Topeka in 1995 became the first city in Kansas to offer a neighborhood revitalization program, throu

Photos Back | Next 2011 FILE PHOTO/THE holiday inn express reservations CAPITAL-JOURNAL Renovations to the auditorium in the former Santa Fe Motive Power Building were part of Pioneer Group, Inc.'s project to turn that vacant building into affordable housing for senior citizens. Pioneer Group took advantage of a city-sponsored property tax rebate program to renovate the building, which opened to the public Sept. 1. Back | Next 2011 FILE PHOTO/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL Ross Freeman, president of the Pioneer Group, says the rebate program the city offers figured heavily into his company's decisions holiday inn express reservations to make improvements to a former Santa Fe Railway building now known as Pioneer Motive Power Place LP, 1001 N.E. Atchison. The renovated building now offers housing for persons 55 years of age and older. The city since 1995 has administered the program, which offers rebates for property holiday inn express reservations owners who improve their property values by a certain amount in a specific disadvantaged areas.
See a presentation prepared by the city s planning department holiday inn express reservations giving an overview holiday inn express reservations of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program.x See a map showing areas of the city eligible for participation holiday inn express reservations in the development rebates program. See a list of recent applicants for participation in the development holiday inn express reservations rebates program.
He said Pioneer Group's holiday inn express reservations decisions to carry out those projects and others in disadvantaged parts of Topeka were strongly influenced by the availability of property tax rebates through the city of Topeka's Neighborhood Revitalization Program.
The Topeka holiday inn express reservations City Council plans Sept. 25 to consider scheduling an Oct. 23 public hearing regarding whether to continue the program, which expires at the end of this year and would need to be renewed to continue. The program expires every three years, but the city has historically renewed it before the expiration date.
Topeka holiday inn express reservations in 1995 became the first city in Kansas to offer a neighborhood revitalization program, through which the city and other taxing entities give rebates to property owners who build new buildings or improve existing buildings in certain, specific parts of the city.
The program gives developers and homeowners an incentive to make improvements in areas that typically don't see a lot of investment, said Bill Fiander, deputy director of the city's planning department.
He said the property tax rebates are offered by seven taxing entities, including Shawnee County and the city of Topeka. Should the city renew the program, officials from each entity would need to decide whether to continue to offer the rebates.
Fiander said the program since 1995 has received 642 applications that resulted in about $270 million worth of investment, though not all projects raise property value enough to qualify for a rebate.
Capitol Federal Savings Loan applied for a rebate through the program in regard to the $16 million project it is carrying out to renovate its building at 700 S. Kansas Ave., though it isn't yet clear if the improvements will raise property value enough holiday inn express reservations to qualify for the rebate.
Freeman said Pioneer Group has taken advantage of the rebates to carry out five projects, holiday inn express reservations including building apartments and town homes at the southeast and northeast corners of S.E. 21st and Adams. Pioneer Group "wiped out" a mobile home park that stood on property near the latter corner, he said.
Freeman said Pioneer Group is additionally holiday inn express reservations receiving the rebate for its project to turn the aging, vacant, former Santa Fe Motive Power building at 1001 N.E. Atchison into affordable housing for senior citizens. That building opened to the public Sept. 1.
Pioneer Group also has projects going in Salina and Kansas City, Kan., and is preparing to start one in Belleville, Freeman said. All of those cities offer rebates similar to the one available in Topeka.
However, he recommended the 95 percent rebate remain in place for the full 10 years in properties in areas classified as being historic or as having an "intensive care" neighborhood health classification.
Commissioner Ted Ensley asked Fiander about what had been done with money placed in a special city fund after the revitalization program between 2004 and 2006 temporarily offered an 80 percent rebate, with 15 percent of the benefactor's property taxes going to a city fund.
Fiander said those payments were still going into that fund, which currently contained about $200,000 and was expected to have $300,000 or more by the time the payments stopped coming. Fiander said a decision was yet to be made regarding what to do with the money in the fund, though the city was looking at perhaps using it for infill housing projects.
traps low income seniors with mobility issues in housing holiday inn express reservations areas without grocery stores or drug stores. Most generally the sidewalks adjacent to the properties he has "restored" are in poor condition. Dangerous even getting to the bus stops
"The rebate becomes available if owners increase property values by 10 percent or more in areas the city designates as being "historic" or as having holiday inn express reservations "at risk" or "intensive care" neighborhood health.
The owner receives rebates only on the extra property tax caused by the improvements being made. The program offers a 95 percent rebate for 10 years. The rebate lasts 15 years in historic districts."
However, he recommended the 95 percent rebate remain in place for the full 10 years in properties in areas classified as being historic or as having an "intensive care" neighborhood health classification."
Maybe there should be some requirement that either the developer or the city have to bring the sidewalls up to current standards for the project to be approved - if there is a change in the duration of the rebates on the increased property taxes on the affected holiday inn express reservations properties, I would recommend that either the developer be required to improve the sidewalls within a certain distance of the property receiving the rebates OR the city be held responsible for those sidewalks to be paid out of the increased tax revenue holiday inn express reservations during the reduced rebate period. In as much as the condition of neighborhood sidewalks affect property values, maybe a 50/50 split would be more appropriate.