ANDERSON — The Anderson Redevelopment Commission approved an additional $800,000 Tuesday for the planned facelift of the Scatterfield Road gateway into Anderson from Interstate 69.
The commission voted Tuesday to accept a $2,113,587 bid from Renascent Inc., which was the lower of two bids. A competitor, E&B Paving, submitted a bid of $2,121,779.
Earlier this year, the redevelopment commission approved $1.3 million for the project that would create a roundabout at East 59th Street at a spot west of Scatterfield and for the realignment of 60th Street. The area is near Applewood Mall.
Tuesday, redevelopment commission member Carolyn Scott voted against awarding the contract while Justin Puckett, Kevin Sulc and Ben Orcutt voted in favor of additional funding.
Joe Tierney, vice president with GRW engineering, explained that after a traffic study of the intersection, the Indiana Department of Transportation requested changes and along with the relocation of a water line the estimated cost went from $1.1 to $1.5 million.
“Right now contractors are busy,” Tierney said. “There is also a short time frame to complete the project by the end of the year and a concern is whether or not the asphalt plants will remain in operation.”
He said that paving costs accounted for most of the increase in the actual bids received compared to the estimates.
Tierney said if the project was bid in 2015 there might be more interest in the work, but that there was no guarantee the cost would be reduced.
Paul Nicholson, chief operating officer of Applewood’s property developer and manager, Central Management Services Inc., said if the project is delayed into 2015 they would probably lose a proposed new Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant on the site.
“They need a stand-alone building by the end of the year,” he said. “We agreed to give the city the right of way so the work could be done by the end of 2014.”
Nicholson said there has to be open traffic flow from Scatterfield to the proposed Buffalo Wild Wings but the entire project doesn’t have to be completed. He said there is an upscale hotel considering the former Applewood Raceway property contingent on the roundabout and realignment of 60th Street.
Greg Winkler, director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said funds are available for the project and the goal is to create a gateway into Anderson.
Plans for the west side of Scatterfield Road include a roundabout with five spokes leading into it. The current 90-degree turn on 60th Street will be removed and the new road will cut across a portion of the former Days Inn parking lot.
Wigwam project
The Redevelopment Commission approved a resolution to include the Wigwam complex in the Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) and the Redevelopment Plan at the request of a potential developer.
A TIF district uses property taxes collected from new development that can be used to help pay for infrastructure and other improvements. The action extends the TIF and Redevelopment Plan from the Edgewood Plaza along Ind. 32 to the athletic complex.
“We’re working with a redevelopment company that is engaged,” Winkler said. “There were good discussions on Friday with the city and the Anderson Community Schools.”
The unnamed developer intends to apply for housing tax credits from the state. The deadline for application is Nov. 1. Being included in the TIF District and Redevelopment Plan assists the developer during the application process.
He said the developer submitted financial information for the proposal to bring senior housing to the former educational wing of the complex and utilize the gym for entertainment purposes.
“We can take properties and do something extraordinary with the property,” Winkler said. “The redevelopment commission will be involved with the property in the future whether it’s redeveloped of razed. It’s a large property in the neighborhood.”
The Anderson Plan Commission and Anderson city council have to approve the changes and the redevelopment commission then would give the resolution final approval.
Commission member Sulc said the resolution can be changed in the future.
“We have three options,” he said. “Don’t do it if the proposal falls through, do it or continue in the future with another project.”
The proposed timeline has the redevelopment commission accepting ownership of the Wigwam from the school system and immediately giving ownership to a private developer by Sept. 8.