Grant Warehouse Redevelopment Update

In March 2008 the Portland Development Commission issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of the Grant Warehouse property located on NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., between NE Cook St. and NE Ivy St.  The RFP (#07-30) called for the development of at least 24 ownership housing units.  Six of those units will be affordable to households earning less than 80% median family income (MFI) or 100% MFI depending on unit size.  The RFP also required:

• A mix of housing unit sizes and/or types;
• A method or methods for preserving housing unit affordability;
• A project of high-quality design and construction;
• A Project that will provide pedestrian-oriented frontage and streetscape;
• A capable and financially sound Development Team;
• A project that maximizes the leverage of private resources, while utilizing no more than $2 million in tax increment financing (TIF) assistance;
• A project that meets PDC diversity requirements for construction; and
• A project that uses sustainable and green building practices.

On May 14, 2008, PDC received responses from six local development teams.  All six proposals were deemed responsive to the RFP and have been moved forward for consideration.  Those development teams and the tentative names for their redevelopments are:

• James Adamson (“Elements”)
• Mazen Alualhaija/Rob Tucker/Stuart Emmons (“Corretta Mews”)
• Wayne Armstrong/Rolanne Stafford (“Armstrong/Stafford”)
• Andre Baugh/Right Angles Development (“Eliot Place”)
• Jane Olberding (“IC34”)
• Vern Rifer (“Ivy City Homes”)

A ten-member Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) has been assisting with the creation of the RFP and evaluation of the proposals.  CAC members include project neighbors, as well as representatives of the Eliot Neighborhood Association, the North/Northeast Business Alliance, and the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Advisory Committee (OCC URA).  In the coming weeks, the CAC and PDC staff will review all six proposals in accordance with the RFP.  Due to the number of proposals received, a precise date by which the CAC and PDC staff will complete their evaluations has not been established.  PDC hopes to put forth a recommendation some time in August.

One the evaluations are complete, the CAC and PDC staff will make recommendations to PDC’s Executive Director.  The Executive Director has several options regarding how to proceed.  He may:

• Officially select a development team;
• Refer a decision on development team selection to PDC’s Commission; or
• Require additional review or evaluation of development team proposals.

The result of the selection process will be made public once an official selection is made.

If you have questions about the process, please feel free to contact the project manager, Karl Dinkelspiel, PDC, 503-823-1354 or dinkelspielk@pdc.us.

For more information on the history of this site and the Grant Warehouse:  http://www.pdc.us/ura/convention_center/grant_warehouse.asp

For more information on the RFP #07-30: http://www.pdc.us/pdf/rfps/2008/07-30.pdf

 

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