The Tuscaloosa City Council met Tuesday to approve beverage licenses, authorize a request for proposals to acquire the former Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA and the adjacent property, and set a date for a public hearing to consider Zoning Amendment 1531 which will affect .16 acres at 1300 Paul Bryant Drive.
There was an interruption in voting by Councilor Lee Busby to make a comment regarding the acquisition of the former Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA and the adjacent property. Busby said that his understanding of the proposal was that the council was open to hearing ideas from the community about what they would like to see done with the property.
Tip Kyner, president of the city council, said that the land was bought with federal money, meaning the city must put out a request for proposal before the land can be sold or change usage.
“I want all of the constituents to know that we are working diligently to do all we can to receive proposals that will do something positive for that building, that area, that site,” Councilor Matthew Wilson said.
The council voted to table discussions regarding Party Down LLC’s ABC applications for special events retail licenses for various game days this fall until Sept. 10.
A public works contract was tentatively awarded to Britt Demolition and Recycling, Inc. for the Saban Center Mass Demolition Package Project. The contract is worth $396,000 in total.
Other minor public works contracts were also awarded on Tuesday, these totaling over $24,000.
The council also voted to authorize Mayor Walt Maddox to execute a renewal of the license agreement from The Department of the Army for the River Walk/River Market Site.
