Telephone Hill Development Feasibility

Overview and Purpose : The City and Borough of Juneau, (City or CBJ), Finance Department, Purchasing Division, is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) at the request of the CBJ Managers Office. CBJ is interested in the redevelopment of approximately two (2.0) acres in downtown Juneau to provide sustainable, mixed-income housing to meet the local needs as noted in the 2023 Telephone Hill Place Guide (EXHIBIT 1) and the 2016 CBJ Housing Action Plan (EXHIBIT 2). CBJ is seeking responses from qualified developers with proven experience in providing communities with high-density housing given the following goals for development: CBJ seeks information from qualified developers with proven experience in providing communities with high-density housing given the following goals for development: Create affordable housing, defined as 80% Area Median Income (AMI). Create or preserve open space and recreation areas for the local community. Developing in a downtown, urban area with little free space and additional public safety requirements. Attractive to mixed-income groups including the local workforce and senior population. RFI Process : CBJ will present responses to this RFI to the Juneau Assembly. Information provided will supply necessary data for the Assembly to discuss potential incentives that could be offered to encourage and support development in the Telephone Hill area. A response does not bind or obligate the responder or the City and Borough of Juneau to any agreement. There will be no contract awarded to any Proposer who responds to this request. Using information supplied by this request, CBJ may or may not choose to move forward with a formal procurement process to be determined, which would include any incentives. In no way does submittal of information pursuant to the request for information give any Proposer any advantage in any future solicitation. Upon conclusion of the RFI, Proposers may be contacted to discuss responses in greater detail or to clarify responses. Note: Any material submitted to CBJ may be used to develop a future solicitation and must not contain proprietary or confidential information . Pre-Proposal Meeting : A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held January 7, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. via teleconference. To attend, call +1 (555) 000-0000 Participation ID Code 748914. Vendors interested in submitting proposals should email CBJ Purchasing at contact@example.gov a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled meeting to provide notice of participation and submit any questions. About Juneau : Located in the panhandle of Southeastern Alaska, on the traditional land of the Tlingit people, the City and Borough of Juneau consists of 3,250 square miles and is only accessible by air or sea. Juneau is Alaska’s capital and has a population of approximately 31,000 people. Juneau is a major cruise port and is due to welcome nearly 1.67 million cruise visitors in 2023. Juneau is a temperate rainforest and receives around 92 inches of annual precipitation. For more details on a what a unique place Juneau is, visit the CBJ’s Website . Project Information : Acquired Land from the State of Alaska In 1984, the CBJ and the State of Alaska (SOA), through Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), entered into a Cooperative Use Agreement for the Telephone Hill property in which CBJ provided $2M for the State’s purchase of the Telephone Hill properties for possible location for a new State Capitol. This agreement was amended in 2008 for CBJ to build the parking garage and transit center. In June 2019, Governor Dunleavy’s staff listed the Telephone Hill property as excess to the States’ needs and potentially available for transfer from the SOA to foster economic redevelopment. CBJ worked with the Dunleavy Administration and the Alaska Legislature, resulting in the authorization to transfer the property to CBJ during the 2022 Legislative session. The property was conveyed from the SOA to the CBJ on March 21, 2023 Juneau Affordable Housing Fund In 2024, the CBJ Assembly made $4M available for use by for-profit and non-profit organizations, public and regional housing authorities, and tribal governments, interested in the creation of very low-, low-, and middle-income housing in the City and Borough of Juneau. Redevelopment Area. Located in Downtown Juneau, Telephone Hill is a bedrock hill that is optimally situated from all directions and within walking distance to stores, shops, entertainment centers, transportation, and over five thousand (5,000) jobs. The site is approximately two (2.0) acres of mixed-use zoned land that currently has seven (7) single-family homes, all of which are in fair to poor condition. There is also a surface parking lot that is utilized by the SOA employees who work in the Capitol Building. Bordering the site are the following neighborhoods: North: Directly to the north of Telephone Hill sits the Alaska State Office Building. Built in 1974, this 11-story building is nestled into the bedrock face of Telephone Hill and is the workspace for approximately 1,500 Alaska State workers. East: Telephone Hill’s lone access road, W. Third Street, connects into Main Street to the east. A 3-floor parking garage that provides SOA employee parking is located at the southeast face of the hill. The Downtown Historic District is a nationally recognized historic neighborhood that encompasses most of the commercial businesses in