REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Design Services for Master Planning & Concept Design for Block 27 Redevelopment (City Square West) in Historic Downtown Chaska Chaska, Minnesota August 4, 2017 SECTION I – GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Background The City of Chaska, Minnesota, was founded in 1854 and has a current population of 26,500. Chaska is located about 18 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis on the Minnesota River, and is a developing community at the edge of the Twin Cities’ metro area. Chaska’s mission statement is “to be the Best Small Town in Minnesota” and its primary goal is to “maintain its unique, historic, small town image, and sense of community while supporting well planned, orderly growth”. In short, Chaska’s goal is to enhance community character through growth. Block 27 (City Square West) is located in Historic Downtown Chaska. It is bounded on the north by Fourth Street, on the west by Pine Street, on the south by Third Street, and on the east by Chestnut Street (TH41). For several decades, the site was host to the Carver County Courthouse and County Library, a two-story, Italianate-style building that proudly fronted City Square Park, until it was replaced in 1966. Today the site contains a bank, post office, and a mix of various retail uses including restaurants, laundromat and surface parking lots. The buildings on this block are primarily one-story structures, oriented more toward the automobile (parking lots and drive-thru facilities) than the pedestrian (streets and sidewalks). This pattern of development is consistent with their period of construction but does not reflect the character or development patterns of historic downtown Chaska. 2. Summary of Project Scope Chaska’s Downtown Master Plan (2012) identified Block 27 as one of three “catalyst sites”. The redevelopment of these catalyst sites are to provide for an identifiable concentration of desirable amenities that collectively create an economic “value premium” in the downtown. The $26 million dollar Firemen’s Park/Curling Rink/Event Center which was redeveloped in 2015 was also identified as a catalyst site. The Downtown Master Plan envisions the redevelopment of Block 27 as a self-parked mixed use site; containing retail, multi-family residential, civic and public parking facilities. Traditional storefront buildings that complement downtown’s historic character and scale are recommended. An aspect of the Downtown Master Plan, relative to Block 27, which has gained significant community and political traction is the inclusion of a major civic use on this site; namely a new public library. The existing library is located within City Hall (to the north of Block 27) and is significantly undersized based on the size of the community. The Carver County Library model is one in which Cities are responsible for the construction of the library building and the County is responsible for the staffing, stacking and programming of the facility. The City is interested in understanding the best way to locate the library and other complementary uses on the site; so as to maximize the mixed-use utilization of the block and to ensure that this block maximizes its catalytic potential for downtown Chaska, both inside and outside the building(s). 3. Supporting information, documents and studies The City is currently working with the owners of the block to conduct an ALTA survey of the block and to acquire preliminary soil boring information on the properties. The City anticipates that this work will be available prior to the commencement of this project and provided to the selected consultant team to assist in analysis and planning efforts. The City has a number of documents & studies which are relevant to the redevelopment of this block can be found at on the project web site: (http://www.chaskamn.com/174/Current-Projects - Block 27 - City Square West) 4. Primary point of contact and Schedule Questions can be directed to Kevin Ringwald, Community Development Director at 952- 448-9200 or [email protected]. All questions and responses will be posted on the project website (http://www.chaskamn.com/174/Current-Projects/CitySquareWest). • RFP released: Friday, August 4th 2017 • Proposals Due: Friday, August 18th 2017 (by 4pm) • Short-listing of firms: week of August 28th 2017 • Interviews: week of September 18th 2017 • Notify Selected Consultant: week of September 25th 2017 • Service Agreement/Contract Completed: Monday, October 2nd 2017 • Begin Scope of Work: Tuesday, October 3rd 2017 The detailed schedule and overall duration of the project will be coordinated with the selected consultant with a final completion date no later than May 1, 2018. 5. Terms This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) and in no way obligates the responder to enter into a relationship with the City. Nor does this RFP obligate the City to enter into a relationship with any entity that responds, nor does it limit or restrict the City’s right to enter into a relationship with any entity that does not respond to this RFP. In its sole discretion, the City may pursue discussions with one or more entities responding to this RFP, or none at all. The City further reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel this RFP at any time for any reason. All costs associated with responding to this RFP will be solely at the responder’s expense. SECTION II – SCOPE OF SERVICES 1. Existing Facility Assessment The City Square West site, in its current state, includes existing buildings and surface parking. Planning options for future development may include adaptive reuse of one or more of the existing buildings. To better understand the feasibility and suitability of including existing buildings in future development, the Consultant shall provide an Existing Facility Assessment. The Existing Facility Assessment should include, but is not limited to, technical assessments and findings for architectural, structural, mechanical, life safety, and electrical systems. Deliverables: • A summary report of the Existing Facility Analysis by discipline and any associated conclusions/recommendations. 2. Review/Input and Community Engagement: Central to a successful master plan and concept design for the City Square West site is the inclusions of project stakeholders and the citizens of the City of Chaska. The master planning and concept design process seeks balance and consensus based on the diverse input received from all engaged parties. Input received through stakeholder input and the community engagement process shall inform and influence the master planning and concept design options. A City Council appointed Task Force will be formed to meet with and guide the consultant team. Community Engagement: The Consultant shall propose and facilitate a community engagement process that provides an inclusive and organized forum to solicit community input as it relates to development potential at the City Square West site. The Consultant shall propose a community engagement process that: invites broad input and participation, supports consensus building among large groups, and has demonstrated success in similar circumstances. The Consultant shall at a minimum prepare updates after each Task Force meeting and disseminate that information to the General Public, Ownership Group and City Employees. The Consultant shall also synthesize the information received and use it to inform future Task Force discussions. Deliverables: • Assume one(1) introductory meeting with the property owners • Assume six(6) meetings with the Task Force to seek input, review of in-process master planning and concept design work, and provide next-steps direction to consultant team. • Assume three(3) presentations to Chaska City Council and/or Chaska Planning Commission as directed by City staff • Assume two(2) community engagement sessions • Summaries of additional/necessary public outreach activities • Documentation of input and review comments from each meeting noted above 3. Site Analysis and Master Planning The City of Chaska has completed thorough and comprehensive site analysis and planning efforts intended to guide future development through visionary, sustainable, and coordinated planning principles. In order to ascertain the highest and best use of the City Square West site, the Consultant shall review the City’s goals and guidelines for development of this site as described in the City of Chaska 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Chaska Downtown Master Plan and other relevant documents found on the project web site. Based upon the City’s planning vision/guidelines, the Consultant shall prepare a minimum of three (3) preliminary master plan options exploring the “highest and best use” of the site. Master planning options shall be presented and reviewed with stakeholders and the Chaska community. Review comments and constructive suggestions shall inform and influence a final master plan concept. (Note: Given the mixed-use intent for the site, select areas of the master plan should be considered flexible to accommodate varied uses) Deliverables: • Site analysis notes/diagrams if deemed necessary to supplement existing planning information • Three (3) (minimum) Preliminary Master Plan Concepts communicated through clear illustrations/graphics and relevant metrics (building areas per program, parking capacity, blocking and stacking concepts, etc.) • One (1) Final Master Plan Concept communicated through clear illustrations/graphics and relevant metrics (building areas per program, parking capacity, blocking and stacking concepts, etc.) 4. Concept Design Building