North Homewood Avenue Site Assemblage Request for Information (RFI)

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) is requesting information and project concepts from developers/ development teams to serve as a development partner for the mixed-use development of five parcels located on North Homewood Avenue. The parcels are located at the intersections of Hamilton and Susquehanna and will be developed in accordance with the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan.

The URA is looking for a development partner with prior professional experience in the Homewood Neighborhood and local ties to the community. The ideal partner will have a background in developing affordable housing, building and leasing out commercial spaces, and securing public and private dollars for mixed-use projects. The URA is proposing a mixed-use Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project that will consist of multiple buildings featuring at least 85 affordable residentials units and ground floor commercial space.

• Addresses: Predominantly along North Homewood Avenue, Hamilton Avenue, and Susquehanna Street. Parcels included:
  • 174-N-198
  • 174-N-194
  • 174-N-192
  • 174-N-190
  • 174-N-298
  • 174-N-296
• Neighborhood: Homewood
• Council District: 9
• Councilperson: Reverend Ricky Burgess
• Preferred Use: Residential
• District Zoning: UNC, R1A-VH
• Requested Land Use: Mixed-use, affordable housing
• Minimum Sale Price: Based on future negotiations

For a full business district profile, including the Homewood business districts, please visit the URA’s website.

A tentative schedule for the process is below. 

• RFI Issue Date
  • Monday, October 25, 2021
• Proposal Due Date
  • Monday, November 22, 2021, 6 p.m. ET
• Proposal Evaluation Period
  • Tuesday, November 23–Tuesday, December 7, 2021
• Interviews with Potential Developers
  • Scheduled for December 2021, based on availability

The selected developer will be expected to work with the URA and community stakeholders to ensure the proposed project fits within the neighborhood context, vision and larger planning goals.

For the most recent neighborhood plans, please see the links in the exhibit section. 

Responders should demonstrate the capacity and creativity of the developer to transform the parcels included in this RFI by following high development standards and presenting the best economically viable project(s) for the City. The developer will be required to coordinate design and construction with the URA to ensure that the proposed project(s) complement the neighborhood’s and City’s revitalization goals.

Responders shall submit the package using Ion Wave Technologies, the URA’s RFI program. The proposal should be combined into one file in PDF format. The PDF should be under 10MB in size. Do not send hard copies. The proposal should be addressed to:

Ken Jones, Assistant Director of Housing Development
kjones@ura.org
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
412 Boulevard of the Allies, Suite 901
Pittsburgh, PA  15219

Questions and comments should be submitted on the Ion Wave Technologies website, not through email.

All responses should include the following RFI Summary Page as the cover page of the proposal package.  This page should be fully completed by the developer. ALL RESPONSES MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE RESPONSE DUE DATE AND TIME AS STATED IN THE RFI TIMELINE FOR CONSIDERATION. Any late responses will not be reviewed.

The following format should be used to respond to this RFI:

1. Please give a brief description of your proposed development vision, which should include at least 85 affordable rental units and ground-floor commercial space.
2. Please briefly describe how your proposal complements the Homewood Comprehensive Community plan. Specially, consider how your proposal implements the plan’s development goals for commercial business.
3. Please clarify your connection to the Homewood community.
4. The goal will be to apply for LIHTC through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency in 2022.  What experience do you have applying for LIHTC and other public/private resources? How would you help finance this project?
5. Development Team Capacity – please provide examples of previous projects you have worked on including your role within each project, and how your prior experience will help you complete the proposed project.
6. Development Team Information – do you have an existing development team on hand (i.e., architect, general contractor) or have you started the process of forming a development team? 

The URA’s intention is to enter into a development partnership with the selected developer. During the partnership period, the URA will work with the developer to complete due dilligence activities necessary to define a scope of work and schedule that will ultimately become part of a formal Development Agreement.

A developer may be selected based on, but not limited to, the following criteria: 

1. Experience completing similar redevelopment projects in an urban neighborhood;
2. Capacity to attract and secure financing, with a minimum amount of public subsidy;
3. Ability to assemble a team with the appropriate specialties;
4. Appropriateness of proposed plan with RFI goals and scale of development;
5. Experience with community engagement;
6. Commitment to sustainable design standards; and
7. Commitment to Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise participation.

The developer is responsible for designing a project that meets the zoning regulations and building codes adopted by the City and is otherwise compliant with the law.

A developer will be recommended to the URA Board based on the overall quality of the proposed project. The evaluation of the developer’s qualifications, experience and capacity will be based upon information submitted in the proposal and presented during the interview by the developer.

The URA reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all information submitted and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to determine the ability of each Applicant to perform the obligations in the response. The URA in its discretion reserves the right to reject any application when the available evidence or information does not satisfy the URA that the Applicant is qualified to carry out properly the obligations of the application. After the URA has completed its evaluation of the submittals, a developer who is placed on the short-list may be asked to interview with the URA. However, a short-listed proposal may be accepted without the need for an interview. If an interview is deemed necessary, the developer will be provided with a time that is determined by the URA.    

1. The selected applicant shall be given an opportunity to inspect the property. Should the applicant elect to proceed after exercising its due diligence, the applicant understands and agrees that all property discussed in this RFI will be conveyed in an “AS-IS” condition.
2. Any potential development or sale of the property does not guarantee or warrant grading permits, demolition permits, building permits, zoning variances, or financial viability. The URA reserves the right to not convey the Property to applicant until applicant is able to obtain all necessary permits.
3. The URA reserves the right to accept an offer or proposal other than the highest offer and will determine awards at its sole discretion.
4. The developer, for itself and its employees, contractors, and primary subcontractors, agrees not to discriminate against or segregate any person or group of persons on any unlawful basis in the construction, sale, transfer, use, occupancy, tenure or enjoyment of the property or any improvements erected or to be erected thereon, or any part thereof.
5. The URA shall be the sole judge as to which submission best meets the selection criteria. The URA reserves the right to reject any or all submissions received, to waive any informalities or irregularities in any submitted information, to waive any submission requirements contained within an application and to negotiate scope and proposal prices.
6. Submissions to the RFI will not be opened publicly.
7. All responses, including attachments, supplementary materials, addenda, etc. shall become the property of the URA and will not be returned.
8. Submissions may be withdrawn by written notice received by the URA before the time and date set for receipt of information. After the submission date, a submission may not be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days, except by mutual consent between the URA and the respondent.
9. It is the developer’s sole responsibility to read and interpret this RFI and the written instructions contained herein. A respondent may correct errors and omissions discovered before the time set for receipt of information by withdrawing the original submission and resubmitting a new submission before the date and time set for the receipt of the RFI. Errors and omissions may not be corrected after the submission date except when the URA decides, in its sole discretion, to allow the correction.
10. This RFI is submitted subject to errors, omissions, and/or withdrawal without notice by the  URA at any time.
11. The developer is encouraged to confer with the URA prior to submitting their response. All information submitted, including attachments, supplementary materials, addenda, etc. shall become the property of the URA and will not be returned.
12. Addenda will be posted on Ion Wave Technologies. All such addenda shall become part of the RFI documents and all respondents shall be bound by such addenda, whether or not received by the respondents.
13. Applicant and team members must disclose any conflict of interest with regards to any other work performed by the Applicant for the URA, the City of Pittsburgh, or any related entity.