The City of Ann Arbor has issued a Request for Proposal (download RFP) for 415 West Washington. Ron Suarez, Ann Arbor City Councilman, is committed to having 415 West Washington become a cultural center. This real estate could be the last chance to offer Ann Arbor artists and musicians a space that would act as a commons to provide a shared performance and meeting space, in addition to creating the possibility of affordable studio space and housing for artists and musicians. Such as space could even be used as meeting space for small businesses during the earlier hours of the day, while artists and musicians could make use of the space during later hours. The Neutral Zone has created a wonderful “commons” for teenagers. Now we have a chance to create a Neutral Zone for grownups!
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5 responses so far ↓
1 Karen Sidney // Feb 18, 2008 at 12:07 pm
The cover memo to the RFP says the Financial Services Area has determined that 415 W Washington is no longer needed for city operations and is surplus property. What about all the greenway supporters who showed up at lots of meetings and asked that the property be retained by the city as part of a greenway, which would include space for the arts? Why aren’t they given an equal chance to present a plan showing that there is greater public benefit to retaining the land than selling it? Will council let the Finance department decide that the land should be sold rather than retained?
2 Karen Sidney // Feb 18, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Legal issues with sale of 415 W Washington
Sec 1.319 of the Ch 14 of the city ordinance says city owned real property can be sold when no longer needed for a pubic purpose. On 8/15/05 council passed a resolution stating that 415 had a public purpose for use as a greenway plus other mixed uses such as space for arts, non profits and commercial uses as well as housing. Since these are public uses, is it legal to sell this property?
3 Glenn Thompson // Feb 19, 2008 at 12:22 pm
The RFP, especially the evaluation criteria, seems to emphasize sale to the highest bidder. It is impossible for someone attempting to provide public space, low cost artist studio space, open meeting and performance space to bid as high as a developer wanting to build a multistory commercial building.
I would encourage the RFP be withdrawn. As it is currently written it discourages any non-profit from submitting a bid. It is also unfair to have a commercial developer spend tens of thousands on a complex proposal only to be told the city decided not to sell, or based the award on criteria that was not in the RFP.
Glenn Thompson
4 Carl W. Goines // Feb 20, 2008 at 12:26 am
This is a great idea. Planning to visit the building sometime this week.
5 Ron Suarez // Mar 3, 2008 at 5:58 pm
THE CITY HAS ANNOUNCED A DEADLINE - APRIL 24th, 2008
From: Rampson, Wendy
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 6:29 PM
To: Fraser, Roger; Miller, Jayne; Crawford, Tom; Postema, Stephen
Cc: McCormick, Sue
Subject: FW: RFP Announcement: 415 W. Washington, Ann Arbor, MI
We’re off and running! This was sent to developers who expressed interest in the project. We are also sending a letter to the Planning Department’s “Developers and Consultants” list, and an informational email to community and neighborhood representatives in the vicinity of the site.
______________________________________________
From: Rampson, Wendy
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 6:15 PM
To: Rampson, Wendy
Subject: RFP Announcement: 415 W. Washington, Ann Arbor, MI
Potential Proposer:
The City of Ann Arbor is pleased to announce the release of Request for Proposals #695 for the acquisition and redevelopment/reuse of 415 W. Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor. The RFP and related background materials may be found at www.a2gov.org/government/publicservices/systems_planning/Pages/415WWashingtonRFP.aspx.
The City of Ann Arbor is seeking a creative proposal for the acquisition, through purchase or long-term lease, and redevelopment/reuse of a 2.64-acre parcel of municipal land at the edge of a thriving downtown. The successful proposal will make positive contributions to the neighborhood and the larger community by incorporating elements such as beneficial uses, publicly accessible open space, flood mitigation, green building practices, preservation of historic resources, and a financial return to the city.
To be considered, the development team must demonstrate successful completion of urban infill, historic preservation or redevelopment/reuse projects and provide a creative and responsive proposal that addresses the site development objectives outlined in the RFP.
Proposals are due no later than April 24, 2008, 2:00 pm EDT. Submittals must be delivered to 100 N. Fifth Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, 5th Floor.
A required pre-proposal meeting will be held on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 3:00 pm in Council Chamber, 2nd Floor of the Guy C. Larcom Municipal Building (100 N. Fifth Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan). An optional site tour will follow the meeting.
Please direct your inquiries in writing to 415RFP@a2gov.org.
Sue F. McCormick
Public Services Admininstrator
City of Ann Arbor
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