Progress Report Archives

  

                     

                              With the 17th floor underway and scaffolding being removed from facade,

                                     viewed from the 12th floor of the Greist Building - June 27, 2008

 

 

                     

                                           Watt & Shand facade windows from interior - June 27, 2008

 

 

                     

                    Facing King Street,  from inside the facade looking towards Fulton Bank - June 27, 2008

 

 

                     

                         Ballroom Area, Second Floor looking through facade to King Street - June 27, 2008

 

 

                     

                                 Facing North on Queen Street, Stevens House and Convention Center

                                            with Marriott Hotel tower in background - June 27, 2008

 

 

                     

                                   Smith House and Convention Center Main Entrance - June 27, 2008

 

 

 

                        

                  View of Marriott Hotel Tower and Watt & Shand Facade from Greist Building - May 30, 2008

 

 

                     

                View of construction progress at Convention Center Main Entrance, Vine Street - May 21, 2008

 

 

 

 


February 1998

  • Penn Square Partners purchases the former Watt & Shand Building, which has been vacant since 1995. Penn Square Partners comprises general partner Penn Square General Corporation, which is affiliated with High Industries, Inc.; Fulton Bank; and Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.

September 1999

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority is formed to develop a convention center for downtown Lancaster.

January 2000

  • In January 2000, Lancaster County imposes a 3.9-percent tax on hotel room rentals to generate funding to construct and market a publicly owned convention center. Twenty percent of this funding is distributed to the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote Lancaster County as a convention and meeting destination.

March 2000

  • Thirty-seven Lancaster County hoteliers sue to dispute the constitutionality of the hotel room tax. For 3½ years, the Lancaster County Convention Center project, in effect, is put on hold while the hotelier lawsuits are heard in court. Total cost to the Convention Center Authority is many millions of dollars, including litigation costs and increased construction material and labor costs resulting from the delay. Penn Square Partners also incurs substantial costs, including maintaining the Watt & Shand Building, litigation, and increased construction costs for the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square.

July 2001

  • Penn Square Partners announces that the new headquarters hotel in the Watt & Shand Building will fly the flag of the Marriott Hotels Resorts and Suites brand.

December 2001

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority enters into agreements with Penn Square Partners for the purpose of developing, designing, building, and operating a convention center and hotel. A public-private partnership is formed.

March 2002

  • Penn Square Partners and the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority select Cooper Carry Architects of Atlanta as the project design firm for the hotel and convention center. The Convention Center Authority appoints a design-review board of prominent local citizens to gather community input into the design of the convention center.

November 2002

  • The initial schematic design of the project is completed by Cooper Carry Architects.

April 2003

  • Cooper Carry Architects is directed by both the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority and Penn Square Partners to redesign the project with a more integrated approach to using the Watt & Shand Building in order to reduce the overall project costs.

August 2003

  • The litigants withdraw all legal actions, thereby allowing the convention center project to resume.

December 2003

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority issues $40 million in bonds to finance its portion of project.
  • The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County unveils a proposed design for the Stevens-Smith Historic Site Interpretive Center. The Interpretive Center would complement and integrate into the design of the future Lancaster County Convention Center celebrated downtown properties – including the Thaddeus Stevens law firm and residence, the Lydia Smith Boarding House, and the Kleiss Saloon – that are symbolic of Lancaster’s rich contribution to our nation’s founding principles of liberty, freedom, and equality.

March 2004

  • Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell releases a $15 million grant to the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority to help fund the project.

April 2004

  • The Board of the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County approves a $6.5 million capital campaign to raise funding for the Stevens-Smith Historic Site Interpretive Center.

June 2004

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority and Lancaster Parking Authority sign an agreement to enhance downtown parking.
  • The Convention Center Authority and Penn Square Partners authorize architectural firm Cooper Carry Architects to proceed with revised schematic designs of the Lancaster County Convention Center and the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square.

August 2004

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority votes to purchase options on properties for the probable location of Lancaster’s new parking garage.

September 2004

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority votes to approve the purchase of properties for Lancaster’s new garage.
  • Cooper Carry Architects presents models of the Lancaster County Convention Center and the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square to the community.

