Tim Jackson
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City moves ahead in plan to attract hotel to Davis Square
Mon Sep 08, 2008, 11:29 AM EDT
Somerville -
The following is a press release from the city of Somerville.
Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone today announced the city of Somerville will release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on Sept. 15 for the development of a hotel and public parking garage on one or more surplus City-owned parcels in Davis Square.
?The issuance of the RFQ is an important step towards the development of a much needed hotel in Davis,? said Curtatone. ?Davis Square is home to a thriving business district and the creation of a hotel with a public parking garage will be key to the economic growth and continued success of this area. The RFQ and subsequent processes will also allow us to identify a developer who will engage in a public process with all of the stakeholders in Davis Square.?
Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz agreed. ?It?s very important that whoever bids on this project understands that this will be a community process and they will need to build that component directly into their plan. Davis Square is the thriving place that it is today because residents have worked together with developers and business interests to meet the needs of everyone in the community.? She continued, ?I look forward to working together with the mayor, his staff, and members of the community to facilitate the development of an environmentally friendly hotel in Davis Square.?
Following the RFQ process, the Davis Square Hotel Technical Advisory Committee will evaluate each application and make recommendations to Mayor Curtatone. Mayor Curtatone will then select up to three developers to participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process. The preferred developer will be selected based on the RFP submissions. The Davis Square Hotel Technical Advisory Committee will include staff from the Mayor?s Office, the Purchasing Department, the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, two community representatives, the Ward 6 Alderman and one Alderman At Large.
The proposal to develop a hotel in Davis Square came from a 2006 study, conducted by Pinnacle Advisory Group, evaluating the feasibility of a new hotel in Somerville. The study identified Davis Square as a preferable location for hotel development.
The surplused City-owned parcels are the Buena Vista Garage at 56A Holland Street, the Day Street/Herbert Street Parking Lot, and the Grove Street Parking Lot adjacent to the Rite Aid and Community Path. All proposals must replace the current parking, provide for hotel-related parking required by zoning ordinances, and create as much additional parking as possible.
The RFQ can be obtained from Rositha Durham, Purchasing Director, City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 02143, rdurham@somervillema.gov, beginning September 15, 2008 and submissions are due by October 31, 2008. For more information contact Rositha Durham at 617-625-6600 x 3410.
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