Elm Street Middle School in Nashua, NH. (Photo by Dan Splaine Photography)
The City of Nashua has received four proposals for the redevelopment of Elm Street Middle School, and a recommendation for one of them should be made by mid-March.
During an administrative services working group on Monday, Jan. 13, Director of Administrative Services Tim Cummings outlined the process for choosing one of the proposed projects and what the timeline will look like.
The Board of Alderman approved a resolution (R-24-032) supporting the issuance of a request for proposals (RPF) in March 2024.
The resolution acknowledged that after an extensive planning study, the city learned that a multifamily housing development with a portion designated as affordable to be the most “advantageous.”
It further established that any proposal should include a portion of units for residents with federally-funded housing vouchers, shall incorporate the Keefe Auditorium in any redevelopment plan, and that the RFP “shall not seek or accept” any proposals that include the demolition of the auditorium.
The RPF was issued on Aug. 6 and closed on Sept. 13.
According to the city’s proposal preferences – which is still in draft mode and subject to change as the project progresses – the city requested that respondents to the RFP demonstrate how their proposal will address the following objectives:
- Community Benefit – A project that leverages city resources to achieve measurable community benefits
- Market – Description of how the project responds to the realities of the market
- Public Involvement – Development processes that engage the community in a collaborative and proactive process that uses public input to share the final project
- Timelines – Project is positioned to move forward in the near term
- Sustainability – Development teams which voluntarily self assess their projects according to the LEED-ND scoring system will be given preferential review
- Comprehensive Development Goals
- Create public art and an inviting public interface at the street level
- Provide opportunities, through façade and landscape design, for businesses and residents to participate or offer programmed activities at the street level
- Develop highly walkable communities that emphasize active lifestyle options, including biking, walking, and transit.
When interviewing and reviewing requests, other topics that will be taken into consideration are:
- Purchasing price
- Financing
- Keeping the Keefe
- Experience with a Public-Private Partnership
- Unit Mix
- Housing Mix (Market Rate and Affordable Housing)
- Affordability
- Affordable housing units (% of AMI)
- Mix of housing units
- Subsidized housing
- Building Integration of Income
- Parking
- Community Space (public amenities, non-profit space)
- Experience
- Neighborhood Compatibility
- Architecture (site design following urban principles)
According to Cummings, the first round of interviews will take place on Jan. 24 and 27. Afterward, the proposals will be narrowed down to two.
The two selected proposals will be invited to make presentations to the public and participate in a Q&A three to four weeks later.
A second round of interviews will take place in early March, and a recommendation will be made to the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Donchess by mid-March.
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