Mayor Pete Lewis joined city officials, civic and business leaders in Olympia on Wednesday as Gov. Chris Gregoire signed major legislation to assist Auburn – Second Substitute Senate Bill 5045.
SB 5045-S2 relates to community revitalization and financing to promote community and economic development by investing in public infrastructure. The bill is expected to bring $250,000 annually for 25 years to Auburn for downtown redevelopment.
“This is another part of the partnership that is moving Auburn forward,” Lewis said.
Lewis was accompanied on the visit to Olympia by Councilmembers Rich Wagner and Bill Peloza, President and CEO of the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce Nancy Wyatt, current chamber board president Keith Stump and Spencer Alpert of Alpert International.
“This is an important day for the city of Auburn to provide the essential infrastructure needed for our continued economic development in our downtown core,” Wyatt said.
Eligible public improvement includes street and road construction and maintenance; water and sewer system construction and improvements; sidewalks and streetlights; parking, terminal, and dock facilities; park and ride facilities of a transit authority; park facilities and recreational areas; storm water and drainage management systems; bridge and rail construction and maintenance; landscaping and streetscaping; environmental remediation; electric, gas, fiber, and other utility infrastructure.
Eligible costs include design, planning, acquisition (including land), site preparation (including land clearing), construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, and installation of public improvements; relocating, maintaining, operating, and demolishing property pending construction of public improvements; relocating utilities as a result of public improvements; financing public improvements; assessments incurred in revaluing real property; reasonable and related administrative expenses and feasibility studies. Also eligible are expenditures for: environmental analysis, professional management, planning and promotion, certain historic preservation activities, and maintenance and security for common or public areas.
Some of this newly-acquired funding will go toward the development of Auburn Junction that will be led by Alpert International.
“Today’s events ensure the rebirth of downtown Auburn. This funding means that the infrastructure needs for our Auburn Junction project will be met,” Alpert said. “We are all excited to see Gov. Gregoire and the Legislature help guaranty that the Main Street she knew as a child will now continue to thrive well into the future.”
More information on Auburn Junction can be found at www.auburnjunction.com.
