Last night in the WSB Forums, member “Bigmark” posted e-mail he had received seeking support for a soccer complex on Port land along Harbor Avenue. “Has anyone heard anything about this?” he asked. We sent an inquiry the person who had sent the mass e-mail that “Bigmark” received – and finally got more information tonight, including the Request for Proposal cover photo shown above. Turns out the soccer field is one of the latest proposals for the so-called “CEM site” – which we last reported on in July of 2007, when Jack Block came to the Alki Community Council to advocate for a residential/urban proposal for the site; our coverage from that meeting indicated that was one of two primary competing proposals, with the other being boat storage. But now, a soccer complex is in the mix, at least for some CEM land – here’s what its supporters have to say:
In e-mail responding to our query, Paul Reynolds explains:
ISS (International Soccer Schools) www.intlsoccerschools.com has been engaged in a preliminary design of soccer/athletic fields on this property with Seattle firm Illiad inc (www.IliadNW.com)
Currently we have draft plans for 5 full-size soccer fields and 2 youth fields. The proposed development also includes on site parking and a meeting/restaurant shower facility. We also have tentative financing for the construction phase.
ISS submitted a (RFP) bid along with 3 other groups.
The Port process is to identify the proposal which best meets their criteria
The selection criteria is broken down into 4 categories:
30% – Experience, Qualifications & Financial Strength
35% – Proposed Use – Development and Operations Plan
30% – Revenue to the Port ($$$$’s)
5% – Business EnterpriseWithout giving out $ figures, ISS proposal includes a 30 year lease, expandable to 90, with significant monthly lease payments to the Port.
Still, we can only pay what the facility can bring in from users – so commercial bidders have a much bigger draw and deeper pockets, and are unofficially well ahead of us in the “revenue to port” category.
Our goal now is to have the public let the Port know their preference – which may help the Port relax their financial goal slightly and choose an athletic complex over commercial/residential development.
Now, going back to the e-mail from Paul that “Bigmark” posted in the WSB Forums last night, here’s how to provide feedback:
1. Our preference is that you write your letter and mail to:
Melinda Miller,
Director Portfolio Management.
Real Estate Division,
Pier 69, P.O.Box 1209,
Seattle, WA 98111For e-mail, Melinda’s e-mail is: miller.m@portseattle.org
2. Then you can simply cut n paste the same letter into the feedback system for the Port Commissioner John Creighton at http://www.portseattle.org/about/contact/#port
3. And again please cut n paste your letter to us at soccer@intlsoccerschools.com
So far we have not been able to find more about this RFP on the Port of Seattle site, only various references that the port has been trying to settle the future of the CEM site for years. We will check with the Port on Monday to get information from their side of this. ADDED LATER: We’re getting a little closer to more RFP info – found a topline that describes the physical address of the CEM site as 2929 SW Florida Street, which comes up with this Google Street View:
View Larger Map
Some of the RFP info appears to be password-protected, but whatever more we can dig up, we’ll add here.
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