Title
Approval of a Request for Proposal for the City-owned Property known as the Former Griswold Property
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Community Economic Revitalization Committee was briefed on the Request for Proposal (RFP) on June 13, 2016 and recommends approval of the Resolution and the RFP.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the recommendation of the Community Economic Revitalization Committee to approve a Resolution and RFP for the former Griswold property.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the Resolution to issue an RFP for the former Griswold Property.
Staff Contact:
Renée Sunde, Economic Development Director, Community Planning & Development Department, 360.753.8591
Presenter(s):
None. Consent item.
Background and Analysis:
The Community Renewal Plan builds on the CRA Resolution by identifying the first action: the redevelopment of the City-owned parcel located at 308-310 Fourth Ave E, commonly referred to as the former Griswold property. The Plan as it is structured is intended to evolve as new projects and actions are identified. These future projects will be added to the Plan through an amendment process.
The Community Renewal Plan identifies as the first action the issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a private development partner for the redevelopment of the City-owned parcel located at 308-310 Fourth Ave E, commonly referred to as the former Griswold property. Approval of the Resolution will initiate the process of seeking a private development partner to redevelop the Griswold’s property.
Request for Proposal - Downtown Redevelopment Opportunity
The City is seeking a qualified development partner who will fulfill the City’s primary objective to create a vibrant mixed-use development on the property. Through this partnership, the City proposes to sell the property to the selected developer and enter into an agreement for its redevelopment. The project concepts presented by the selected partner should support existing businesses and contribute to the social environmental and economic health of the community.
The subject property was recently acquired by the City to encourage the removal of blight and to further redevelopment on this critical block in the City’s Downtown core. The City is most interested in proposals that will quickly return this property to productive economic use. At the same time, the City is interested in the longer-term vision for the surrounding properties and views the proposed redevelopment of the site as potentially catalytic to additional redevelopment opportunities in Downtown Olympia. There are significant redevelopment opportunities on the subject block and within close proximity to the site with nearly 50% of the block currently used for parking.
Staff recommends that a screening process similar to that used for the Water Street Redevelopment Area be used to evaluate the responses and develop a recommendation for consideration by the Community and Economic Revitalization Committee and City Council. The Selection Committee will use the screening criteria in the RFP to develop a recommendation for City Council consideration.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Over the past several years there has been significant interest throughout the community in understanding the challenges for downtown development and the tools available to assist in the removal of blight.
Through the work of the Downtown Strategy hundreds of citizens have been engaged in an ongoing effort to plan for the future of Downtown. The former Griswold property is in the heart of Olympia’s Entertainment and Artisan Tech character areas and remains a significant blight in the area.
There has been much interest from neighbors in the initial stages of development of the CR Plan, acquisition of the property and development of the RFP. The objective of the CR Plan is to quickly return the property to productive economic use as is the objective of the RFP.
Options:
1. Approval the Resolution for the RFP.
2. Direct staff to modify the RFP.
3. Do not adopt the Resolution for the RFP.
Financial Impact:
The City has recently closed on the subject property with the intent of partnering with the selected development team for redevelopment of the subject property and to return it to economic use.
Attachments:
Resolution No. 2 - Approving a Request for Proposals for the Former Griswold Property
Request for Proposal Griswold Property