Downtown Edmond work to cost $2.6M

Sept. 23--EDMOND -- Capital Projects and Financing Task Force members have recommended that $2.6 million be spent to make downtown storm water improvements and add side street parking.

"There have been some flood events in downtown," said Edmond Assistant City Manager Steve Commons. "We need to make some progress."

Previous downtown floods are the claims in a 2010 lawsuit pending against the city in Oklahoma County District Court.

The latest flooding occurred over the July 4 holiday weekend at Downtown Edmond Plaza, 100 N Broadway.

"The northeast corner of Hurd and Broadway was flooded again for the eighth time in the last seven years on May 23, 2015, and July 2, 2015," developer Saeed Zahrai wrote to Mayor Charles Lamb and city council and planning commission members.

Zahrai claims that 100 N Broadway did not flood before the 2008 city streetscape program was completed. He blames it on an engineering flaw in storm sewer and sidewalk design and construction performed in 2008.

In 2010, the city completed a $2.1 million regional detention area that was expected to resolve downtown flooding problems.

Zahrai and his company, XCESS, sued the city in 2010, claiming that on or about Oct. 29, 2009, there was flood damage in the amount of $5,345. The lawsuit alleges other flooding occurred June 13-14, 2010.

The city has denied tort claims filed by the plaintiff. Attorney Randel Shadid, attorney for the Zahrais, filled a tort claim with the city on Sept. 1 for $7,826 for the July 2 flooding.

"Flooded building because of negligent construction and maintenance of city storm sewer and sidewalk construction," the notice of tort claim states.

The city has 90 days to act on the claim, said Jim Mills, director of the city's risk management.

Shadid said if the city denies this latest tort claim, it will become part of the pending lawsuit filed in Oklahoma County District Court.

Commons would not comment on the lawsuit, only saying it is time to move forward on the project.

"We're ready to proceed with improvements downtown," Commons said.

The city will pay $126,350 for engineering design work as part of the

$2.6 million project.

"Engineers will determine the best route and how big it needs to be," said City Engineer Steve Manek. "All drainage will be underground."

"We plan to build a system to handle a 100-year storm," Commons said.

The plan also includes parking from the railroad tracks to Broadway and Broadway to Edwards.

"This makes me very happy," Shadid said. "It makes it nicer for everyone. I am very pleased.

"We just want the issue resolved and it not to flood."

The city plans to take care of the project as soon as possible, Manek said.

City council members will make a final decision on spending the $2.6 million supplemental appropriation for downtown storm improvements and parking at Monday's meeting.

The supplemental appropriations will provide an estimated 50 to 60 off-street parking spaces on the south side of Campbell from the railroad tracks to Broadway and on the south side of Edwards from Broadway to Boulevard. At the request of urban board members, city officials are also looking at the north side of Campbell from Broadway to Littler Avenue.

___

(c)2015 The Oklahoman

Visit The Oklahoman at www.newsok.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.