In 2005, the City Council was faced with a tough decision about the future of the January-Wabash Building which had been serving as a community center for a number of years. The facility was aging and would require substantial renovations to allow for continued operations. The Council at that time voted to demolish the January-Wabash building and seek out a suitable replacement facility with similar form and function to provide residents access to first-rate recreational opportunities in quality facilities. Since the January-Wabash Building was torn down in 2007, the City has been searching for a site for the construction of a new community center.

On Tuesday, April 17, 2012, the City Council voted to purchase the property at 1050 Smith Avenue, the former Good Shepherd Parish site, at the cost of $1.5 million for the purpose of renovating the building to create a community center.

Over the last few months, a Community Center Task Force, made up of residents and staff members, has developed a recommendation that was presented to the City Council for the use of the facility. The Task Force has recommended the inclusion of the following items in the proposed community center:
1.  Fitness Center 
2.  Meeting Space/Classrooms/Small Rental Space
3.  Gym/Basketball Court/Indoor Walking 
4.  Senior Center 
5.  Kitchen/Food Service Area
6.  Theater/Auditorium/Banquet Center/Ballroom/Large Rental Space
7.  Study Lounge/Computer Room 
8.  Child Care Room 
9.  Youth Center
10. Outdoor Walking Trail
11. Community Gardens
12. Locker Rooms 
13. Art/Photo/Project Gallery

You can read the Task Force's full recommendation here. 

On June 28, 2012, the Community Center Task Force hosted an open house at the facility to allow residents the opportunity to tour the site and give feedback on the proposed recommendations. The open house was attended by over 100 residents and additional suggestions were made, including:
   
1.  Indoor walking track 
2.  Outdoor walking trail/nature areas 
3.  Banquet/ballroom/large rental space 
4.  Café/restaurant/roving cart 
5.  Community gardens 

The City Council will be working over the weeks leading up to the election to develop a specific plan for renovations using the recommendations made by the Community Center Task Force and the input from the community. The Council will attempt to include as many of the recommendations as possible while working within the established $3.5 million renovation budget.

A second open house will be held at the site on Thursday, August 2, 2012 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The proposed layout of the facility will be presented, there will be an opportunity to ask additional questions, and the facility will be open for site tours. The initial layout that will be presented is subject to change as the Council progresses through the design process. To see the proposed site plan in PDF format, click here (it is a large file and may take additional time to download).

When will the Community Center be open to the public?
There are renovations that need to be completed to the facility to convert the structure to the City’s desired uses, improve HVAC and electrical systems, and to comply with current Codes. The design and construction is estimated to be completed in early 2014 with the facility to be open for use in Spring of 2014.

How much will the renovations to the facility cost?
Initial estimates for the renovations are approximately $3.5 million which includes the required equipment and fixtures to operate the facility as a Community Center. The City plans to issue Certificates of Participation Bonds which will be used to finance the $3.5 million renovation costs and the facility purchase price of $1.5 million over a period of twenty years. The debt service payment will be approximately $350,000 per year of the $646,000 to be raised by Proposition C. 

What happens if Proposition C does not pass?
If Proposition C does not pass on August 7, 2012, the City will be unable to fund the conversion of the facility to a Community Center.

Will the tax levy increase sunset after the Certificates of Participation Bonds are paid off?
The tax levy increase will remain in perpetuity and will be used to fund the operation of the facility. Costs of operation include utilities for the building, routine building maintenance, and salaries for additional Parks and Recreation staff that will be needed to run the facility. Future upgrades to the facility structure, fixtures, and equipment will also be needed throughout the life of the Center.  This tax revenue will help the City afford to keep the center viable and up-to-date.

Will there be an additional fee for residents to use the facility?
Specific programming and cost policies have not been established, but there may be a yearly membership fee for use of certain specific areas of the facility. The fees might be necessary to support the operations of the facility on an ongoing basis and ensure that funds are available to maintain the amenities.  

Proposition C is intended to provide the financial means necessary for the City to complete renovations on 1050 Smith Avenue for the purpose of a community center.  The levy will also provide support for the operating expenses of the facility on an ongoing basis.  

• Total estimated cost of proposed renovations to the property are expected to  be $3.5  million based on the initial engineering estimates.  The cost of the renovations may increase due to additional site needs which may be identified through the design process.  With the $1.5 million purchase price, the total cost for the Community Center is anticipated to be $5 million.  
• The City plans to issue $5 million of Certificates of Participation Bonds early in January 2013, at a rate of about 3.5% for a period of 20 years.  The annual debt service on this amount would be about $350,000.
• The total revenue generated by Proposition C would be approximately $646,000/year.  $350,000 of that total would fund the debt service, the remainder would fund the operating expenses of the center.
• The average property tax increase per residence would be about $44/year based on a median home value  in the City of Ferguson of $66,000.

On August 7, 2012, voters will go to the polls to vote on whether or not to approve Proposition C, a tax levy increase to support a community center at 1050 Smith Avenue.

City	Current Average Commercial Tax Rate	Current Average Residential Tax Rate	For a house with a market value of $66,000, the taxes per year are…
Ferguson	8.5245	8.5804	$ 1,075.98
Berkeley	11.0078	8.5804	$ 1,075.98
Florissant	10.4220	9.3736	$ 1,175.45
Calverton Park	8.9595	8.9884	$ 1,127.15
Cool Valley	9.7583	9.6562	$ 1,210.89
Dellwood	9.9558	10.0175	$ 1,256.19
Bridgeton	8.6890	10.5085	$ 1,317.77
Unincorporated St. Louis County	10.6162	10.5245	$ 1,319.77
If Proposition C passes…
Ferguson	8.8745	8.9304	$ 1,119.87

Do you have a question about Proposition C that wasn't answered above?  CLICK HERE to fill out a form, and someone from the city will get back to you with a response as soon as possible.