[0:03] all right here we [0:05] go well good morning everybody it is [0:08] Thursday March 14th [0:10] 2024 and this is the meeting of the [0:12] Adana Housing and Redevelopment [0:13] Authority for the city of Adana and we [0:16] are meeting in City Hall council [0:17] chambers we're handling this meeting in [0:19] a hybrid fashion if you want to [0:21] participate in community comment and [0:23] that's the only opportunity today to [0:25] participate uh here's the number up on [0:28] the [0:28] screen for you coming up that's the uh [0:32] methodology that you want to [0:34] use those three uh numbers are important [0:36] to be able to speak to the uh HRA about [0:39] a matter of concern that you might have [0:40] that's not on the agenda or scheduled [0:42] for a future public hearing uh having [0:45] provided that information let's call the [0:46] meeting order I'll ask Liz Olson our [0:48] administrative support specialist to [0:50] call the [0:51] role commissioner Risser here [0:54] commissioner Jackson here commissioner [0:56] Pierce here commissioner U here chair [0:59] huffland here next is the Pledge of [1:04] Allegiance I pledge of [1:07] allegiance of the United States of [1:09] America and to the Republic for which it [1:12] stands one nation under God indivisible [1:16] with liberty and justice for [1:22] all and we have a form of meeting agenda [1:25] that's been published for the h members [1:27] and also for the members of the public [1:30] is there anybody that wishes to modify [1:32] the agenda in any former fashion hearing [1:35] nothing is there a motion to approve the [1:36] meeting agenda is published so moved [1:38] second Mr Jackson moves commissioner [1:40] Pierce second the adoption of the [1:42] meeting agenda is published any further [1:43] discussion all those in favor of [1:45] adoption of the meeting agenda is [1:46] published say I I I opposed carried and [1:50] now we are back at Community comment [1:53] um there's staff folks in the audience I [1:57] don't know [2:00] but that's it that we have nobody live [2:02] and I don't know if we have anybody [2:03] remote I don't have anyone on the line [2:06] at this time because there is a slight [2:08] delay in the broadcast I would recommend [2:10] that we wait 1 minute before moving on [2:13] my clock shows it at 7:34 so I'll come [2:15] back to at 7:35 or when I have a caller [2:18] whichever is [2:20] first thank [2:28] you e [3:09] it is now 7:35 and I still don't have a [3:11] caller so I think it's safe for you to [3:12] move forward with the agenda all right [3:14] very good we'll move on to uh the [3:16] executive director's response to any [3:18] Community comments that may have been [3:19] made at the last h meeting thank you Mr [3:22] chair at our February 15th meeting we [3:24] had two speakers but no no questions uh [3:27] one speaker was here to Express [3:30] disappointment in in the overall [3:32] direction of the city and and the city [3:34] manager uh the other speaker was here to [3:37] comment on something that was on the [3:39] agenda that day so we asked her to [3:42] reserve her comments and and uh and she [3:45] did very good comments from [3:48] Commissioners all right we've gotten the [3:51] two items on the consent agenda is there [3:54] anyone that wishes to remove one of [3:55] those two items from the consent agenda [3:58] is there a motion to adopt the items on [3:59] the consent agenda in the single motion [4:01] so moved second commissioner Jackson [4:04] moves commissioner Pierce uh seconds the [4:06] adoption of the items on the consent [4:08] agenda and the single motion uh any [4:10] further discussion all those in favor of [4:12] adoption of the items on the consent [4:13] agenda and single motion say I I I [4:16] opposed carried uh those items are [4:19] approved on the consent agenda and um [4:23] then we are going to go to reports and [4:24] recommendations uh portion of the agenda [4:27] which is the heart of our meeting this [4:28] morning we're going to discuss the [4:30] potential sale of real property located [4:32] at 5146 Eden Avenue which is the old [4:35] public work site and um we have the um [4:40] uh the right by law under Minnesota law [4:42] Minnesota statute 13 d05 subdivision 3 [4:45] to discuss that potential sale of real [4:48] property located at 5146 Eden Avenue uh [4:51] in a closed session and that is what we [4:54] are going to do so I would entertain a [4:56] motion to go into the Clos session and [4:58] then when we come back out we'll explain [5:00] briefly briefly what we determined we [5:01] were going to do is there a motion to [5:03] move in the closed session as permitted [5:05] by Minnesota statute 13d .05 subdivision [5:08] 3 to discuss the potential sale of real [5:11] property