Number
231335
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. TAYLOR AND CHAMBERS, JR.
Title
Resolution authorizing the Department of Neighborhood Services to expend American Rescue Plan Act funds from the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration for the Northridge Mall Demolition and Redevelopment Program.
Analysis
This resolution authorizes the Department of Neighborhood Services and other assisting City departments to expend funds from an award of American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration in the amount of $15,000,000.00 for the Northridge Mall Demolition and Redevelopment Program.
Body
Whereas, since its closure in 2002, the Northridge Mall located on Milwaukee’s northwest side has deteriorated to a dangerous nuisance condition; and
Whereas, the City is currently in the process of razing and remediating the dangerous nuisance condition of the Boston Store portion of the former Northridge Mall; and
Whereas, the remainder of the former Northridge Mall remains in a dangerous nuisance condition, sustaining at least seven fires since July, 2022, most recently on November 2, 2023, which places a severe strain on the Milwaukee Fire Department and on surrounding jurisdictions; and
Whereas, the City of Milwaukee has an enforceable raze order on the remainder of the Northridge Mall property; and
Whereas, to abate the dangerous nuisance and bring the property back to productive use, the City would be required to abate environmental contaminants including asbestos, mercury and other universal wastes at the site, complete demolition work, relocate certain utilities, green the property, and continue revitalization planning; and
Whereas, the City expects that returning Northridge to productive use will catapult much needed economic recovery in the area surrounding the former mall, discourage crime in the area, and build on the redevelopment work put into action by the Granville Business Improvement District and other interested groups; and
Whereas, the United States Department of the Treasury has distributed to the State of Wisconsin, through its Department of Administration (WI-DOA), funds (“ARPA Funds”) from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 802, as added by section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”); and
Whereas, WI-DOA is interested in assisting the City of Milwaukee in its efforts to remediate, green, and return the remainder of the Northridge Mall property to productive use through a grant of the State’s ARPA funding; and
Whereas, a Final Rule issued by the U.S. Treasury Department effective April 1, 2022, outlines the eligible uses to include expenditure category 2.23, “Strong Healthy Communities: Demolition and Rehabilitation of Properties,” which specifically incorporates costs to secure, acquire title of, demolish, deconstruct, and environmentally remediate vacant or abandoned properties, and the costs to put such properties back into productive use; and
Whereas, The Common Council has previously approved the acceptance of these subawarded funds from the State of Wisconsin; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Department of Neighborhood Services and assisting City departments are authorized to expend the subaward funds described above for the purposes described above; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the appropriate City staff are authorized to:
1. Expend from the amount budgeted for specified purposes as indicated in the grant budget and incur costs consistent with the award date.
2. Enter into contracts, subcontracts, subawards and leases as required to effectuate this program.
Requestor
Department of Neighborhood Services
Drafter
Andrea Fowler
Department of Administration
1/3/2024