Here’s the skinny on the city’s Request for proposals and its maker connection...
The City of Knoxville recently released its Request for Proposals for the purchase and development of property at 1200 McCalla Avenue in the Magnolia Avenue Warehouse District. The city is hoping the property will be developed and used by a maker-centric entity.
Want to know more? Keep reading.
Who?
The City of Knoxville is seeking proposals from a responsible individual, firm, or team to purchase and develop the property. The city strongly encourages prime contractors to employ diverse businesses in the fulfillment of contracts/projects for the City of Knoxville.
What?
1200 McCalla Avenue is a 0.19 acre parcel with a two-story office building that is currently vacant. The building is approximately 6,033 square feet with the first floor at 3,154 square feet and the second floor with 2,879 square feet. The foundation is a concrete slab with painted masonry block exterior walls. The building is not equipped with an elevator or sprinklers.
The City makes no representations of any kind relative to the condition of the building, its contents, interior or exterior materials, or condition of the land on which the building is located, accuracy of plans, or any statement relative to this building at 1200 McCalla Avenue. Interested parties are directed to perform their own due diligence on this property. This includes property survey, deed research, appraisal, environmental assessment, etc.
Where?
The property has frontages along Willow Avenue, S. Bell Street, and McCalla Avenue. Topography is level along McCalla Avenue and then gradually slopes down to the rear of the site. The property has good visual exposure to McCalla Avenue and driveway access to Willow Avenue and S. Bell Street. Existing parking will accommodate up to ten angled spaces. On-street parking is also available.
When?
- August 3: A pre-proposal conference for interested parties will be held at 10 a.m. at the project site, 1200 McCalla Ave.
- September 20: Deadline for questions to be submitted in writing to Purchasing Agent. Questions can be submitted by letter, fax (865-215-2277), or email to powens@knoxvilletn.gov.
- October 11: Proposals are due by 11 a.m.
Why?
The City of Knoxville seeks to support diverse and local small-scale manufacturing businesses. Why? Because communities benefit when they encourage small businesses. They attract people to downtown and neighborhood centers, occupy vacant industrial properties or storefronts and rehabilitate them. Maker businesses provide options to minority populations and residents without advanced degrees. Small-scale manufacturing jobs pay salaries 50-100 percent higher than service and retail jobs.
Communities with a diverse set of small businesses can weather market changes more successfully and are less likely to lose their growing businesses to other cities or countries. They better diversity their local economies, the local real estate markets and the employment base.
How?
Prior to submitting their proposals, proposers are to be registered with the Purchasing Division through the City of Knoxville’s online Vendor Registration system.
Instructions for registering online are here.
The winning proposal should offer a fair market value purchase price and propose a project development and operating budget that is not contingent upon the approval of development assistance. (While the proposer may seek a request for development assistance, the city does not guarantee or imply that such approval will be forthcoming.)
An evaluation team will evaluate proposals on a variety of criteria including: the development plan’s conformance to the city’s goals and vision for the project site (40 points); financial capacity including a budget with funding sources (20 points); qualification of the team members and their experience with similar projects (20 points); development timeline, including expected start and completion dates and significant milestone dates (10 points); and purchase price (10 points).
Interested in knowing more? You’ll find the link to the RFP below. Let us know how we can help.