SUNY_ESF_Housing_RFI.docx

State University of New York (SUNY) Request for Information (RFI) This is NOT a Solicitation

Request for Information (RFI)

SUNY-RFI-2026-ESF

Student Housing Development — Ground Lease Opportunity on SUNY ESF Campus

Issued by SUNY System Administration in coordination with Abby Lane Housing Corporation on behalf of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Responses Due: July 22nd, 4:00 p.m. EST

Introduction This Request for Information (RFI) is issued by the State University of New York (SUNY) System Administration, in coordination with Abby Lane Housing Corporation (ALHC), a not-for-profit subsidiary of the ESF College Foundation, Inc., on behalf of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (“SUNY ESF” or “the College”). ALHC and SUNY ESF are exploring the potential development of new on-campus student housing through a long-term ground lease structure in which the primary public contribution is the availability of campus land under a long-term leasehold interest.

Prior to committing to any specific program, financing structure, or competitive procurement process, SUNY is soliciting information and market input from qualified developers, financiers, operators, architects, and related professionals who have relevant experience with student housing public-private partnership (P3) or ground lease transactions at public colleges and universities. SUNY is issuing this RFI at a pre-decisional stage to better understand market interest, feasibility considerations, regulatory constraints, and viable development approaches before determining project structure, delivery model, and procurement strategy.

Purpose and Objective The purpose of this RFI is to acquire information and market intelligence regarding the potential development of new student housing and supporting amenities on SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry campus land in Syracuse, New York. The development opportunity is enabled by authorizing legislation that permits a long-term ground lease of State-owned land.

SUNY is particularly interested in development approaches that fully leverage the value of the ground lease structure and result in financially viable, self-supporting projects. This includes approaches that thoughtfully align program, scale, revenue strategy, and ESF’s sustainability mission to support long-term feasibility.

It is anticipated, but not guaranteed, that the information received through this RFI will inform a future competitive procurement process (Request for Qualifications and/or Request for Proposals) for a private development partner.

The objectives of this RFI are to: (1) assess market interest in a student housing P3 development at an urban public college campus in Syracuse, New York; (2) gather developer, financier, operator, and designer feedback regarding viable development structures, financing approaches, program scales, and deal terms; and (3) solicit respondents’ candid perspectives on feasibility, risks, and the most effective approach to structuring a future competitive procurement.

Background SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is the nation’s premier college focused on the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable future. Located in the City of Syracuse, County of Onondaga, New York, directly adjacent to Syracuse University on University Hill, the College serves approximately 2,500 students including roughly 1,984 undergraduates and over 550 graduate students across more than 50 programs. ESF’s 15-acre main urban campus is surrounded by Syracuse University’s campus. In the past five years, ESF’s enrollment has increased by approximately 17%.

ESF currently operates one residence hall, Centennial Hall, located on the western edge of the main campus. Centennial Hall generally houses between 550 to 618 students, depending on annual occupancy needs and the number of rooms configured as triples. First-year students are required to live on campus unless their permanent home address is within 30 miles, and Centennial Hall is primarily designed to serve first and second year students. Most transfer, upper-class, and graduate students live off campus in private housing in the Syracuse/University Hill area. As part of broader housing strategy considerations, SUNY ESF and SUNY System Administration may evaluate potential changes to residency policies over time. Respondents should not assume any specific future policy changes but are encouraged to describe how their proposed development approach performs under varying on-campus residency assumptions.

Abby Lane Housing Corporation (ALHC) is a not-for-profit corporation whose sole member is the ESF College Foundation, Inc. ALHC holds title to student housing property on behalf of the ESF College Foundation. ALHC currently owns Centennial Hall, which was financed through bonds issued by The Trust for Cultural Resources of the County of Onondaga. Centennial Hall is managed by Greystar Real Estate Partners, which is contracted by ALHC for building operations. Under the proposed structure, ALHC would serve as the ground lessee from SUNY and enter into a sublease or development agreement with a selected developer. Respondents are encouraged to comment on this structure and propose approaches that may improve feasibility, cost, operations, or delivery efficiency.

Authorizing Legislation: Chapter 58 of the Laws of 2026, enacted as part of the New York State FY 2026-27 Budget, authorizes the State University of New York Board of Trustees, without public bidding, to lease or otherwise contract to make available a portion of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry campus land to Abby Lane Housing Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation designated in the legislation as the ground lessee, for the purpose of building undergraduate and graduate student housing and amenities. Such lease or contract may be for a term not to exceed one hundred (100) years, without any fee simple conveyance, upon terms and conditions determined by the Trustees and subject to the approval of the New York State Director of the Division of the Budget, the Attorney General, and the State Comptroller. The legislation requires that the lease or contract be executed within five (5) years of the act’s effective date and that the property be used for the purpose described in the act; if such use ceases, the lease or contract shall immediately terminate and the property, together with any improvements thereon, shall revert to the State University of New York.

