1.1. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT OVERVIEW

The City of Ocala (“City”), through this Invitation to Negotiate (“ITN”), seeks proposals from interested and qualified developers, builders, partnerships and/or agencies interested in constructing a mixed-use development on this parcel to include any combination of the following preferred mixed uses: residential (required), retail, restaurant, office, or cultural.

The property is located in the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), per the Midtown Master Plan (2017) attached hereto as Exhibit A, the subject site has high catalytic impact potential and is advantageously situated within close proximity to a number of both downtown and midtown amenities and employment centers including the Downtown Square and future hotel, the Osceola Trak, and the Marion County Courts Complex.

This 1.15-acre City-owned property abuts NE 2nd Street to the north, NE 1st Street to the south, NE 1st Avenue to the east, and the historic seven-story Marion Sovereign Building to the west across N. Magnolia Avenue. The property is currently used as a surface parking lot with no buildings. Historically, this was the site of the city’s main post office and was a primary generator of activity for most surrounding development. The site is zoned Form Based Code (FBC) with a designated land use of High Intensity/Central Core. The FBC allows for density to be calculated based on the floor area ratio (FAR) for residential and non-residential uses rather than unit density. The FAR is 8.0 within the High Intensity/Central Core land use designation. The total square footage of the site is approximately 50,094. The site is located in the parking exempt zone. If a proposer wishes to provide onsite parking, standard parking dimensions are 9.5 wide by 19 feet in depth however can be reduced to 9 wide by 17 feet in depth due to the site location within the High Intensity/Central Core.

If allowable, the inclusion of an appropriately scaled green space element is preferred. As indicated above, although this parcel is in a parking exempt zone, proposers of the site shall include onsite structured or surface parking as part of their proposal. Development of this site will displace much current parking use and create additional pressure for even more parking. Proposers can incorporate areas outside of the site such as parking spaces, rights-of-way, other properties, etc. in their proposals.

As a mixed-use product, proposers should carefully consider how the development will contribute and increase connection and associated draw to and from the evolving nearby downtown core, nearby geographical areas and many public improvements that border Midtown in all directions. Proposers should carefully consider how the development will contribute to a vibrant street life and a pedestrian oriented public realm with a variety of amenities. Each building should be aesthetically attractive and provide an accessible, safe environment.

In order to be eligible for consideration, prospective developers, builders, partnerships and/or agencies must meet the minimum qualifications set forth in this ITN and demonstrate proven experience, financial resources, and professional expertise to develop, market, and rent and/or sell quality, residential units. The City reserves the right to request additional information or require execution of additional documentation as may be reasonably necessary to determine the financing of construction of the developed units.