BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate Agreement A199473 with UP Gateway, LLC., or affiliated entity, for the construction, operation, maintenance and security, and ownership of a skyway connection from property located at 30 South 3^rd Street, Minneapolis to the Central Library; that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the Agreement and related documents on behalf of the county; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate Agreement A199474 with OPUS, or affiliated entity, for the construction, operation, maintenance and security, and ownership of a skyway connection from property located at 315-365 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis to the Central Library; that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the Agreement and related documents on behalf of the county.

History: United Properties, operating as UP Gateway, LLC., is advancing the development of the former Nicollet Hotel site located at 30 South 3^rd Street, Minneapolis. United Properties is proposing the development of a mixed-use project consisting of an office tower of 530,000 square feet, a hotel, and condominium housing units.

United Properties has approached Hennepin County seeking cooperation in the creation of skyway connections from United Properties’ development into and through the Central Library and across Nicollet Mall into OPUS’ development at 315-365 Nicollet Mall.

Under the terms of Agreements A199473 and A199474 United Properties will be responsible for all costs associated with the design and construction of both skyways, any renovations to the Central Library because of the skyway construction, maintenance, operations and security of the skyways from United Properties’ development through the Central Library and into to the OPUS development. The agreements will provide Hennepin County with the right to review and approve designs, specification and construction. Ownership of the completed skyway connections will also be detailed in the agreements. United Properties anticipates that construction of the UP Gateway Development will commence in 2019, with skyway construction occurring in 2021 – coinciding with the completion of development.

Current Request: This request seeks authorization for the County Administrator to negotiate Agreements A199473 and A199474 with UP Gateway, LLC. and OPUS respectively, for skyway connections to the Central Library. All costs associated with design, construction, renovation to the Central Library because of the skyway construction will be the responsibility of United Properties.

Impact/Outcomes: Approval of this request will provide for the provision of skyway connections from the UP Gateway development through the Central Library connecting with the OPUS development and the exiting downtown skyway network.