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HomeMy WebLinkAboutITEM III-ACITY OF BURN Memorandum WASHINGTON To: Councilmember Lynn Norman, Chair, Downtown Redevelopment Committee Councilmember Nancy Backus, Vice-Chair, Downtown Redevelopment Committee Deputy Mayor Singer, Member, Downtown Redevelopment Committee From: Elizabeth Chamberlain, AICP, Planning Manager Kevin Snyder, AICP, Planning & Development Director cc: Mayor Pete Lewis Date: March 10, 2011 RE: DISCUSSION - Request for Expressions of Interest for City Owned Parcels in Auburn Junction At the March 15, 2011 Committee meeting, staff would like discuss the potential use of a marketing tool called Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) that the City of Richland recently utilized for soliciting developer interest in mixed use development of City owned property in its Central Business District (CBD) . Please find attached a copy of the City of Richland's RFEI that focused on the potential lease, use, or co-ownership of its CBD property. Staff believes that the RFEI approach could be an informative and instructive method to further expose Auburn Junction to the marketplace, highlight the City owned parcels to this marketplace and gauge market interest. Staff believes that its use could expose both the type of developers and development that are attracted to Auburn Junction and help us focus future marketing efforts. Staff has conferred with the City Attorney's Office regarding the potential use of the RFEI and its conformance to the current Master Development Agreement with Alpert International. The City Attorney's Office has determined that the use of an RFEI is not inconsistent or violative of the Master Development Agreement. Staff has also consulted with its master developer for Auburn Junction who concurs with the use of an RFEI for the City owned parcels in Auburn Junction. Staff would work with its master developer in the implementation of an RFEI for the City owned parcels in Auburn Junction. Staff seeks Committee feedback to the following questions during the March 15th discussion on this issue: 1. What is the Committee's feedback on the use of an RFEI for the City owned parcels in Auburn Junction? 2. What objectives does the Committee want to see in an RFEI for the City owned parcels in Auburn Junction? 3. What other questions of information needs does the Committee have regarding the RFEI? AUBURN- MOKE THAN YOU IMAGINED CITY of RICHLAND REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST For the Use, Lease or Co-ownership of Property [RFQ/RFEI 2011-03 PLAN] at 650 George Washington Way Richland, Washington 99352 February 2011 City of Richland Community & Development Services 975 George Washington Way Richland, Washington 99352 CONTACT Sally Lim, Marketing Specialist City of Richland jschiessl@ci. richland.wa. us 509-942-7582 INTRODUCTION The City of Richland is presenting a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to potential users of property located in the Central Business District. The city-owned property is ideally located at a signalized, four-way intersection overlooking the Columbia River and Howard Amon Park. The Tri-Cities has been a top national performer during the U.S. recession acknowledged as one of only three metropolitan areas in the country with positive job growth in each month of 2009 and 2010 according to Garner Economics and U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics Reports. The site is being marketed with the intent to realize an urban-oriented product as we continue to revitalize our Central Business District. EVALUATION and SELECTION PROCESS This RFEI recognizes that there are several medium and small businesses interested in shared ownership or leasing space in a larger project. In a concurrent but separate process, the city is presenting a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from interested businesses in the possible purchase, lease, and use of this property. Respondents may be contacted if additional information is needed or to determine if a viable consortium of respondents could be formed to better meet the city's redevelopment objective of an urban-oriented, infill project. All respondents will be informed of their selection status. THE COMMUNITY Richland is located at the junction of the Columbia and Yakima Rivers in southeastern Washington in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Richland along with its sister cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland make up the Tri-Cities MSA (population 248,400). Richland is the third largest city with 48,580 residents. Originally incorporated as a small farming community in the rich Mid-Columbia Valley, Richland now focuses on energy production, advanced research, environmental remediation, and technology. Richland is home to the Tri-Cities Research District with over 7000 technology workers. The Research District is anchored by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, which boasts the second largest technology workforce in Washington State behind Microsoft, and the rapidly growing Washington State University Tri-Cities. Regionally the Tri-Cities is the center of the $3 billion Washington wine industry. WSU Tri-Cities is the home of the State's Viticulture and Enology program. The wine industry and agriculture in general, play an important role in the region's economy and culture. The U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford site has dominated the region for 50 years in terms of size, employment, and expenditures. Hanford's mission has evolved from 2 defense production to waste management and environmental restoration. The clean up mission at Hanford is winding down and as a result, one of the City's primary goals is to further diversify its economy and expand its commercial and business sectors. The City and its citizens are proud of the community's high quality of life, which includes higher education opportunities, outstanding health care providers and facilities, cultural and recreational amenities, and municipal services that consistently score very high in community surveys. Richland residents also enjoy a favorable cost of living and one of the lowest crime rates in the state. THE SITE The property consists of 2.04 acres of vacant land situated along George Washington Way near Howard Amon Park and the Columbia River. The property lies within the Central Business District, and is zoned CBD to facilitate urban infill development. Neighboring uses to the site include Jack-Sons Sports Bar & Restaurant and a professional office building to the north, Howard Amon Park to the east, and The Parkway commercial corridor to the west across George Washington Way. The