The Shelbyville Common Council did not vote on Mayor Tom DeBaun's proposal to move ahead with three major downtown projects.
That would happen only after a public hearing scheduled for April 1.
However, some council members did have a lengthy exchange on whether or not the plan should go forward.
On Monday evening, the city's Redevelopment Commission approved using a special state law that allows for public-private partnerships, known as P-3s, to carry out the downtown plan.
The proposals include reconfiguring the Public Square, renovating the Methodist Building and constructing executive-style homes on the old Major Hospital site about two blocks west of the Square.
At the City Council's premeeting, which took place right after the Redevelopment Commission met, Councilman Rob Nolley (R-3rd Ward), said people he declined to identify want to put a restaurant on the Square and told him, “This project better happen.”
Nolley also said there are a couple of people wanting to buy buildings downtown.
“In particular, one building has the potential for some nice, high-quality, what they refer to as Manhattan-style apartments, and they're concerned if the downtown project doesn't happen, those won't work,” Nolley said.
However, Councilman Brad Ridgeway (R-4th Ward) challenged the downtown proposal.
“I'm not convinced doing a two-block area while the rest of the city goes downhill is the way to go. That's just my opinion. I just want to go on the record. When you say, you know, developers don't usually work like that. 'You do that; I'll do that.' I don't see any big windfalls coming in 'cause that's a two-block area. There's no plans for the other downtown,” Ridgeway said.
Ridgeway is running for mayor of Shelbyville in this year's election against DeBaun, a Democrat.
The mayor told the City Council's premeeting that the P-3 public-private partnership efforts have worked in other communities.
“Lebanon, Martinsville, you know, other places, are spending these dollars and seeing new investment on the private side to compliment the public money being spent. Indianapolis over the last 15 years has reinvented itself because of the public money that's been spent and the private investment that's followed," DeBaun said.
In a related matter, on Tuesday morning, the Shelbyville Board of Works and Public Safety voted to award a contract to redevelop East Washington Street to Beaty Construction Co. of Boggstown.
DeBaun noted Beaty wasn't the lowest of the three bids, but the low bidder, Olco Inc., didn't submit a complete proposal, and the bid by Milestone Construction was well above Beaty's $2.36 million base bid.
A $642,000 grant through the state's Community Crossings program will help offset that cost.
DeBaun said after the Board of Works meeting he expects work on East Washington Street can begin in about one month, and he'll be visiting with business owners on the street to see about easing the impact the project will have on their operations.
