ADICA/DDA boards approve microbrewery property lease transfer

ALBANY — The boards of the Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority and Downtown Development Authority — which comprise the same seven members — held a joint meeting of sorts Wednesday to tackle a pair of issues that will have an immediate impact on the city’s downtown district.

The ADICA board met first to sign off on a quit claim deed that transfers the lease on property at 124 Pine Avenue — the property formerly known as the Art Park, which is set to become the site of a microbrewery — to the DDA. Once that business was finished, the ADICA board adjourned its meeting and the DDA meeting was called to order.

That authority immediately accepted the lease transfer.

“In order for this action to move forward, the Development Authority must accept delivery of the deed,” City Attorney Nathan Davis told board members.

Downtown Manager Latoya Cutts, who said a more common-sense approach to the operation of both boards is being discussed and will soon be brought before the Albany City Commission, explained before the meeting that the lease transfer is simply the next necessary step in moving forward with the microbrewery project.

“We’re behind where everybody had planned, but we’re taking all the necessary steps to move this project forward,” she said.

The DDA board followed that action with a discussion and vote on Cool Scoops owner Eric Culbreth’s request to have his monthly lease/rent payment reduced. Culbreth’s business is the only one among properties purchased by the city of Albany using City Manager Sharon Subadan’s revolving loan fund that remains open.

Board member Phil Cannon spoke on Culbreth’s behalf.

“Eric is an avid downtown supporter, and I couldn’t put it any better than he did in a letter to this board,” Cannon said. “He noted that ‘the big boys get something (from redevelopment efforts) and I get nothing.’ I support giving Eric the rent modification he’s requested.”

The board voted to reduce Culbreth’s monthly lease/rent payment from $900 to $300 on a month-to-month basis until “the market in the district makes a modification necessary.”

Board member Omar Salaam suggested that the DDA board set a policy to reduce rent on all city-owned properties in the district until full redevelopment efforts kick in to entice other businesses to go ahead and open in the district. Cutts, however, said the city is not really looking for renters.

“It was my understanding, and I do serve at the pleasure of this board and the City Commission, that the city purchased property downtown to encourage public/private partnerships, not to become landlords,” she said. “I suggest we wait for completion of our downtown Master Plan, which should be fully developed in the next two meetings, and then move forward as the plan dictates.”

Cutts said during her director’s report that her office, the Planning and Development Services office and the Small Business Development office are now working together to create a database for the growing number of inquiries that are being directed toward downtown properties. She also discussed plans for a Georgia Cities Week celebration (April 18-23), a second downtown family bicycle roll, plans for the city’s Fourth of July celebration and other events in the district.

File Photo: Carlton Fletcher