Town of Mooresville, NC Request for Proposals 017-09-0005 RFP: Public/Private Partnership Mixed Use Development Opportunity September 7, 2016 1
INTRODUCTION Town of Mooresville. The Town of Mooresville, North Carolina, is committed to enhancing, preserving, and driving the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the community, its historic downtown, and physical resources. As part of this commitment, the Town is interested in partnering with a development team to construct a high quality, mixed use development on the municipal golf course that builds upon these values. PURPOSE The purpose of this RFP is to invite experienced development teams to enter into a development agreement with the Town of Mooresville, leading to the construction of a high-quality, mixeduse project which shall include a combination of retail, office, and secondary residential components on Town-owned property. The Town will evaluate proposals based upon the criteria in the Evaluation Criteria section on page 6. Responses to this RFP will enable the Town to evaluate and determine the firm that best fits the evaluation criteria listed in this document. All proposals will be provided to the Town of Mooresville Board of Commissioners along with a recommendation from the Town staff. An endorsement by the Town Board of Commissioners is not final approval, but it will trigger a period of negotiation between the Town and the developer for a development agreement. THE OPPORTUNITY I. Site Description. The potential development site consists of Town-owned property situated at the southeast corner of US Highway 21 and West Wilson Ave. (See Attachment A Site Map and Location). The site consists of approximately 12 acres (See Attachment B Site Survey) and serves as a key gateway intersection to the Town s downtown area from Interstate 77. The site is listed as Tract A on the survey. The proposed development site is currently part of the Town s municipal golf course property. 2
The site is currently zoned Single Family Residential (R3). The project will require a rezoning and shall be initiated by the Town. The Town of Mooresville s current Brawley School Rd. Small Area Plan designates the proposed site as Retail/Office. This designation contemplates neighborhood-scale retail and office uses that serve the surrounding neighborhoods. The US 21 Small Area Plan strongly encourages vertically mixing, multi-story development. West Wilson Ave. has been designated for streetscape improvements by the Town of Mooresville from the intersection of US 21 toward downtown. The project will impact the full length of this development site along that road frontage. Brawley School Rd. widening is currently being constructed by NCDOT from I-77 to US 21. Water and sewer utilities are directly available to the site. The site currently rests in a WS-IV Protected Area of the Catawba-Lake Norman watershed. As part of the site development, the Town is willing to negotiate and leverage neighboring golf course property for the calculation of allowable impervious development on this subject site to maximize development potential. However, the selected developer will be responsible for all physical infrastructure installation and facilities associated with storm water regulatory compliance on the subject site. II. Desired Development Team and Product. The desired outcome of this RFP is to identify a Development Team that has the demonstrated experience and ability to finance, construct, and deliver a product consistent with the Town s adopted US 21 Small Area Plan, the Brawley School Road Small Area Plan, and is compliant with the Town s Corridor Overlay (See Appendices section at the end of this document). In accordance with the aforementioned plans and overlay, the development: Shall be a signature, high-quality, mixed use development consisting of a high-end grocery anchor with secondary retail and office uses with second story or integrated residential uses being strongly preferred. Shall be constructed of high-quality materials and have a high degree of architectural design elements. Should be situated to have buildings, architectural/artistic elements, and outdoor seating amenities address the corner and street face and act as a gateway feature to visitors travelling toward downtown; including having parking and vehicular traffic concentrated to the interior, while having structures, pedestrian pathways, and visual elements brought to the street 3
Shall consist of primarily neighborhood-serving retail and office uses. Secondary residential uses in a vertically-mixed, two-story environment or integrated with the development is strongly preferred. Keeping with this design preference, incorporating age targeted residential uses for 55+ years of age is also strongly desired. Shall seek to strongly integrate with and compliment the golf course use and property. In order to preserve and encourage a neighborhood-scale development, the Town s plans strongly discourage stand-alone retail or office uses greater than 60,000 sq. ft. As part of the final development agreement, MI-Connection shall be the sole provider of all internet, cable, and telephone service for all uses on this site. Shall include a professional traffic analysis and proposed public realm improvements (e.g. intersection improvements, traffic lights, etc.) III. Site Ownership and Financials. For the purposes of this RFP, the proposed development site is fully owned by the Town of Mooresville with no outstanding debt incurred or liens in place. The property is offered for sale with a negotiated development agreement being part of the purchase. The current appraised value of the property is $1,040,000 as of August 15, 2016. The Town will review and consider all purchase offers for the site as part of the submitted development proposal. However, the Town will not accept a purchase price below the stated appraised value and will have full discretion on the final, agreed-upon sale price of the property. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Developers shall organize their proposals in the format described below. Please submit the requested information in appropriate detail to allow adequate review and evaluation of qualifications and plans. The proposal shall be no more than 20 pages. For confidentiality purposes, please send any financial information your team would like to remain confidential under a separate cover (see below Submission Procedures). Letter of Introduction Include a summary of the respondent s basic qualifications, experience, and reasons for interest in this opportunity. The letter should be signed by a principal or authorized officer for the entity. Proposal Program for the site, including the mix and scale of uses, as follows: Residential (number of units, average unit size, total gross square footage, tenancy [rental vs. ownership], amenity package) Retail (total gross square footage, target tenancy by square footage) Parking (number of public spaces and number of private spaces) Other proposed uses 4
