The developers of the stalled CityPlace project have paid the first installment of a penalty following demands from the city of Burlington.

Mayor Miro Weinberger wrote a letter to the developers, demanding a total of $200,000 to cover costs connected to ongoing delays for the stalled project in the heart of downtown.

Weinberger says Brookfield Properties complied and wired the money Monday evening. He says the next deadline is October 28th. That's when Brookfield is expected to give a presentation to the City Council explaining its plan ahead.

"What we're really looking from them is to lay out a feasible redesign project going forward," said Weinberger, D-Burlington. "There are deadlines that must be met by the end of the year if the current vision of the project would use it's tax increment financing district to pay for public improvements, and the public infrastructure surrounding the project. If that vision of the project is going to survive and continue, they need to start making progress immediately."

Weinberger says he's frustrated the project has taken so long but says it was the first step toward restoring confidence in the project.

According to the letter, developers owed the city $200,000 as of Monday. That's $30,000 to the electric department and $50,000 to the city of Burlington to cover costs associated with the delay.

Weinberger wrote that the developers are in breach of their contract with the city. He says they are legally required to pay to remove the concrete barriers on Bank and Cherry streets. If they don't, the city will do so, but the developers will be held liable to pay for it.

He also says developers have failed to continue construction of the project after demolishing the mall and parking garage, and he's concerned the city won't be eligible for reimbursement now that the project is taking so long.

City Council President Kurt Wright says the contents of the letter were discussed in an executive session after Brookfield presented them with little to no new information at a City Council meeting in August.

"They had left us unanswered questions on a lot of different fronts and they need to step up to the plate and give us concrete answers to a whole lot of questions that we cannot continue to wait forever," said Wright, R-Burlington City Council.