Housing proposal clears first hurdle

A proposal to build additional homes on Barker’s Island cleared its first hurdle Tuesday night when the city council cleaned up language in the marina lease to restore less than an acre of land to Sailboats Inc. management.

The land was taken out of the lease in 2007 to accommodate a proposed expansion of the hotel and conference center, a project that fell through when financial lending markets dried up a few months later.

That land between the marina and hotel is back under management of Sailboat’s Inc., making way for the sale of three acres available near existing housing on the southeast end of the island. The land sale is slated for a public hearing today before the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Superior.

Jack Culley, a partner in Barker’s Island Development Corp., and chief executive officer of Sailboats Inc., said the corporation’s plan is to create nine new building sites on the island adjacent to existing housing. Three of the sites will be adjacent to the waterfront, on the site formerly used by the marina for boat crib storage. That site was relocated to the area near the marina’s service center in 2007 as part of the deal to release property for the hotel expansion.

Culley said the six remaining sites would be created adjacent to Marina Drive.

Barker’s Island Development Corp. is slated to close on the property in June if the Redevelopment Authority and City Council approve the sale.

According to the development agreement the panel considers today, Culley would pay $225,000, the fair market value for the three-acre parcel.

The development corporation would be required to begin installing utilities for the building sites no later than January 2012, with completion of all housing units expected by the end of 2016.

Culley said the type of homes – single family or duplexes – will be driven by market demand.

The authority meets at 2 p.m. in Room 201 of the Government Center.

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