For prior reports refer to past Quarterly Reports on Council Goals.
September 12, 2005 Status: The Council held public interviews with two potential developers on May 23, 2005. On June 15, 2005, the Council authorized negotiations with Ram Development Company and appointed Council members Sally Greene, Cam Hill and Bill Strom to the Town negotiating team. On June 27, 2005, the Council authorized an Exclusive Right to Negotiate Agreement with Ram Development Company. The Council held design sessions with Ram Development Company on June 20 and June 29, 2005. The Town negotiating team met on August 1, 2005; negotiations with Ram Development Company began August 2, 2005. Additional negotiating sessions were held on August 18 and August 31, 2005.
November 21, 2005 Status: The Town Council held a work session on design issues with Ram Development Company on September 19, 2005. The Town negotiating team met on September 19 and October 11, 2005. The Town Council held a work session on downtown negotiations on October 12, 2005. On October 24, 2005, the Council authorized the Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Ram Development Company. On October 26, 2005 the Town negotiating team met with Marvin Malecha, Dean of the College of Design at North Carolina State University concerning the its design expectations for the project. That same day, Dean Malecha began his peer review process with the Ram Development Company.
February 13, 2006 Status: Dean Malecha held three peer review sessions on October 26, November 15, and December 15, 2005. The Dean met with the Town negotiating team on January 4, 2006 to review progress. Three additional sessions focusing on architectural design were held on January 13, January 25, and February 6 with the developer’s architectural team. We expect Dean Malecha to make a report to the Council on February 27, 2006.
On December 15, 2005, the Public Arts Commission and Ram Development Company announced the selection of Mikyoung Kim as the public artist for the project. Discussions have begun with the developer’s architectural team.
May 8, 2006 Status: Dean Malecha presented a report to the Town Council concerning schematic design on February 27, 2006. Dean Malecha was invited to continue working with the developer as the more detailed architectural plans are produced. The Town Council reviewed Concept Plans for the developments on March 20, 2006. The Town and Ram Development Company are engaged in the preparation of a Development Agreement.
On April 9, Mikyoung Kim submitted her Public Art Master Plan for the Downtown Intiative to the Public Arts Commission.
September 11, 2006 Status: Ram and Town representatives have been working on the Development Agreement and other matters related to these projects. We believe we have crafted a legal framework that would enable the projects to proceed, subject to final details. On June 19, 2006 the Town Negotiating Team met in closed session and heard a status report from Casey Cummings, President of Ram Development Company. John Stainback of Stainback Public Private Real Estate, the Town’s economic development advisor on the project, was also in attendance. We understand Ram Development Company is interested in pursuing additional land and in eliminating underground parking from Lot 5 as part of its efforts to reduce costs and to achieve an economically feasible project. Ram also is considering looking at the possibility of proposing financing approaches which would allow part of the increased public revenues generated from the project to be used to finance publicly owned improvements which will be part of the project. Mr. Cummings asked for additional time to prepare a revised proposal for the Negotiating Team’s review.
November 6, 2006 Status: On September 27, 2006, the Council extended the negotiating period for approval of a Development Agreement with Ram Development Company until December 5, 2006. A public forum has been called for November 13, 2006 to receive citizen input and review a revised proposal from the Ram Development Company.
February 12, 2007 Status: On February 12, 2007, the Council will consider a Development Agreement with Ram Development Company.