Gateway to the Lake could undergo major transformation

By Nancy Hogland
If the Lake Ozark Board of Aldermen is willing, the Bagnell Dam Strip Association (BDSA) will be applying for $12 million in federal stimulus money that will be used to totally revamp the Strip and create the new “Port of Lake Ozark.” The board was scheduled to vote on sponsorship of the application at its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 26, after this issue of the “Business Journal” went to press.
According to Alderman Jeff Van Donsel, who also sits on the BDSA Board of Directors, the plan includes purchasing several properties on the Strip. It also calls for demolition and clearing of those properties which then will be landscaped, used for public parking, and/or prepared for other potential future development.
The BDSA’s plans also call for the historic “White House” to be restored and renovated to provide office space for the BDSA and other entities such as the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. A public parking lot with 60 to 100 spaces will be created next to the facility.
“But most importantly the White House will still be used for community or civic events and will be the centerpiece and focal point for future developments,” Van Donsel said, adding that the acquired waterfront property will be cleared in order to accommodate a proposed 15-to-20-foot-wide boardwalk with walkways and kiosks to the Strip, and to provide a park-like setting for public access to the lake. The shoreline will include public boat docks with up to 300 slips, a marina, commercial docks and a public fishing dock.
In addition, a portion of the funds will be used to purchase property on the south end of the Strip for another paved, public parking lot and to construct three large public restroom facilities.
“The BDSA also has plans to extend the city sidewalks to create a hiking, biking and jogging trail that will connect to other areas of the city as well as hopefully tie to the trail on Horseshoe Bend Parkway. It’s an ambitious plan, and while nothing is 100 percent, we feel like we have a very good shot at getting the money,” Van Donsel said. “In fact, we had all our paperwork ready to go out the door on May 15, the deadline for applying for the funding, but the deadline was extended until June 15 because the government felt it hadn’t received enough requests for the money that was available.”
He said the project met all the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as well as other prerequisites for the grant and stimulus monies – it will create jobs, increase sales tax revenue and greatly boost the local economy – and because all the groundwork has been done, the project is “shovel-ready.”
“We have met preliminarily with affected property owners and they are aware of the possible land acquisitions, and we have had no major hurdles or objections. We already have our plans established, so if we are successful in the application work will begin immediately after the awarding of the grants,” Van Donsel said.
Because restrictions won’t allow cities to sponsor more than one economic development grant of this type per year, the BDSA board made the decision to drop efforts to obtain the Community Development Block Grant, which was going to be used solely for demolition of several derelict buildings in town, and instead pursue the larger grant.
“We weren’t going to get enough money to take down all the buildings that needed to go. Plus, this will have a much greater impact on the city and the community. For example, Wilmore Lodge draws from 4,000 to 4,800 people per week during the season. That is indicative of the traffic increase that can be had on the Strip just with the restoration of the White House alone. The proposed new Port of Lake Ozark, which will enable us to tap into boat traffic via the public docks, will be the catalyst for an even larger boon to the area,” he said.
Van Donsel said the BDSA is also still moving forward with its application for funding through the Missouri Downtown Economic Stimulus Act (MODESA). That program, which has nothing to do with the recently created economic stimulus package, is offered through the Missouri Department of Economic Development to “blighted” business districts where at least 50 percent of the buildings are more than 35 years old. The money from the program is to be used for redevelopment of downtown areas in order to provide essential public infrastructure and create jobs. Under the program, a portion of the new state and local taxes created by a project can be diverted to fund eligible public infrastructure and related costs for a period of up to 25 years.
In addition, Van Donsel said the BDSA will also be applying for a Neighborhood Assistant Program (NAP) Grant, which will enable the State to provide state tax credits for up to 70 percent of the project costs to business owners and other donors who pay for renovations to existing buildings.
“We’re hopeful that will be incentive for the small ‘mom and pop’ businesses on the Strip to fix up their buildings. We’re not doing all this to get rid of those businesses – instead, we’re attempting to improve the whole area to help them, and the city, to prosper,” he said.