Mayor Nickels announced a new plan today to speed up projects around the city to get people working. (The economy is apparently in bad shape.) One of the notable mentions for the CD: Accelerating the renovation for the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, which includes making seismic improvements. In November, city voters approved a massive Park Levy, and earmarked $2.5 million for the work at the building. Repairs would have started eventually, but — if all goes according to this plan — the construction should begin sooner than later. The City Council still has to sign off on the ramping up of budget decisions, even though all the money for all the work is already in the pipeline.