COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

MONDAY, MAY 15, 2006

COUNCIL CHAMBER

Convened: 6:03 p.m.

Adjourned: 8:06 p.m.

 

Present were:      Chairperson Councilor Michael C. Perotto

                             Councilor Philip P. Palmieri

                             Councilor Joffrey A. Smith

 

Also:                    Assistant City Manager for Development Julie Jacobson

                             Development Staffperson George Ciccone

                             Director of Development Timothy McGourthy

                             City Solicitor David M. Moore

                             Director of Neighborhood Services Dennis Hennessy

                             Development Staffperson Steve Bishop

                             City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk

 

1.       Communication of the City Manager relative to an update of Economic Development Initiatives Report February 2006.

          #8A CM February 14, 2006

Recommend File

 

2.              Communication of the City Manager relative to an update of Economic Development Initiatives Report March 2006.

#8A CM March 7, 2006

Recommend File

 

3.              Communication of the City Manager relative to an update of Economic Development Initiatives Report April 2006.

#8A CM April 4, 2006

Recommend File

 

4.      Communication of the City Manager relative to an update of Economic Development Initiatives Report May 2006.

        #8A CM May 2, 2006

Recommend File

5.      Communication of the City Manager relative to utilizing the construction Manager Risk Method for bidding public projects.

        #26A CM March 21, 2006

Recommend File

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager provide the City Council with a report concerning the procedures as to how the City might utilize the Construction Manager Risk Method for bidding of public projects.

 

6.                 Communication of the City Manager relative to the Task Force on Event and Convention Promotion.

#34B CM April 25, 2006

Recommend Accept and support the recommendations of the Task Force on Event and Convention Promotion.

 

7.       Communication of the City Manager relative to the status of the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the North Main Street Economic Development Strategy Area.

          #8A CM April 25, 2006

Recommend Hold

 

8.       Communication of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives transmitting communication relative to Life Science Incubator Company Start-up Activity and Economic Development Impact.

          #51 CC April 25, 2006

 

Recommend File

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with the number of jobs that have been created in Worcester within the Life Science field.

 

9.       Communication of the City Manager relative to the State’s New District Improvement Financing (DIF) Program.

          #8C CM October 12, 2004

          In Committee February 16, 2005 – Held

Recommend File

 

10.     Communication of the City Manager relative to how a District Improvement Financing Program works as a mechanism for funding public infrastructure and other public improvements in support of new private development projects in a municipality.

          #8H CM January 11, 2005

          In Committee February 16, 2005 – Held

Recommend File

 

11.     Communication of the City Manager relative to the CitySquare Project and the District Improvement Financing (DIF) Program – development of Lincoln Square and Washington Square using Jerome Wheelock Trust Fund.

          #8B CM July 19, 2005

          In Committee January 25, 2006 – Held

Recommend File

 

12.     Communication of the City Manager relative to the redevelopment of Washington Square.

#8C CM April 4, 2006

Representatives from BSC TerraSphere and RKG Associates appeared and presented relative to Washington Square.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager request the Commissioner of the Department of Public Works and Parks provide the City Council with an explanation of the reasons why no access nor egress is proposed from parcels 1 and 2 directly onto the roundabout that is to be Washington Square.

 

Recommend Accept and support the recommendations in the Washington Square redevelopment report. (Hold the item in Committee for informational purposes only)

 

13.     Communication of the City Manager relative to an update on the Union Station Bus Ports and the status of negotiations with Greyhound Lines, Inc.

          #102 CC October 4, 2005

          In Committee January 25, 2006 – Held

Recommend File

 

14.     Communication of the City Manager relative to the Administration’s renewed efforts to market and to secure tenants for Union Station.

          #8B CM February 14, 2006

Recommend File

15.     Communication of the City Manager relative to Union Station tenant interest.

          #8B CM April 25, 2006

Recommend File

 

16.     Communication of the City Manager relative to various City Council recommendations for Union Station.

          #8C CM May 2, 2006

Recommend File

 

17.     Communication of the City Manager relative to Request for Proposals for commercial marketing and brokerage services on Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) owned property within the City of Worcester.

          #8B CM May 2, 2006

Recommend File

 

18.     Communication of the City Manager relative to explanation of how the HUD Section 108 Loans are used.

          #8B CM   May 20, 2003

          In Committee June 30, 2004 - Held

          In Committee February 16, 2005 – Held

Recommend File

 

19.     Communication of the City Manager relative to the signature WaterFire event in Providence, Rhode Island.

          #34B CM January 31, 2006

Recommend File

 

20.     Communication of the City Manager relative to the sale of property at the current location of Worcester Vocational High School.

          #26A CM February 14, 2006

Recommend File

 

21.             Communication of the City Manager relative to the submittal of a Certified Project application for Poor Farm Brook Development, LLC and IBS Commodities, Inc. and the designation of a new Site Specific Economic Opportunity Area for the site location of 722 Plantation Street.

#8B CM April 4, 2006

Recommend Approval of the Two Resolutions

 

22.     Communication of the City Manager relative to copies of applications received for designation of Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas under the Year 31 Community Development Block Grant Program.

          #17A CM April 5, 2005

          In Committee April 26, 2005 – Held

Recommend File

 

23.     Report of the Planning Board upon the Petition of Jonathan Finkelstein requesting that the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Worcester be amended by altering the following areas from an MG-2.0 Zoning District to a BG Zoning District on properties on Madison St., Washington St. and Gold St.

          #19 CC September 28, 2004

          In Committee January 25, 2006 – Held

Councilor Perotto asked to be recused from participating on this item. Voted on a roll call of 2-0. He left the room.

Recommend File