City Of Paducah

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RENAISSANCE AREA MASTER PLAN

Sealed proposals will be received at Paducah City Hall, 300 South 5th Street, Paducah, Kentucky, 42002, until 4:00 P.M. local time on April 24, 2009 to develop a Renaissance Area Master Plan, in accordance with a Preserve America grant.

Proposals may be either mailed or hand delivered to Steve Ervin, Director of Planning, 300 South 5th Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42002.

The City of Paducah reserves the right to waive any informalities or minor irregularities, reject any and all proposals which are incomplete, conditional, obscure or which contain additions not allowed for, accept or reject any proposal in whole or in part with or without cause and accept the proposal which best serves the City.

The City of Paducah is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

For further information on this Request for Proposals, please call 270-444-8690.

CITY OF PADUCAH
By: STEVE ERVIN
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, CITY OF PADUCAH

BACKGROUND

The City of Paducah has been awarded a Preserve America grant, which is used to preserve and promote America's heritage and cultural assets. These grants are administered by the National Park Service, which is regulated under the United States Department of the Interior. The City has stipulated in our approved grant application to develop a Renaissance Area Master Plan (RAMP). The Renaissance Area is comprised of Paducah's downtown, the Lowertown Arts District and the Ohio Riverfront.

The City's RAMP shall address a number of items, including linking downtown Paducah, the Lowertown Arts District and the Riverfront of the Ohio River by existing infrastructure. It is important to the City to create a way for cultural and natural heritage tourists to be able to reach these three areas without interruption in order to be able to have a pleasant experience viewing and interacting with Paducah's cultural and natural localities.

The RAMP shall:

1. Develop a unified brand for the Renaissance Area;

2. Include sections on tourist traffic flow for both pedestrian and vehicular modes of transportation;

3. Develop a unified streetscape plan for the tourist routes. The streetscape plan shall be designed in accordance with the Kentucky Heritage Council's Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines for Historic Commercial Districts, which can be downloaded at www.heritage.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4B154501-2D32-4843-A58F-97505DF06AC3/0…. A sculptural walking trail linking Lowertown, Downtown and the Riverfront shall be developed within the unified streetscape plan;

4. Include a strategy to promote and market specific places of historical interest, as identified by the inventory of structures within the Renaissance Area;

5. Include a strategy to recruit district-appropriate businesses and retain artists in the Lowertown Arts District;

6. Provide a plan for the future use and preservation of the Market House;

7. Evaluate the area around the future Paducah Art School for a campus-style use;

8. Generate a parking study of the Renaissance Area; and

9. The RAMP will also include a marketing strategy for the Renaissance Area. The marketing strategy will identify targeted businesses and provide step-by-step recruitment strategies. It will also include incentives for historic preservation and a strategy to encourage overall economic development. The marketing strategy shall utilize existing studies, such as the Riverfront Redevelopment Master Plan and the existing Economic Research Associates study to build the marketing strategy upon. The RAMP shall provide contact information of businesses and business recruiters that would be economically feasible in the Renaissance Area.

PART I – GENERAL INFORMATION

DEFINITION

For the purposes of this Request for Proposals (RFP), "Proposer" shall mean consultants, respondents, organizations, firms or other persons submitting a response to this RFP.

PURPOSE

This RFP provides guidelines for the submission of proposals to assist the City of Paducah in developing a Renaissance Area Master Plan (RAMP), the purpose of which is to link Lowertown, Paducah's downtown and the Ohio Riverfront. The linking of these three areas is intended to promote, attract and move cultural and natural heritage tourists though all three areas seamlessly. A unified streetscape, including appurtenances such as, but not limited to, benches, trees, flowers and signage, shall be utilized to move these tourists through the Renaissance Area. The streetscape shall be designed in accordance with the Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines for Historic Commercial Districts. The uniformity is required in order to further enhance the brand of the Renaissance Area and make it identifiable to cultural and natural heritage tourists.