Design Illustrative sketches, including perspectives Description of materials to be used and their relationship to surrounding architectural fabric Full explanation of how the proposal meets the Town s applicable Small Area Plans and Corridor Overlay. Development Assumptions Total development costs for project, broken down by use Expected fee on site infrastructure, and off site infrastructure Expected rents for residential, retail, and other private uses Estimated development value for the property. Expected financial returns for utilizing MI Connection for the project; measured in Revenue Generating Units (RGU). Financing Assumptions Expected amounts and sources of debt and equity Status of commitments from lenders and investors Development Team Identification of lead development company, including name, address, e mail, and telephone number. Identification of companion firms and roles, including co-developers, architects/designers, engineers, general contractor, marketing, and property management. To the extent possible, the respondent should list one firm for each role. If this request prevents the respondent from structuring a competitive contract for services, then it may submit up to three firms for a given role, with the exception of architect. There should be only one architecture firm identified on the team. Overview for each firm on the team, including brief history of firm, past experience working with the developer, and relationship of the firm s parent company with the office responsible for this project, if applicable. Identification and resumes of lead staff (principal and project manager) that will be responsible for negotiating a development agreement with the Town and completing the remainder of the preconstruction approval process. Describe the current workload (in percentages) of these lead staff in terms of location and status of projects. Description of key staff from companion firms, including proposed role and prior experience with similar projects. Experience and References Provide relevant development experience, particularly in developing mixed use projects with public agencies. Provide information on at least three projects and no more than five. 5
Each comparable development should detail the following information listed below: o Location and name of project o Scope and scale of development program (including residential uses, commercial uses, public uses, and infrastructure improvements, if applicable) o Photos/illustrations of completed project o Total development budget by use o Amounts and sources of debt and equity funds used to finance the project, including governmental sources. Please provide a point of contact for each capital provider for the project. o Contact information for a representative of the primary public agency in the project. o Developer s role in and ownership for each project (e.g., fee developer, equity investor, and/or property manager) Financial Capacity Prospective developers should provide: Evidence of sufficient financial strength to successfully complete a project of this scale. The most recent audited financial statements for both the lead development company and any investor responsible for sourcing debt and equity or guaranteeing debt. Identify any projects/financing on which the team collectivity or individually has defaulted. While not initially required, the Town may request additional evidence of sufficient capacity to undertake a development of the proposed scope such as: o Assurances that will guarantee implementation and adherence to the program o Bank references o Estimated project schedule with key development and financial milestones o Timing of obtaining financial commitments o Developer/Development firm s personal financial commitment to the project Disclosures Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest that could be relevant to this project in any manner. Disclosure of whether the developer or any officer, director, or owner thereof has had judgments entered against him or her within the past 10 years for the breach of contracts for governmental or nongovernmental construction or development. Disclosure of whether the developer has been in substantial noncompliance with the terms and conditions of prior construction contracts with a public body without good cause. Disclosure of whether any officer, director, owner, project manager, procurement manager, or chief financial official thereof has been convicted within the past 10 years of a crime related to financial fraud or to governmental or nongovernmental construction or contracting. 6
Disclosure of whether any officer, director, or owner is currently debarred pursuant to an established debarment procedure from bidding or contracting by any public body, agency of another state, or agency of the federal government. EVALUATION CRITERIA The evaluation of developers responding to this solicitation will be done to select a developer and project that is compatible with the Town s plans, will best serve public interests, is complimentary to the golf course and operations, and can be completed in a reasonable time frame. The following evaluation criteria will be used to make that selection. Proposal Responsiveness Developer Experience with Mixed Use Projects Qualifications and experience of the development team, with preference given for Experience with mixed use development (specifically the mix of uses in respondent s plan for the site) Public private partnerships. Long-term management or ownership of similar projects Compliance with the Town s adopted US 21 Small Area Plan, Brawley School Rd. Small Area Plan, and Corridor Overlay (See Appendices section at the end of this document). Inclusion of vertically mixed or integrated residential components to scale with surrounding development in the area. Demonstrated ability and timing to obtain funding to execute a project of similar scale and complexity in a reasonable timeframe. Financial benefits to City from the proposed project, including arrangements that enhance golf course operations and experience Pass/Fail Pass/Fail 25 Points 25 Points 20 Points 15 Points 15 Points The established point structure serves as a maximum for each category. Point values will be assigned based upon the level of detail and the degree of completeness, compliance provided for each item, and quality of submitted items compared to the other competing proposals. The Town reserves the right to call in to interview applicants, as needed or desired. SUBMISSION PROCEDURE Development proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on October 19th, 2016. Proposals must be prepared in conformance with the guidelines described under Submission Requirements. Proposals should be submitted electronically in PDF format to rahoward@ci.mooresville.nc.us. The e mail subject must be Development Proposal: Mooresville, NC. Additionally, six (6) hard copies should be mailed to: 7
