City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: APRIL 4, 2023 FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER WARD: 2 SUBJECT: RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT A $25,000,000 BUDGET APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY TO FUND A SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION OF THE CESAR CHAVEZ COMMUNITY CENTER AND ASSOCIATED BUILDINGS AT BOBBY BONDS PARK - 2060 UNIVERSITY AVENUE – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Adopt a Resolution to accept a $25,000,000 budgetary appropriation from the State of California and approval of a draft Grant Agreement with the California Natural Resources Agency to fund the substantial renovation of the Cesar Chavez Community Center and associated buildings at Bobby Bonds Park located at 2060 University Avenue in the Eastside Neighborhood, and approve the associated supplemental appropriation.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Adopt a Resolution authorizing acceptance of $25,000,000 from a State of California budget appropriation to support the substantial renovation of the Cesar Chavez Community Center at Bobby Bonds Park and authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to execute any and all funding documents associated with receipt and usage of this funding appropriation, making minor corrections as necessary; Approve a draft Grant Agreement with the California Natural Resources Agency as the administering document for the State budgetary appropriation related to this Project; and With at least five affirmative votes, and upon execution of a grant agreement with the State of California, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenue in the amount of $25,000,000 and an equal amount of expenditures appropriated to the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, Cesar Chavez Renovation Project.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
The State of California (“State”) in its Budget Act of 2022, as amended by Assembly Bill 178, allocated $25 million to the City for the substantial renovation of the Cesar Chavez Community Center. The State budget appropriation line item reads as follows:
BACKGROUND:
California’s FY 2022/23 budget included $25 million to renovate the Cesar Chavez Community Center inside Bobby Bonds Park. The Spanish colonial-era building, constructed almost 100 years ago, is managed by the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department (PRCSD) as a park and community center. The University Avenue structure was once University Heights Junior High School and was purchased by the City in 1976 for a neighborhood park serving the Eastside Neighborhood. The Cesar Chavez Community Center currently holds office space for neighborhood not-for-profit agencies, is a facility that is a community gathering place, and is utilized as space for the Riverside Arts Academy, which has offered low-cost arts programs and music education to youths for nearly a decade. Funding for this renovation project was strongly supported by former Assembly Member Jose Medina along with the Riverside Arts Academy.
DISCUSSION:
With the passage of the State budget, the State Natural Resources Agency contacted the City Manager’s Office with a request to review and sign a short Grant Agreement that would enact the budget appropriation for the Cesar Chavez Community Center Project (Exhibit B). An exemplar Grant Agreement is attached, and this form will be used for the final project agreement between the State and City. This draft Agreement will be completed by the State and executed by the City Manager utilizing authorities granted under the Resolution.
The Appropriation will fund the substantial renovation of the Community Center structure and outbuildings to accomplish the following (not a complete list):
Replacement of the original heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), electrical, plumbing, roofing, and major building systems; Hazardous materials abatement of lead and asbestos materials throughout the structure; Update building and adjacent outbuildings up to current building codes; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility improvements (restrooms, elevators, parking, path of travel, signage, etc.); Installation of broadband in the facility;
Reconfiguration of rooms and floor plans to support Riverside Arts Academy:
Creation of performance spaces from existing rooms;
Acoustic enhancement of performance spaces for multiple instruments; and Improvement of the existing the1928 auditorium as a performance stage.
The Community Center, now almost 100 years old, will require substantial planning and design work. All renovated buildings will be brought up to date with current building codes and legal requirements (ADA, etc.). Renovations of the Community Center and associated buildings are estimated to be completed in approximately 36 months.
After renovations, the Community Center’s major tenant will be the Riverside Arts Academy. The Academy is a not-for-profit organization that provides instruction in a curriculum that focuses on improving the quality of life through dance, music, and visual arts for youth ages 3-17. The program emphasizes discipline, self-esteem, creativity, and goal attainment. Current classes include Ballet Folklorico, Hip Hop/Jazz, Keyboard, Guitar, Violin, Cello, and Art. Of currently served students, 90% of families qualify for the scholarships and 45% are Hispanic/Latino descent. The Academy served 78 students monthly in the last quarter of 2021. Staff will return with a lease or other agreement regarding the Riverside Art’s Academy’s usage of the building towards the end of the project construction period.
The Parks, Recreation, and Community Services and General Services Departments concur with this report.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority 2 - Community Well-Being and Goal 2.3 - Strengthen neighborhood identities and improve community health and the physical environment through amenities and programs that foster an increased sense of community and enhanced feelings of pride and belonging citywide.
This item aligns with each of the Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The City of Riverside has identified the need for quality recreational facilities in the City’s Parks Master Plan process. The City’s Parks Master Plan outreach process gathered information from specific focus groups and interviews with various organizations and service providers in the development field, as well as residents of the city.
Equity –The Cesar Chavez Community Center Project ensures that all eligible persons receive equitable access to service and are served with dignity, respect, and compassion regardless of the circumstances, ability, or identity.
Fiscal Responsibility – There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund associated with this item. This item allows the City to utilize a State budget appropriation to build a recreational facility to create a neighborhood amenity for very low-income City residents.
Innovation – This item will allow the City to capitalize on new and changing funding sources in partnership with federal and state programs to meet ongoing and changing needs of low to moderate income members of the community.
Sustainability & Resiliency –The Cesar Chavez Community Center Project promotes a sustainable community and economic development and projects to encourage community engagement and resiliency.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $25,000,000. Upon City Council approval and execution of a specific Grant Agreement with the State Natural Resources Agency, an increase in revenue in the amount of $25,000,000 and an equal amount in expenditures appropriated in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, Cesar Chavez Renovation Project revenue account 9410200-334300 and expenditure account 9410200-462050.
Prepared by: Jeff McLaughlin, Grants Administrator
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Resolution
Exemplar State Grant Agreement
Resolution for Cesar Chavez Center Renovation Funding ● Page 4