Let’s Call It Taxpayer Subsidized Parking

City Council meets tonight. The agenda includes more than a few items you should know about; read it here. Perhaps most interesting, two items related to our infamous downtown parking garages will be considered. First, where should the City employees park when City Hall moves downtown later this year? That is a timely question. More

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Nampa Idaho parking garage generates less than half the cost of maintenance

Minot isn’t the only town with parking garage headaches, but at least locally, we planned for private management and multiple revenue streams. In Nampa, Idaho, they successfully built their stand-alone parking garage only to find out their revenue assumptions were more than a bit optimistic. Follow the link for a dose of parking perspective, and

Read & Share   sourced from: Idaho Press

City Council votes to terminate agreements with Cypress Development

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t make this partnership work, but we need to be sure we act in the best interests of our citizens,” said City Manager Tom Barry. “We cannot waive the payment schedule the developer agreed to and make the taxpayers pick up the bill.

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City hires special counsel to assist with parking structure issues

The City of Minot has hired special counsel to assist with potential legal issues concerning the two downtown parking structures. The City Council approved on Tuesday the hiring of Dorsey & Whitney. The firm is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., and currently represents the City on bond sales and pension issues. “It’s time for the City

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Struggles with Downtown Parking Garages Continue

Tom Barry, Minot’s City Manager, give a candid and complete update on the status of Minot’s downtown parking garages at Monday’s City Council meeting. If you’re interested in having the best information on where the project is headed, Mr. Barry’s update is the first-hand source. You can watch it below. Additionally, following Monday’s meeting, Jill

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Watch the City Manager’s Report & Parking Garage Update

If you’re looking for quality information, the City Manager’s monthly report to City Council has quickly become an outstanding source. And with the City now live-streaming the meetings via their Youtube Channel, catching up with the information first hand has never been easier. In this month’s report, Mr. Tom Barry (the City Manager), touched on

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Downtown Parking Garage Update: Questions and Answers with Derek Hackett

Though we can now park in Minot’s downtown parking garages, the projects are far from complete. Seeing as they haven’t been in the news for a few months, I reached out to Derek Hackett,  the City of Minot’s Public Information Officer, with a few questions. Here’s the latest information. Question: Will we see construction on the

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Commentary: It’s time for a full accounting on Minot’s parking garages

Work is finally getting underway on the exteriors of Minot’s downtown parking garages. The City-hired contractor wasted no time getting to it, and it’s a welcome sign of progress. If you hadn’t heard, it’s going to cost the City approximately $573,000 because the original contract and drawings didn’t include the work. City Council was the

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Parking Uncertainty Remains: Cypress Development Parts Ways With Imagine Minot Architect

The downtown parking saga continues. Gary Reddick, the architect of Minot’s beleaguered parking structures and the more broad Imagine Minot downtown concept, has been released by Cypress Development, the primary developer of the projects. Mr. Reddick’s contract with Cypress was terminated just as another contract between the Portland-based architect and the City of Minot was

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It’s Open! Renaissance Parking Structure Ready for Cars

One of Minot’s embattled downtown parking garages is now open for cars. City leaders and project managers gathered Thursday afternoon to officially cut the ribbon. Work will continue around the structure as the commercial and residential space is built out.

Read & Share   sourced from: KMOT News

Fargo: Mixed-Use Parking Garages Being Considered

The City of Fargo heard pitches from there development groups looking to build mixed-use commercial, residential, and parking garages in downtown Fargo.

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Wells Fargo Passes on Cypress Development Bailout Package, Parking Garages Back in Limbo

A portion of the City’s recently approved bailout money for the downtown parking garage developer is in question after Wells Fargo chose not to loan money on a complimentary portion of the finance package. KX News has the story.

Read & Share   sourced from: KX News

MAGIC Fund Screening Committee Advances Cypress’s $2.5 Million Request

At this morning’s MAGIC Fund Screening Committee meeting, committee members unanimously supported appropriating another $2.5 million in MAGIC Fund spending to help get Minot’s embattled downtown parking garages completed. Speaking in support of the spending request were Pam Karpenko, President of the downtown business association, John MacMartin, President of the Minot Chamber of Commerce, and

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Area Voices: MADC Board Members Comment on Parking Garage Recommendation

Members of Minot Area Development Corporation’s Board of Directors and President Stephanie Hoffart share their thoughts on recommending more MAGIC Fund money to complete Minot’s downtown parking garages. Update & Correction: 9:15 a.m. At the time of original publishing, Mr. Olson’s comments were not included. Rather, a duplication of Ms. Hoffart’s thoughts were added in

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Minot Parking Garage Developer Tangled in Oregon Ponzi Scheme

Dominic O’Dierno, Asset Manager for Cypress Development, LLC and signatory to the MAGIC Fund application for an additional $2.5 million in funding for the City of Minot’s embattled downtown parking garages, is presently under sanctions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for his involvement in an Oregon-based Ponzi scheme. An S.E.C. Administrative Proceeding from December 6, 2012, 

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Cypress Development Requests $2.5 Million from MAGIC Fund for Completion of Parking Garage

Cypress Development, the lead developer behind the embattled downtown parking garages has requested an additional $2.5 million dollars from the MAGIC Fund to complete the project. Here are the details from the agenda for next week’s MAGIC Fund screening committee meeting. View the full application here. And, Mayor Barney has released his quarterly letter. In it

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