Rawls Howard Director of Planning & Community Development PO Box 878 413 North Main St. Mooresville, NC 28115 Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered All responses are subject to public disclosure under the North Carolina Public Records Law. We recognize that respondents must submit financial information that it may deem confidential and proprietary in order to comply with the requirements of this solicitation. To the extent permissible by law, we agree to keep confidential any confidential proprietary information included in a response, provided that (1) the respondent identifies the confidential proprietary portions of the response, (2) the respondent identifies as confidential and proprietary only those portions of the submittal that actually are confidential and proprietary, and (3) the respondent states why protection is necessary. Respondents shall not designate their entire response as confidential and proprietary, nor shall they so designate information that is already public. Any information that the respondent would like to remain confidential should be e mailed under separate cover to rahoward@ci.mooresville.nc.us. The e mail subject must be PROTECTED: [Development Proposal]: Mooresville, NC. For information concerning the procedure for responding to this solicitation or clarifications of the terms, conditions, and requirements of this RFP, please e mail rahoward@ci.mooresville.nc.us. All questions should be relayed to the Director of Planning and Community Development. All prospective bidders whose intentions are to submit a proposal are required to acknowledge receipt of this invitation by email to the attention of the Purchasing Manager (dwhitaker@ci.mooresville.nc.us) in order to receive any addendums that might be issued. Failure to do so shall be sufficient grounds for rejection of the bid by the Town. SELECTION PROCESS AND PROJECT TIMELINE The Town of Mooresville staff will process and analyze responses in accordance with Town specified criteria, contact references, and coordinate interviews as necessary. After a review of submitted proposals, clarifications may be requested. Unless requested by the Town, no additional information may be submitted by developers after the deadline. The Town staff will score and rank the proposals and make a final recommendation to Town of Mooresville Board of Commissioners. Once Town Board votes to select a development, the negotiation of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Development Agreement will commence. The closing period for the 8
land purchase shall be within 90 days of the execution of the MOU. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the purchase price shall be submitted as a deposit at the execution of the MOU. The timeline for this redevelopment project are estimated as follows. The Town of Mooresville reserves the right to extend or otherwise modify the following schedule. If and when such changes in the schedule occur, notice will then be provided. The final schedule for development shall be negotiated and specified as part of the development agreement. Deliverable: Date: Development Proposals Due 10-19-2016 Private Developer Review and Selection 11-7-2016 MOU Executed 12-19-2016 Closing Period of Land Purchase Project Construction Start Within 90 days of MOU Execution Within 90 days of Land Purchase DISCLAIMERS All facts and opinions stated in this solicitation are based on available information and are believed to be accurate. Nevertheless, neither the Town of Mooresville nor any of their officers, agents, or employees, shall be responsible for the accuracy of any information provided to any respondent as part of this solicitation or vetting process. All respondents are encouraged to independently verify the accuracy of any information provided. The use of any of this information in the preparation of a response to this request is at the sole risk of the respondent. Those submitting responses to this RFP process assume all financial costs and risks associated with the submission. No reimbursement or remuneration will be made by the Town to cover the costs of any submittal, whether or not such submittal is selected or utilized. Any agreements that may be entered into between the developer(s) and the Town of Mooresville, including but not limited to a Development Agreement, are subject to approval by the Town of Mooresville Board of Commissioners. The Town of Mooresville reserves the right to reject any or all bids submitted, or to select the bid any part of the bid which, in our opinion, is in the best overall interest of the Town. The Town of Mooresville is an equal opportunity employer. The Town encourages historically underutilized business participation and has a commitment to good faith efforts to all that respond to this and all other solicitations. 9
APPENDICES The following appendix materials are available in the provided link or upon request. Digital copies of the survey are available in.dwg or approved CAD format. If further information or documents are desired, please send a request to: rahoward@co.mooresville.nc.us or cculberson@ci.mooresville.nc.us: Appendix A: Site Map and Location: See attached Appendix B: Site Survey: See attached US 21 Small Area Plan: http://ci.mooresville.nc.us/documentcenter/view/1552 Brawley School Rd. Small Area Plan: http://ci.mooresville.nc.us/documentcenter/view/2002 Town of Mooresville, Corridor Overlay District (Section 4.6, Page 4-22 of the Zoning Ordinance): http://nc-mooresville.civicplus.com/documentcenter/view/1234 10
Appendix A - Site Map and Location Site Location Downtown Mooresville Site Location I-77 11
Attachment B Site Survey 12