Development of housing in Downtown is part of the agreement between the city and federal General Services Administration to relocate the call center from leased space in the Airport area. The biggest impact was speeding up the RFP issued two weeks ago for multifamily housing on three acres on Coal between Fifth and Eighth. Key elements of the RFP include the time frame of starting construction this year with units ready to rent in December 1999. Another key is the density range of 40 to 60 units per acre. Indeed, comparatively-high land prices in Downtown have discouraged investment in redevelopment.
Land is simply cheaper on the fringe of the metro area.
In an urban area, that's the challenge. The city's foremost inducement to redevelopment is to buy the land, then offer it at a below-market price to developers. Other incentives which are being looked at include a waiver to the city's utility expansion fee and fast-tracking redevelopment proposals through the approval process. The parking issue is trickier. It's a policy decision.