2011: Plan Update 2009: Addition of Block 23A 2001: Creation of Zone
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GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN 2016 PLAN UPDATE 2011: PLAN UPDATE 2009: ADDITION OF BLOCK 23A 2001: CREATION OF ZONE Planning & Community Development Department City of Grand Forks, North Dakota N E V N A H 3R S S T S D S 8 1 1 1 S 5 6 W T 4 T T T A H H H N S S S H 6 S T T T T I H N S G T S N 17TH AVE T N 4 O E T R N H E I S V S V V A E T T A R H Y B T N O S T 7 I A E T W S W V R A R N S A A D S E S 1 H H E V 2 H I V I N T T A I N N N 5 H G 7 U G D T T S T H N S O T O 2 N S 1 N 7 T S T TH AVE S W 20 T H F S PARK DR R T L O I B N R 6TH AVE N N T 5 A A T R G Y H E N S L T R N N D 1 8 2 TH T S ★ H S T 3 R Y CIR S S AR N LIBR D T S E T V ★ A VE N T A ★ S N 1 E W SO E T V V A IT A VE N K A S A 4TH E N H C IO I U S N I R V G B I N D T S N 9 O T 4 S H T 3 1 N H R 4 S S D T T S T N S H T T 1 1 S AVE S N 1ST T 1ST AVE S T N H W S E V E 5 1 A S T A V 0 H A S T E T S H D N H T I W U L I N N AVE N C K D S 2N E A R G O T N T V L A R A T T T N 2ND AVE S E R O T S U 1 G F E O N T V N A C S S A W H T T T C O E O S H E N S T AV O 1S S E E E T V D 6 N N A R T H IN S S U R RD AVE D 3 S M T N Y T T E A L V S S A D T T S O O KE AVE R DYKE AVE DY E W M E S 4TH AV R E I D V C B AMP E R H E R R E L S M S D O T T S O A S N EEVES CT R K N E 9 U T T V S T H E T R S E S D T 5TH AVE S R 5TH AVE S T 2016 UPDATE GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN Contents Introduction .................................................................................................... 4 Description ..................................................................................................... 6 Ren Zone Map: 2016 .................................................................................... 8 Natural Features and Historic Assets ........................................................... 9 Vision, Goals & Objectives ............................................................................. 16 Zone-wide Selection Criteria ....................................................................... 17 Heart of the Downtown District .................................................................. 18 University Avenue District .......................................................................... 19 Central Park District .................................................................................. 20 South Forks District................................................................................... 21 Incentives ..................................................................................................... 23 Management ................................................................................................. 26 Renaissance Fund Organization .................................................................... 29 Appendixes Block Inventory……………………………………………………………...….. A Completed Ren Zone Projects To-Date………………………..…….……… B Historic Property List………………………..….……………………………… C Primary Residency Certificate………………….……..……………………… D State Program Information…………….……..………………….……..……. E Letters of Support.……..……………………………………...……..………… F Results of Public Hearing & Council Action………………………………..G 3 2016 UPDATE GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN Introduction The Renaissance Zone Program was created by the fifty-sixth North Dakota State Legislative Assembly to spur redevelopment and investment within defined areas of North Dakota cities. The Grand Forks Renaissance Zone, or “Ren Zone,” was established in 2001 in the City’s downtown. As in many U.S. cities, development on the outskirts of town in the 1960s and 1970s heralded an exodus of downtown business. In Grand Forks, this “downtown crisis” generated various responses, including razing buildings to construct parking facilities and creation of the City Center Mall, which closed off and roofed over a downtown street. Subsequent decades brought succeeding downtown planning efforts: the Original Marketplace Plan for the Future in 1982, the River Forks Plan in 1994. These plans brought incremental improvements but no significant financial resources, and downtown Grand Forks continued to struggle. Then the Flood of 1997 came and everything changed. It devastated the entire community, but downtown was hit especially hard, losing 11 buildings to fire at the height of the flood. Substantial disaster recovery resources were directed downtown and spurred widespread redevelopment in the “heart of the city.” A variety of funds provided capital for infrastructure improvements, construction of new public and private buildings, restoration of existing buildings, and development of a permanent flood protection system. It