Issuance last week of the Brunswick (Georgia) Urban Redevelopment Agency’s request for proposals for the long-awaited Oglethorpe Conference Center moves the project a step closer to becoming reality. The RFP is not limited to just proposals for the conference center and hotel.
“It’s structured in a way so that it is not limited to the hotel and conference center,” LeRon Bennett, chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Agency explained. “We opened it up for someone who only wants to build the conference center or someone who only wants to build the hotel or someone who wants to submit a concept for what they envision for the project. We did that in order to get a broader response.”
The Brunswick Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) is seeking proposals for a catalyst project from interested developers to be located on a site in Historic Downtown Brunswick that will be a signature project for Downtown Brunswick. The area of opportunity for the purposes of this RFP is the City owned “Oglethorpe Block”. This parcel is a combined 3.01 acres and is owned by the City of Brunswick and the Brunswick Urban Redevelopment Agency (“URA”). The property identified in this RFP is being offered for redevelopment.
This project must include the construction of a Conference Facility through the use of SPLOST funds available from the City and Glynn County. Additional project components may include, but are not limited to: additional meeting space, retail or commercial space, hotel, residential housing and or a combination of several components. In addition to the development of the Property, the City and URA will entertain proposals containing options to develop, construct or relocate project elements utilizing other properties located in Downtown Brunswick.
The City and URA are not confined to a particular development structure and look to the proposer to present an arrangement that would result in the highest quality development consistent with the community’s vision for downtown.
Deadline for submissions: 12:00 p.m. February 10, 2017.