The Aiken City Council could take another step toward building a mixed-use building downtown Monday evening.
On the agenda for the council's meeting is consideration of a resolution that would approve a framework agreement with the Aiken Corporation regarding the mixed-use building in which the Savannah River National Laboratory could lease space for a workforce development center.
The Aiken Corporation is a non-profit organization geared toward economic development within the city.
The framework agreement has seven points.
First, the city and Aiken Corporation are to negotiate a purchase-and-sale agreement for three properties located in the 100 block of Newberry Street N.W. The addresses of two of the properties are 133 and 141 Newberry St. N.W. The third property does not have an address.
The Aiken Corporation owns the properties. The Aiken Corporation's for-profit, rent-payment accepting arm, LED Corporation, paid $650,000 to purchase the properties July 18, 2022, according to Aiken County property tax records.
And the city would purchase them.
Second, the city has received $20 million allocated from the state's settlement with the federal government over plutonium stored at the Savannah River Site to purchase the properties and will use that money to build the building.
Third, the city and a for-profit, rent accepting arm of the Aiken Corporation to be formed later negotiate a second purchase-and-sale agreement for the newly formed entity to become the owner of the building.
Fourth, the purchase price of the completed building be equal to the amount of money the city invested in the project.
Fifth, the city finance the newly-formed entity's purchase of the building on a interest-free basis.
Sixth, the agreement is null if the city council doesn't approve it.
The Aiken Corporation approved the agreement Feb. 14.
And seventh, both parties need to agree in writing to amend the agreement.
Also on the agenda for the meeting are the second and final readings of ordinances:
• approving the Department of Energy's lease of land at the Aiken Regional Airport for Savannah River Site air quality monitoring; and
• amending the city's budget to include opioid settlement funds.
On the agenda are the first readings of ordinances:
• annexing, zoning and approving a concept plan for a subdivision to be built between May Royal Drive and Crosland Park;
• annexing, zoning and approving a concept plan for a Clayton Homes display lot to be built at 1740 Richland Ave. E.;
• annexing and zoning a single-family home at 1940 Huntsman Dr.;
• annexing and zoning single-family homes located at 922, 924 and 926 Hampton Avenue; and
• annexing and zoning a single-family home at 232 Lakeside Dr. S.W.
There is also a resolution on the agenda that sets the city council's 2024 goals.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in Room 309 of the Municipal Building located at 111 Chesterfield St. S.W.
The council is expected to meet at 5:30 p.m. to discuss allocating more of the $25 million the city received from the plutonium settlement for downtown and northside improvements.