located at 5146 Eden Avenue so [5:14] moved second commissioner Jackson moves [5:16] commissioner U seconds the motion is [5:19] stated uh any further discussion all [5:21] those in favor of move moving into Clos [5:23] session for the purpose described in the [5:26] motion say I I I opposed carried and and [5:30] uh we're going to need just a minute I [5:31] think to move into Clos session and [5:34] director benat will let us know when [5:35] we're ready to begin that [5:50] conversation yeah I got two copies of it [5:53] here I [5:54] could shoot one copy down to [6:03] attorney what I was thinking about as we [6:05] were wrapping up that conversation was [6:07] uh just the U statement the bill had [6:09] prepared at the top a little [6:10] modification of that and we don't have [6:12] to worry about the choose one language [6:14] down [6:28] below e [7:11] okay okay [7:13] okay all right we are uh back in Open [7:16] Session uh when we moved into closed [7:18] session it was for the limited purpose [7:21] uh as permitted by Minnesota statute 13 [7:24] d05 subdivision 3 to discuss the [7:27] potential sale of real property located [7:28] at 51 46 Eden Avenue to uh United [7:32] properties um as I think folks know and [7:36] as this um board is well aware uh we had [7:41] made plans for that particular site that [7:44] included some senior Coop and that [7:46] project did not work and uh [7:49] that that notion was not continued by [7:52] United properties which was a selected [7:54] developer for the senior potential [7:56] senior Cooperative there so the convers [7:59] today uh was around whether or not we [8:02] wanted to discuss a revised and accept a [8:06] revised purchase offer from United [8:07] properties to use the housing portion of [8:09] the old public work site on Eden Avenue [8:12] for purposes of market rate multif [8:13] family housing and the uh the uh housing [8:19] Redevelopment Authority has determined [8:21] that it would not be in favor of [8:23] continuing that negotiation with United [8:25] properties for that particular purpose [8:27] and that the purpose of the [8:30] H at this point in time would be to [8:32] explore other options with respect to [8:33] the property uh the old public work site [8:36] as we call it at 5146 Eden [8:41] Avenue all right so now we're going to [8:43] discuss a little bit about some of the [8:45] other potential Concepts that have been [8:48] developed by manager new indorf and some [8:51] contracted Architects for uh Exploration [8:54] with this uh HRA and we'll do it again [8:57] I'm sure as a council so [9:00] correct uh go ahead uh well thanks [9:03] thanks so what I'll do this morning is [9:05] share a few alternative Concepts that [9:07] we've had prepared um these have not [9:10] been vetted they've not gone through [9:11] Planning Commission we're nowhere near [9:13] that level um and these particular [9:15] renderings probably will not be [9:17] presented to the city council they're [9:19] prepared strictly to show some ideas of [9:22] what the hi could achieve as a seller of [9:25] land um so I'll walk we've we have [9:29] Concepts I'll start off by saying not [9:31] only have they not been vetted none of [9:33] them are are great are perfect right [9:35] there's something wrong with every [9:37] single one but there's some good there's [9:39] some good things in each one so what [9:41] would be very helpful for for staff [9:43] would be to better understand what kind [9:46] of outcomes you want to achieve if we [9:48] decide to continue to sell the land um [9:51] so option number one uh I just as a [9:54] predicate ask uh the Commissioners and [9:57] this may be helpful to you as well is [9:59] you know we we're basically talking [10:01] about onethird of the site a little over [10:02] a third of the site the other two-thirds [10:05] of the site we had planned for a [10:06] restaurant with an with kind of an open [10:08] seamless connection to a park and so I'm [10:12] I'm wondering if folks are still [10:14] comfortable with that because I know in [10:16] our conversation Clos session [10:17] commissioner agno expressed some concern [10:19] about the project as a as a whole so is [10:23] is would that be helpful for you to know [10:25] whether we whether we like the continued [10:28] idea of independent standing [10:30] freestanding restaurant with that [10:32] seamless connection to the park as part [10:35] of it and then concentrate on the the [10:38] southern third it certainly would um we [10:41] are still under contract with jester [10:43] concepts for the restaurant so um uh if [10:47] we do not want to be we should hear that [10:49] but I had presume that we're still [10:50] comfortable with that contract and with [10:53] the park but it'd be