Request for Letters of Interest

RedeveloPment of

125 Dunnell RoadMaplewood, NJ 07040

Issue Date: June 2412009

Due Date: JulY 15, 2009, 4:00Pm

For more information contact:

Joseph ManningTownship Administrator

Township of MaPlewoodS74Yalley Street Maplewood, NJ 07040

tw pa d m i n @twp. m a plewood. nj. us973-762-8120

June 24,2009

Background Information :

The Economic Development Committee of the Township of Maplewood is requesting Letters ofInterest for the redevelopment of 125 Dunnell Road, the former site of the Maplewood PoliceStation (Block: l7-16, Lot 10). The property is .848 acres in size and is owned by the Township.

The site is less than 500 feet from the Maplewood train station, which is on a major New JerseyTransit line with direct access to Newark, midtown New York and Hoboken. It is also across thestreet from Memorial Park, Maplewood's largest park, with walking paths, concert venue, duckpond, tennis and basketball courts, children's playground and numerous ball fields. The site iswithin walking distance of Maplewood Village, a quaint downtown that is home to restaurants, asupermarket, multi-screen movie theater, center for the performing arts, post office and a rangeof retail and specialty shops.

In late 2008, the Township of Maplewood solicited Letters of Interest for development conceptsfor the site. It received four concepts: market rate housing; a new YMCA, a health club andsubsidized housing for artists and performers. In 2009, the Maplewood Township Committeerevised its objectives for the site and made three significant decisions:

1) On Apr1121,2009, the Township Committee designatedl25 Dunnell Road as an areain need of rehabilitation as per the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A 40A:l2A-1et seq.

2) On May 19, 2009, the Township Committee approved a resolution expressing itspreference for the development of 125 Dunnell Road is to demolish the current buildingand replace it with "market rate residential units, incorporating a high degree ofsustainability, including meeting LEED certification and maintaining a character anddesign appropriate to the area."

3) The Metro Company, LLC was hired by the Township to prepare a redevelopmentplan for 125 Dunnell Road. The plan is currently being drafted and is expected to bepresented to the Township Committee later this summer. The adoption of aredevelopment plan is a prerequisite to the selection of a redeveloper pursuant to theprovisions of the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.

Letter of Interest:

The Economic Development Committee is seeking Letters of Interest for the redevelopment of125 Dunnell Road as market rate residential housing, incorporating a high degree ofsustainability, including meeting LEED certification and maintaining a character and designappropriate to the area. The Letters of Interest are to be prepared in accord with the backgroundinformation above and the requirements that follow.

Required Content for a Letter of Interest:

1) Full corporate name, contact person, mailing address, telephone and e-mail address;2) Identification of key personnel of the firm to be engagedin the proposed redevelopment

project;3) Description, approach and preliminary layout of the proposed housing project (site plan

not required at this time);4) Description of the ftrm's experience and qualifications in building similar housing;5) Description oj1h. financial capacity to complete the redevelopmJnt project; and6) Discussion of timeline for completion of the redevelopment pioject7) Affordable Housing: Developers will be required 1o pro'nia. one unit of affordable

housing for every five units of market based housing, pursuit to New Jersey Council onAffordable Housing requirements. It is the Township Committee preference to haveaffordable housing built on site at 125 Dunnell Road. Flo*"u.r, the Township Committeemay consider a request from a developer to provide these affordable units off-site,elsewhere in Maplewood. Describe plans to meefaffordable housing requirements.

8) I eadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certificltion: Developers willbe required to apply and receive certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.Describe the firm's qualifications and experience in LEED certified development, and itsspecific approach to achieving LEED certification for this proposal.

9) Property Ta1 Ab-alement: Respondents shall state wheth"i u prop"rty tax abatement is tobe requested, and if so, describe the rational for and the poteniiaiextent of the abatement;and

10)Former Police. Station Building: The building has asbestos containing materials (ACM).Environmental experts hired by the Township estimated a cost of $332,000 to removeACM from the building. In addition, the Township has received estimated costs of$110,000 to demolish the building. Describe the plan for ACM remediation anddemolition of the building, and state whether the preference is the Township doing thework or the redeveloper.

A respondent may provide additional information to further demonstrate its qualifications toundertake the redevelopment of the 125 Dunnell Road site.

Time and Place for Submission of Responses:A respondent shall

-s9bmi! one (1) original *d t.n (10) copies to Elizabeth Fritzen, Townshipclerk' Maplewood Municipal Building, 574 Yalley btr..t, Maplewood, NJ, 07040. Responsesare to be delivered on or before 4:00pm on July ti, zoog. The originat copy must have a coverletter signed by an officer or authorized representative of the firm.

The Economic Development Committee and the Township reserve the right to consider and,/orreject any and all Letters of Interest received by the Tou,nship of Maplewood. In addition, asnoted above' adoption-of a redevelopment plan Ly the Township committee is a prerequisite tothe selection of a redeveloper pursuant to the provisions of the Local Redevelopment andHousing Law.