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Committee directs staff to negotiate extended operator agreement, city to cover terrace and grease‑trap costs at North Shore Tennis Center
Summary
The committee agreed to return a proposal to the full commission directing administration to negotiate an extension to the tennis center operator’s agreement while funding terrace and grease‑trap construction from capital reserves; the operator would be asked to fund interior café build‑out, potentially recouped against future rent.
The Finance & Economic Resiliency Committee on Oct. 15 moved to preserve momentum at the North Shore Park Tennis Center by directing staff to return to the full commission with a package that would fund exterior terrace work and grease-trap installation while negotiating a contract extension with the center’s operator so the operator can pursue building out a café.
David Gomez, director of capital improvements, explained that the originally planned terrace and interior work stalled during construction. Staff had recommended CRA funding initially but, after legal review, determined CRA funds were not eligible for the terrace work. Project cost estimates presented to the committee put the terrace and related site work at about $350,000. Gomez said city capital reserves could be used to complete the exterior elements and the grease trap.
The operator, Laurie (last name not provided in the record), told the committee she had converted a previously derelict facility into a well‑used community resource since 2017 and outlined plans for a café and additional programming; she said the café’s interior build‑out — including appliances and fixtures — would cost in the neighborhood of several hundred thousand dollars. Laurie said she needs lease certainty to justify investing in an interior build‑out.
Committee members agreed to instruct administration to negotiate an extension to the operator agreement with a condition that the operator fund the café build‑out, while the city would fund the terrace and grease trap from capital reserves. In discussion commissioners suggested the café build‑out could be structured so the operator’s investment would be recouped through future rent adjustments rather than an immediate outlay, and staff said any agreement would come back to the full commission for approval.
A motion to return the matter to the full commission with a recommendation that the city fund the exterior terrace and grease trap and negotiate contract terms for the operator’s interior build‑out and lease extension was approved by the committee. Staff indicated they would work with the budget office and capital improvements to prepare a budget amendment so work could proceed quickly and the contractor could resume exterior construction and close permits.
