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Home My WebLink About1988-02-23 RecommendationCity of Iowa City MEMORANDUM Date: February 18, 1988 To: City Council r% v From: Mary Nugea, Associate Planner, CDBG Division Re: North Linn Street Safety and Betterment Project Last September, Mr. Harry Epstein presented a request to the Committee on Community Needs (CCN) on behalf of the North Linn Street merchants and residents for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. A copy of the CDBG application is attached. In his request, Mr. Epstein indicated that the lack of sufficient lighting in the North Linn Street area contributed to the increase in crime and vagrancy within the area. In addition, he stated that the areas between the curb and the sidewalks were barren, unsightly and had large gaps that could possibly cause a person to stumble. He requested that the City supply the brick from its inventory in addition to $9,750 in CDBG funds to contract for a brick layer to repair the area between the curb and the sidewalk. Mr. Epstein also requested that the City approve the installa- tion of street lights on two existing poles within the block. CCN reviewed and evaluated this request along with the other CDBG applica- tions. The project did not receive a high enough priority for CCN recom- mendation for 1988 CDBG funding. The CCN, however, suggested that the merchants and residents form an association to develop a public/private solution to the problem. CCF! felt if the association agreed to install bricks in the parking then the City may be able to provide the brick. In January, Mr. Epstein attended a CCN meeting and reiterated the need for the project and presented a proposal in which local merchants contracted privately for the installation of the bricks and the City supplied the bricks and sand. Mr. Epstein -added that the City staff would agree to supply the bricks upon Council direction. After reviewing and discussing Mr. Epstein's proposal, the CCN made the recommendations listed in the agenda. At this time CCN and City staff request that if Council approves these recommendations, they direct the staff and the North Linn Street merchants to proceed. A more detailed discussion is contained in the CCN September 30, 1987 and January 13, 1988 CCN minutes. tpA/1 Attachment WAS CITY OF IOWA CITY 1. Name of Applicant or Organization 3. Name of Project 5. Telephone Number of Applicant or Contact Person 6. Time Period of Proposed Project From: 2 Jan. 88TO: 2 Feb. 88 csci.mated No. of People Directly Benefited by Project 50,000 plus COFIIIUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT 9 `J FUNDING REQUEST M 4. Address of Applicant P.O. Box 104 Iowa City, Ia. 52244 7. Location of Proposed Project 200 Block of North Linn Street -y=am urpuP M Affected by Project: Residents of Iowa City OcFg Approximate 8 or % of Total: Does Project Have Support of People and Other Groups or Organizations Affected by Project? YES M Explain type and level of support. Residents, merchants, and civil rights groups providing both active and passive support. Amount of CDBG Funds 12. Amount of Other Funds Requested for this Project: Available For Proposed Project: $9750.00 $0.00 (List Sources in Budget Breakdown Section) List Other Groups and Organizations Which Were Asked to Contribute to or Fund Project: Office of the City Manager, Iowa City 14. Why is this Project Needed? See enclosed proposal.. We feel that we should implement this Project because it cleans up an eyesore to which we must be a daily witness. Another reason that we should implement this because if we don't do something about this problem, nobody else will, proJec" is v 15. List Goal (s) of Project: 1.I1'.1proved safety conditions. 2 -Crime Prevention. 3 -combat of urban blight. s 4.Improved aesthetics. [E]check if continued on additional pages) and attach i&N V r 16. General Description of Activities: Explain how goals will be accomplished. Include time schedule amount of or staff time needed, and other pertinent data about the activities.Indicate volunteer the project will require the cooperation of other Cit de icate if whether they have been contacted. Y Partments and, if so, Of North Project involvessinstab ation of ligh inillnd Pavingedbrick on the East and 'West sides sonand . Persons involved in the project include Harry Epstein, B. Andrew Rollins, and merchantselectricians residents of Horth Linn Street, Masonry and electrical work will be contracted out. Grading brickwork, and installation of streetlights will be accomplished within thirty days, barring inclement weather. This proposal is contingent upon a favorable response to a request made verbally and in writing to the Office of the City Managrr, Iowa City, 0 check if continued on additional page(s) and attach a93 tl P.O.Box 104 Iowa City, Iowa. 52244 September 21, 1987 Department of Planning and Program Development Civic Center 410 E. 'Washington St. Iowa City, Iowa. 52240 To Whom It May Concern, The following is a proposal for the improvement and rehab- ilitation of the 200 block of North Linn Street in Iowa City submitted 21 September, 1987, by and on behalf of the North Linn Safety and Betterment Project. unsightly and the lack of sufficient lighting is leaving the door North Linn Street is feeling its age. The area is becoming run-down and crime.• In the last quarter of 1986, the Iowa City Police Departmewide open for ireo nt was required t add extra patrols of that block on two separate occasions. During that same ire they were called to investigate burglaries, vagrancies, and suspicious persons. perdbthe police were called to investigate, among other During the first quarter of 1987 things, a forcible rape at gunpoint. .Aside from the crime situation, to which insufficient lighting is no doubt a Prime contributor, there are also the questions of appearance and protection from accidental injury and the possibility of subsequent litigation. The areas between the curbs and sidewalks (parkings) are barren, unsightly, and strewn with trash and weeds. In many places the sidewalk is more than three inches higher than the ground beside it, This discrepancy could cause a person to stumble and fall resulting in injury and, if the victim is of a litigious nature, a lawsuit against the city for failing to maintain the area. What is proposed is that we install added lighting in the area and fill in the . parkings (2405 Sq. Ft.) with paving brick. The estimated cost for this project is $9750.00. This proposal and 'bid are contingent upon a favorable response to a letter to the City rianager s office dated 21 Sept. 1987 requesting that the city supply the surplus paving brick from its inventory. This proposal, if accepted, will benefit not only the merchants of North Linn Street and their patrons by improving safety but will benefit the entire community by reducing crime, saving the cost of extra police patrols, and possibly avoiding Potentially devastating lawsuit. Thank You for your time and consideration. cc: Dept, of Planning and Program Development File O /111 B ctfull nit d, Vr� �i�(�-�-� H'eiProngiear, North Linn Street Safety and Betterment Project X93 September 21, 1987 Stephen Atkins, City Manager City of Iowa City Civic Center, 410 E, Washington St. Iowa City, Iowa, 52240 Mr. Atkins, This letter is in reference to our conversation of September 14, 1987, during which we discussed the surplus paving bricks which have been stored at the Street Department's facility on Riverside Drive for approximately the last eight years. As I had mentioned to you, I am currently involved with the North Linn Street Safety and Betterment Project and I solicited your aid in this Project. Your aid would take the form of the donation, by the city, of some of the surplus paving brick. You requested that I submit my request in writing to you in letter form, it is hereby thus submitted. The number of bricks required for the project will be 12,500 bricks to cover the 2,405 square feet involved. A favorable response to this request would be greatly appreciated. Res etful ted / r _ to n, Proje En ineer. North Linn Street Safety and Betterment Project. ccs City Manager's Office Derartment of Planning and Program Development File