The special Committee on the Future of Downtown indicated informal consensus Oct. 27 to move $1 million from a riverfront development pad contingency account into an incentive pool for Snyder Memorial Church, but members stopped short of a formal vote and deferred a final action to the City Council’s finance committee.

A city staff summary presented to the committee said the funds are tax increment financing (TIF) dollars that were placed in a contingency account in the FY 2024–25 budget for Riverfront Plaza development. Staff said DIA has already identified $3.5 million intended for completion or incentive grants tied to the property, and transferring the contingency $1 million would raise that pool to $4.5 million to support redevelopment of the 124-year-old Snyder Memorial Church site.

“We put $3,500,000 in it. This contingency account, if this legislation passes, would make that $4,500,000,” a city staff member said, describing the origin of the dollars and the intent to use incentives to make rehabilitation of the historic building financially viable.

Committee members moved and seconded the bill on the floor during the meeting, but the chair stopped the floor vote and clarified the committee would not take a formal vote at this meeting. “For all of you out there, we are not voting on this. This was just her trial by fire,” the chair said. The chair reported the group’s “consensus is to move those dollars” and said the item would be revisited as a formal motion in finance.

Why it matters: Snyder Memorial Church is a historic building near City Hall; committee materials argued rehabilitation of the property likely requires public incentive because of historic preservation costs. The transfer would reallocate TIF contingency funds rather than new general-fund appropriations, and staff told the committee the timing for a disposition notice is expected later in 2025 or early 2026.

Next steps: DIA staff said they plan to take a scope of services to their board in November and issue a notice of disposition on the church site in late 2025 or early 2026. Final financial approvals and any redevelopment agreement would return to City Council for formal action as required by ordinance.

Ending: Committee members expressed support for prioritizing a historic building over a riverfront restaurant pad; they asked DIA and finance staff to carry the matter to the appropriate committee with required financial details and timeline.