A draft request for qualifications and proposals for the redevelopment of the Tony’s Building, 401 E. Second St., downtown The Dalles, was sent back to the drawing board by the Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency Aug. 20.
Tokola Properties withdrew from redeveloping the former Tony’s Town & Country building in May, a project which would have had the urban renewal agency contributing about $1.8 million to the redevelopment.
A request for qualifications and proposals is the first step in finding a new developer for the property.
Staff was asked to shift the request emphasis away from a developer-oriented list of qualifications to allow a broader scope of input, one that allows non-developers and others with an idea for the building’s use to propose a project.
Steve Harris, urban renewal manager, said the idea was to limit proposals to applicants who are deemed capable of carrying out the project. “We wanted to address the qualifications first, and after that go more into the proposals, which take more time and money to complete,” Harris told the board.
Matthew Klebes, assistant to the city manager, who prepared the report, said, “we wanted to cast a very wide net, get a spectrum of proposals.”
Several board members, however, felt that the detailed qualifications required could shrink that net.
Scott Baker, board member and director of Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation District, said someone may not be a highly qualified developer who has worked at restoring historic buildings, as set out by the qualification request, but may have other skills of equal value and a good idea.
Board member Darcy Long-Curtiss, representing the city council, agreed. “The request didn’t capture the spirit” of previous board discussions regarding the request, she said. “It’s immediately weighted toward the developer, not someone with a great idea about what could be done with the building,” she said. “It’s not just who is qualified, it’s what do we want in there, and what kind of team someone can put together.”
“This narrows (potential proposals) down very quickly, as far as who qualifies,” agreed board member Bob Delaney.
Delaney said the goal was to cast a wide net for possible proposals. “Hopefully we will be able to tell if they have the ability to actually complete what they propose,” he added.
With looser qualifications, more proposals would have to be sifted through, acknowledged Baker. “I think an abundance of proposals would be a good problem to have.”
Long-Curtiss said, “I would like to do something local people can participate in, so they can create a proposal, and show how they would accomplish that proposal.”
Harris warned the board that sometimes “it looks good on paper,” but later it is found the expertise was missing to accomplish that proposal and it doesn’t go anywhere.
After discussing ways to loosen the qualifications and still get quality proposals, the board agreed to have staff rework the request.
Staff was also asked to include in the language a requirement that the property remain on the tax rolls (excluding some nonprofit uses) in the future.
“We want more wiggle room in who can apply,” said Gary Grossman, chair of the board.
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