Butler VA B1_Sources Sought_Final 08052025.pdf

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY)

FOR BUTLER HEALTHCARE FACILITY, BUILDING-1, BUTLER PA 16001

I. Notice:

This advertisement is a notice of a potential opportunity. This Request for Expressions of Interest

(the “advertisement”) is not a solicitation for offers, nor is it a request for proposals. Respondents are advised that the Government assumes no responsibility to award an Historic Reuse Program

(HRP) based upon responses to this advertisement.

• This Sources Sought Notice is to identify potential sources for information and planning purposes only and is not intended to pre-qualify or disqualify any potential Respondents.

The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to conduct market research to determine if responsible and qualified sources exist to redevelop the asset described in Section III.

• The information gained from this Sources Sought will be used to assist the Government in determining if this is a feasible development opportunity.

• The Government will use this information to determine the best acquisition strategy for this procurement.

• The Government requests that interested parties respond to this Notice with the specific information requested in Section V of this Notice and identify their small business status.

• Contractors/Institutions responding to this market research should be aware that participation in this survey may not ensure that they qualify for any underlying future solicitation or contract award. Additionally, responding to this Sources Sought Notice is

NOT a prerequisite to respond to any future subsequent solicitations.

• The government will not reimburse participants for any expenses associated with their participation in this Sources Sought.

• The Government cannot provide any warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information contained in this Notice.

II. Scope of Sources Sought Notice:

This Sources Sought notice is for the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reuse and development of a vacant and underutilized building at Department of Veterans Affairs Butler

Healthcare Facility at 325 New Castle Road, Butler, PA 16001. The following building is available lease under the HRP authority.

The HRP authority is derived from Title 54 United States Code Sections 306121-306122 (formerly

Section 111) that allows the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to manage, outlease, or exchange historic facilities (available land, buildings, and other resources) in a manner consistent with VA’s obligation to maintain historic assets. VA’s implementation of this authority is known as the Historic Reuse Program (HRP). An HRP agreement can be either a long-term outlease (up to 99 years) of facilities under VA’s jurisdiction of control to the public or private sector or an exchange of historic properties. This program is administrated by the Office of Real Property

(ORP) within VA’s Office of Construction and Facilities Management (OCFM).

VA is seeking expressions of interest from qualified “Developer” for purposes of redeveloping an underutilized vacant building for future business opportunities that will contribute to the local economy.

For purposes of this effort, the Developer would be a non-VA entity who has the qualifications outlined in Section 2 of this Notice. The Developer will be expected to develop a viable business model for Building-1. The opportunity would involve a Developer entering a HRP with VA which entails financing, renovating/constructing, operating, and maintenance of Building-1.

The objectives of this development opportunity include but are not limited to:

• To provide an innovative solution within current authority to preserve a VA-owned, historic property.

• To enable a productive use of the property which does not involve VA capital dollars and benefits all stakeholders.

• To meet VA’s obligations under Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation

Act (NHPA) to better preserve and protect the property.

• Re-purpose historic buildings for purposes of business development and community support.

III. Butler Healthcare Facility, Building-1 Background:

Building-1 lies south of New Castle Road (State Route 356) southeast of the interchange with

Benjamin Franklin Highway (State Highway 422). Building-1 was originally conveyed to the

United States for use as an Army Hospital from the State of Pennsylvania, the site was turned over to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 1946. In 1948, VA purchased Building-1 and used it as a VA hospital until September 2017

Originally constructed in 1938, the building has undergone several renovations, expansions, and additions, and currently is 223,320 Gross Square Feet (GSF). The building is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places along with several of the other original buildings on the

Asset.

Building-1 was in active use until September 2017 as a medical facility, when VA relocated to

353 N. Duffy Rd, Butler, PA 16001. Building-1 currently sits mostly vacant, with a few offices still in use along with the auditorium. Adjacent to Building 1 and supporting the structure are two newer structures: Building 99, which houses a generator, and Building 131, which serves as the data center.

Additional information is available at VAhistoricreuse@va.gov.

IV. Sources Sought Response Requirements

VA is seeking qualified developers with a proven company track record of:

• Reusing historic assets for a multitude of end uses.

