Sound Transit released a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the Capitol Hill Station Sites Planning project on January 31 for their property near the corner of Denny and Broadway. (See Sound Transit’s e-bid site for more detail (log in required)). Responses are due on March 24. This RFQ is the result of several years of collaboration between the community, Sound Transit, and the City of Seattle.
There are three Sound Transit properties near the Capitol Hill light rail station area that will be developed under the development agreement. One of the sites will be an affordable housing development that will likely be funded, at least in part, by the Office of Housing. Other community priorities for the sites include space for the Broadway Farmers Market, cultural center space, neighborhood retail, a public plaza, and pedestrian and bicycle friendly streets and connections. Developers who are qualified, based on previous development experience, and are financially capable of building projects that meet both the development agreement and Sound Transit’s requirements will be invited to provide proposals for the agency’s three sites.
Sound Transit will review the RFQ responses to select the development teams. They will then release a request for proposals to the selected teams to begin evaluating how design concepts will achieve community benefits and meet the development agreement and Sound Transit requirements. Financial feasibility will also be a strong component of Sound Transit’s evaluation to ensure that projects will be built and will continue operation as planned. Sound Transit expects to select the final proposals by the end of the year, with the hope construction will start in 2016. Light-rail operations, including the Capitol Hill station, are currently scheduled to begin in the spring of 2016.
The next steps for the RFQ process include an opportunity for the selected developers to discuss their plans with the community and to solicit feedback accordingly. The Capitol Hill Champion and Sound Transit will co-host this event, which is tentatively scheduled for early June. Details regarding the event, including the location and the agenda, will be provided once a date has been set.
For more information about the Capitol Hill Station Sites Planning project, visit our website: http://seattle.gov/dpd/cityplanning/completeprojectslist/
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For more information about the RFQ process, visit the Capitol Hill Champion’s Developer Portal.