Staff wants more time with multiplex proposals, claims RFP was more for the Petrovich plan
From the Woodland Record:
"This project appears to more directly address the Redevelopment Agency goal as stated in the RFP - to attract a modern Cineplex to the heart of downtown to act as a catalyst for further activity and investment in downtown." That is what redevelopment manager Cynthia Shallit said about the Petrovich multiplex proposal in her staff report to the Redevelopment Agency Board.
In actuality, the Request for Proposals issued on May 5 by the RDA asked for multiplex proposals for two sites in the downtown - at 801 Main Street (the Electric Garage site) owned by Paul Petrovich and at 322 Main Street (the State Theatre site) owned by Richard Mann. And also without showing any preference, the Downtown Specific Plan lists both sites for possible future development of multiplexes. The idea for a multiplex that includes the State Theatre is the oldest plan, listed in the 1993 DSP.
Sacramento developer Paul Petrovich submitted a proposal for 801 Main - Third and Main - and Woodland developer Ron Caceres submitted a proposal for 322 Main - the State Theatre Renovation and Expansion Project. Mann has agreed to sell the State Theatre to Caceres.
And in another attempt to skew the Petrovich plan to the selection criteria, Shallit stated, "Both locations could potentially have a positive impact on the preservation of historic structures. If the theater is located at 801 Main Street, the additional activity and resultant investment could help attract business users for the currently vacant or underutilized historic buildings." She glossed over the fact that the 99 year-old Electric Garage building - "one of Woodland's most important commercial buildings" as cited in a recent evaluation by Mead & Hunt - would be demolished if the Petrovich plan is approved.
In summary, Shallit feels the need to further investigate the "financial feasibility of each project which may include the need for agency funds" and has requested more time to do this without committing to a deadline for the selection.
Click here to read the entire staff report.
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9 comments:
Like I said before the city is stalling to save face with Petro. There will be no cineplex in the downtown. It will go in Gateway II along with all the other promises to that scu.
1:29
What is a scu... or is it S.C.U?
Scum. Sorry for the typo.
Like many others I will not support either project that calls for the majority of money coming from the re-development fund.
If they want to put 75% of their money either through there investors or bank and then ask the city for the additional 25% then I could support that. Because they have take on the risk. If they only have a couple of million dollars to invest in a 10 million dollar project and want to use the city's redevelopment funds to bank roll the rest. I truly feel that is fiscally irresponsible. There will be other projects that will be coming forward and thus will require additional monies from the city.
11:13
The project was initiated by the RDA. They put out an RFP. Two developers responded. The State team has estimated their project to cost between $12 and $13 million. They have assumed all responsibility for the cost through cash, equity, investors, federal and state grants and bank loans. They have budgeted only $2 million of that in the form of an RDA loan. Repeat... a loan.
They aren't asking for any gifts from the city... but they are asking that the city act in the spirit of redeveloping the historic downtown and to act for the purpose for which the RDA was created - to facilitate redevelopment in the redevelopment area.
Instead, the city/RDA tried to block the State Theatre project by solely dealing with Petrovich. The RDA advisory committee had to convince the city to broaden their vision. The city/RDA then crafted an RFP with ill-defined criteria that left the door wide open for a continuation of favoritism toward Petrovich. The city/RDA then tried to disallow the State proposal after Caceres tried to meet with Shallit (who was nowhere to be found) at the time the proposals were due in City Hall. The city/RDA has delayed the process and has created a moving target by changing the criteria listed in the RFP. Now... the staff report intended to update the RDA and ask for even more time includes statements that obviously favor Petrovich. Most of the report is adequately neutral, but it includes two very stupid conclusions that are outlined in this post.
I'm beginning to believe the first commenter - the city, as usual, will delay this project to save face with Petrovich. And also, as usual, the city will cause an interested and willing developer too much frustration and they will abandon yet another opportunity to actually make something positive happen.
I've received many reports from meetings and emails from constituents that lead me to believe that certain members of the RDA are not equipped to make any decision for the future economic health of the historic downtown.
Id rather have you invest in a theater than using the money for the parole shelter.
To paraphrase what was said, Dudley (rip) would have the video... David Wilkinson at the City Council meeting back in 03-04 said that the Electric Garage was not that historic and we needed to use certain pieces to revitalize the downtown.
Just pointing out he who talks out both sides of his mouth.
I have no doubt that was always the location to develop more ground. Petrodick could care less if the whole downtown closes. Then what happens to the million dollars Flory and Rexroad gave back to him in development fees?
9:50/9:53
What exactly are you pointing out? Something that may, or may not, have been said in '03 or '04 and that Dudley has the video? And so what if he said it? And what ground are you talking about?
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