Information Items:
Facade Improvement Grant Awarded to Eastland Mall
Staff Resource: Tom Flynn, 704-432-1396
Since FY2000, City Council has appropriated $20,550,000 to be used to implement the Eastside Strategy Plan. Two million dollars of these funds remain unallocated. As part of implementing this plan, staff has worked with the Eastland Mall ownership to develop strategies and plans for the revitalization of Eastland Mall.
In the last year, staff has worked with the property owners to consider large and small scale projects to improve the vitality of the mall. As a result of these discussions, the Cameron Group has secured Burlington Coat Factory, Fred's department store and an unnamed retail tenant to occupy the vacant JC Penny portion of Eastland Mall. As a part of their negotiations with these tenants, the property owners have been required to renovate the exterior. The owners have asked the City to assist in these costs. We will be using $40,000 of the remaining $2 million to assist the Cameron Group with these façade renovations. The total project cost is approximately $80,000.
Additionally, Eastland Mall is working with CATS to construct of a Community Transit Center. The Eastland Community Transit Center is a proposed neighborhood-sized transit facility at Eastland Mall. It will accommodate 8-10 small and regular sized buses on a two-acre site. It will have an open-air plaza, pedestrian pathways, and a services building. The estimated cost is $2 million and planned construction is planned to start in mid 2005.
Together these projects will help maintain the vitality of the mall and position it to continue to serve the East side communities that have depended on it for services since its opening.
Community Forums for Workforce Development
Staff Resource: Brad Richardson, 704-336-3857
The three local Workforce Development Boards that serve the Charlotte region (Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Centralina and Gaston) are hosting a series of community forums next week with a select group of the region's business, education, economic development and governmental leaders. These forums are part of an initiative to develop a strategic plan aimed at meeting employer demands for a skilled regional workforce. The forum scheduled for Charlotte is scheduled for Wednesday, February 16 from 9:00 am - 11:00 am at the Adams Mark Hotel. Attached is an invitation from the Workforce Development Boards.
