County officials are completely re-evaluating Renaissance Square, and they won't decide whether to move forward until April 2009.

At a public meeting this morning, officials said they've decided to slow down and take another look at the project, to see what they can build for the money they have.

They expect to submit revised environmental documents to federal transit officials later this year. They don't expect federal environmental approval until February 2009, they said at the meeting.

The county had originally planned to break ground in the fall of 2007. But that spring, officials became concerned about rising construction costs, said transit authority CEO Mark Aesch, and planners decided to slow the design process.

Although there has been public and media pressure for more information about the project, county officials decided "to go under the radar" while they decided how to proceed, County Executive Maggie Brooks said at this morning's meeting,

Brooks promised more openness about Ren Square. There'll be an electronic newsletter, regular media briefings, and more public presentations, she said, and a records access officer has been hired.

Brooks said that the project will still have its three components - the MCC campus, the bus station, and a theater - but county officials will evaluate what they can afford.

A total of $175 million has been committed to Ren Square, Aesch said, from federal and state governments, the county, MCC, and the transit authority. That's enough funding for the transit center and the community college, said Aesch.

However, the commitment for $18.9 million of those federal funds will expire in September of this year. Transit authority chief financial officer Bob Frye said the county will try to get that commitment extended.

At this point, $9.4 has been spent on Ren Square, plus another $5.7 million spent on planning the bus station prior to the conception of Ren Square.