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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 6: Beam Development EURA UGENE RBAN ENEWAL GENCY AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Public Hearing: Beam Development Meeting Date: May 19, 2008 Agenda Item Number: 6 Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Denny Braud www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5536 ISSUE STATEMENT The Urban Renewal Agency (URA) Board provided direction to pursue a development agreement for the downtown Beam Development project. The public is asked to comment on terms to be included in a purchase and sales agreement (PSA) between Beam Development and the URA. BACKGROUND On December 10, 2007, the URA provided direction to pursue a development agreement for the Beam Development project and to proceed with acquisition or assignment of the purchase options on the Washburne Building, Centre Court building and adjacent lot, within the financial constraints of the current $33 million urban renewal district spending limit. On March 10, 2008, council approved the supplemental budget action necessary to move forward with the purchase of the Centre Court building and adjacent lot ($2.8 million) and the Washburne building ($1.9 million). Also on March 10, the URA approved the supplemental budget action necessary to acquire the Diamond property ($290,360). On March 24, 2008 (the purchase option expiration date), the Agency provided exercise notice of intent to purchase the Centre Court and Washburne Building properties. Consistent with the terms of the purchase option agreements, the URA paid a deposit equal to 10% of the purchase prices ($470,000). On April 16, 2008, the URA considered next steps related to the scheduled end to the due diligence period (May 8). The URA provided direction to “1) work with Beam and the property owner to extend the timeline for the purchase option agreements on the Centre Court building and adjacent lot, and the Washburne Building, 2) work towards an assignment of the purchase options to Beam, and 3) continue to work with Beam on elements of acquisition and redevelopment financing consistent with the amounts and terms outlined in this agenda item. If an extension of the option agreement timeline is not approved prior to May 7, then the Agency Director shall inform the property owners and the escrow agent that the URA will not be acquiring the property and the deposit should be returned. If a satisfactory extension is approved, the Agency Director shall bring back terms to be included in the assignment of the purchase options to Beam as soon as practicable.” In the discussion, the URA clarified that Beam would be responsible for providing any needed extension money payments. Due to considerations for the use of federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 Loan Guarantee and Brownfield Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) grant funds, Y:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080519\S0805196.doc staff has determined that it is in the best interest of the Agency to purchase the properties and sell them to Beam rather than to assign the purchase options to Beam. On May 7, 2008, the Agency and the properties owners extended the due diligence period to May 23, 2008, reduced the purchase prices. In consideration for this extension, Beam is set to provide $50,000 on May 23. The required 10% deposit and the additional $50,000 from Beam will become non- refundable after May 23. Prior to May 23, the URA and Beam will sign a binding PSA. The URA and Beam are in the process of negotiating terms to be included in the PSA. Below is an outline of key terms that the URA has pursued for inclusion in the PSA. 1. PSA Signing Date: Beam will be required to sign a binding PSA no later than May 22, 2008. 2. Deposit: Upon the signing of the PSA, Beam will be required to provide a non-refundable deposit equal to $50,000 plus a guarantee to pay the City $470,000 if the purchase is not completed by July 7, 2008, or shortly thereafter. 3. Closing: City shall purchase the property prior to July 7, 2008. Beam shall purchase the property from the URA immediately thereafter. 4. City Occupancy: Oregon Research Institute (ORI) announced on May 5 that they would locate in the Research Riverfront and not in the Beam project. Beam’s ability to finance the project is contingent on their pre-leasing a portion of the new development. Subsequent to the ORI announcement, Beam has engaged with a local broker to secure an anchor tenant. Should Beam be unable to sufficiently pre-lease to secure conventional financing, the City will be prepared to fill a limited amount of space for a specified rate. It is not the City’s or Beam’s intention to have the City tenant the project. However, the PSA will contain language indicating the back-up plan. 5. URA Loan #1: The URA shall provide financing for Beam’s purchase of the properties in an amount equal to the purchase prices of $3.6 million (less Beam’s $50,000). The financing terms would likely include a 20-year amortization schedule (interest-only during construction) with a 10- year balloon payment and an interest rate equal to the rate paid on the City’s HUD Section 108 loan. 6. URA Loan #2: The URA shall provide gap financing for Beam’s renovation of the Centre Court building and new construction on the vacant parcel in an amount equal to approximately $6.5 million. The financing terms would include a 20-year amortization schedule (interest-only during construction) with a 10-year balloon payment and an interest rate equal to the rate paid on the City’s HUD Section 108 loan. The URA is unable to commit to Loan #2 until City Council and HUD have approved the project-specific use of the borrowed HUD Section 108 funds. (The approval process takes approximately two and a half months.) If HUD approval is not granted, the City will agree to buy back the property. 