PROJECT AREA

ISSUING OFFICE AND LOCATION OF PROPOSAL OPENING

CITY OF PADUCAH, DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
300 SOUTH 5TH STREET
PADUCAH, KENTUCKY 42002

INVITATION TO PROPOSE

The City of Paducah hereby solicits proposals from Proposers to assist in developing a Renaissance Area Master Plan. A steering committee comprised of not more than 10 persons will oversee the planning process.

BUDGET

The City of Paducah has budgeted a total of $120,000 for the RAMP. Part of the funding is derived from a Preserve America grant and shall be used in accordance with their guidelines, the guidelines from the National Park Service and in accordance with the City's approved application for these funds.

Consultant services and all project expenses including software, postage, notices, meetings, copies and other project related items shall be included in the proposal.

CONTRACT AWARDS

The City of Paducah anticipates entering into a contract with the Proposer who submits the best-evaluated bid. The City anticipates awarding one contract, but reserves the right to award more than one if it is in the City's best interest.

By virtue of submitting a proposal, the Proposer acknowledges that this RFP does not constitute an agreement or a contract with the Proposer. An official contract or agreement is not binding until proposals are reviewed and accepted by the City of Paducah. The City reserves the right to reject all proposals, to waive any informalities and to solicit and re-advertise for other proposals.

DEVELOPMENT COSTS

Neither the City of Paducah nor its representatives shall be liable for any expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of a response to this RFP. Proposers should prepare their proposals simply and economically, providing a straightforward and concise description of the Proposer's ability to meet the requirements of this RFP.

MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS

The Consultant shall advise the City of Paducah how many trips to the City, in which all public hearings, stakeholder meetings, presentations and other activities requiring travel, will be needed. The Consultant shall take at least five (5) trips to Paducah. When the consultant visits the City, as many meetings as is relevant shall be held. Required presentations shall be given to the Historic Architecture Review Commission, the Paducah Planning Commission and the Paducah City Commission. Additional stakeholder meetings may include:

A. City of Paducah Planning Department

B. Other City Departments (Engineering, Finance, Inspections, Parks, etc.) as needed and/or required

C. The Paducah Renaissance Alliance

D. The Steering Committee (to be formed)

E. The Yeiser Art Center

F. The Market House Theater
G. Downtown merchants (including retail, specialty and restaurants)

H. The River Heritage Museum

I. The Museum of the American Quilters Society

J. Lowertown Artists and specialty shop owners,

K. Paducah Civic Beautification Board

L. District One Highways

M. Utility providers (ATMOS gas, Bell South, Paducah Water, Paducah Power, etc.)

N. The Convention and Visitors Bureau

O. Other boards, entities, individuals, departments and stakeholders as needed or required

INQUIRES

Proposers may e-mail or submit written inquiries for an interpretation of this RFP to Steve Ervin, Planning Director, 300 South 5th Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42002 or e-mail [email protected]. The City of Paducah will respond to e-mail and written inquiries if received by 4:00 P.M. on April 23, 2009.

The City of Paducah will record any responses to inquiries in the form of a written addendum as appropriate. If written addenda are issued, the City will mail/e-mail such addenda to all Proposers to whom it has sent this RFP.

TIMETABLES

Times within this RFP are Central Standard Time. The following timeline is what the City of Paducah has envisioned for the completion of the RAMP. This timeline must be adhered to as closely as possible, as the ending date of our grant cycle is October 31, 2010. The City and the successful Consultant shall adhere to the following schedule in all actions concerning the RAMP:

(1) On March 30, 2009 the City of Paducah issues the RFP.

(2) From March 30, 2009 until 4:00 P.M. April 23, 2009 the City of Paducah will receive and answer inquiries by mail or e-mail.

(3) The City of Paducah must receive all proposals by 4:00 P.M. on April 24, 2009.

(4) Consultant teams may be asked to give an oral presentation and respond to questions from the steering committee. Key members of the consulting firm who will be directly responsible for the work must participate.

