District Issues Solicitation for the Redevelopment of Parcel 42, at 7th and R Streets, NW

Parcel 42
[click image to enlarge]

The District government has issued a solicitation seeking proposals for the development of Parcel 42, a large, vacant, District-owned parcel at the northeast corner of 7th Street and R Streets, NW, diagonally across from the Shaw Library.

Site
Technically, Parcel 42 consists of two lots — the main development lot is an approximately 15,000 square foot vacant lot at the northeast corner of 7th and R Streets, NW (sometimes also referred to as 7th Street and Rhode Island Avenue, NW).  The second lot, which is also vacant, sits across the alley to the east of the main parcel and consists of approximately 1,700 square feet.  The image below shows the size and location of the parcels. 

Parcel 42 consists of the two lots outlined in red

Development Program
The solicitation provides developers with broad discretion in crafting the details of their development proposals, but it states that the District is seeking mixed-use development proposals with ground-floor retail and mixed-income residential units.  (The solicitation indicates that developers should "maximize" the number of housing units affordable to households at or below 80% of the area median income for the Washington metropolitan area, but no specific number or percentage of affordable units is required.)  The District is encouraging developers to submit development proposals that maximize development density through a planned unit development.

The solicitation also states that District is seeking "high quality architecture" for the project and proposals "are expected to have a signature design, which complements the neighborhood character, and creates a pedestrian friendly environment."

Timeline

• Responses to the solicitation are due by July 26, 2012
• A short list of developers (selected from the proposals that are submitted) will be announced in the summer of 2012
• A community presentation by the short-listed developers will be held in the fall of 2012
• A development team will be selected for the site in the late fall of 2012

The timeline is subject to future modifications.

Solicitation Document
The complete solicitation document is available after the jump.

Parcel 42 Solicitation
The solicitation for the development of Parcel may be viewed below or by clicking here.
Parcel 42 -- RFP