The Manhattan City Commission Tuesday approved the establishment of a Benefit District and paving the alleyway located in the 1200 block between Kearney Street and Vattier Street.
This alley was previously identified by Public Works in the bottom three conditioned alleys from 2018 assessments, prior to the redevelopment of this block from several small rental properties to larger apartment facilities.
Public Works developed a conceptual idea that would both repave the alley, and install storm sewer inlets in the alley to capture storm runoff from adjacent properties and direct the overflow underground.
This is the second alley to be reviewed by the commission since the adoption of the Alley Paving Project in 2017, which was constructed in 2018 in the 1100 block between Bertrand Street and Ratone Street.
This policy requires that the paving is conducted in the Multi-Family Redevelopment Overlay District (M-FRO), The alleyway must have more than 32 units adjacent, and public meetings with the owners of the adjacent properties must be held.
Public Works previously mailed information, through two separate letters to property owners regarding alley improvements, requesting feedback. Two property owners responded via phone calls, and stated they agreed the alley is in poor condition, but cited they did not wish to voluntarily be part of a Benefit District effort to repair the alley.
Due to pandemic restrictions with Virtual City Commission meetings, a formal public meeting was not held.
Financing for this Benefit District project is set by an area method of assessment, with the larger lots paying more than half of the total cost.
Cost assessments total $275,000, and the Benefit District will be responsible for roughly 56.54% of the total cost. This district will be responsible for covering the cost of concrete for the alley. The remaining 43.46% will be covered by the city-at-large from the Stormwater Fund, covering all costs tied to installation of the sewer inlets.
This project is estimated to be paid for over a 20 year period tied to the bond covering this Benefit District.
Construction on this project is envisioned for Summer 2021, and will be dependent upon outside consultants giving Public Works a finalized design with formal scope and fee estimates, and the project going to bid between February or March.
