The Seward City Council was recently handed a solution to the Washington Street debacle on a silver platter. How did they eat this dish? My article for the Seward Phoenix Log is at the bottom of this post.
PROPOSAL FOR LAND SWAP
DATE: October 16, 2006
TO: Clark Corbridge; City Manager, City of Seward
FROM: Paul Snowden; Managing Member, Blue Yonder, LLC
RE: Proposal For Land Swap
Dear Clark:
I understand the City of Seward (“City”) may be interested in acquiring some property that I own in downtown Seward. The property is commonly known as New Seward Saloon, and is legally referred to as Lots 15 and 16, Block 9, according to Plat S-1.
Because the City has hampered my ability to continue to operate as a saloon in that location, I propose a deeded land swap for some property the City owns in the boat harbor. That property is commonly known as the Park Service Visitor Center, and is legally referred to as Lot 14, Block 6, according to Plat 2000-19. For this swap, I’m referring to the land only, without the buildings or improvements.
I also understand that the Mary Lowell Center project, of which the City and the Park Service are co-developers, could benefit from incorporating the New Seward Saloon property into its buildable footprint.
I believe this Land Swap could be a benefit to both the City and the Park Service in many ways:
1. It would allow the Mary Lowell Center to proceed as designed, without having to vacate Washington Street, simply by scooting the entire building North onto the New Seward Saloon property.
2. It would likely cause any further legal actions by Washington’s Army and similar groups to immediately cease, saving the City both time and money in legal fees and city staff time.
3. It could allow the Park Service to begin construction as soon as January 2007, saving months or even years from alternate construction scenarios.
4. It would increase the likelihood that the Mary Lowell Center will be completed and fully funded as planned, as it would remove any lingering objection to its construction.
5. It would ensure the Mary Lowell Center is built in the location preferred by the City.
6. It would increase the amount contributed to City property taxes by converting the Visitor Center from exempt to taxable.
7. It would prevent the City and the Park Service from incurring any unforeseen costs of vacating and digging up Washington Street.
This proposal assumes the Park Service would be interested in this Land Swap, and this proposal is contingent on their participation. I will coordinate with the Park Service regarding their interest.
Time is of the essence in this transaction. If all parties agree to this Land Swap, I think we could complete the transaction by the end of 2006. I would like to have an answer from the City expressing their degree of interest in this Land Swap by October 31, 2006.
Thank you,
PAUL Q. SNOWDEN
BLUE YONDER, LLC
CC: Mayor Shafer and Council
WASHINGTON STREET BACK ON CHOPPING BLOCK
Seward City Council blocks trade on land
For the Seward Phoenix Log
November 16th edition, Front Page
Washington's Army's hopes have been dashed again, Washington Street is back on the chopping block. It looked like their beloved downtown street may have had a reprieve from it's vacation last week when the Seward City Council considered a proposed swap of the New Seward Saloon's land for the land under the National Park Service building in the Seward Small Boat Harbor.
According to a November 6th letter to then City Manager Clark Corbridge from Jeff Mow of the National Park Service (NPS) , the New Seward Saloon was not originally considered for acquisition by the NPS due to "the wishes of the Snowden family."
Interest in the property changed with the Snowden's change of heart this summer. The Mary Lowell Center Partners felt acquiring the Saloon property would be a "win/win for the project and the community as it would achieve all the advantages of the current site for the facility without requiring building across Washington Street." Over the last few months the Mary Lowell Center Partners met with New Seward Saloon owners Paul and Brad Snowden, Mow suggested both of whom were "receptive to the idea of the property becoming part of the project."
Mow proposed instead of donating the land under Washington Street, the City donate the New Seward Saloon property to the project after they traded the land under the boat harbor NPS building for it. Mow felt this move would expeditiously secure the land needed, and keep both Washington Street and the Mary Lowell Center's planning and design schedule intact. Saloon owner Paul Snowden formally proposed exchanging the two lots under his building for the single lot under the NPS building earlier this month.
"The National Park Service and the Seward City Administration were extremely interested and motivated in doing some kind of trade for that space," says Paul Snowden. "We determined that the biggest hurdle was going to be trading the land, so the first first thing we worked out was a fair and equitable trade of lots. After that was secure, we could negotiate what to do with the buildings."
An executive session was held November 6th by the Seward City Council to discuss the land swap proposal. According to City Clerk Jean Lewis, the City Council came out of executive session and approved a motion to decline the offer.
"It was very odd," reflected Snowden. "Council went into executive session with just themselves and the City Clerk staff. There were no representatives from City Administration, the National Park Service, or the Mary Lowell Center Partners to explain the offer or answer any questions they might have had. I was not allowed to attend. After literally seven or eight minutes they came out of session and voted unanimously to decline the offer."
"The Mary Lowell Center Partners, the City Administration, and the Snowdens all agreed to the land swap," notes Washington's Army spokeswoman Debra Hafemeister, "Which leaves the council as the only group left to stop the trade from happening, the entire conflict lays in their lap. Only they have refused to allow the Washington Street issue to be resolved outside of the legal system."
"I am just trying to do what I can to facilitate the community's desire to keep Washington Street, along with meeting the needs of the Mary Lowell Center," suggested Snowden. "If I was a wealthy man, I would just donate it, but I simply cannot afford to do that. I have spoken to all the council members individually about doing the right thing for the community. Not one of them has a counter offer or any recommendations on how to proceed."
In his letter, Jeff Mow suggested that NPS anticipates receiving 'brick and mortar' constructions funds in the fiscal year 2008 federal appropriation. The NPS intends to begin the next phases of design in the next few months in order to meet the obligation deadline for such funds. Under the proposed Mary Lowell Center schedule the Harbor Dinner Club will be demolished in April of 2007, Old Solly's in October 2007, and Legends in April 2008. Anyone wishing to acquire those buildings should contact Jeff Mow as soon as possible to make arrangements.
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