Annapolis looks for interested firms to handle redeveloping Hillman Garage and City Dock

Annapolis has put out a request for firms interested in demolishing and replacing Hillman Garage and redeveloping City Dock to put their names forward, along with their qualifications.

Parties that express their interest by Nov. 7 will be winnowed down to three or more and then the city will present them with a request for proposal. The city’s notice outlines that firms would be expected to “demolish the existing parking facility, designing, constructing and financing a new parking facility, and redeveloping City Dock infrastructure and related site improvements.”

The notice, which was posted July 9, states City Dock improvements have to line up with the final recommendations submitted by the City Dock Action Committee, which is currently reviewing the Annapolis waterfront area and will finalize recommendations by the end of October.

This past spring, the city worked with the nonprofit Historic Annapolis to put together the action committee. The committee has reviewed the findings of a report on City Dock and will expand the recommendations with action items. Both the action committee and the recent request include plans to address climate change as the sea levels rise and temperatures begin to shift and impact the waterfront of the city.

According to city procurement officer Brian Snyder, this request is part of a two step process. The city will review the statements to develop a list “based on experience and other criteria outlined.”

The responses to the request for qualifications will need to have an interest in planning to demolish and replace Hillman Garage in order to create a “parking and transportation system that will reduce development pressure on environmental resources and assets,” the request said. The city is specifically looking for candidates that have backgrounds in transportation, parking, infrastructure and finance.

Once the city has developed the list of firms, which is expected by Dec. 6, the second step in the process will be to request detailed responses on what and how a firm would approach the project in a Request for Proposal (RFP).

Proposals will also identify ways to redevelop City Dock by incorporating the recommendations by the action committee, which is planned to be finalized in October. Interested parties will also need to hold meetings with the city to review the project budget and estimated costs.

For those with an interest in the project, there will be a meeting on Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. at City Hall.