CREHST Museum is located adjacent to and east of the site in a city owned- building. The City has an existing lease with the museum that recognizes the transition. The approximately 21,000 square-foot site should be considered as a future development site that could be made available in addition to the 2.04 acres. PURPOSE and OBJECTIVES of the REQUEST for EXPRESSIONS of INTEREST The city is interested in making the property available for reuse by interested businesses and organizations. The purpose of the RFEI is to: 1. Determine potential users for the property; and 2. Gauge interest in the property and identify those businesses or organizations that may eventually use, co-own, or lease the property. Objectives of the RFEI are: 1. To determine if the proposed users are compatible with the existing Central Business District zoning and strategic planning documents; 2. To determine if the proposed users are economically viable; and 3. To determine if the proposed users will capitalize on the site's visible location and make the best possible use of its adjacencies. Interested parties responding to the RFEI understand that the information they provide may be used in whole or in part by the city. Response to the RFEI does not legally bind the respondent to the city in any way, or the city to the respondent. Submittal Requirements for REQUEST for EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST Six copies of a submittal to include: 1. A narrative describing the proposed use, number of employees anticipated, approximate square-footage required, and any development amenities you deem important for your business/use. 2. Documentation that demonstrates the proposed use's feasibility and ability to be self-sustaining. 3. User's preference for ownership vs. rental occupancy. 4. Contact information, providing: A. Full name and business/occupation of all members of the response team; B. Name of primary contact person within the team; C. Telephone number, email and mailing address for the primary contact person. 5. Acknowledgement that submittal of information to the city is subject to certain transparency standards of public records. Written responses to this RFEI must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. PST on March 25, 2011, at 975 George Washington Way, Richland, WA, 99352; Attention: Sally Lim, Marketing Specialist. Response to this RFEI may not be submitted to the city via facsimile or email. EVALUATION and SELECTION The city will establish a review panel comprised of qualified persons to review the RFEI submittals. Following the city's evaluation of the responses to the RFEI, each respondent shall receive a written notification from the city apprising such respondent of whether or not the respondent has been selected for inclusion on the city's list of qualified potential users to whom a Request for Proposals will be sent. Schedule for Selection The city has established a definitive schedule to advertise, receive, and review responses to this RFEI. The city contemplates selecting respondents to this RFEI to determine its list of qualified potential users in accordance with the following schedule: ➢ Release of this RFEI: February 16, 2011 ➢ Responses to this RFEI Due: March 25, 2011, by 5:00 pm ➢ Evaluations of the RFEls Completed: anticipated by April 8, 2011 The top-ranked submissions will be asked to develop full development proposals. The above schedule is subject to revision by the city. Disclaimers by Richland The city, in its sole judgment, reserves the right to (1) amend, modify or withdraw this RFEI , (11) revise any requirements of this RFEI , (III) require supplemental statements or information from any respondent to this RFEI , (IV) accept or reject any or all responses to this RFEI , (V) revise the schedule to advertise, receive, and review responses to this RFEI , (VI) renegotiate or hold discussions with any respondent(s) to this RFEI and allow such respondent(s) to correct deficient responses which may not completely conform to the instructions contained herein, or immediately eliminate responses which are incomplete or unresponsive to this RFEI , and (VII) cancel and reissue, in whole or in part, this RFEI if the city, in its sole discretion, deems it to be in the best interest. The city may exercise the foregoing rights at any time without notice and without liability to any respondent to this RFEI or any other party. Responses to this RFEI shall be prepared at the sole cost of the respondent. Additionally, responses to 6 this RFEI shall not obligate the city to procure any of the professional services described herein from such respondents. PUBLIC RECORDS Under Washington state law (Chapter 42.56 RCW - Public Records Act), documents submitted in response to this Request for Expressions of Interest become public record upon submission to the city, subject to mandatory disclosure upon request by any person, unless the documents are exempted from public disclosure by a specific provision of law. If the city receives a request for copying or inspection of any such documents submitted to the city, it will promptly notify the requesting party (by U.S. mail) within five business days that the request was received and of its decision to either provide the information or deny the request. Prior to the disclosure of any documents received in response to this Request for Expressions of Interest, the city will notify the specific respondent that a request for a copy and inspection of their submitted documents has been made, and will postpone disclosure of subject documents for a reasonable period of time as permitted by law to enable the respondent to seek a court order prohibiting or conditioning the release of the documents. The city assumes no contractual obligation to enforce any exemption. EVALUATION of SUBMITTED PROPOSALS The City of Richland reserves the right to reject any and all submittals and to waive irregularities and informalities in the submittal and evaluation process. This RFEI does not obligate the city to pay any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation and submission of a proposal. Furthermore, this RFEI does not obligate the city to accept or contract for any expressed or implied services. Your authorized signature in the space below indicates your understanding and acceptance of the terms and conditions as presented in the RFEI, the terms and conditions of the Public Records provisions, and the terms and conditions of the evaluation and submittal process. Your signature gives the city specific authority to share your interest with other parties who may be able to develop facilities on this site to meet your stated requirements. (Name of Firm) (Authorized signature) (Date) 8