Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment RFP

NYCEDC, on behalf of the City of New York (the “City”), is pleased to release a request for proposals (“RFP”) seeking proposals from qualified parties for the lease, redevelopment and operation of Kingsbridge Armory (the “Armory”).  The Armory is owned by the City and located on an approximately 245,600 square foot site at 1 West Kingsbridge Road in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood of the Bronx (Block 3247, Lot 10) (the “Site”).

The RFP follows the recent announcement by Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams of an up to approximately $200 million investment by New York State and the City to support the redevelopment of the Armory, and the recent release of the Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan. 

The RFP presents an exciting opportunity to redevelop and operate a vacant, landmarked building which is currently approximately 570,000 gross square feet (“GSF”), including an approximately 180,000 GSF, column-free, drill hall with a soaring, approximately 103-foot-high ceiling.

NYCEDC plans to select a developer on the basis of factors stated in the RFP, which include, but are not limited to: financial feasibility, responsiveness to the project goals stated in the RFP, and the respondent’s qualifications and experience.

Optional Informational Session

An optional informational session will be held in person at NYCEDC’s office, located at One Liberty Plaza, Floor 14, New York NY 10006, and virtually via videoconference on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 10.30  A.M. Eastern Time (ET). Those who wish to attend must RSVP by email with the subject heading “Information Session” to [email protected] by 5:00 PM ET on Thursday, October 5, 2023 with attendee(s) name, email address, organization name, and whether they intend to attend in person or via videoconference Anyone attending in person should allow time to get through building security before the session begins.

Optional Site Tours

There is a video tour of the basement levels and the headhouse included in the Site File along with a laser scan of the building, and a virtual 3D tour of the drill hall is available online. In addition, NYCEDC has arranged for two (2) tours of the Armory:

1 - General Tour: Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 11:00 AM ET

This tour is intended for all interested parties to experience firsthand the expansive Armory drill hall. At least seven (7) business days prior to the General Tour, NYCEDC will make available a liability waiver and release form on this website. To attend this tour, each person must submit a fully executed copy of such liability waiver and release form to [email protected] by 5:00PM ET on Friday, October 6, 2023. 

Please note that only the drill hall floor and exterior areas of the Site will be available for viewing on this tour, due to hazardous materials (including, but not limited to, damaged lead-based paint and asbestos-containing materials) in other areas of the Armory.

2 - Comprehensive Tour: Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 11:00 AM EST

This tour includes all areas of the Armory, including those subject to hazardous material regulations. Please note that anyone without a valid asbestos investigator/handler license or certification will need to complete an approximately 2-hour asbestos awareness briefing prior to the tour, which will be provided via videoconference on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET.  

Those who wish to attend the Comprehensive Tour must RSVP by email to [email protected] with the subject heading “Comprehensive Tour” by 5:00 PM ET on or before Friday, September 29, 2023 with:

• Attendee(s) name, email address, organization name, 
• Whether they have a valid asbestos investigator/handler license or certification that will still be valid as of the date of the tour, and
• Whether they have a personal, fit-tested respirator and cartridges, and 
• If they do not already have a personal, fit-tested respirator and cartridges, whether they would be interested in assistance from NYCEDC to procure a personal half face respirator fit-tested by a properly licensed organization, all at NYCEDC's expense.

NYCEDC reserves the right to refrain from facilitation of procurement of respirators and arrangement of fit tests and/or to limit the number of people for whom this is provided. If numbers are limited, assistance will be allocated in the order in which requests are received. If you request assistance, NYCEDC will let you know in advance of the tour date whether assistance will be provided to you.

In any case, attendees must obtain their own appropriate medical evaluation needed for the fit test. In the event that NYCEDC assists interested attendees in arranging a fit-test, each such attendee will be required to provide sufficient documentation evidencing that such attendee has received the appropriate medical evaluation and has been cleared to wear a fit-tested half face respirator within the past twelve (12) calendar months. Anyone who does not produce sufficient documentation will not be provided with a respirator or fit-test and will not be permitted to attend the Comprehensive Tour. 

If provided, respirator fit-tests will be conducted on October 2 and October 3 in Midtown Manhattan, and/or early on the date of the Comprehensive Tour. Please ensure that you will be available at these times before requesting assistance.

Further, at least seven (7) business days prior to the Comprehensive Tour, NYCEDC will make available a liability waiver and release form online at the following location: https://edc.nyc/rfps. To attend this tour, each person must submit a fully executed copy of such liability waiver and release form to [email protected] by 5.00 PM ET on Friday, October 6, 2023. 