helpful to hear [10:54] that as [10:55] well Comm rer um concern I I would like [11:00] us to also think about leasing the land [11:02] not just selling the land but it is HRA [11:04] land and that could give us more [11:06] flexibility longterm for um owner [11:10] occupied housing uh I'm not I haven't [11:14] really thought about the restaurant so [11:16] much I have thought about the park and [11:19] um I am concerned about putting more [11:22] stress on the cost and maintenance of [11:25] our parks and just wondering if there is [11:27] a way to kind of move toward a more more [11:29] sustainable kind of um planting where it [11:33] would be less maintenance and less cost [11:37] um so that was a concern that I had [11:40] concept of of a park is okay but it's [11:42] just how the park looks if it could be [11:44] kind of you know out by Public Works [11:46] where we've [11:47] got the sustainable plantings if it [11:50] could be something more along those [11:51] lines um so that we're not putting more [11:54] stress on um director veter and his crew [11:58] cuz I know they already have a lot of [12:00] land to deal with I I would certainly [12:02] think that's a downstream conversation [12:04] we could have as long as we're so [12:05] comfortable with the concept of [12:07] that park being there in some form [12:10] commissioner [12:12] U it's it's hard for me to be in an [12:16] opportunity to be [12:20] reconsidering this site remembering how [12:24] much a a community center some type of [12:28] draw for for residents of Edina and even [12:31] more broad was in the initial [12:34] Concepts um I think that we know that [12:38] there's complexities with the elevations [12:40] on this site and I I would have loved to [12:44] have seen [12:45] something more of a draw than what I'm [12:51] understanding is still being a [12:52] relatively slanted green space that's [12:55] going to be difficult to use but I also [12:58] don't like the idea of just putting in [12:59] Native lands and just having a bunch of [13:01] Green Space um because this is prime [13:04] prime [13:05] location um at the same time I'm really [13:09] excited about you know the opportunity [13:11] of working again with jester Concepts I [13:13] love their concept of the pizza location [13:16] the Speak Easy in the basement their uh [13:21] outdoor restaurant amenity all of that I [13:24] think is really solid um and so it's [13:27] just it's difficult to me it doesn't [13:29] have to be Standalone I would love to [13:30] see it potentially attached like I I am [13:32] all about mix use so the Standalone part [13:35] isn't important um but I just don't [13:39] know that I necessarily want to set the [13:42] clock back and go all the way to the [13:44] beginning um so I'm kind of in in [13:47] between could be swayed by other members [13:49] of the board um like I said I I don't [13:52] I'm not in love with this like this [13:54] isn't what the initial concept was for [13:56] this site um but would love to hear from [13:59] mothers too thanks commissioner [14:01] commissioner Jackson so one of the [14:03] things I thought was really exciting [14:04] about the plan that we came up with is [14:06] when it was presented to the Parks [14:08] Commission and especially the arts and [14:09] culture commission they their [14:11] imaginations were just blooming and uh I [14:15] remember talking to director veter [14:17] afterwards he's like the part the arts [14:19] and culture commission like immediately [14:21] jumped to we could do this we could do [14:23] this we could do this so This Green [14:25] Space the way it was presented um when [14:27] we were looking at final approval was [14:30] really well received by our commissions [14:33] that wanted a space to um have [14:37] activities and so I I loved the energy [14:39] that came out of that and I think that [14:41] when we were talking was it hga we were [14:43] talking with as the sort of the overall [14:46] site plan they had designed it so that [14:48] the feeling of green stretched the whole [14:51] um all three uses but that that public [14:55] green at the top provided the [14:57] opportunity for some programming that we [15:00] don't have in this part of the city at [15:02] all um and unique to the city overall as [15:05] well so I was really excited by their [15:07] excitement um in looking at this [15:10] space Mr [15:12] rece thank you um so I I would say we [15:17] can't go back to start at Square One um [15:21] this is another project that's kind of [15:26] in the space where a different Council [15:30] um had a conversation that actually put [15:32] a construct [15:34] together that actually allows us to be [15:36] able to get this [15:38] far um and so I think in general the [15:42] concept of