the area. It extends from S. Franklin Street up to Second Street and contains Ferry Way, Heritage Way, and Front Street. South: Gastineau Channel is a narrow waterway bound by the mainland of Juneau and Douglas Island. The channel is a popular cruise ship port that sees multiple cruise ships at dock every day during the tourism season. The Downtown Transit center is on the south face of Telephone hill and provides public transportation options to all parts of Juneau. West: The Aak’w Kwáan Village District contains multiple community gathering centers such as Centennial Hall, Juneau Arts and Culture Center, and the Andrew Hope Building. Additionally, Willoughby Avenue is a popular thoroughfare through the district that connects to several local businesses, grocery stores and government buildings. Dixon Street traverses north to south through Telephone Hill and connects W. Third Street to the north with the parking garage to the south. A six-inch (6”) ductile iron water main under Dixon Street provides water services to the existing residences. The water main is expected to be in poor condition and in need of upgrading. W. Third Street contains a ten-inch (10”) HDPE water main that ties into the six-inch (6”) ductile iron main on Dixon Street. There is currently no wastewater main under Dixon Street as all the existing residences have service lines that run from the homes to the wastewater main on Willoughby and Main Streets. Telephone Hill Place Guide (EXHIBIT 1). Over the past two (2) years, the CBJ has conducted a redevelopment study of the area to determine a preferred development option that would satisfy community needs. The Telephone Hill Place Guide (EXHIBIT 1) is a summary of community outreach, preliminary engineering, and site assessment reports that conclude with a preferred development option. The following reports are included in the appendix of the Place Guide: Cultural Resource Desktop Assessment Historic Building Survey Existing Structure Condition Report Phase I Environmental Site Assessment 1984 Site and Structures Survey Market and Feasibility Analysis Given the topography of the hill, it is expected that the land can be subdivided into four (4) separate parcels, suitable for development. The Guide outlines the development of four (4) new buildings of multi-family housing, one on each new parcel. Preliminary floor plans estimate that the four (4) buildings could provide up to one hundred fifty-five (155) new units. Additional details stated in the guide for buildings include: A mix of studio, 1-bed, and 2-bed units. Create affordable housing (defined as 80% AMI) for 20% of the total units. Building height ranging from three to five (3 – 5) floors. Stairway connection from the top of hill down to Willoughby Avenue and Main Street. Preserve or reestablish tree canopy. Telephone Hill is now included in the Downtown Zero Parking Required zone which allows new housing development to occur without providing additional parking for the housing units. However, each lot should contain temporary parking spaces for drop-off zones and emergency access. These parking areas could be within the individual lots or in the CBJ Right-of-Way. Additional information on the Telephone Hill Redevelopment Study can be found on the project webpage: Telephone Hill . Proposal Content: Provide the following information in your proposal: Title page and transmittal letter. Include the number and title of the RFI, the name of your firm, contact person(s), address, telephone, email address(es) and date of submission. Understanding and Methodology. Describe your understanding of the development area and preferred development option as stated in the Telephone Hill Place Guide. Detail the feasibility of the preferred development, any proposed changes to the Guide, and the constructability of the new development. Include required subsidies to achieve the selected development plan, including but not limited to, land transfer, Juneau Affordable Housing Fund, construction grant, and tax abatement. Experience&Qualifications. Provide a summary of qualifications and proven experience in providing communities with high-density housing. Project Financial Statement. Provide a project financial statement that includes the following: Total project costs include details of land purchase, planning and design fees, construction, and financing costs. The overall investment structure, including debt, equity, and proposed city incentive figures. Unit mix, unit pricing, and expected revenues. Property management and operating costs. Submission & Deadline : Please respond by providing the requested proposal content information. Submit your response through Public Purchase, CBJ’s e-Procurement platform by completing the free (two-step) registration process at Public Purchase or email your completed responses to contact@example.gov - noting RFI No. 25-224 and the issuing buyer’s name (Shelly Klawonn). All Responses are due prior to 4:00 p.m. AK time on February 18, 2025. Questions : Please direct all inquiries to Shelly Klawonn, Senior Buyer, City and Borough of Juneau, Purchasing Division, Finance Department. Email: contact@example.gov or contact@example.gov Conclusion : CBJ will review all responses and may contact proposers for further information. CBJ looks forward to your response. Issued by : Shelly Klawonn, Senior Buyer, CBJ Purchasing Division, Finance Department, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, AK, 99801. // Phone: +1 (555) 000-0000 ext. 4072 // Email: contact@example.gov