County Issues RFP For 20th Street Parcels

The County has issued a request for proposals for six parcels on 20th Street with the hope that local developers will be interested in purchasing the lots. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

 

​By KIRSTEN LASKEY 
​Los Alamos Daily Post 
​kirsten@ladailypost.com

The Los Alamos County is selling the six, half acre lots on 20th Street and hoping to attract local buyers.

“The RFP (request for proposals) is written in the way that you can propose on just one lot, multiple lots or the entire parcel,” County Economic Development Administrator Joan Ahlers said.

She added that the RFP is tailored to the needs and wants of the developer. “It’s a RFP that opens up to what developers think is most beneficial,” she said.

The lots are zoned NCO, meaning “essentially, you can do anything,” Ahlers said. However, heavy industrial or storage facilities will not be allowed. It could be retail, a restaurant, housing or a hotel. Ahlers said mixed-use could also be done such as a business at the bottom of the building and housing at the top.

She added some lots offer canyon views. One lot has the former Smart House.

The deadline to submit a RFP is Jan. 30. So far Ahlers said the County has received three letters of interests; two of which are from local businesses. There is a mandatory pre-proposal meeting scheduled at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 in Council Chambers. Ahlers said representatives from interested parties must attend and sign in to the meeting.

During the meeting, a number of applicable departments such as the Department of Public Utilities, Los Alamos Fire Department and the Community Development Department will answer questions and provide information.

A similar meeting was held for the A-13 property and Ahlers said, “It was a real success.”

The parcels offer quite a few benefits to developers, Ahlers said. One is 20th Street recently underwent an extension project. It was a collaboration between the Public Works Department and the Department of Public Utilities. She explained all the utilities in the downtown area were upgraded and gas loops were installed.

Ahlers added, “As far as I am concerned, the biggest perk is you’re moving on to vacant land.”

This means no demolition or renovation is necessary. Less work means a shorter timeframe to build. Vacant land is a rare commodity in down town area, Ahlers pointed out. Most of it is already developed, Ahlers said.

Plus, with a variety of ways to purchase land on 20th Street, Ahlers said it is more attainable for local developers to be able to own a parcel.

She said there are a lot of local business owners and landowners who would be interested in purchasing land sold by the County, but it would require a certain amount of investment. However, if the properties for sale are smaller, it is more attainable for locals to purchase.

Focusing local is a big prerogative. “As far as I am concerned, all our development should be focused locally,” Ahlers said.

The whole purpose behind selling the vacant land is to further progress the County’s economic growth and development, Ahlers said.

Ahlers said the County wants to bring in new businesses or help enhance existing ones while also helping to create more jobs.

“That’s the goal behind it: to encourage all that economic development and economic growth,” Ahlers said. “It’s been vacant a long time. It was identified … as a potential economic development project.”

With recent land sales in White Rock and Los Alamos for housing developments and now with the 20th Street project, Los Alamos is moving forward in developing its economy, she said.

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