The Empire Stores, the ancient coffee warehouse on Water Street in Dumbo, is finally ready to fulfill its role as an adaptive reuse project meant to generate more money for Brooklyn Bridge Park. The redevelopment of the buildings?laid out in a 2002 park agreement?was postponed several times while the state looked in vain for a developer willing to deal with the building's scary structural issues. But the park is ready to try again, and issued an RFP today seeking "qualified developers for the long-term lease, rehabilitation and operation of commercial and retail development in the historic structures." Proposals must address preservation, design, green building, and "the project's responsiveness to the surrounding community," and they're due December 10.
Crain's explains that the winning developer (who would sign a 96-year lease for the property) could add up to 70,000 square feet to the existing buildings, for one or two additional stories. The buildings, constructed after the Civil War, have been vacant since the 1950s. A year-round haunted house has RFP potential, no?
· Business Opportunities: Brooklyn Bridge Park [brooklybridgepark.org]
· Wanted (at last): developer for historic Dumbo site [Crain's]
· Empire Stores coverage [Curbed]
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