CommRow cleared a major hurdle yesterday when the city council approved a 50-year airspace lease for to use an extra two feet of space 15 feet over a city sidewalk on Virginia Street to build a balcony as a staging ground for the world’s tallest climbing wall.
In a tense discussion with the city council, Leal laid out a project in possible jeopardy because of delays associated with a special use permit Leal learned he would need late in the game. Leal was not happy about the 10-year limit on the lease for airspace, citing it's "not logical to invest millions into a project that could be torn out from under me in ten years". He also wasn't happy about a provision that the permit/license could be yanked by the City with '"good cause" even though city attorney Marilyn Craig could not define what good cause meant because they "can't predict what would happen in the future in that area. "
Leal then explained that Entre Enterprises is entering their prime rock-climbing-construction season, mostly college and university projects, and that any more delays would cause him to miss his time window of construction. He mentioned his partner in Chicago was 'bent out of shape' because of the delays, and could potentially lose up to $500,000 if they missed the summer season.
The council understood his position, and after some discussion, extended the air space license to 50 years, which Leal agreed to, and also eliminated the 'Revocable with Good Cause' section of the permit entirely.
So I think that was the last permit-associated hurdle for this project to cross. Now construction can begin on the world's largest climbing wall, the indoor boulder park, hotel and first floor food amenities!
Yay!!! The city got out of the way and let someone do business! I'm excited to see this project come together.