All construction undertaken pursuant to the legislation is deemed public work and is subject to Article 8 of the New York State Labor Law, including prevailing wage requirements, and must be performed in accordance with a Project Labor Agreement. The project is also subject to Article 15-A of the New York State Executive Law, including Minority-and Women-Owned Business Enterprise participation requirements. The legislation further permits ALHC and its development partners to obtain public or private financing, including leasehold mortgages and assignments of rents and leases, and requires that contracts entered into by ALHC or its partners for the design, construction, or operation of the project be awarded through a competitive process. Certain instructional, administrative, and other services currently performed by SUNY employees may not be outsourced or privatized, which may influence operational structures for the project.

Scope Regulatory and Permitting Considerations: The Project will be subject to applicable federal, state, and local permitting, environmental review, and land use requirements. Respondents are encouraged to identify key permitting risks, expected approval timelines, and any opportunities to streamline or sequence approvals to support project delivery. SUNY is seeking input on how regulatory requirements may impact feasibility, cost, and schedule.

The Project Site is generally described as a parcel of land situated in the City of Syracuse, County of Onondaga, State of New York, being Lots 1–10 of Block 605 (part of Farm Lot 185), consisting of approximately 1.624 acres of land on the campus of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The parcel is generally bounded by East Raynor Avenue, Stadium Place, Standart Street, and Henry Street, subject to all existing easements and restrictions of record. The site is located on the western edge of ESF’s main campus, adjacent to Centennial Hall, and within walking distance of ESF’s academic buildings and the Syracuse University campus.

The Project Site will be made available in its current condition. Respondents should assume responsibility for site due diligence, including environmental conditions, geotechnical considerations, and utility capacity, and should identify any risks that could materially impact project feasibility or cost. Respondents should assume responsibility for the design, delivery, and cost of all required utilities and infrastructure necessary to support the development.

SUNY ESF is at a pre-decisional stage and have not yet defined a specific development program, financing structure, or delivery model. The anticipated development would: (a) primarily support SUNY ESF undergraduate and graduate student housing needs and supporting amenities, with a particular interest in housing models that serve upper-class and graduate students, consistent with the authorizing legislation; (b) be financed, designed, constructed, and operated by a private developer under a long-term ground sublease or other agreement with ALHC; (c) be subject to Article 8 prevailing wage requirements and a Project Labor Agreement; (d) revert to the State University of New York at the end of the lease or contract term, or upon cessation of the authorized use, as required by the authorizing legislation; and (e) require Division of Budget, Attorney General, and New York State Comptroller approvals.

SUNY ESF recognizes that achieving a financially viable project on a constrained urban site may require a thoughtful mix of uses. Respondents are encouraged to propose development programs that include student housing as the primary use, with particular attention to housing models that would serve upper-class and graduate students. Respondents may also consider complementary or revenue-supporting components that enhance feasibility and remain consistent with the statutory purpose. Such components may include limited non-student housing, as well as student-oriented amenities such as dining facilities, fitness space, or other services that support a residential campus environment and contribute to overall project viability.

SUNY invites respondents to propose creative, financially viable approaches to program, scale, financing, and structure. In particular, SUNY seeks to understand how respondents would structure a development program that is responsive to the constraints of the site, including the appropriate mix of student housing and any complementary or revenue-supporting uses necessary to achieve overall project feasibility.

SUNY is interested in understanding whether the site is sufficient to support such a program, what unit types and bed counts are realistic for upper-class and graduate student housing within a broader development concept, what financing structures are most appropriate given the legal framework and ground lease structure, and what the anticipated development timeline would be from execution of a ground lease through project delivery and occupancy. Responses should also address how the proposed approach aligns with ESF’s sustainability goals and the statutory requirement to execute a ground lease within five (5) years.

Content of Response Respondents are requested to respond to all questions included in this RFI. A response does not bind or obligate the responder or SUNY/ALHC to any agreement for the provision of referenced development, financing, or operational services. No contracts will be awarded based on RFI submissions. Responding or not responding to this RFI does not preclude a respondent from participating in any future competitive procurement process. Any cost or financial information provided in responses is for informational planning purposes only. Respondents are encouraged to clearly describe the underlying assumptions supporting project feasibility, including revenue sources, program mix, and any factors that materially influence financial viability.

Since this RFI is designated as a tool to collect information, and will not result in a contract, it does not fall under the requirements of State Finance Law §139-J and 139-K, Procurement Lobbying Law; and there is no restricted period. However, respondents are advised to familiarize themselves with these requirements as they will apply to any subsequent formal procurement.

