by
Rachel Hansen | Mar 04, 2022
Imagine the possibilities of a 7.5-acre gateway into downtown Wenatchee and the Columbia River waterfront. The Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority is accepting proposals from developers interested in Chelan PUD’s headquarters on Fifth Street and North Wenatchee Avenue.
“This is a great opportunity,” said Dan Frazier, Chelan PUD shared services director. “It’s rare to find a downtown parcel this large, and we want to make the best of it. Our goal is to attract a developer with a creative, economically viable plan that the community can support.”
Frazier anticipates the proposals will be a mix of commercial use, residential and community service organizations.
The PUD held several public workshops regarding the future of the property, including a community-wide visioning session attended by more than 200 people. The criteria to evaluate developer proposals reflects community priorities, including continued access to parking for the Riverside Playhouse.
The Port and Chelan PUD scheduled two on-site meetings to answer questions from developers and interested parties on March 23 and March 30. Proposals are due by April 14.
The Port will evaluate and identify the top proposals in May. The Chelan PUD Board of Commissioners will select a developer and negotiate over the summer. The schedule coincides with the PUD’s anticipated move to Olds Station in mid-2023.
“We hope to have a good idea of what’s going in by fall,” said Stacie de Mestre, public works and capital projects manager for the Port. “Right now, we’re looking for a master developer to take that 7.5 acres and transform it into something special to welcome people into downtown.”
The RFP is available at the Port’s website, https://www.cdrpa.org/5thstreetrfp. Visit chelanpud.org to learn more about the Fifth Street redevelopment project.
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