Houston City Agenda - Nancy Furst just read on the City of Houston's Agenda for 3-24-2010 ...

Houston City Council today delayed action on the sale of the former Compaq Center building at 3700 Southwest Freeway to Lakewood Church for a total of $7.5 million.

Approval of the sale was delayed for one week by Jolanda Jones and Stephen Castillo.

Lakewood Church currently leases the property from the city.

"This property is subject to a lease through 2033, which Lakewood Church could extend for an additional 30 years," General Service Department Director Issa Dadoush said.  "The city proposes to sell its residual interest in this property for a purchase price of $7.5 million."

According to Dadoush, Lakewood Church has prepaid its first 30 years lease on the property.  Under the agreement, Lakewood Church would pay $753,333 per year if it renewed the lease for an additional 30 years in 2034.

"Given that the city will receive no additional payments for 24 years and that the buyer has an option for another 30 years at a fixed rate, the General Services Department believes that the negotiated purchase price represents the present value of future lease payments and residual land value," Dadoush said.

The city council voted unanimously to approve a recommendation from Houston Airport System Interim Director Eric Potts to participate in the Airports Council International's Airport Service Quality Survey Program for George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports for a period of three years.

"During each quarter, approximately 700 surveys will be conducted at IAH and approximately 350 surveys at HOU to provide a statistically valid sample size," Potts said.  "ASQ surveys ask travelers standardized questions at all participating airports to ascertain their overall travel experience at the airport and satisfaction and dissatisfaction with particular facilities or areas of service."

The city council voted unanimously to accept work and approve a final contract amount of $81.625 million for the Morganti Group, Inc. for the Central Concourse at William P. Hobby Airport.

The final amount was 5.9 percent, or $5.125 million, above the original amount due to work change orders.

The city council voted unanimously to approve a $1.95 million settlement agreement with The Morganti Group, Inc. and approve a final contract amount of $14.647 million and accept work for the Central Plant Upgrade at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

"Morganti presented a claim to the city engineer for damages in the amount of $9.319 million related to alleged construction delays," City Attorney Arturo Michel said.  "The city engineer awarded $326,000 to Morganti, but Morganti refused to accept it and filed a lawsuit on the claim."

Morganti later offered a settlement of $1.95 million on the claim, which was accepted.  The final contract amount included work orders and work change directives that increased the amount to $14.647 million, excluding the settlement agreement. 

The city council voted unanimously to appoint Michael D. Mitchell and Dale Villarreal Pillow to the Houston Read Commission.

The city council voted unanimously to appoint Ann Thomas Givens to the Reinvestment Zone No. 17 Board of Directors.

Several items were delayed for one week through use of the tag rule by various members of the city council.

A resolution supporting and approving construction proposed by WP West Enterprises, LLC of an affordable housing development at Spencer Road and Shining Sumac Avenue, as well as authorizing the allocation of 2010 Housing Tax Credits to the development, was tagged by Brenda Stardig.

The proposed construction is for a 200-unit multifamily housing development in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction.

A resolution approving construction by WP West Enterprises, LLC of an affordable housing development at the corner of Katy Fort Bend Road and Harbor Drive was tagged by Stardig.

The proposed construction is for a 200-unit multifamily housing development in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction.  The item would also authorize the allocation of 2010 Housing Tax Credits for the development.

A resolution approving proposed construction by Houston Mason Senior Apartments, LP of an affordable housing development at Mason Road just north of Franz Road was tagged by Stardig.

The proposed construction is for a 120-unit multifamily housing development in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston.  The developer of the project is currently applying for low-income housing tax credits through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

All other items were approved by unanimous vote of the city council members present at the time of the vote.  Council Member Anne Cluttebuck was absent.  Agenda

Nancy@CallNancyFurst.com