RFP for Redevelopment of the Former State Supreme Court Site in Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - July 18, 2016 - PRLog -- The City of Knoxville is requesting proposals for a unique opportunity to redevelop an entire city block in downtown Knoxville. The 1.97 acre former State Supreme Court site, located at 719 Locust Avenue, offers a rare chance to be a part of bringing the best in urban living experience to downtown Knoxville. The site sits on the western edge of the CBID and is proximate to a number of hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues, as well as the Knoxville Convention Center.

The site is improved with a building that has 52,776 square feet of gross building area and 36,375 square feet of net rentable area consisting of office and courtroom space. It is estimated that these improvements were constructed in 1952 to 1953. Over half of the lot serves as a surface parking lot to support the facility. The building has now been vacant for close to a decade while state employees continue to use the surface lot for parking.

The City envisions market rate housing, retail and hospitality developments with related amenities such as an urban landscape, and public use spaces where appropriate. The City is seeking a creative, qualified, and experienced developer to cement the City's efforts to create a vibrant, thriving downtown experience.

This site can establish a transformational anchor to an emerging cultural district that ultimately attracts a large and diverse group of residents and visitors to the heart of the city. To seize this incredible potential, this development should create a sense of place that is attractive to residents seeking an exciting urban lifestyle, while building on Knoxville's unique historic fabric and growing downtown culture. Advancing the City's goals will require a development that offers a mix of uses, street level vitality, urban density, and animated character to make a significant contribution toward promoting downtown as a lively live/work/play environment and growing visitor destination.

Proposals, in part, will be judged on the degree to which the proposed uses and overall development scheme conform to the goals and vision for the site, as detailed below:

• Create street-level activity, with a mix of commercial and retail spaces that will contain all of the elements of a modern urban experience and will cater to a population that prefers a walkable neighborhood;
• The City welcomes greater density and has not prescribed a maximum amount of development;
• Develop an architecturally significant building or buildings that will make a strong and positive contribution to the culture and environment of the downtown area.
• Excellence in design of building, building materials, site amenities, and all design aspects are highly desired;
• Plan for the property to achieve its highest and best use, strengthening the area's equalized assessed valuation and sales tax base;
• Create architecturally significant housing (housing solely geared toward college students is not preferred);
• Line the streets of the site with commercial uses;
• Preserve portions of the original Supreme Court courtroom or reuse materials original to the Courthouse;
• Create street-level amenities promoting walkability for pedestrians and, if applicable, pedestrian and bicycle paths;
• Address structured parking and building services from an internal access point, limiting exposure to surrounding public streets;
• Advance a variety of transportation by encouraging walking, biking and transit ridership;
• Provide bike parking and changing/shower facilities for those biking to the site;
• Make available maps and information about alternative transportation options;
• Address City sustainability goals;
• Consider providing cultural, institutional, and other uses that enhance downtown Knoxville as a regional destination.

Proposals are due 10-10-2016

View and download this RFP at https://brownfieldlistings.com/listings/view/566/rfps

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