The Gary Redevelopment Commission on Wednesday gave its approval to two-year contracts with consulting firms in Detroit and Berkeley, Calif.
Volte Advisors LLC of Detroit was awarded a contract to run through 2019 to help Gary officials with issues involving project management and planning support.
Raimi+Associates of Berkeley will provide advice to Gary in the area of comprehensive planning services. Both contracts were approved by 4-0 votes, with commission member Marion Johnson absent.
Both companies will be paid a fee for their work ranging from $120-190 per hour, said Redevelopment Executive Director Joseph Van Dyk.
Carla Henderson of Volte said her firm will assist Gary in putting together a land use plan. She said the work is similar to efforts the firm undertook in the Detroit Works Project – an effort implemented in 2011 to improve the city's physical, social and economic landscapes.
"There are a lot of similarities between our cities, we think our experience is relevant" Henderson said.
Van Dyk said both firms will work toward a long-range plan for revitalizing Gary.
He said Raimi+ will address the actual land use.
Van Dyk said the two contracts will compliment each other. "They're like two sides of the overall project," he said.
Gary resident James Nowacki said he doubted the city gained much from the deals. "It's easy to spend money on such deals," he said. "A tougher thing to do would be to have a consultant analyze the results of all these contracts we have spent money on."
The Redevelopment Commission also gave approval to a contract with Chicago-based Harbor Group Inc., which will handle asbestos inspections and testing of structures the city intends to demolish as part of the Hardest Hit Blight Elimination program.
Harbor will be paid $272 for each structure they work with, and will not be paid more than $100,000 for the work they do between now and Nov. 1, 2019 – when the contract expires.