Whereas, The City and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (“PAID”) desire to obtain funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Office of the Budget, in an amount not to exceed Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) 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 a 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, Three projects (“Projects”) are being proposed in order to eliminate the existing blighting influence by 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 matching share of the project costs above the aggregate amount of Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000); 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 recipients; 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 recipients; 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 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program Grants through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Office of the Budget, including all understandings and assurances contained therein, in an aggregate amount not to exceed Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) to assist in the development of the Lutheran Theological Seminary Learning Center, the Allen’s Lane Art Center and the Chestnut Hill College Student and Community Center, as described in Capital Budget Project Itemization Acts 2004-40, 2004-40, and 2006-83 respectively, and as described in Exhibit “A” attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Section 2.
The City of Philadelphia authorizes PAID to enter into grant agreements 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 matching share of project costs above the aggregate amount of Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000).
Section 4.
The City or the designated project recipients will reimburse the Commonwealth for the State’s share of any expenditure awarded pursuant to this Ordinance that is found by the Office of the Budget to be ineligible.
Section 5.
The City of Philadelphia and/or its designated project recipients also agree to guarantee that it shall fully complete the projects within the agreed upon term of the grant (including reasonable extensions requested by the City and/or its designated project recipients).
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 Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000); or to reimburse the Commonwealth for project expenditures for projects not completed within the agreed upon term of the grants.
EXHIBIT “A”
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Allen’s Lane Art Center
Allens Lane Art Center will renovate its current building located in a seven-acre section of Fairmount Park on Allens Lane between Greene and McCallum Streets in the West Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia. Since 1953, the Center has been offering a variety of arts-based programs such as Classes, Theater and Camp to thousands of children and adults each year. The project consists of new mchanical systems, new restrooms, cosmetic upgrades to all program spaces, new windows and minor exterior cosmetic upgrades. The total project cost is approximately $2,250,000.
RACP Grant
$1,000,000
Chestnut Hill College Student and Community Center
Chestnut Hill College will renovate the existing Greenfield Mansion facility located at 9220-9250 Germantown Avenue to accommodate as new classroom and event space for students and the surrounding community. The project will break ground in April of 2007 and complete in September of 2007. The total project cost is approximately $12 million.
RACP Grant
$1,500,000
Lutheran Theological Seminary
The Lutheran Theological Seminary is located at 7301 Germantown Avenue. The project consists of building a new facility to house the Seminary’s public archive collection. The total project cost is approximately $19 million.
RACP Grant
$500,000
End