Projected price tag for Center Block Plaza rises by a half million dollars

The members of the Logan City Council reconvened as the Logan Redevelopment Agency on Nov. 1 to considered an additional $500,000 appropriation for the Center Block Plaza project.

LOGAN – The price tag for the long-awaited Downtown Center Block Plaza is going up by $500,000.

Following their regular meeting on Nov. 1, the members of the Logan City Council reconvened in their alternate role as the Logan Redevelopment Agency to hear the bad news in a workshop session.

Kirk Jensen, the city’s economy development director, attributed the price increase to ongoing inflationary trends and to some surprises encountered by Spindler Construction when tearing down the north-facing wall of the adjacent Plaza 45 building.

“We’ve seen increases in the cost of steel and concrete …” he said. “That’s the lion-share of the additional appropriation we need.

“Also, when tearing into old buildings like the Emporium and the Plaza 45 building, we’ve encountered things we didn’t anticipate. Those led to change orders, weather proofing costs and additional support needed for the Plaza 45 structure.”

The good news, Jensen explained, is that Logan Mayor Holly Daines has continued her efforts to seek out private donations for the project and that may help to offset the additional costs.

Daines told the members of the redevelopment agency that she expected to have more information about private donations to the Center Block Plaza project at the next meeting of the City Council in mid-November.

Since the Center Block Plaza project was approved in spring of 2021, Logan’s redevelopment agency has invested more than $4.3 million in the plaza project, including about $1.3 million for the demolition of the vacant Emporium building and adjacent structures to the north; about $2.1 million for construction of the public plaza; around $400,000 for the portable ice rink; and about $440,000 for construction of an outdoor stage and an administration building.

City officials also requested another redevelopment grant in the amount of nearly $1.6 million for the remodeling of structures adjacent to the plaza to the south at 41 and 45 North Main Street.

But Daines has been working successfully to offset those costs with donors’ gifts now totaling $2.2 million.

Those donations include $1 million from the Jim and Carol Laub Family Foundation and Cache Valley Electric; a $200,000 donation from the Emma Eccles Jones Foundation; a $250,000 challenge grant pledge from the George S. and Delores Doré Eccles Foundation; a $103,000 donation from Peter and Holly Daines; and a $197,000 gift from the Cache County RAPZ and Visitors Bureau.

The more recent contributions included a gift of $100,000 from Apogee Instruments on behalf of founder Bruce Bugbee, his wife Diana West and Apogee’s employee stockholders; a donation of $100,000 from Ellyn “Kookie” Tanner, the widow of Bruce Tanner, the founder of Campbell Scientific; and $50,000 from the Measom Family Foundation.

Also in the good news category, Jensen said that the city ultimately plans to resell the Plaza 45 building “… at the right time to the right user.”

Profits from that sale will go directly to reimburse the redevelopment fund, Jensen added.

The members of the Logan Redevelopment Agency will like vote on the proposed $500,000 appropriation at their next opportunity on Nov. 15.

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7 Comments

  • Mark November 8, 2022 at 2:20 pm Reply

    Yeah!!! Waste that money Holly! Nobody wants this!

  • Craig November 8, 2022 at 4:02 pm Reply

    I’m excited to see the new downtown development completed! Lots of great things happening in Logan!

  • Spuck November 8, 2022 at 9:33 pm Reply

    $197,000 gift from the RAPZ fund? How is a taxpayer-funded organization able to grant “gifts” like this? Doesn’t granting RAPZ money normally require an application and review?

  • Aaron November 9, 2022 at 12:07 am Reply

    Holly is a greedy dirt bag that has destroyed our beautiful city.

  • Reavers November 9, 2022 at 12:10 am Reply

    Because the residence need their children playing at a water park while their parents be good little economic sheep and shop at those places that revolve around those that donated and approved the project.

    “The Center Project” how many business owners have close ties to the Daines and/or any of the other council members? How about those second story rental apartments? Or the chamber of commerce?

    A few businesses may have seen an increase in profits but its come at the cost of safety.

    The center street project alo g with 1st north are now bottle knecked due to putting flower beds in the places of right trn lanes. The new parking has narrowed the lanes and created problematic delivery services, as trucks have to stop and unload in the street. Not to mention that motorists can not see when backing up to leave. This has led to a few bicyclists almost getting slammed or slamming into a vehicle. To many motorists have very little respect for cross walks period, what mades Daines inc. think theyd have respect for that one? Ive seen people crossing as if there werent a care in the world, until they almost ended up a bumper toy.

    The center st & main, and 1st n. & main street lights are rediculously long for cross traffic, and those pedestrian buttons dont work, they make no difference in how long one has to wait to cross main street.

    Daines inc. recieved a 52 million dollar grant from UDOT and so far has spent $22 million on a special access overvthe Logan river for Adams investment. While the rest of the money will go for an underground walkway to Dell-Loyville that destroyed protected nesting habitat for birds including eagles on the Logan river. Yipee! Another MARRIOT, just what this city needs! The Daines and Wasatch group are but a few of a whole lot if worst things that have happened to Logan and Cache Valley.

  • Park Ave Promises November 9, 2022 at 12:52 am Reply

    I was told we would be getting speed limit signs permanently installed on Park Ave, but now they are all of the sudden “too expensive.” It seems to be all about who you are in this city.

    • Laurie November 9, 2022 at 9:03 am Reply

      Hey that money needs to be allocated to rebuild buildings that don’t need to be rebuilt!

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