Downtown Development Authority Board Meeting 10/7/26

The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority Board met on October 7, 2026, and approved a professional services agreement with Wade Trim Associates for engineering design of the North Main Street project. The board also approved a cost-share agreement with the City Parks Department for a Farmers Market visioning study, with the DDA’s share set at $248,000. The consent agenda included a $4,300 DDA contingency contribution to close out the North Main study cost-share agreement. An RFP has been issued for the 721 North Main project, and staff are preparing an RFP for a North Main Alley study; no amount for the Wade Trim agreement or the RFPs was stated.

Staff reported construction schedule issues, including delayed transit-shelter fabrication for the 4th Avenue project and delays to the Ann Street and North 4th projects after DTE installed a gas main in the wrong location. A public commenter raised concerns about bicycle parking, a missing street tree, sidewalk landscaping, and access to an unarmed crisis response team. No additional procurement actions were reported on those matters.