Photo provided An artist’s rendition of a proposed mixed use apartments development on land near Cummins’ parking garage in downtown Columbus.
COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Columbus Redevelopment Commission has engaged a consultant for services on its hotel conference center project and a recent proposal from Flaherty & Collins Properties.
The commission approved a contract with Hunden Strategic Partners for a not-to-exceed amount of $20,000.
The approved resolution states that Hunden’s proposal includes “advisory consulting services and guidance on developer negotiations and projection implementation” for the hotel conference center and a mixed use development. According to Redevelopment Director Heather Pope, the latter refers to a development that Flaherty & Collins is proposing to build in front of the Cummins, Inc. parking garage.
“We can reach out to Rob, and (ask) ‘Is the information we’re hearing from developers accurate?’” said Pope, in discussing some of the services the firm will provide.
For instance, she said that Hunden will be able to verify if the funding gaps presented by developers are legitimate.
For Flaherty & Collins’ new mixed-use proposal, the company has estimated that the potential project would cost $15 million and require an approximately $5 million subsidy from the commission.
Deron Kintner, general counselor with the developer, described the concept as an apartment building with about 57 units and some first-floor commercial space. The commission has not yet made a decision on whether or not to provide funding. According to Pope, the project will be on the agenda at the commission’s June 26 meeting as an action item.
“Hunden will verify their numbers like they did for The Taylor,” she said.
She added that if and when the city enters negotiations with a developer on the hotel conference center project, they will likely need to increase the not-to-exceed amount on Hunden’s contract.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
