Council consents to RDC pursuing RFP for former jail after estimated $7 million renovation cost

The mayor and staff told the council the city will solicit proposals for redevelopment of the former jail property and the council gave general consent for the Redevelopment Commission (RDC) to proceed with an RFP process. Staff reported that an earlier plan to convert the building for mixed public uses (entrepreneurship space, police department offices, indoor playground) returned an estimated renovation cost of about $7,000,000, driven in part by a roughly $1 million estimate for HVAC replacement and other interior work.

Staff said the county declined to take ownership of the property. The mayor reported the RDC discussed the property, appointed an RFP committee and intends to issue a request for proposals that would be open-ended enough to solicit private-development ideas while including guardrails to prevent inappropriate uses (the mayor gave the example that a gas station would not be the goal). Staff said the city could seek a public-private partnership and retain the option to lease portions of the building (for example, long-term police department lease) but that no final plan has been decided.

Council members sought clarity that the RFP committee’s role is to shape the RFP (scope and guardrails) rather than select the developer without public input; staff and commissioners said the RFP will include public participation and selection will follow standard RFP review procedures. The mayor asked for consensus for the RDC to proceed; the council indicated general support but did not take a formal binding vote at the meeting.

Background: The building is an older structure (estimated 30–40 years in comments) with a solid exterior shell but high interior renovation costs; staff suggested an RFP to solicit development ideas rather than pursuing an immediate costly city-funded renovation.