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Council reviews draft public‑private partnership guidelines for Old Town redevelopment and RFP
Summary
Staff presented draft guidelines to allow public‑private partnership (PPP) proposals for redevelopment of the Old Town Inn site, the annex and a planned parking garage; council discussed flexibility for developers, public benefits, and financing structures and asked staff to proceed with RFP preparation.
City staff presented a draft request‑for‑proposals (RFP) and public‑private partnership (PPP) guidelines intended to broaden developer options for a planned redevelopment of the Old Town Inn property, the annex and a city parking garage site.
Why the guidelines: Staff said some components of the project (for example, the annex and a second parking garage) are expected to remain city property or require long‑term arrangements, and that offering PPP guidelines will allow developers to propose creative approaches—such as shared ownership, long‑term leases or combinations of public and private uses—that could make projects financially viable.
Council discussion: Council asked whether PPPs could allow private contributions to a garage, mixed uses in or above a garage, or nontraditional components such as entertainment uses. Staff said the draft guidelines are intentionally flexible and would allow developers to propose combined solutions (for example, a developer contributing to a parking garage in exchange for development rights or lease revenues), but that any proposal must show clear public benefits tied to public property and follow state procurement rules.
Financing and lender perspective: Staff noted that lender interest increases when a project includes a stable public revenue or commitment (for example, a lease of some annex space back to the city). Council also discussed safeguards to preserve long‑term public interests if a private partner is involved.
Next steps: Staff will refine the RFP based on council feedback and does not yet intend to issue it until the guidelines are adopted. Council signaled support for giving developers the option to propose PPP models but did not adopt a final policy in this work session.