October 2004

  • Cooper Carry Architects completes the schematic design documents and presents them to the construction managers for pricing.

November 2004

  • Pennsylvania Senator Gib Armstrong announces that a $22 million project shortfall has been filled, thanks to funding from Act 23 – a newly enacted economic development program – and an additional $12 million from state grants.

December 2004

  • Master developer, High Associates, Ltd., reports to the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority and Penn Square Partners that the schematic plan estimate of $79.2 million is within the budget set for hard construction costs.
  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority Board considers a motion to authorize funding the architect to proceed with design development, the most intense phase of the project. Expected to last four to six months, this phase will result in the production of construction documents for the project. The approximately $1 million of funding required for this phase would be provided by the Convention Center Authority and Penn Square Partners.

October 2005

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority’s Minority Business Enterprise/Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) Commission holds its first public meeting to inform members of the MBE/WBE community of participation opportunities and process for construction of the convention center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square.
  • The project’s first construction contract is awarded to First Capital Insulation, a WBE, for abatement of hazardous materials from the historic properties and the Penn Square site.

November 2005

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority Board approves the following agreements either between or among the Authority, Penn Square Partners, The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster, and High Associates, Ltd.
    • Joint development agreement
    • Professional services development agreement
    • Declaration of condominium
    • Condominium by-laws
    • Purchase option agreement
    • Governing letter
    • Escrow letter
  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority Board approves and accepts the financial statements presented by auditors Trout, Ebersole & Groff, LLP for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2005.

January 2006

  • The following were approved as Lancaster County Convention Center Authority Board officers for 2006:
    • Ted Darcus, Chairman
    • Joe Morales, First Vice Chairman
    • David Schwanger, Secretary
    • Willie Borden, Treasurer
  • An updated Agreement between the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority and The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County (HPT) is approved.  Among other things, the Agreement: 1) sets out the respective rights of the parties with regard to the remediation, stabilization, and preservation of certain historic structures located on Authority land and allows the HPT to develop the Stevens-Smith Historic Site through restoration and adaptive use of the structures; 2) provides for the recording of certain historic preservation easements; and 3) grants HPT an option to acquire the Swan Hotel site from the Authority under specific terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement.

February 2006

  • Based on ongoing discussions with representatives of the Commonwealth’s Office of the Budget, the Convention Center Authority and its private partner, Penn Square Partners, proceed with “Phase A” of the project, which includes all site preparation and stabilization of the Penn Square site.  Upon completion of this work, “Phase B” and the actual construction of the convention center and hotel will begin.
  • The Convention Center Authority Board authorizes the executive director to decline in writing the county commissioners’ request for participation in a feasibility study they (the commissioners) are purchasing from PKF Consulting.  The Convention Center Authority will not participate in the study, other than fulfilling any governing statutory requirements, because 1) a variety of previous studies have satisfied the Authority Board members in the past to vote in favor of commencing and continuing with the project and 2) the commissioners have not complied with previously stated conditions for participation by the Authority.

March 2006

  • Reynolds Construction Management Company is authorized to solicit remaining bids in the bid package.

April 2006

  • A license agreement between the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority, Penn Square Partners and the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster is approved to facilitate the expenditure of grant funding from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program of the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget.  This enables actual site preparation work to begin on Penn Square.

May 2006

  • The Highway Occupancy Permit (HOP) has been approved and received by the Department of Transportation.
  • Dr. James Delle of the Pennsylvania Archeological Research Center is leading an archeological dig at the Swan Hotel site.
  • George K. Baum & Company is the new financial advisor to the Authority.

June 2006

  • Construction bids are received and exceed the budget, due to a currently competitive bidding market, project delays and spiraling construction costs.
  • Because most of the bid overruns are concentrated in only five packages (masonry, glass and glazing, drywall, ceilings, painting),those items will be re-bid in the general trades package.  The intent is to encourage greater participation by small and large contractors to produce competitive responses.
  • A cistern and other historic artifacts are uncovered during the archeological dig at the Swan Hotel site across from the proposed convention center.
  • The Convention Center Authority Board of Directors approve and accept the fiscal year 2005-06 financial report, which was independently audited by Trout, Ebersole & Groff, LLP.