• Possessing financial wherewithal required to successfully develop and execute a viable long term business plan.

• Demonstrated operation and staffing knowledge to successfully implement a historic property re-purpose initiative.

Responses should be submitted on official letterhead, must include a point of contact and the signature of at least one organization officer. Responses must address the following elements in sufficient detail to highlight the Respondent’s ability to undertake the Principal Developer scope as set forth in this Sources Sought Notice. Responses must not exceed 20 pages, single spaced with a minimum 12-point font.

mailto:VAhistoricreuse@va.gov

Response content should consist of the following:

Section 1: Business Information

A. Please provide the following for your company:

• Company Name

• Address

• Point of Contact

• Phone Number

• E-mail Address

• Web Page URL

• DUNS

• CAGE Code

B. Based on the NAICS Code identified in the Sources Sought, please state whether your company is:

• Veteran Owned Small Business* (Yes / No)

• Service-Disabled Veteran Small Business* (Yes / No)

• Small Business (Yes / No)

• Woman Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

• Small Disadvantaged Business (Yes / No)

• 8(a) Certified (Yes / No)

• HUBZone Certified (Yes / No)

Section 2: Qualifications to Undertake this Development Opportunity

A. Corporate Overview: Provide overview of Respondent’s organization; indicate type of organization (for-profit, non-profit, etc.) and core business activities; specify age of organization; identify leadership.

B. Development Experience: Summarize the Respondent’s development experience and provide brief descriptions of similar scale projects that the Respondent has developed, including any associated project infrastructure, within the last 10 years. Include information such as: name, location, description of housing type, number of units (specify market rate, affordable supportive, etc.), associated project infrastructure, new construction/renovation, age, the number of years involved with the development, and the role of the Respondent.

C. Financing Experience: Summarize the Respondent’s experience directly securing financing for similar scale developments in the last 10 years. Provide brief descriptions of similar developments for which the Respondent had directly secured financing. Include project information such as: name, location, description of housing type, number of units

(specify market rate, etc.), total development cost, specific funding sources secured, and role of Respondent.

D. Development Experience: Summarize the Respondent’s experience and provide brief descriptions of development projects that the Respondent has developed within the last 10 years. Include information such as: name, location, description of project (including supportive services), age, the number of years involved with the property, and the role of the Respondent.

E. Management Experience: Summarize the Respondent’s management experience and provide brief descriptions of similar supportive housing development projects that the

Respondent has directly managed/operated/owned within the last 10 years. Include information such as: name, location, description of facilities (including supportive services), on-site staff (if any), age, the number of years involved with the property, and the extent of your company’s participation.

F. Historic Rehabilitation Experience: Summarize your experience developing, managing and operating historic rehabilitation projects. Summary should demonstrate a proven track records in the development, and experience in redevelopment, reuse and operation, of historic structures.

G. Financial Wherewithal: Provide evidence of your firm’s financial wherewithal to develop reuse historic building(s) and attach supporting documentation (Note: Supporting documentation is excluded from the page limitation).

V. Deadline to Submit Questions regarding Notice Any and all questions regarding the contents of this Notice should be submitted via to

Elroy H. Plummer at Elroy.plummer@va.gov and Shahidat Abbas at

Shahidat.Abbas@va.gov by 29 August 2025 at 5:00pm ET. Questions will be answered as an amendment to the advertisement.

VI. Deadline to Submit Response If your organization has the qualifications set forth in Section VI of this Notice and is interested and capable of executing all aspects of this opportunity, please EMAIL your response as an attachment to Elroy H. Plummer at Elroy.plummer@va.gov and

Shahidat Abbas at Shahidat.Abbas@va.gov on 30 August 2025 before 5:00pm ET.

mailto:Elroy.plummer@va.gov mailto:Shahidat.Abbas@va.gov mailto:Elroy.plummer@va.gov mailto:Shahidat.Abbas@va.gov

Building-1 Exterior Views

Building-1 Street View

Butler Healthcare Facility: Street View

Building-1 Stairwell View

Building-1

Auditorium

View

Building-1 Interior Ramp View

Building-1 Interior Elevator View