In order to facilitate the review of the responses, please provide the information in the order as listed below. Responses should be provided within the document directly below each question, maintaining the original formatting of this document. Please rename this document with the following naming convention: SUNY-RFI-2026-ESF_RESPONDENT NAME.doc (.docx format is also acceptable).

If any of the information in the respondent’s submission is considered confidential, proprietary, or a trade secret, it must be clearly indicated on the appropriate page of the submission. Release of such materials is governed by the NYS Freedom of Information Law, which in pertinent part requires the requester to provide specific justification as to why disclosure of particular information would cause substantial injury to the competitive position of the respondent.

Question Deadline Questions that arise as a result of this RFI are to be submitted via email no later than three (3) weeks after the RFI issuance date at 4:00 p.m. EST to: ESFhousing-rfi@suny.edu

Subject line of email must state “SUNY-RFI-2026-ESF Questions – company name.”

Submittal Deadline Please submit your RFI response via email to ESFhousing-rfi@suny.edu no later than July 22nd at 4:00 p.m. EST.

Subject line of email must state “SUNY-RFI-2026-ESF Response – company name.”

Comment by Stockli, John: Delete section 8 to insure level playing field for those that cannot attentd.

Response Form

Company Demographics

Company Name

Division Address

Headquarters Address

Contact Name

Title

Email Address

Phone Number

1. Is your company a Small Business Enterprise?

A “New York State Small Business” is defined as a company that is a resident of New York State, independently owned and operated, with 100 or fewer employees, and not dominant in its field.

□ Yes □ No

2. Is your company certified with NYS Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) as a Minority and/or Women Owned Business (M/WBE)

3. If you answered no, does your company have existing arrangements (e.g. teaming agreements, joint venture and mentor protégé) with a NYS certified MWBE?

4. Does your company wish to explore possible arrangements with NYS certified MWBE businesses which can contribute toward meeting MWBE participation goals?

□ Yes □ No

□ Yes □ No

Please describe:

□ Yes □ No

General Information

5. What information about the Project Site, ESF’s student population, the legal and legislative framework, or ALHC’s organizational structure would your company need in a future RFQ or RFP to prepare a comprehensive, competitive proposal? Please be as specific as possible about site data, studies, financial representations, or legal documents that would be essential to your ability to respond.

6. What ground lease term would your company require or recommend to support viable project financing for a student housing P3 on state-owned land in the Syracuse market? The authorizing legislation permits a term not to exceed 100 years. Please explain the financing rationale for the term you recommend and any relationship between lease term and achievable debt or equity structures.

7. If your company would not be interested in participating in a future competitive procurement for this student housing development opportunity, please explain the primary reasons why. Candid responses — including identification of deal-breakers or feasibility concerns — are especially valuable to SUNY at this stage.

8. From your work on similar university student housing P3 or ground lease projects, identify and describe what you consider the greatest challenges and risk points for ALHC and SUNY ESF in procuring and implementing a student housing development on the Project Site as described above. Please address timeline risks relative to the 5-year statutory ground lease execution deadline, financing risks, and any site-specific or market-specific concerns in the Syracuse context.

9. Based on your experience, what permitting, environmental review, and regulatory approvals would be required for a project of this type in the Syracuse market? Please identify key risks, expected timelines, and any strategies to streamline approvals.

10. What is a realistic timeline from ground lease execution to project delivery and occupancy for a project of this scale? Please identify key milestones and critical path risks.

Experience

11. List and describe examples of your company’s experience with student housing P3 or ground lease development projects at public colleges or universities, particularly those of similar size and complexity to SUNY ESF (enrollment under 5,000; urban campus; state-owned land). For each example, please describe:

a. Institution name, location, enrollment size, and whether the campus is urban, suburban, or rural;

b. Project scale (bed count, total development cost, unit types), ground lease term, and financing structure used;

c. Your organization’s specific role in the transaction, current project status, and a reference contact willing to speak with SUNY.

12. Describe what makes the projects listed in previous questions most relevant to the ESF opportunity. What characteristics - institution type, site constraints, financing structure, statutory/regulatory environment, market conditions - are most analogous to SUNY ESF’s situation?

13. Describe significant obstacles encountered during the planning, financing, or development of the projects in Q #11, and the steps taken to overcome them. Please note any obstacles that you believe are particularly relevant to the ESF situation given the statutory framework, site characteristics, or Syracuse market conditions.

14. Based on your experience, what unit mix, pricing structure, occupancy assumptions, and overall development program would be required to support a financially viable project on this site, particularly for upper-class and graduate student housing demand? Please describe how these elements interact to support feasibility, including any complementary uses, student-oriented amenities (e.g. dining, fitness or similar facilities), or revenue streams that may be necessary.

