Federal Government proposes a unique development opportunity
Central City block dominated by several abandoned buildings and a suburban-style discount store should look very different in the next few years. An opportunity for development could drastically change the energy of the 300 East block of 200 South in Salt Lake City.
The federal government, through the U.S. General Services Administration, released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 1.54 acre, Salt Lake Motor Pool property at 330 East 200 South.
According to the RFP announcement , GSA is reaching out to the development community to gauge interest and ideas for the best way to leverage the site. Under the RFP, groups interested in the motor pool building could obtain the property through either “an exchange for services on federal buildings or a public or negotiated sale.”
Interest parties could also acquire the pool building by providing construction services for another GSA property, the James V. Hansen Federal Building at 324 25th St. in Ogden.
GSA released the RFP September 15. The agency will host an information session 9:30 a.m. October 8 at the motor pool site, followed by a similar session at the Ogden site in the afternoon.
The building was constructed in 1967 and has been an office and a vehicle repair and storage facility by the FBI. The bureau stored motor pool cars at the site until November of 2012. Since then the property has been vacant.
The mid-block property stretches from 200 South to 300 South and is on one of the block’s best served by transit. Two high frequency routes run along 200 South, Routes 2 and 205. The property is a block from the proposed route of a downtown streetcar that would connect 500 East and South Temple to the Intermodal Hub, running east to west on 100 and 200 South and north to south on 500 East and West Temple.
Across the street from the motor pool property is another opportunity for a public/private partnership. The Salt Lake City Community and Economic Development Department released an RFP in August for the 2.5-acre, Northwest Pipeline Building and Site (former Public Safety Building) at 300 East and 200 South. The City is seeking proposals to redevelop the property into a mixed-use project with that incorporates affordable housing.
