The Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency held its first monthly meeting of the year Tuesday discussing budget updates, housing, and an agreement with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). Present at the meeting included the Agency Chair Jimmy Dill, Executive Director Chandra Griffin, Treasurer Lloyd Franklin Sr., Secretary Lynn Guynn, and Commissioner Travis Martin.
The commissioners on the board approved the annual budget which was passed by the Pine Bluff City Council earlier this month. The next item discussed on the agenda has been a key topic for the agency throughout the 2022 year and Griffin gave an update on the layout of the housing development for 6th and main.
Griffin went on to say that she is working on acquiring a development agreement for those properties across from 6 & main. She said she has completed about 80 percent of the process to acquire the property by the end of this year.
In reference to the single housing, Griffin explained she is working with Faye Jones Architecture to adjust the design of the property to help cut down some of the cost of the development.
Dill Chairman of the Agency gave his thoughts on the progress Griffin has made with housing.
The next item on the agenda was the ratification of an agreement with UAPB to partner with them and the generator to provide internships with guidance for small businesses and technical assistance. Griffin explained more about their efforts to grow the UAPB incubator.
In Griffin’s report, she updated the commissioners on the go-kart track.
She added that they are hoping for that process to be sped up and she is anticipating to have the final construction documents completed by March 1st. On the subject of demolitions, the agency will begin the first week of February with a goal of fifty this year.
