Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has tried since 2001 to persuade the City Council to add a tree-lined sidewalk to the middle of 300 South between 200 East and 400 West. On Thursday night, council members gave him one-fourth of what he wanted.
In approving the 2005-06 Redevelopment Agency budget, they set aside $450,000 for the project. That means the mayor can spruce up two blocks instead of five - though it's unclear which two he will start on.
The project is meant to improve the parking stalls in the middle of 300 South. A makeshift pedestrian lane runs in the middle of the road now. The money will be used to separate vehicles and pedestrians with a raised sidewalk.
The city has up to $30 million to spend on RDA projects starting July 1. About half will go toward paying off past projects. The council also set aside up to $1.5 million for housing, but will decide later which specific apartment and condominium projects to fund.
Other major projects the council funded:
l $404,000 to fill Main Street vacancies.
l $300,000 toward eventually improving Gallivan Center with more meeting rooms, a bigger ice rink and better seating for the stage.
l $350,000 toward restoring the historic Sugar House monument and plaza at 2100 South and 1100 East.
l $160,000 for public art projects.
There were other major projects the council declined to fund, including putting money toward realigning the Grant Tower railroad curves downtown so that freight trains can be removed from 900 South. Nor did the council give more money to The Children's Museum of Utah, which has already received $550,000 from the city. The new museum will still open in 2006 at The Gateway, but probably with fewer exhibits.
In other RDA business:
l The council unofficially agreed to loan $1.2 million at no interest to combine two downtown gyms into one and place it in a now-vacant office space in a parking garage on Regent Street (40 East) between 100 South and 200 South.
The Metro Sports Club is now located in the ZCMI Center mall, but must move out by the end of this month to accommodate the mall's renovation. Metro would join with Apple Fitness Center, which would close its 324 S. State location once the new gym opens in the fall. Its developer says it could help entice residents to live in the new residential units planned for the ZCMI and Crossroads Plaza mall blocks.
l Extended Ballet West's lease on land in Sugar House for 60 days while the dance company continues to explore building its rehearsal studio downtown as part of a cultural block.
But this may be the last extension. The council approved the studio in 2001. Councilman Carlton Christensen said it may make more sense to lease or sell the land to another developer, one that would pay taxes on the land. "You have a prime piece of property."