Green Space if we stay high [15:46] level I I think we just need to figure [15:50] out within that space Green Space [15:53] restaurant some um housing option um [15:57] what we want to move forward with there [15:59] but we shouldn't go we shouldn't go back [16:02] unless there is something critical about [16:05] that site that uh says warrants not [16:09] being able to do the things that we had [16:11] talked about [16:13] earlier and then the other thing I will [16:15] I'll just offer this um when you started [16:20] um you talked about wanting to [16:24] understand where we were and you put [16:26] your grid up of priorities [16:30] I think we we can for sure go through [16:32] the concepts again um at this [16:36] point but what I heard you say is you [16:39] really need direction on um the things [16:42] that you took the liberty of putting in [16:44] the grid um and I think many of these [16:47] things are things you've heard from us [16:49] as well um and so for sure we can go [16:52] through all the concepts but I I think [16:54] if you I I think if you finished today [16:58] and you have a good good sense of what's [16:59] on that table I think that would give [17:03] you good direction to move forward [17:04] rather than going through each of the [17:07] concepts with us at this point so I [17:09] would just offer offer [17:12] that thank you [17:14] commissioner [17:15] um having been involved in most of these [17:18] conversations over the past decade I [17:20] would say that um commissioner U's [17:24] thought about a a facility that was [17:28] basically a Community Center uh or [17:30] combination community center Art Center [17:32] I remember when we looked at it probably [17:35] six seven years ago now it was in the [17:38] $70 million range and we had to do all [17:40] the structured underground parking and I [17:44] I I would guess now the cost of that [17:45] would be upwards of $100 million and so [17:48] and then we were worried about uh [17:50] increased traffic in that area which is [17:52] got its own kind of sets of challenges [17:55] uh with those streets so I think uh you [17:58] know I would joined commissioner Pearson [18:00] saying we got to keep moving forward I I [18:03] like that concept and I think [18:05] commissioner Jackson was expressing it [18:06] the same way that we we got to this [18:09] point uh thinking that we had a really [18:12] good combination of uses and this the [18:15] senior Co-op down there was something [18:16] that was really missing uh we've got the [18:20] oldest senior co-op in in our community [18:22] but it's a 6 to 8e waiting list to get [18:24] in there we thought well let's provide [18:26] that other opportunity and for Market [18:29] reasons this didn't work but um we all [18:32] have I think this common interest in [18:35] seeing ownership and uh trying to get at [18:38] that missing middle somehow and I think [18:41] commissioner rer made the point that [18:42] you've got on your chart here and that [18:44] is land sale versus land lease I think [18:47] that's something we're all open to [18:50] entertaining and um because it might [18:53] help us get to where we want to go uh [18:56] depending on what the concepts are that [18:58] we come up with so um anyway [19:03] um I think is everybody comfortable with [19:07] these let's see um you got market rate [19:11] rental apartments you might as well X [19:12] that one [19:14] out and [19:19] um anybody else have a thought about [19:22] about elimination of anything on that [19:25] list um I think one thing when we say [19:28] the for sale town houses I think uh for [19:31] me personally um I don't want to see [19:34] luxury Town Homes here I want to I the [19:37] concept of [19:38] affordability is very important for the [19:41] site it's publicly owned uh we have a [19:44] really severe need for affordable [19:47] ownership opportunities and this is an [19:48] opportunity we can do that um and um so [19:53] you know when we were looking at the [19:54] senior Cooperative one of the things was [19:57] it was very expensive to buy into so we [20:00] would love I I believe that there's a [20:03] market for seniors in our community who [20:05] would like to downsize they don't want a [20:08] downsize to an equally expensive home or [20:10] more expensive home they want a downsize [20:13] to something where they can take some [20:14] Equity out of their home and use that [20:16] for their retirement money and I would [20:18] love to have that opportunity here [20:19] whether it's in the apartment building [20:22] and or the town homes the town homes I [20:24] think there's a um all ages need for [20:28] those um but certainly if we have an [20:30] apartment type of building if we could [20:32] make that an affordable