchen, dining hall and bathrooms in the Boys Town facility.
RDA Grant
$ 850,000
Chelten/Wayne Development
This project includes the acquisition and renovation of a 120,000 square foot building located at Chelten and Wayne avenues as corporate headquarters and a catalyst for economic activity.
RDA Grant
$ 1,000,000
Dorothy Emmanuel Recreation Center
This project will include the construction of an addition to its current location. The addition will house a new gymnasium, weight room, kitchen and classrooms.
RDA Grant
$ 1,500,000
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA)
PAFA is proposing to renovate its facility located at the northwest corner of Broad and Cherry streets. The renovation will include additional classrooms, permit doubling its gallery space and opening a new restaurant.
RDA Grant
$15,000,000
National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center will be the world's first museum devoted to the United States Constitution. The Center is a 137,000 square foot, two-story limestone building situated to be the northernmost anchor of a redeveloped Independence Mall. The building space is dedicated to house four main areas: public space, exhibit space, an outreach and education center, and supporting administrative space. The Center will have a restaurant, museum shop, 200-car parking garage and a bus drop-off facility that will support bus traffic for the entire mall.
RDA Grant
$22,000,000
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