was during this post-flood reconstruction period that Grand Forks’ Ren Zone was first established. Despite the downtown re-investment that was taking place, the need for additional private capital was recognized. The Renaissance Zone provided another means to attract it. Evolution of the Ren Zone Downtown Grand Forks has changed significantly in the years since the Renaissance Zone was established, and the Zone has changed with it. The 2001 Zone consisted of 22 contiguous blocks, located primarily in the down- town core. A block was added in 2009, but otherwise it remained unchanged until 2011. In that year, a comprehensive update included the removal 5 of blocks from the original core, designation of a three-block non-contiguous island, and the addition of 11 blocks to the downtown periphery. The 2011 update also designated four distinct but interrelated “districts” within the Ren 4 2016 UPDATE GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN Zone: the Heart of Downtown; the University Avenue corridor; the Central Park Neighborhood transition area; and the South Forks district. Summary and Purpose of 2016 Plan Update This document is meant to update and build on the Renaissance Zone Development Plan adopted by the City of Grand Forks on May 16, 2011, and approved by the North Dakota Division of Community Services on October 5, 2011. Per State Ren Zone guidelines, the initial 15-year eligibility of the original 22 blocks will expire if an extension is not granted. A five-year extension to the original blocks (with the exception of Blocks 2, 5, & 18) is being requested to continue to build on momentum in downtown revitalization and overall community vibrancy. This is being done concurrently and in conjunction with the Mayor’s Vibrancy Initiative. As well as seeking a five-year extension for some blocks, this Update also expands the local benefits available to approved projects and incorporates ongoing community efforts to create a more vibrant downtown. The following have been updated or established through this update process: Renewal and Extension of original Renaissance Zone Blocks Ren Zone Boundary/Expansion Local Ren Zone Incentives Vision, Goals and Objectives, Selection Criteria by District 5 2016 UPDATE GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN Description The evolution of Grand Forks’ Ren Zone is depicted graphically on the following maps. Original Ren Zone Map: 2001-2010 The original blocks displayed on the map above, with the exception of block 23A which was added in 2009, have completed their original 15-year eligibility term for Renaissance Zone benefits. 6 2016 UPDATE GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN Ren Zone Map: 2011-2015 The plan update of 2011 and new legislation at that time allowed Grand Forks’ Ren Zone to expand to 32 blocks, including a 3-block non-contiguous “island.” 7 2016 UPDATE GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN Ren Zone Map: 2016 State legislation again allowed Grand Forks to expand its Zone to a maximum of 43 blocks. The 2016 update adds 5 blocks, shown above outlined in red, for a total of 35.5 blocks, leaving 7.5 blocks available to be added to the Zone through future plan updates. ( indicates a half block due to government buildings). 8 2016 UPDATE GRAND FORKS RENAISSANCE ZONE PLAN Zone Selection Process The Downtown Development Commission (DDC), which was established to direct post-flood disaster recovery in downtown Grand Forks, took the lead in advocating for the original downtown Renaissance Zone. At the direction of City Council, ten potential Zone locations throughout the community were studied. Selection criteria used to evaluate the ten options included availability of commercial space, current land use, and overall development potential. After reviewing the study, City Council concurred with the DDC’s recommendation and a downtown Ren Zone was created. For the 2011 plan update and Zone expansion, Planning and Community Development staff, using the above selection criteria, developed a variety of options for expanded zone boundaries and a non-contiguous island, as well as recommendations for deeming blocks “completed.” The current plan update followed the selection process established previously, with a focus on the Heart of Downtown core area and expanding the possibilities for the University Avenue corridor to help connect the University of North Dakota to downtown Grand Forks. The update process and initial recommendations were presented to the Finance and Development Committee on December 14, 2015; based on their feedback, the final update document was drafted and presented to City Council on February 1, 2016. City Council held a public hearing on the final update and recommended its approval on March 7, 2016.