Astoria launches RFEI to test developer interest for Customs House and Darigold housing sites

City staff presented a draft Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for two publicly owned sites — the Customs House and the Darigold site — as the next step to test market interest before issuing formal solicitations.

Community Development Director John Roberts and Clatsop County housing manager Alyssa Gertler described the RFEI as an early, nonbinding procurement tool designed to gather concepts and gauge feasibility. Roberts noted the Customs House parcel is roughly 1 acre and could accommodate "anywhere from 4 to 12 different types of cottages, multistory cottages, single room cottages, maybe a triplex and a fourplex" depending on design and constraints. For the county‑owned Darigold site, staff outlined possibilities for a 4–5 story mixed-income project but flagged a practical constraint: preserving roughly 33 parking spaces the county currently uses for its fleet, which developers may need to accommodate or for which the city and county may find alternate solutions.

Councilors debated emphasis on cottage clusters versus higher unit yields, parking flexibility and the desirability of ground-floor commercial space. Councilor Lomp and others urged wording to maximize feasible unit counts on the Customs House site; Councilor Mozzarella urged a deliberate public engagement process to avoid the controversy seen in past procurements. Staff noted state legislative changes increase flexibility for parking requirements for qualifying affordable projects (as discussed in the meeting), and said the RFEI language can be revised to emphasize parking flexibility and to seek proposals that serve underserved populations.

No formal motion to adopt the RFEI was taken that evening—the item was presented for council feedback as a next step. Staff said they will revise the draft to reflect council direction and public input before issuing the RFEI.