The Government's key strategic objectives related to the optimization of the Property include:
• Acquire a turnkey state-of-the-art facility for the Volpe Center (the New Facility) on the Property;
• Leverage the expertise of the real estate industry to optimize the balance of the Property for new market-driven use(s);
• Maximize financial return to the government and taxpayers; and
• Minimize impact on operations and avoid need for any swing space or temporary relocation of operations.
The New Facility will be a single facility or connected facilities that contain up to 390,000 gross square feet (GSF) and parking spaces as appropriate to house up to 1,300 personnel. The New Facility will accommodate the following:
• Office operations including conference rooms and space for collaborative, joint-use activities, and special use space (i.e., fitness center, child care facility) (approximately 90%);
• Flexible, ground-level laboratory space to accommodate simulators and large vehicles and storage space (approximately 10%); and
• Public access to showcase the work of the Volpe Center.
The New Facility, however, will conform to the criteria and standards established in the P-100 Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service. These standards are available for download at
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/187611.
It is envisioned that this facility would require appropriate security features.
The Property is located at 55 Broadway in the Kendall Square neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts. It comprises approximately 14 acres of land and houses the Volpe Center in six (6) buildings with a total approximate gross floor area of 375,000 GSF. The Property also contains two (2) surface parking lots and open, landscaped land. The Property has extensive frontage along Binney Street to the north, Third Street to the east and Broadway to the south. A pedestrian walkway directly abuts the western boundary of the Property.
Under this approach, the Government would exchange all or portions of the Property for the design and construction of a New Facility or exchange of an existing facility in combination with a cash payment to equalize value if necessary.
• In exchange for the design and construction of a New Facility or an existing facility, the Government would offer title to the Exchange Parcel(s).
• The Government would evaluate offers and execute the exchange agreement.
• The selected offeror would provide design and construction services; and
• The Government would convey the Exchange Parcel(s) to the offeror on a mutually agreed upon date following completion of the New Facility.
The Government has scheduled a pre-submittal briefing and tour for interested parties on September 20, 2014 – time and location to be determined.
