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Oshkosh staff recommend delaying rebid after no responses to 700 Block RFP
Summary
Staff told board members that the RFP for the 700 block of South Main received zero submissions; members recommended delaying rebid at least six months while nearby Mill On Main development proceeds and to broaden outreach and posting to attract more bidders.
Oshkosh City staff reported that an RFP for the 700 block of South Main drew no formal submissions and recommended delaying rebidding to give the nearby Mill On Main project time to settle.
The recommendation came after staff said, “We didn't receive any submissions,” and board members weighed options including broadening the property's stated use beyond mixed residential-commercial to attract more proposals. One participant recommended waiting “at least 6 months,” noting the RFP process itself typically takes at least a month to re-run and to give developers time to assemble proposals.
Why it matters: The 700 block site is being marketed to developers for redevelopment, and the board wants to avoid market congestion while other large local projects, notably Mill On Main, continue to move forward. Staff noted Mill On Main’s projected completion date of March 2026 and suggested delaying outreach until later in 2026 to improve response rates.
What was discussed: Staff said the RFP was posted on the city website and on several developer sites and that they directly emailed roughly 30 prospective developers. Staff also reported interest from outside developers and local contacts who requested the RFP but did not submit proposals. Members suggested several steps to improve response rates: share the full draft with the RDA before release, broaden the site’s stated allowed uses (for example, not restricting it to mixed-use), maintain a posted notice that the application period is closed but inquiries remain welcome, and engage commercial brokers to market the parcel.
Outreach and accessibility were raised as issues: staff and board members acknowledged the RFP was difficult to find on the city website, which likely discouraged some potential respondents. A local broker who spoke during public comment, Jay Graff, said his developers would be interested in reviewing the property and offered to follow up with staff after the meeting.
Next steps: Staff said they can repost or leave a listing on the city site indicating the application period is closed but that inquiries are welcome. The board discussed revisiting the timing after Mill On Main’s second phase is further along and agreed it would be reasonable to wait several months before rebidding.
Attribution: Direct quotations are from meeting speakers as identified in the record.