15. What capital structure (debt, equity, tax-exempt financing, etc.) would be required to support a project of this scale, and what return thresholds would lenders and equity partners require? Please describe how the ground lease structure and associated land value influence financing assumptions.

16. What development and ownership structures would you recommend for this project, and how would those structures impact financing, risk allocation, and long-term operations?

Development Program, Financing, and Structure

17. In your professional judgment, is the approximately 1.624-acre Project Site (Lots 1–10 of Block 605, City of Syracuse, bounded by East Raynor Avenue and Stadium Place) adequate to support a financially viable student housing project? Please address each of the following:

a. What is your assessment of the site’s development feasibility given its size, urban location adjacent to both ESF and Syracuse University, and typical construction costs in the Syracuse market?

b. What minimum and optimal bed count range would you expect to be financially viable on this site, assuming the project is primarily intended to serve upper-class and graduate student housing demand?

c. What unit types, such as suite-style, apartment-style, or other models, and what amenity mix do you recommend for upper-class and graduate student housing demand at ESF? Please explain whether, and under what circumstances, traditional double or triple room configurations would be appropriate for this project.

d. What range of all-in student housing rental rates, whether per bed, per unit, per academic year, or other appropriate structure, do you believe is achievable and sustainable for upper-class and graduate student housing at this location?

e. What is a realistic total project cost range (design, construction, soft costs, financing) for a project of the scale you recommend at this location?

f. Are there complementary ground-floor, ancillary, or other revenue-generating uses (e.g., retail, dining facilities, fitness space, academic support space, or other facilities) that would strengthen project feasibility? Please describe their role in the overall development program and their contribution to financial viability.

g. How should the development reflect ESF’s environmental mission and sustainability goals, including high-performance building design, carbon reduction, renewable energy opportunities, sustainable materials, and green building practices? What cost premium is associated with achieving LEED Gold or Platinum certification and WELL Building certification, and how would those standards affect project feasibility? Respondents are also encouraged to comment on other sustainable design strategies, including renewable energy sources, mass timber construction, or other approaches that may be appropriate for this site and ESF’s mission.

h. Describe your company’s proposed approach to operations and management of the facility. Would your company operate the facility directly, engage a third-party student housing operator, or recommend ALHC/ESF retain operational responsibility? What are the trade-offs of each approach?

i. What annual ground rent structure and payment terms are typical in comparable university P3 transactions? What ground rent would your company consider reasonable for an institution of ESF’s scale and financial profile?

j. Are there pre-development activities - environmental review, schematic design, site surveys, entitlement work, financing feasibility - that ALHC or ESF should initiate before or concurrently with a formal competitive procurement to preserve the 5-year timeline?

k. Describe the optimal mix of student housing and any additional uses that would be required to achieve a financially viable project on this site. Please explain how these components work together to support project feasibility given the site constraints and ground lease structure.

18. The authorizing legislation requires the use of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for contractors and subcontractors on the project. Based on your experience in the Central New York / Syracuse construction market, how does the PLA requirement affect: (a) total project cost; (b) the pool of available general contractors and subcontractors; and (c) overall project timeline and feasibility?

19. Any ground lease executed pursuant to the authorizing legislation must receive approval from the NYS Director of the Division of Budget, the Attorney General, and the New York State Comptroller, in addition to approval by the SUNY Board of Trustees. Have you navigated similar multi-agency New York State approval processes? In your experience, how long does this process typically take, and what steps can be taken to streamline it?

20. New York State Executive Law Article 15-A requires MWBE participation goals on state-related contracts. Based on your experience with SUNY or New York State-related development or construction projects, what MWBE participation goals are realistic for the design and construction phases of a student housing project of this type in the Syracuse market? How have you met MWBE goals on comparable projects, and what strategies would you recommend SUNY ESF build into a future RFP?

21. Based on your experience with similar university student housing P3 transactions, what competitive procurement structure do you recommend ALHC use to select a development partner? Please address each of the following:

a. Should ALHC issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) first to shortlist qualified developers before issuing a full RFP, or go directly to an RFP? What are the relative merits of each approach for a project at ESF’s scale?

b. What evaluation criteria and relative weightings would you recommend ALHC use in a future RFP (e.g., developer experience, financial proposal/ground rent, development program, financing structure, sustainability, timeline)?

c. What is a realistic timeline from issuance of a future RFQ/RFP to execution of a ground lease? What are the most significant factors that could extend or compress this timeline?

d. Are there aspects of the project - site, legal structure, institution profile, market - that you would identify as significant obstacles or potential deal-breakers from the perspective of a developer or lender? What would need to change to make this project attractive to a broad field of qualified respondents?

image1.png