SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The extra money the TenHaken Administration is asking for to complete the downtown parking ramp is not for any bells and whistles.
City Hall has provided answers to a list of questions from City Council, as Council decides what to do about the $1.5 million.
Councilors, for example, wanted to know if any of the money will be used to pretty the place up, to improve the facade, make it look nicer.
No, says the city, the extra money will only be used to make the ramp functional.
The city responded to a list of eight questions.
Here’s question #8:
If the City ends up in court, are the attorney fees coming out of the $1.5M, orwhere are they coming from?There are no future attorney fees programmed into the $1.5 million amendment request. Aspreviously stated, the sole purpose of the $1.5 million is to complete the ramp to addressfunctionality and life safety.
The Village on the River developers have warned the city to let them finish the entire project or they’d sue. The city terminated the deal after the developers said they planned to downsize the project.
So now, the city is going it alone, finishing just the $20 million parking ramp. Mayor Paul TenHaken has promised to pursue private development when the right situation comes along.
City Council will discuss the $1.5 million at next Tuesday’s meeting.
The Village On The River mixed-use development was announced with much fanfare by then-Mayor Mike Huether. Its been plagued by controversy ever since.
