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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Alex Alexandrou, Chief Management Officer
David Dibo, Director of Economic Development
DATE: December 15, 2020
SUBJECT:
Resolution Authorizing of an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Aurora and West Aurora School District 129 involving the Conveyance, Renovation and Beneficial Reuse of the Todd and Lincoln School Properties.
PURPOSE:
The City and School District 129 (“District”) are requesting approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement (“IGA”) regarding the conveyance, renovation and beneficial reuse of the Todd and Lincoln School properties.
BACKGROUND:
The District and the City had previously entered into and received school board and city council approval in 2019 for an MOU involving Todd School however a subsequent redevelopment agreement was unable to be completed.
The City and District are proposing entering into an Intergovernmental Agreement (attached as Exhibit A) involving the conveyance, renovation and beneficial reuse of the Todd and Lincoln School properties. The District School Board is scheduled to approve it on January 4, 2021.
DISCUSSION:
This new IGA proposal is based on the fact that the City recognizes and appreciates the need for the District to expand its ability to provide much needed student support services to meet the demands of the community while the City will also facilitate finding a developer to repurpose and redevelop two current vacant historic properties subject to redevelopment agreements for each property to be brought forward separately for City Council approval in 2021. The proposal includes the following points:
1) The District will convey both Todd and Lincoln to the City as part of the IGA.
2) The City will provide through a subsequent redevelopment agreement for the redevelopment and renovation of Todd and Lincoln at no cost to the District by a developer acceptable to both the City and the District. As part of the redevelopment of Todd the developer will create two condominium units, one for redevelopment allowing for workforce housing and one to be reconveyed to the District for office for student support services at no cost to the District.
3) The City will enter into a separate Redevelopment Agreement with a developer for the redevelopment and renovation of Lincoln School for workforce housing.
4) The City’s conveyance of the Todd School property to a developer will be conditioned upon renovating the building to include office condominium space for the District at no cost to the District.
5) The City will also convey Lincoln School to the developer for renovation and redevelopment per a subsequent Redevelopment Agreement.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
This proposed IGA provides the City with beneficial reuse of two historic properties, neighborhood stabilization, redevelopment of vacant properties putting them on the tax rolls for the first time ever and creation of additional needed workforce housing. Workforce housing is housing built to serve working families that are sitting in the middle gap between government-subsidized affordable housing and luxury housing. Unfortunately, these working families don't make enough to qualify for luxury housing, and they make too much to qualify for government-subsidized affordable housing. The planned workforce housing for Todd and Lincoln will provide a significant opportunity to close the gap for working families in our community.
The IGA allows the District the ability to provide much needed student support services to their constituents and the Aurora community in an accessible and centrally located facility, while doing so without the expense of a District construction project or continued large building maintenance expenses.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council approve the attached IGA between the City and District regarding Todd and Lincoln School properties and authorize the Mayor to execute the IGA upon approval.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Aurora and the Board of Education of West Aurora School District 129 involving the Conveyance, Renovation and Beneficial Reuse of the Todd and Lincoln School Properties.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, West Aurora School District 129 and the City are proposing entering into separate Intergovernmental Agreement involving the conveyance, renovation and beneficial reuse of the Todd and Lincoln School Properties; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes and appreciates the need for the School District to expand its ability to provide much needed student support services in a centralized location to meet the demands of the community as well as repurpose two historic vacant properties; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes and appreciates the need for providing additional affordable workplace housing near its downtown and facilitating redevelopment agreements for both Todd and Lincoln with a developer who will in turn provide the necessary office space required by the School District for student support services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that the Intergovernmental Agreement attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A shall be and hereby is approved; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor shall be and hereby is authorized to execute said Intergovernmental Agreement in substantially the same form as attached to this Resolution; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that the officers of and employees of the City shall be and hereby are authorized and empowered to take all actions necessary and proper to carry the purposes of said the Intergovernmental Agreement into execution in accordance with its terms, including, specifically, all actions required to accept the conveyance of the real property from the School District as contemplated by the Agreement.