Image courtesy of the city of Bridgeport
Officials in Connecticut’s largest city are hoping to find developers to remake a pair of long-blighted sites at the entrance to their once-benighted downtown.
Bridgeport officials issued a pair of requests for proposals for two nearby properties: A 0.21-acre, rectangular lot at 157-171 Golden Hill St. across the street from the historic county courthouse and an L-shaped, 0.4-acre lot at 1200-1218 Main St. and 207 Middle St.
Buildings on both properties have been demolished and are city-owned. The Golden Hill properties also sit next to properties owned by the Salvation Army and a private real estate firm that, officials say, could be combined with the city property into a larger project.
RFP documents ask developers to propose multi-story, “architecturally attractive” and “classy” multifamily projects that are sensitive to nearby historic buildings. The documents say the city will seek fair market value for the land and prefers proposals that will not be dependent on public financing or tax incentive support, but would consider such support to close financing gaps. However, such support would require City Council approval.
Both parcels are zoned for a minimum of 3 stories and a maximum of 15 stories according to the city zoning map, and city zoning encourages ground-floor retail or similar uses for the Main Street property.
Prior to the pandemic, the city’s downtown saw a spurt of development approvals, with long-sought multifamily rehabilitations of two abandoned office buildings completed near the RFP parcels, and a ground-up multifamily development beginning construction nearby. In addition, the city’s downtown Holiday Inn was purchased for conversion into extended-stay suites last year.
In the RFP documents, Bridgeport officials emphasize the projects’ connections to the Metro-North train system and downtown amenities like a new concert venue, theaters and the beach at nearby Seaside Park.
“These properties are just a block away from our transit center. That makes them highly attractive. So we anticipate a strong response from the development community and we’re looking forward to continuing the momentum of this downtown renaissance,” Thomas Gill, director of the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, said in a statement. “Right now, residential occupancy is effectively at 100% and the retail and restaurant offerings have grown into an eclectic blend that really gives the city a distinct identity.”
Responses for the Golden Hill Court property are due by 2 p.m. Thursday, April 7, while responses for the Main Street property are due 2 p.m. Thursday, April 14. Copies of the RFP documents are available by visiting bridgeportct.gov/purchasing and click “Current Bids on BidSync”.
RFP documents say the city wants to enter into a development agreement with the selected firms by July of this year, with building permits and zoning approvals issued by the end of the year to allow construction to begin in spring of 2023.