August 2006

  • The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority awarded prime contracts for construction of the convention center and hotel to the following firms:
    • Caissons: Shelly Drilling Company
    • General Trades: High Construction Company
    • Site and Utilities: Horst Excavating Company
    • Concrete: Miller, Long and Arnold Co., Inc.
    • Precast Concrete: High Concrete Structures, Inc.
    • Steel: Steel Fab Enterprises, Inc.
    • Roofing: Goodling, Simpson & Mackes, Inc.
    • Laundry: PAC Industries, Inc.
    • Food Service: HMAK, Inc.
    • Conveying Systems: Schindler Elevator Corporation
    • Plumbing: W.G. Tomko, Inc.
    • Fire Protection: King’s Fire Protection, Inc.
    • HVAC: Rado Enterprises, Inc.
    • Electrical: The Farfield Company
    • Telecommunications: Ray Angelini, Inc.

September 2006

  • The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County and the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority agreed to start work to stabilize and preserve several historic properties, including the Smith and Stevens homes that were part of the underground railroad.
  • Horst Hotels and Ephrata Motel Partners agreed to withdraw their lawsuit attacking the constitutionality of the Lancaster County Hotel Room Rental Tax.

October 2006

  • Workers began installing steel framing to maintain the stability of the Watt & Shand façade throughout the rest of the construction process. The beautiful beaux arts façade is measured with lasers every other day to ensure that it remains stable, protecting a key feature of Penn Square. In all, $3 million will be spent to protect this historic landmark for future generations.
  • Judge Joseph Madenspacher ruled in favor of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority by deciding permanently that the 2003 bond guaranty agreement was valid and binding upon Lancaster County. Under the ruling, the County cannot rescind the bonds.

 

November 2006

  • The Convention Center Authority Board of Directors approved a term sheet with Wachovia Bank regarding efforts to remarket bonds to fund construction of the project.
  • The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania rejected a petition by Lancaster County Commissioners Shellenberger and Henderson, as well as a companion action by a city resident, to hear their appeal regarding the validity of Pennsylvania’s Act 23, the Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement Program. Two lower courts had already rejected the plaintiffs’ claims regarding the legality of bond guarantees.

December 2006

  • The Convention Center Authority Board of Directors authorized the remarketing of bonds to secure the best interest rates possible. An “interest rate swap” transaction will be used to create a fixed rate of payments for the Authority’s 2003 and 2007 bonds, which will fund construction of the project.
  • At the public board meeting, the Authority’s financial advisors reported that hotel tax revenues were projected as sufficient to cover debt service on the bonds, to support on-going operating costs and to maintain reserve funds over time.

January 2007

  • The Convention Center Authority Board of Directors approved the slate of officers for 2007. They are:
    1. Chairman: Ted Darcus
    2. 1st Vice Chair: Joseph Morales
    3. Treasurer: Willie Borden
    4. Secretary: David Schwanger
  • The Board of Directors reviewed a proposed operating budget for the 2007/2008 fiscal year, which is based on balanced sources and uses for the project.

February 2007

  • The Convention Center Authority Board of Directors received an update from financial advisors regarding the remarketing of the 2003 and 2007 bonds, which will fund full-scale construction of the project.
  • The Board of Directors approved the operating budget and capital budget for the 2007/2008 fiscal year.
  • The convention center and hotel marketing team outlined key steps to achieving convention center bookings for the anticipated opening of the facility. Representatives from the PA Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau, Growth Business Development, and Interstate Hotels & Resorts provided details and projections related to current marketing plans.

March 2007

  • At its public meeting, the Convention Center Authority Board of Directors finalized a variety of agreements necessary to complete the financing package for the convention center and hotel project.
  • Based on balanced sources and uses and completion of all necessary agreements, the Authority closed on its bond financing, providing access to $63.92 million needed to construct the new convention center and hotel.
  • These board actions paved the way for the construction phase to move onto the fast track. The convention center and hotel are expected to open in 2008.