Atlanta Civic Center development open for bids

Calling all developers: The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center is officially up for bid.

Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development agency, released a long-awaited request for proposal on Thursday to redevelop the aging performance arts center in the Old Fourth Ward area.

Mayor Kasim Reed announced in April plans to sell the nearly 20-acre property. It’s one of several city assets, including Underground Atlanta, that the mayor has opted to sell this year in a move to free up cash to help fund an anticipated infrastructure bond referendum in March. A 2012 study of the property anticipated it was on track to lose $400,000 annually through 2017. Releasing the property to the private sector would generate new property tax revenue.

In an interview with The AJC earlier this year, Reed said he envisions nothing short of “iconic” on the site. According to the RFP released Thursday, the city’s primary goal is to revamp the property “into an active center for job-generating, tax-paying activity.”

Below are some of the elements required according to the RFP:

• Increase Atlanta-based jobs including on- and off-site operations.
• Generate the best economic value to the City of Atlanta attributable to on- and off-site operations considering the cash price in combination with the projected property and sales tax revenue, netted against any city-based financial incentives.
• Establish an economic anchor that activates the site, drives demand for new development, and facilitates the long-term integration of the Downtown and Midtown business districts and the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.
• To the extent a redevelopment proposal includes a residential component, demonstrate a clear public benefit in terms of supporting the expansion of workforce housing.
• Strengthen Atlanta's global competitiveness by supporting modern industries that may include renewable energy and sustainability, bioscience/health/medical, credit processing, information technology, logistics, film/entertainment, and telecommunications, and facilitating new partnerships across a broad range of sectors, including public, private, higher education, national research institutions, and private equity such as an in-town corporate or academic campus setting
• Incorporate a diversity of retail and shopping choices in the area;
• Include new performing arts or event facility uses that are accessible to the public; and
• Incorporate Renaissance Park into the overall redevelopment plan.

According to the documents, city leaders view the center’s redevelopment as key to growth in this quickly changing part of town.