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City manager reports progress on Gussie’s site, HUD assistance paused and potential housing feasibility work with port
Summary
City Manager Nicole told the council that the owner of the historic Gussie’s building has contracted a hazardous-materials consultant and that a demolition permit is expected in the coming weeks; staff also said HUD technical assistance is paused and possible grant work with the port is underway.
City Manager Nicole updated the City Council on several development and grant matters, including progress on the deteriorated Gussie’s building, a paused HUD technical-assistance opportunity, an Adopt-a-Park volunteer grant for the Mingus community building and potential joint work with the Port on boardwalk stabilization and East Side housing feasibility.
On Gussie’s (referred to by staff as Gussie’s, historic name of the building at 1088 Newmark in the Empire district), Nicole said the property’s lender-turned-owner has been more responsive than prior owners, secured fencing, and contracted a hazardous-materials consultant to assess conditions that will inform intended demolition. “We do expect in the next couple weeks to have a demolition permit filed and see some progress there,” she told the council.
Nut graf: Staff reported movement on multiple long-running local projects: site remediation and likely demolition at a historic blighted property, halted federal technical assistance because of funding cuts, and exploratory grant work with the Port of Coos Bay on a boardwalk stabilization project and a feasibility study for housing on East Side property.
Nicole said the city had engaged HUD under its distressed communities technical-assistance program last fall to assess permitting processes, fees and grant management, but was notified that the program would not be funded and the work is now on hold while staff and partners seek alternative funding sources.
On volunteer-driven restoration, Nicole praised an Adopt-a-Park volunteer, Coco, and noted a $10,000 Rotary grant to help restore the Mingus community building (formerly a scout cabin), and said staff will continue coordinating volunteer and grant activity to bring the building back into public use.
Nicole described initial conversations with the Port of Coos Bay about stabilizing the water-side of a dike beneath the boardwalk—a port-owned structure—because the water-facing slope is sloughing and past stabilization techniques would no longer meet current environmental standards. She said a Business Oregon grant could fund a feasibility study for housing on port-owned East Side property that is residentially zoned and that the city might partner on a study to identify infrastructure needs.
Finally, Nicole described a new state program, the Middle Income Revolving Loan Fund, that could use a portion of property-tax revenues to help fund infrastructure for housing development. She said the state program is new and staff are awaiting guidance and would bring a proposal to council if appropriate.
Ending: Councilors thanked staff for the updates; no new contract or funding appropriation was approved at the meeting.