senior [20:34] Cooperative that would be A+ for me [20:39] um uh and um I had another thought the [20:43] land sale versus the land lease I [20:45] believe that our restaurant partner [20:46] Jester Concepts made it abundantly clear [20:49] they were not interested in renting the [20:50] land that they wanted to own that it was [20:53] a important part of their Investment [20:55] Portfolio um or their stack so I I think [20:58] I think we need to make that clear in [21:00] our discussions that for them uh rental [21:03] renting the land is not an option am I [21:05] correct in that that's correct yeah [21:07] their contract with them and we've got [21:08] the contract with them to sell it to [21:10] them yes exactly so so I just wanted to [21:13] make that clear as we uh have this [21:15] discussion that when we're talking about [21:17] sale versus lease it's only for the [21:19] housing portion um it's not for the [21:22] restaurant part um but yeah that's that [21:25] for me the priority to help people who [21:27] want to leave their homes and retire [21:29] into something that's affordable is is a [21:31] high priority but with the town homes I [21:33] really like that and I like that being [21:35] all ages commissioner Pierce let me ask [21:38] you a question with you know as opposed [21:40] to going through all these [21:42] Concepts uh were you moving towards the [21:44] notion that uh we let our economic [21:47] development [21:48] director uh have this General sort of [21:50] guidance and then go back and and and [21:53] work with the Architects we might hire [21:55] and then also uh maybe preliminarily the [21:58] development Community they just give [21:59] them a heads up on what we're thinking [22:01] about before we actually prepare an RFP [22:04] right that's what I was suggesting if [22:08] you get direction on this table of in [22:10] general that's our feedback you've [22:13] already met with us each about these [22:15] Concepts um and then you have enough [22:19] direction to go forward and then come [22:22] back with Concepts that are more align [22:26] uh from a process standpoint that we [22:27] could go for for with to make a [22:31] decision and so to that point my only [22:34] addition to um commissioner Jackson um [22:39] and you've done this a lot and so I I [22:42] agree with everything that she said um [22:45] in terms of priority um the only thing I [22:48] would offer is to make sure as you're [22:51] having [22:52] conversations we are we all understand [22:55] that there may be u a different [22:58] construct to make things affordable um [23:02] to make it a good project and so there [23:04] may need to be some combination of uh [23:08] Market Town Homes to put together a [23:11] package that allows us to have uh [23:14] whether it's a co-op or attainable [23:16] housing or what have you um I wouldn't [23:18] do anything to suggest to a developer [23:21] that they can't think creatively that [23:23] way and while this is I'll use the [23:26] example of solheim which was a toally [23:28] different project but when they came [23:31] back with rental town homes in front of [23:34] their apartment complex like that's the [23:37] kind of creativity that we may need to [23:40] have from a developer um to make [23:42] something work in this space but our [23:44] priority would be attainable ownership [23:47] um [23:48] housing um owner occupied [23:54] so [23:55] good yes commissioner thank you [23:59] uh so there has been discussion [24:00] obviously about the senior versus all [24:02] ages I'm less interested in having [24:05] something that would be solely senior [24:08] focused housing I would like to see [24:11] maybe some combination of the two but I [24:13] think especially the site um given given [24:17] the walkability of it giving given just [24:20] kind of like what we're looking to do [24:22] with this broader area overall I like [24:25] the idea of having all ages [24:28] um maybe that means it's a combination [24:31] of the two but just wanted to add that [24:35] um and then as far as looking at this [24:36] and I think that this has been said um [24:38] by others in the past I do like this [24:41] area for a little bit of height so I'm [24:43] okay if we can even shrink it in and not [24:46] maximize out all of the setbacks shrink [24:49] it in a little bit but then have that [24:50] full height of the seven stories I think [24:52] that would be appealing to [24:54] me um and looking at the rest of this [24:56] list I I think all of the other things [24:58] have been captured so looking for owner [25:01] occupied I think that's again super key [25:03] to me at least for a portion of it [25:05] whether it's the town homes or condo [25:07] style uh as well um but do want to see [25:11] more