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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: David Dibo, Executive Director
DATE: February 27, 2023
SUBJECT:
A resolution authorizing approval of Development Agreement with Leilani Asian Fusion: Leilani Aurora Inc; Buona Italia: River Street Italian Inc; La Ville Lumiere: River Street Bistro Inc a majority owned affiliate of JH Real Estate Partners LLC (JH) for the purpose of facilitating the development of the vacant first floor (and basement for the Leilani RDA) for a full service (Asian Fusion/Italian/French) restaurants in the recently rehabilitated Hobbs and adjacent building together at 2-12 south River Street in downtown Aurora.
PURPOSE:
The RDA will facilitate JH plans to open three new restaurants in the first and partial basement spaces at the Hobbs. Rather than continuing to solicit several "one off" operators, all with their own needs, timing and financial wherewithal, JH decided to use its own hospitality expertise and resources to create three partnerships with experienced chefs and front of the house management. The RDA codifies the commitments from JH that trigger City incentives that will be repaid to the City as described below.
BACKGROUND:
Proliferation of new and long-standing downtown restaurants, especially those unique to Aurora is a long-sought goal of the City. Restaurants support a population living, working, or visiting a city that in turn add to an environment that encourages more of the same. Based on informal surveys from the Paramount Theater, attendees often comment that they would like to have more dining opportunities in walking proximity to the theater for a "one stop" entertainment and dining experience. With a rising tide of a robust dining alternatives, all restaurants prosper.
JH successfully took on the long vacant Hobbs challenge to much acclaim and immediate residential leasing success. Less known is that the company experienced the same type of cost overruns during the high inflationary supply chain disruptive period as o...
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