COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
JANUARY 25, 2006
COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:30 P.M.
Convened: 5:30
p.m.
Adjourned: 7:30
p.m.
Present were: Chairperson Councillor Michael C. Perotto
Councillor Joffrey A. Smith
Councillor
Gary Rosen
Also: Assistant City Manager/Development Julie
Jacobson
City Auditor James
A. DelSignore
City Solicitor,
David M. Moore
Commissioner of DPW and Parks Robert L.
Moylan, Jr.
Director
of DPW Engineering, Joe Borbone
Director of
Downtown Development, George Ciccone
Director of
Business Assistance, Paul Morano
Project Manager,
Stephen O’Neil
Director of Neighborhood & Housing Development, Dennis Hennessy
Assistant City
Clerk Lisa M. Thomas, clerk
Communications of the City Manager
1. Relative to February 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM February 8, 2005
2. Relative to March 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM March 8, 2005
3. Relative to April 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM April 5, 2005
4. Relative to May 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM May 3, 2005
5. Relative to June 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM June 14, 2005
6. Relative to July 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM July 19, 2005
7. Relative to August 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM August 16, 2005
8. Relative to September 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM September 6, 2005
9. Relative to October 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM October 11, 2005
10. Relative to November 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM November 15, 2005
11. Relative to December 2005 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM December 6, 2005
12. Relative to January 2006 Economic Development Initiatives Report.
#8A CM January 10, 2006
13. Relative to an Economic Development Action Plan.
#8G CM October 14, 2003
In
Committee June 30, 2004 - Held
In
Committee February 16, 2005 – Held
Recommend Hold
14. Request adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept a $2,500,000.00 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration Public Works Program.
In City Council April 5, 2005 - #8B
CM Resolution Adopted
In Committee for Informational
Purposes Only
Recommend File
15. Request adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for and accept a $2,500,000.00 grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Construction Public Works Economic Development Program.
In City
Council May 3, 2005 - #8B CM Resolution Adopted 8-0
In
Committee for Informational Purposes Only
16. Request adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for and accept a $96,224.00 Economic Development Initiative (EDI) – Special Project grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Community Planning and Development in support of the Worcester Center for the Performing Arts’ (WCPA) restoration of the historic Grand Palace Theatre at 2-16 Southbridge Street.
In City Council July 19, 2005 - #8E
CM Resolution Adopted 8-0
In Committee for Informational
Purposes Only
Recommend File
17. Relative to City Council’s request for information on the ability of the Off Street Parking Board (OSPB) to engage in economic development initiatives and/or acquire additional parcels.
#26A CM January 10, 2006
Communications of Roberta Schaefer, Executive Director,
Worcester Regional Research Bureau
18. Transmitting Benchmarking Economic Development in Worcester: 2002
#20 CC November 19, 2002
19. Transmitting Benchmarking Economic Development in Worcester: 2003
#78 CC November 18, 2003
20. Relative to the CitySquare Project and the District Improvement Financing (DIF) Program – Development of Lincoln Square and Washington Square using Jerome Wheelock Trust Fund.
#8B CM July 19, 2005
21. Transmitting Worcester’s Centrum Centre Fund – the Arena Component and the Convention Center Component including financial statements with supplemental schedules for the years ended June 30, 2004 and 2003 plus the independent auditor’s report. Also included is the Auditor’s Report on the internal control structure over financial reporting for each entity.
#42 CC December 7, 2004
22. Relative to the Visitor Center Status Report.
#8A CM March 16, 2004
In Committee June 30, 2004 –
Held
In Committee September 23, 2004
– Held
In Committee February 16, 2005 –
Held
23. Relative to the Sale of Naming Rights to Centrum and Convention Center to Digital Federal Credit Union.
#29A CM October 12, 2004
In
Committee February 16, 2005 – Held
Recommend File
24. Relative to Request for Proposals (RFP) for tenant space at Union Station.
#8G CM January 11, 2005
In
Committee February 16, 2005 - Held
25. Relative to the City’s most recent and comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) for tenant space in Union Station.
#8A CM September 13, 2005
26. Relative to the Union Station Parking Garage.
#23C CM July 19, 2005
27. Relative to a Status Report on the Union Station Parking Garage.
#11A CM September 27, 2005
28. Relative to an update on the Union Station Bus Ports and the status of negotiations with Greyhound Lines, Inc.
#102 CC October 4, 2005
29. Report of the Planning Board upon the Petition of Jonathan Finkelstein requesting that the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Worcester be amended by altering the following areas from an MG-2.0 Zoning District to a BG Zoning District on properties on Madison St., Washington St. and Gold St.
#19 CC September 28, 2004
Harold Morsilli, Vice President of Maguire Group presented architectural drawings of the Union Station Garage.
Chairmen’s Orders:
Request City Manager provide a report to the City Council which considers a coordination of street lights in the downtown area which is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Request City Manager contact building owners along Front St. regarding possible storefront occupancies on the first floor of the buildings.
Request City Manager contact the developers of Lincoln Plaza to remove the temporary fencing in front of Lincoln Plaza and provide the City with a timeline as to when the permanent fencing shall be installed.
Request City Manager work with
the Maguire Group to ensure that white cement will be used for the façade of
the Union Station Garage so that it has a cohesive look with Union Station.
Chairman’s Resolution that the City Council hereby supports and approves the design of the Union Station Garage as proposed by the Maguire Group (Roll call vote of 2 yeas and 0 nays)(Palmieri absent)