Letter To City Council Regarding 2017 Capital Improvements Tax Renewal
Good evening Mayor and City Council,
On behalf of the University Hill Neighborhood Association Executive Committee I write to express our very strong support for the UHCAMCs request for funding two projects in the proposed next round of sales tax funded projects. We understand the Working Group did not recommend either of the requested projects be included in the Capital Improvements Tax Renewal list. We urge you to add these two modest projects in the Uni-Hill Commercial District to the list:
Replacement of the custom-manufactured commercial district light poles with more energy efficient LED Fixtures. The replacement of these lights will save thousands of dollars over the next 5 year as the fixture “parts” are extremely expensive to replace (they have to be custom-made) and the LED light source is significantly less expensive to operate and last longer. We understand the cost of this project is approximately $222,250.
Enhancements to the “connector alley” that will provide a safe, fun and direct pedestrian connection between the proposed Hill Hotel on Pleasant and the Event Street on Pennsylvania. This alley is on axis with the proposed entry to the hotel and would be an asset to the hotel. The design of this “alley enhancement” is already underway. This City investment will enhance and build on the City’s significant investment in the Hill Hotel parking structure. We understand the cost of this project is approximately $839,000.
The total of these two projects is approximately $1.1 million and we believe, is an important and relatively small investment in the Hill commercial district; an area that has, until just recently, had very little attention paid to it. Look at what the original 2A ballot projects have done for the Hill Commercial District! We must build on these investments! We are so appreciative of the projects funded through the original 2A Ballot that included: 1) the (long overdue) irrigation of the street trees, 2) the Pedestrian-Scale street lights that add a level of safety to our Uni-Hill neighborhood streets, and 3) the Event Street design and construction that will provide the Hill Commercial District a place to hold special events and therefore bring more community members up to the Hill to discover the treasures we have.
We urge you to include these 2 projects in the Capital Improvements Tax Renewal list. They will go a long way to further enhancing safety (alley enhancements) and contributing to our community sustainability goals (energy efficient light fixtures).
Thank you for your consideration of adding these 2 very important projects for our University Hill Commercial District to the list.
Best regards,
UHNA EC
Nancy Blackwood
Scott Thomas
Beanne Rothenberg
Lori Schuyler
Stephen Clark
Andrea Clark