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Richland council weighs holding 505 Swift Property until adjacent parcels are available for mixed-use redevelopment
Summary
City staff outlined an RFP approach for the 505 Swift Property and council members largely favored waiting to combine the 2.8-acre north parcel with the southern parcel (and possibly Station 71) to create a contiguous, mixed-use development timed with completion of the downtown loop project.
City staff presented options for redeveloping the 505 Swift Property — the former city hall site — and council signaled a preference for a deliberate, coordinated approach rather than rushing a partial-sale.
Mandy, a city staff member, told the council the city began marketing the site after remediation in February 2019 and received ‘‘probably 6 to 9 proposals’’ through previous RFQ and RFP efforts but none matched council vision. She said the property comprises two distinct parcels: a 2.8-acre ‘‘yellow’’ parcel and a separate southern parcel where the current police station sits. Mandy said staff would likely market the site with a 4–6 week RFP window, seek mixed-use proposals (ground-floor commercial with residential above), and time outreach to align with completion of the downtown loop project so developers can judge traffic and access.
Council members repeatedly urged patience. Council member Meyer said the city should ‘‘wait until the police station is removed and then do this as one big project’’ to preserve cohesion and favor a walkable, parkway-style mixed-use area connected to John Dam Plaza. Meyer added that combining parcels would expand options for structured development and attract higher-quality proposals.
Mayor and other members noted substantial existing parking around the site, and several council members recommended limiting large surface parking areas and encouraging design that integrates the riverfront, parkway and main-street activity. In response, Amundsen, the city manager, said public feedback emphasized outdoor amenities and that developers have viewed the police station as a barrier to an integrated block; he suggested letting the market decide parking requirements rather than precluding parking in the RFP, because overly prescriptive rules can limit responses.
Staff provided basic scale estimates: the northern (yellow) parcel is 2.8 acres and combining the north and south parcels would be ‘‘close to 5’’ acres, with the fire station parcel a potential additional candidate for longer-term master planning. Mandy said some community suggestions had been unrealistic (examples mentioned in the presentation included a zoo and a small modular reactor) but most feedback favored mixed-use with active street frontages, multi-floor residential leveraging new height allowances, and structured parking as needed.
Council members asked for staff to continue community outreach and to time any formal market offering with the loop project and clarity on police-station disposition. The mayor closed the item after the council signaled broad agreement on a ‘‘long-game’’ approach and direction for staff.
The council did not take any formal vote; staff said the next step would be continued planning and, if directed later, drafting an RFP timed with the loop’s anticipated completion.
