Specifications include, but are not limited to: • Purchase the vacant parcel at 424 East Thayer Avenue from the City of Bismarck.; • Redevelop the site as a mixed-use building within three years of purchase finalization, unless timeline is extended by the City Commission based on demonstrated progress toward development goals.; • In addition to any parking provided on-site to serve the needs of the subject development, a minimum of 63 (non-compact) spaces will need to be provided, on-site, to replace the existing parking. Propose an arrangement for ownership and management of the new parking.; Downtown Design Guidelines: The Downtown Design Guidelines were adopted in 2015 and are currently used as the basis for all downtown design review determinations.; The guidelines set the following overall design objectives for the downtown area: • Create a walkable, human-scaled environment.; • Highlight the attributes that make Bismarck unique and give it a sense of place.; • Connect the built environment with the natural environment through the use of green spaces.; • Design within the context of existing characteristics of each neighborhood.; • Introduce new styles that complement the existing styles to form a balance between old and new.; Renaissance Zone Development Plan: The Renaissance Zone Development plan was adopted in 2000, and was most recently revised in 2020, to guide administration of the Renaissance Zone program. This plan is currently used as the basis for all Renaissance Zone project determinations.; The Plan establishes the following goals: • Establish the Renaissance Zone as the center of business, life, government, and cultural opportunity for the Bismarck region.; • Promote the Renaissance Zone as the preferred location for hotels, class-A office buildings, specialty retail, government and institutional uses.; • Maximize accessibility of the Renaissance Zone from throughout the region and provide safe, convenient, and attractive circulation within the zone.; • Arrange compatible land uses in compact and orderly ways to enhance the functions of the Renaissance Zone.; • Encourage a Zone that upholds Bismarck’s heritage as well as recognizes and takes advantage of its pattern of development.; Downtown Bismarck Subarea Plan: The Downtown Bismarck Subarea Plan was completed in 2013 in an effort to transform the downtown area into a vibrant place where people want to live, work, and be entertained.; The subject site at 424 East Thayer Avenue was identified on this plan as a location for a new building, although any direction on design or use were not provided.; The plan recommended several public investments, many of which either have been or are in the process of being implemented, to spur private investment. These include improvements to Main Avenue and 5th Street, a plaza in front of the historic depot, an expansion of the Event Center, integration with the regional Kirkwood Mall, and a public commons area at the entrance of the Belle Mehus Auditorium.
