May 01—Developers creating Energy Tower at City Center downtown have confirmed the project’s shift to two towers, amongst other hot button inquiries Wednesday evening.
William Meyer, president of Energy Related Properties, sent the Reporter-Telegram an email listing six questions and answers pertaining to the project ever since information about its design and construction have arisen.
Click here to read the Q&A with William Meyer, president of Energy Related Properties
The confirmation of the two tower design also included details about each tower. The first tower will be the office building with retail and a movie theater. The second tower will have a hotel, ballrooms, living space and a convention center.
The taller tower will be 22 stories, as opposed to the originally planned 53 stories. It is unspecified which tower will be 22 stories, though in the rendering, the western tower has a greater height.
Meyer explained in his email that the decision to re-engineer the project was due to the public reception of the 53-story design. That design was criticized by the public for being too tall.
Meyer also confirmed that the incentive package approved by City Council in September is still intact. ERP will receive $10 million in a 10-year period from the Midland Development Corporation and up to $50 million from the city and the downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone in a tax refund basis. This was another aspect of the project that the public, including City Council election candidates, have taken issue with.
And the last question and answer, an issue talked about the past few weeks after ERP sent a demolition proposal to the city, revealed that demolition of the city-owned former Midland County Courthouse will begin on August 14.
In the introduction to his email, Meyer said he thanked the community for its support and patience as ERP works towards revitalizing downtown.