Downtown improvements design at 75%; congressional directed spending request pared from $1.2M to $550K

Staff told the CVE Steering Committee that design work for downtown improvements (Willow Street from Main to Pleasant) is about 75% complete and that the city will coordinate with engineering, police and fire on construction planning.

The committee heard the slum-and-blight inventory has been expanded substantially this year, increasing the area under review from roughly 350 parcels to more than 900 parcels to better capture low- and moderate-income census-tract blocks downtown.

On federal funding, staff reported that the city’s request for phase 7 congressional directed spending advanced to the appropriations process but was cut from a requested $1.2 million to $550,000 in the initial committee presentation. Staff cautioned that the amount and timing remain uncertain and that any funding would likely not be available for about two years; engineers will revisit scope to see what the reduced amount can cover.

“We had requested 1.2 million. They cut that to 550,000. So we'll be working with the engineers to see what that can cover,” a staff member said.

Staff said phase 7 would extend improvements from City Hall Avenue toward Pleasant Street and Baker Street, connecting earlier phases, but that design and eligibility checks (including results of the slum-and-blight inventory) must be completed before moving forward.

The committee had no formal votes on the downtown items; staff said they will return with revised scope and funding implications once engineers evaluate options under the reduced appropriation.