Brady PieperCarson City, Nevada, is using a public-private partnership to revitalize the downtown core and spur an estimated $750 million in economic impact for the city.
The transformative project, considered at the Carson City Board of Supervisors’ retreat earlier this month, looks to renovate the city’s downtown by constructing public infrastructure, commercial space and housing, including a new 60,000-square-foot city hall complex and new conference center.
To bolster economic growth, lifestyle amenities and visitor attraction, Carson City would partner with the Hop & Mae Adams Foundation and Adams Hub, Inc. (HMAF) to implement the multi-phased project. If approved, the estimated $250 million initiative aligns with the city’s long-term goal to “seek opportunities for public-private partnerships on individual projects for the potential to play a major role in or serve as a future model for revitalization efforts,” as outlined in the latest masterplan.
HMAF’s proposed revitalization of Carson City’s downtown calls for a new city hall on East Musser and North Stewart streets, replacing the current building, which previously served as a bank.
Nearby, the project would include a new 16,600-square-foot conference center, a vibrant new public plaza to enhance visitor attractiveness, two “higher-end” hotels, workforce housing developments and a parking garage to accommodate traffic.
The city hall and parking garage would be funded by public dollars from Carson City and/or the state, according to the HMAF proposal. In the initial proposal, the city hall and parking garage were estimated to cost approximately $27.5 million and $15 million in phase one, respectively. Officials have since lowered those figures to $24 million and $12 million, respectively.
The conference center, which would be privately-owned and attached to one of the hotels, is anticipated to cost $11 million, while the new plaza would cost $10 million in phase two.
In the project’s later phases, HMAF anticipates nearly $200 million in private investments to spur additional support for the development, including contributions from hotels, housing developers and other commercial entities.
HMAF will also propose the establishment of the Carson City Development Corporation (CCDC) to operate in tandem with Carson City and the state for land partnerships and agreements. In the project’s first two phases, CCDC would be responsible for the community portion of the development.
Several land parcels previously owned by the city, staet and HMAF would be transfered to CCDC. These include two parking lots behind city hall, HMAF properties on Plaza Street and Stewart Street to Proctor Street and several other commercial properties.
Project officials anticipate the city hall’s replacement and other project work would create approximately 1,500 jobs and bolster tax revenue for the city and school districts by about $2 million annually.
While the project remains in the design and planning phase, the $250 million initiative is projected to generate $350 million of economic value within the first five years and $700 million through its lifetime, according to the Board of Supervisors’ meeting agenda.
Photo Courtesy
City Hall at downtown Carson City
Chanilim714
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
