City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Rec Board Seeking Developer for Upper Harbor Terminal Phase 1 Redevelopment
Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at 7:48AM
Via an August 8 Press Release from the City of Minneapolis, CPED:
Monday, August 08, 2016 (Minneapolis, MN) - The City of Minneapolis (City) and Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) are seeking a qualified and creative real estate developer to be a part of the rebirth of the Upper Harbor Terminal (UHT) site. UHT is a 48-acre, former multi-modal shipping terminal property located on the west bank of the river between 33rd Avenue N. and about 40th Avenue North in Minneapolis, MN just a few miles from the city’s thriving downtown.
“The end of barging at the Upper Harbor Terminal in 2013 created new momentum for the redevelopment of this hidden jewel in our city,” said Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges. “The City of Minneapolis is eager to work alongside the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board in selecting a developer that, with imagination and creativity, will work with us to transform this site into the world-class amenity that North Minneapolis needs and deserves.”
"The Upper Harbor has the potential to transform North Minneapolis and its relationship to the river,” said Council President Barbara Johnson. “I have confidence that we will see proposals that will offer entertainment, recreation, housing and economic development opportunities for this unique site."
UHT is the largest City-owned redevelopment site in Minneapolis. The property includes almost a mile of riverfront along the mighty Mississippi River, offers excellent freeway access, and does not appear to present significant environmental challenges.
“For decades the City of Minneapolis and MPRB have sought to redefine the relationship between Minneapolis and the Mississippi River,” said MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller. “The Upper Harbor Terminal site represents an incredible opportunity to create a new, vibrant space on this key piece of riverfront land, and we’re excited to see the process move forward to create a great destination in North Minneapolis.”
Redevelopment of the site is a high priority for the City and MPRB because of its potential to address some of the long-standing disparities evidenced in the quadrant of the City where it is located. The project will include creating significant park and destination amenities to put the Northside of Minneapolis on par with other areas of the city. Work along the upper river follows upon the highly successful redevelopment of the central riverfront near downtown Minneapolis, which has seen more than $2 billion in private investment in the last few decades.
The City and MPRB goal is to select a development team with whom the City and MPRB can create a coordinated plan for private and park development. The selected team will be offered the opportunity to enter into an exclusive rights agreement to collaboratively design a plan for, at minimum, the northern half of the site, with the eventual goal of the developer implementing the private development portions of that coordinated plan.
Interested developers must submit a summary of their qualifications and an initial development program. The request for qualifications and accompanying information about the site and redevelopment goals may be found at the City’s and MPRB’s newly-launched shared web site at www.upperharbormpls.com. The RFQ may be downloaded here.
The deadline for submission is Wednesday, October 14, at 4:00 pm (CDT). A mandatory pre-submission meeting and tour is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31, at 9:30 am.