affordable owner occupied options [25:14] so thank [25:16] you thank you commissioner uh one of the [25:19] reasons I liked concept two and I I know [25:23] we're not going to go into Concepts but [25:25] this the very notion that commissioner [25:26] AG was just talking about I was [25:28] envisioning you know the the real estate [25:31] people that have come to me to say out [25:34] in Eden Prairie they've got families [25:35] living in tow houses that that are that [25:39] are that missing middle and and and [25:41] missing middle maybe 5 to 700,000 now [25:44] I'm not sure what that missing midle [25:46] exactly [25:47] means uh but nonetheless you got you [25:50] you've got the possibility here for that [25:51] combination of families and then with a [25:54] senior Co-op I think it's really a nice [25:57] uh blending of of um ages and [26:00] generations and [26:03] so I write on write on The Mark with her [26:06] there I think there's some really [26:07] interesting possibilities here in terms [26:09] of what we could create in terms of a [26:12] village commissioner yes thank you so uh [26:15] what commissioner agu said made me think [26:17] of something that we talked about in our [26:19] um you know one-on-one conversation and [26:22] that is I'd like as much as possible to [26:24] make that green space contiguous so I [26:27] don't want Little P green here and then [26:29] building a little patch of green if you [26:30] can the more we can maximize uh the [26:33] feeling of Green Space uh I would prefer [26:36] that and so you know definitely going [26:38] taller and making that green space more [26:41] contiguous because we've got the [26:42] restaurant and the park are are well [26:44] matched in that respect and if we can [26:46] continue that on um that would be a a [26:48] priority for me as [26:50] well the one thing we didn't touch on [26:52] was the fact that we'd already approved [26:54] a market rate apartment building across [26:56] the street where the building on Stills [26:58] is located what's the status on [27:01] that my understanding is that that [27:04] project was not able to be financed and [27:06] is not moving forward I don't have a [27:09] formal statement but that's what I've [27:12] been hearing from multiple people in the [27:15] industry [27:18] okay it's a Ty difficult financing [27:21] climate last year this year and maybe [27:23] even next year but there may be an [27:25] opportunity in there to link these [27:27] projects [27:28] you know if you have a conversation with [27:31] that owner of that building because at [27:33] one point in time we were talking about [27:35] how to move people across that street [27:37] and doing it doing it underground so I [27:39] mean there there there could be a silver [27:41] lining here with respect to dealing with [27:44] that property as well I'm happy to reach [27:46] out to the owner and see if there's an [27:48] opportunity and I I'll give you the name [27:50] of the person that that approached [27:53] me okay um I think that's it for your [27:58] the guidance this morning I hope that [28:00] was all helpful that's super helpful so [28:02] I'll keep marching forward and come back [28:04] to you in a few weeks or a few months um [28:08] but Our intention then would be to find [28:10] a new Housing Development [28:12] partner uh the timing would be uh summer [28:17] um uh with entitlements in the fall and [28:20] hopefully Construction in [28:22] 2025 um that's aggressive considering [28:24] that's already March um but we'll we'll [28:27] keep running it's a great location we [28:29] just have to find that new housing [28:30] partner so thanks for the guidance I'll [28:32] keep moving all right and thanks for [28:33] your good work on this as [28:35] well all right let's um go to our [28:38] executive director and see if he has any [28:39] comments he wants to make nothing [28:42] today uh commissioner rer anything for [28:45] the good of the order uh [28:48] nope Jackson so we just got home last [28:51] night from the national league of cities [28:53] and lots of really good ideas and I'll [28:55] have to determine whether City Council [28:58] some of them are city council some of [28:59] them are H type of ideas but more to [29:02] come on [29:04] that thank you uh commissioner Pierce uh [29:09] nothing from me thank you nothing thank [29:12] you and uh me as well nothing to add [29:15] this [29:16] morning um so is there a motion to [29:19] adjourn so moved second Mr agna moves [29:22] commissioner Jackson seconds motion that [29:24] we adjourn the meeting of the HRA this [29:26] Thursday morning March 14 [29:28] 2024 any further discussion all those in [29:31] favor of adjournment say I I I oppos [29:34] carried H stands journ [29:58] but