Redevelopment of Mill Building for Workforce Housing

The City of Bristol, Connecticut is seeking qualified developers and associated parties through Request for Proposals 2P26-022 for the redevelopment of the approximately 3.54-acre J.H. Sessions and Sons Building located at 273 Riverside Avenue into workforce housing. The property, an historic 80,000-square-foot multi-story industrial mill structure with desirable architectural features including high ceilings, wooden floors, and exposed beams, is the centerpiece of the city's "Riverside Revival" initiative. Proposals must include residential units designated as workforce housing for individuals earning 50% to 120% of area median income, either as 100% of the units or in combination with market-rate units, with developers required to address site improvements, building usage specifications, development team qualifications, project schedules, and anticipated incentive requests. The City will transfer the property for $1 and will consider additional development incentives to support the selected project, including BUILD 4 CT financing through the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit programs, Historic Tax Credit programs, Tax Increment Financing, Enterprise Zone incentives, and Connecticut Municipal Development Authority benefits; the City will also transfer an adjacent 0.44-acre parcel at 296 Riverside Avenue for parking, green space, or similar amenities. Evaluation criteria include the strength of the development plan, development team capacity, consistency with Bristol's objectives, financial viability, incorporation of green building principles, post-development management plans, and experience with remediation and redevelopment of challenged properties. A mandatory site visit is scheduled for November 12, 2025 at 11:00 a.m., with an additional site access opportunity on November 19, 2025 at 11:00 a.m., and proposals must be submitted by December 17, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. via email or USB drive to the Purchasing Department; the property is zoned BHC (Route 72 Corridor Business Zone) with a maximum building height of 40 feet, though the City may collaborate with a developer to extend this limit.

The procurement documents indicate no specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting eligible respondents to particular enterprise classifications, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are referenced in the solicitation materials. The property, located within a state Enterprise Zone, Federal Opportunity Zone, and local Tax Increment Financing Zone, benefits from comprehensive environmental remediation with interior work completed as of October 3, 2025, minor exterior work expected by December 31, 2025, and an Environmental Use Restriction to be placed on the property; prospective developers should review the Phase II Conceptual Remedial Action Plan, Market Feasibility Profile, and architectural floor plans provided as supporting documentation to understand remediation requirements and site conditions. The City anticipates selecting one or more qualified proposals and inviting short-listed firms for interviews, with all submissions valid for 120 days from the due date and subject to Connecticut Freedom of Information laws. No specific award value or budget range is listed in the solicitation materials; however, the City's concurrent funding of a complete streetscape reconstruction of Riverside Avenue with state funding indicates substantial municipal commitment to the corridor development initiative. Contact Nancy P. Haynes, Purchasing Agent, at (860) 584-6195 or nancyhaynes@bristolct.gov for additional information, with all proposal submission materials and attachments available through the City of Bristol Purchasing website at https://www.bristolct.gov/Bids.aspx?BidID=1428.