7. Contingent Repayment of BEDI Proceeds: The portions of Loan #1 and Loan #2 derived from BEDI grant proceeds will be repaid on a contingent basis, only if Beam reaches its target return on investment. Y:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080519\S0805196.doc 8. Project Description: The PSA shall include a commitment from Beam to move forward with a project consistent with their proposal, including rehabilitation of the Centre Court building and a newly constructed building of approximately 75,000 square feet on the adjacent parcel. The Centre Court building will be designed for retail, office, and sub-surface parking consistent with the design elevations submitted in Beam’s February 2007 RFQ response. The adjacent building will also be designed for retail, office, and sub-surface parking. 9. Project Timing: Beam shall commence construction of the project no later than spring 2009, and complete construction no later than two years after the signing of the PSA. 10. Reversionary Clause: In the event that Beam does not meet the construction and completion timeline included in the PSA, the URA would have the right to re-purchase the property. Beam has estimated the total construction costs for the renovation of the Centre Court building and the new adjacent building to be approximately $33 million. Beam will likely defer improvements to the Washburne Building until after the Centre Court renovation and new construction on the adjacent lot are completed. The URA’s financial participation in the project would be limited to approximately $10 million in financing provided to Beam for acquisition of property and renovation/construction, plus transaction costs and funding of a debt service reserve account for the HUD Section 108 loan. The Beam financing would be structured as interest bearing, secured loans that would be repaid from income derived from the completed project. The proposed source of funding includes proceeds from the HUD Section 108 loan ($8 million) and the BEDI grant ($2 million). The HUD Section 108 program includes stringent loan underwriting criteria that will require the project to include adequate collateral and debt service coverage. The project would also have to meet a HUD national objective (elimination of slums and blight or job creation). On July 23, 2007, City Council approved the use of HUD Section 108 and BEDI funds for acquisition of the properties. This action was preceded by a July 16 public hearing at council. The proposed construction loan (URA Loan #2) would require a separate HUD application request including a public hearing and council resolution prior to HUD review and approval. The total cost of the Beam project (both Centre Court and Washburne) is approximately $38 million. The following are summaries of sources and uses for the acquisition of property and renovation/ construction: Property Acquisition SOURCES USES HUD Section 108 Loan $ 2,510,000 Acquire Centre Court Property $ 2,400,000 BEDI Grant 636,000 Acquire Washburne Bldg 1,200,000 Downtown Loan Program 454,000 Total Sources $ 3,600,000 Total Uses $ 3,600,000 Y:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080519\S0805196.doc Project Construction SOURCES USES HUD Section 108 Loan $ 5,187,000 Renovation of Centre Court Bldg $ 16,700,000 BEDI Grant Loan 1,313,000 New Construction 16,300,000 Bank Loan 15,500,000 Beam Equity 4,000,000 Historic Tax Credit Equity 2,000,000 New Mkt Tax Credit Equity 5,000,000 Total Sources $33,000,000 Total Uses $ 33,000,000 RELATED CITY POLICIES The proposed redevelopment along West Broadway is consistent with the policies and implementation strategies included in the Downtown Plan, including: ·Downtown development shall support the urban qualities of density, vitality, livability and diversity to create a downtown, urban environment. ·Actively pursue public/private development opportunities to achieve the vision for an active, vital, growing downtown. ·Use downtown development tools and incentives to encourage development that provides character and density downtown. ·Promote multi-story, mixed-use structures downtown through financial incentives or code amendments. ·Stimulate multi-unit housing in the downtown core and on the edges of downtown for a variety of income levels and ownership opportunities. ·Provide and promote development and community events that reinforce downtown’s role as the cultural center for the city and region. ·Reinforce the creative, distinctive culture of downtown as the arts and entertainment center of the city. In addition, future development along West Broadway is responsive to the following Growth Management policies: Policy 1: Support the existing Eugene Urban Growth Boundary by taking actions to increase density and use existing vacant and under-used land within the boundary more efficiently. Policy 2: Encourage in-fill, mixed-use, redevelopment, and higher density development. Policy 3: Encourage a mix of business and residential uses downtown using incentives and zoning. Policy 10: Encourage the creation of transportation-efficient land use patterns and implementation of nodal development concepts. Policy 14: Development shall be required to pay the full cost of extending infrastructure and services, except that the City will examine ways to subsidize the costs of providing infrastructure or offer other incentives that support higher-density infill, mixed use, and redevelopment. Y:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080519\S0805196.doc – This item is also related to one of the 2007-2008 Council Goals: Downtown InitiativeFacilitate significant revitalization of downtown core. AGENCY OPTIONS The URA may consider the following options: 1. Approve the terms outlined above to be included in a PSA between Beam Development and the URA. 2. Amend the terms to be included in a PSA between Beam Development and the URA. 3. Determine not to move forward with a PSA between Beam Development and the URA. AGENCY DIRECTOR’S RECOMMENDATION This is scheduled for a public hearing only. Following testimony, the Agency Director will make a recommendation to be included in the council packet for action on May 21, 2008. SUGGESTED MOTION No motion is proposed. ATTACHMENTS None. FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Denny Braud Telephone: 682-5536 Staff E-Mail: denny.braud@ci.eugene.or.us Y:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080519\S0805196.doc