Summary of Specifications:
The City of Yonkers through the Department of Planning and Development seeks proposals from qualified for-profit and not-for-profit housing Developers for the redevelopment of an abandoned City–owned, school property known as the Longfellow School Site along with four additional parcels comprised of 13 lots in the neighborhood known as the “Hollow”. The Site contains Parcel 1, an abandoned turn-of-the-century, three and four-story, masonry, school building with a two-story auditorium addition, both of which are in very poor condition. The 4 additional parcels are all vacant land. Collectively the Site contains 2.1 acres of land. Parcels 1, 3, 4 and 5 are zoned M and Parcel 2 is zoned I. Under the Yonkers Zoning Code the Site is eligible to be redeveloped using the Planned Urban Development (“PUR”) special use permit provisions because the Site is larger than two acres and located within two urban renewal areas: The Hollow NDP #6 and the Ashburton Avenue urban renewal area (See Attachments H and I). The City seeks to redevelop the Site with a mix of housing types to the greatest extent possible. To the extent feasible, the City seeks a mix of rental and home ownership housing. The City seeks family housing for this neighborhood, since the community already has three existing senior housing complexes. In addition to the Site the City is redesigning two small Recreational Areas within the Hollow, which the Proposer will be required to pay for the cost of improvements estimated to be $800,000. The scope of work will include all aspects of project development, including but not limited to: environmental review, planning, design, filing, and approval of all permits, securing financing, construction, marketing, leasing, and sales.
In order to be considered, a Proposer must have a minimum of 10 years of housing development experience. The Proposer should also submit information regarding any consultants expected to be part of the development team, including architects, engineers, housing consultants, etc.
Each proposal shall be rated and ranked according to the following criteria:
1. The Proposer’s successful experience developing mixed-income housing of comparable scale, size and complexity; 2. The experience of the development team in redeveloping urban neighborhoods; 3. The ability and success of the Proposer to secure financing for past development projects of comparable scale, size and complexity; 4. The compatibility of the design proposal and site layout, including the massing of the buildings, the unit count and income and housing type mix in relationship to the existing neighborhood; and 5. The acquisition price for the Site.