Attendees will be responsible for procuring and bringing to the Comprehensive Tour, at a minimum, the following personal protective equipment (“PPE”):

• Half face respirators (fit tested) and cartridges, and
• Boots (it is recommended these meet ASTM 2413-11 or higher).

Additional PPE (protective outer layers, etc.) will be provided onsite.

Prior to attending the tour, each Comprehensive Tour attendee must have had their personal half face respirator fit-tested by a properly licensed organization and have had the appropriate medical evaluation needed for the fit-test.  Attendees will be required to certify in the waiver and release form that this requirement has been met. 

Only those who have submitted the applicable fully executed liability waiver and release forms by the deadline and, in the case of the Comprehensive Tour, bring and wear the required PPE (including that provided on site), will be admitted. 

Approximately one (1) day prior to each site tour, NYCEDC will send a confirmation message to all attendees who satisfied the above requirements to attend, except that, each person’s entry to the Comprehensive Tour will remain subject to such person’s compliance with the PPE requirements.  Comprehensive Tour attendees should plan to arrive at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the start time of the tour to allow sufficient time to change into PPE and to receive instructions related to any onsite restrictions and/or policies that may apply while on the tour. 

Should any changes to the schedule occur, NYCEDC will notify attendees via their provided email addresses. Interested Respondents are strongly encouraged to have team members attend. 
 3 - General Tour: Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 11:00 AM ET

There will be an additional General Tour on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 11:00 ET. This tour is intended for all interested parties to experience firsthand the expansive Armory drill hall. It will be the same as the General Tour which took place on October 11, 2023.

To attend this tour, each person who wishes to attend must submit a fully completed and executed copy of the General Tour (November) liability waiver and release form which can be found above to [email protected] using the subject line “General Tour RSVP” by 5:00 PM ET on Monday, November 6, 2023.

Please note that only the drill hall floor and exterior areas of the Site will be available for viewing on this tour, due to hazardous materials (including, but not limited to, damaged lead-based paint and asbestos-containing materials) in other areas of the Armory.

Only those who have submitted the applicable fully executed liability waiver and release forms by the deadline will be admitted.

Approximately one (1) day prior to the tour, NYCEDC will send a confirmation message to all attendees who satisfied the above requirements to attend. Should any changes to the schedule occur, NYCEDC will notify attendees via their provided email addresses.

Inquires

Respondents may submit questions to and/or request clarifications from NYCEDC no later than 5:00 PM ET on Thursday, December 21, 2023. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP should be directed to [email protected]. Answers will be posted on a rolling basis, with the last answers posted by Monday, January 8, 2024 to this webpage . Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP, as well as any request for Site File access, will not be accepted after 5.00PM ET on Thursday, December 21, 2023. 
Technical questions pertaining to downloading and submitting proposals to this RFP may be directed to [email protected] on or before Thursday, January 18, 2024. 

Site File

Prior to submitting a Proposal, Respondents are encouraged to review (i) any and all publicly available sources of information regarding the Site, and (ii) NYCEDC's Site File, containing information regarding the Site (the "Site File").

The Site File, among other items, contains:

• A 3D laser scan (which includes the basement and headhouse) and CAD drawings
• Environmental reports (e.g. Phase I, Phase II, Asbestos and Lead Paint Survey Report)
• Existing conditions documents
• Photographs and videos (which include the basement and headhouse)

A full list of the items in the Site File can be found in Appendix K. 

The Site File will be available upon request by emailing [email protected].

Submission Requirements

Please download RFP document and zip file of additional appendices.

RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN  Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 11:59 pm.

Please submit your response via electronic upload by clicking here and uploading your proposal.

M/WBE

It is the policy of NYCEDC to comply with all federal, state and City laws and regulations which prohibit unlawful discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status and other protected category and to take affirmative action in working with contracting parties to ensure certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) share in the economic opportunities generated by NYCEDC’s projects and initiatives. 

This project has M/WBE participation goals, and all respondents will be required to submit an M/WBE Participation Proposal with their response. To learn more about NYCEDC’s M/WBE program, visit http://edc.nyc/opportunity-mwdbe. For the list of companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as M/WBE, please go to the https://sbsconnect.nyc.gov/certification-directory-search/.

NYCEDC established the Contract Financing Loan Fund program for Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (M/W/DBE) interested in working on public projects.   Contract Financing Loan Fund facilitates financing for short-term mobilization needs such as insurance, payroll, supplies and equipment. Bidders, sub-contractors and sub-consultants are strongly encouraged to visit the NYCEDC website at http://edc.nyc/opportunity-mwdbe to learn more about the program.