Title
Power District (B)
Explanation
The Power District is a unique 17-acre redevelopment opportunity of active as well as inactive GRU facilities located in Southeast Gainesville between Downtown and Depot Park. The CRA on behalf of GRU and the City is acting as an agent for redevelopment. To date, significant pre-development due diligence work such as community engagement, crafting the 2013 Redevelopment Plan, rezoning, technical studies, special events, and environmental analysis has been completed. As a result, in 2016 the CRA began a multi-phase solicitation process to assess interest of the private development market to partner with the public sector on the implementation of the Power District. The goal of the solicitation process was to identify and encourage interested private development parties, determine the market’s desire, approach, and outline the general terms of a potential public private partnership all while ensuring the community vision and core planning principles of the adopted 2013 Redevelopment Plan are maintained throughout the development process. With limited public resources available to fully execute the vision for the Power District, the public private partnership approach is being pursued to identify and prioritize market based projects that will serve as a catalyst for long-term sustained economic and community investments.
In April 2016 the CRA issued a RFQ (Request For Qualifications) seeking qualified developers desiring to participate in the redevelopment of the Power District. A total of three proposals were received from the following firms (1) Concept Companies of Gainesville, FL; (2) Cross Street Partners of Baltimore, MD; and (3) 1220G/Collier Companies of Gainesville, FL. All three firms that submitted their qualifications were considered responsive, responsible, and qualified by the CRA Board in July 2016. This approval advanced all three firms to the next phase of the development solicitation process of an Invitation To Negotiate (ITN).
The ITN solicitation was advertised to the three previously qualified development teams in December 2016. This marked the beginning of a multi-phased negotiation period between the representatives of the CRA, GRU, and the City along with each development team in order to evaluate developer concepts, proposals, and terms of a public private partnership. Concept Companies decided to not pursue the ITN and served as a consultant to the 1220G/Collier Companies team. Over the subsequent months, evaluation committee members conducted detailed analysis and reviews of the proposals and Best and Final Offer submittals in order to determine which submission addressed the Objectives outlined in the ITN of: (a) develop the highest-quality, most comprehensive expression of the Redevelopment Plan and community’s interests and objectives; (b) assure the timely completion of the project; and (c) provide the most significant financial contributions and assurances to the project and City. On October 2nd, the evaluation committee convened with GRU’s Purchasing Department to discuss and select as a recommendation to the CRA Board the most responsive and responsible development proposal.
The evaluation committee unanimously ranked Cross Street Partners as the most responsive and responsible vendor based on the following criteria as outlined in the ITN solicitation.
1. Development Concept: Is the concept in keeping with Redevelopment Plan goals and objectives?
2. Compatibility & Integration: Does it create a seamless concept that ties various aspects of the community together?
3. Public Benefit: How will the concept make use of local vendors, tenants and other local resources?
4. Project Viability: Is the project a financially feasible enterprise and a plausible response to the marketplace?
5. Fiscal Impact to City: How do the above impact the City’s financial position?
The consensus of the evaluation committee was that Cross Street Partners demonstrated the technical, financial, and management experience/resources acting as a Master Developer by not only outlining what they wanted to do, but also how they would do it through a public private partnership. The committee agreed Cross Street Partners provided a thorough understanding of the goals of the Power District Redevelopment Plan by utilizing and incorporating the many previously completed pre-development reports initiated by the CRA while also proposing a market-based redevelopment investment and implementation strategy.
If the evaluation committee’s recommendation is approved by the CRA Board, Staff would begin detailed negotiations of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and a development agreement outlining the specific terms and conditions of each vested party. Once the subsequent negotiations result in mutual agreement, a draft MOU and development agreement would be presented to the Board for review and consideration.
Fiscal Note
None
Recommendation:
CRA Executive Director to CRA Board:
(1) Approve the evaluation committee’s ranking for ITN 2017-022 of:
#1 = Cross Street Partners
#2 = 1220G/Collier Companies
(2) Authorize the CRA Executive Director or designee to negotiate a public private partnership with Cross Street Partners. If negotiations with Cross Street Partners fail, authorize the CRA Executive Director or designee to negotiate with 1220G/Collier Companies.
CRA Board to City Commission:
(1) Approve the evaluation committee’s ranking for ITN 2017-022 of:
#1 = Cross Street Partners
#2 = 1220G/Collier Companies
(2) Authorize the CRA Executive Director or designee to negotiate a public private partnership with Cross Street Partners. If negotiations with Cross Street Partners fail, authorize the CRA Executive Director or designee to negotiate with 1220G/Collier Companies.
(3) Recommend the City Commission discuss, review, and consider a disposition strategy for additional “expanded boundary” land to be included in the Power District.
Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Board to CRA Board:
(1) Motion that the Evaluation Committee go back into ITN phase and try to extract additional information from both companies.