(5) By May 18, 2009, the City of Paducah may enter into a contract after conducting negotiations and obtaining appropriate approvals. The City will notify unsuccessful Proposers at this time.

(6) By June 19, 2009, project initiation meetings shall be held with City of Paducah staff, the Paducah Renaissance Alliance and the public.

(7) By August 19, 2009, a Needs and Alternative Analysis Meeting with the Consultant, City of Paducah staff and Paducah Renaissance Alliance will be held followed by a public hearing wherein current operations are outlined and examples of alternatives are presented. Suggestions from attendees will be used to determine the final plan and the public will be solicited for opinions of opportunities for improvement in the Renaissance Area.

(8) By October 19, 2009, a preliminary plan will be submitted to the City of Paducah based on information gathered from stakeholders and the June meeting.

(9) By December 18, 2009, the preliminary plan will be presented to the Paducah Renaissance Alliance for review.

(10) By February 19, 2010, The Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC) and stakeholders are presented with a draft of a new historic structure inventory and proposed new Renaissance Area development guidelines. A date shall be set for a public hearing. City of Paducah staff will conduct this item.

(11) By April 30, 2010, the HARC, Planning Commission and Paducah City Commission shall approve the Renaissance Area development guidelines.

(12) By June 30, 2010, the final RAMP presented.

(13) By July 30, 2010, the Paducah City Commission adopts the RAMP.

DELAYS

The City of Paducah may delay scheduled due dates if it is to the advantage of the City. The City will notify Proposers of all changes in scheduled due dates by written addenda.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION AND WITHDRAWAL

The City of Paducah will receive proposals at the following address:

CITY OF PADUCAH
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
300 SOUTH 5TH STREET
PADUCAH, KENTUCKY 42002

To facilitate processing, please mark the outside of the submittal Renaissance Area Master Plan. The submittal must also bear the Proposer's return address.

THE CITY OF PADUCAH MUST RECEIVE ALL PROPOSALS BY 4:00 P.M. ON APRIL 24, 2009.

Please submit 10 copies of the RFP.

Due to the irregularity of mail service, the City of Paducah cautions Proposers to assure actual delivery of proposals to the City prior to the deadline set for the receipt of proposals. Telephone confirmation of the timely receipt of a proposal may be made by calling (270) 444-8690 before the above-referenced deadline. Proposals received after the deadline will be returned unopened to the Proposer.

Proposers may withdraw their proposals by notifying the City of Paducah in writing at any time prior to the deadline. Proposers may withdraw their proposals in person or through an authorized representative. Proposers and authorized representatives must disclose their identity and provide a signed receipt for the returned proposal.

Proposals, once opened, become the property of the City of Paducah and will not be returned to the Proposers. Upon opening, proposals become public record and shall be subject to public disclosure in accordance with KRS 61.870 to 61.884.

REJECTION OF IRREGULAR PROPOSALS

Proposals that do not meet the City of Paducah's stated minimum terms and submittal requirements may be rejected by the City as non-representative or irregular. The City reserves the right to waive any irregularities, technicalities or informalities in any proposal and to reject any and all proposals without cause.

The City of Paducah reserves the right to reject the proposal of any Proposer in default upon any debt or contract to the City or who have failed, in the opinion of the City, to faithfully perform any previous contract with the City of Paducah or another governmental jurisdiction.

ADDENDA

If revisions by the City of Paducah become necessary, the City will provide written addenda at least five (5) days prior to the opening date to all Proposers who received the RFP. This will be adhered to even if the opening date must be postponed in order to observe these time requirements.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

At its discretion, the City of Paducah may require any Proposer to make an oral presentation of their proposal. These presentations provide an opportunity for the Proposer to clarify the proposal for the City. The City will schedule any such presentations.

BUISNESS LICENSE

The Proposer, if awarded a contract, shall obtain a business license from the City of Paducah Finance Department. Any and all sub-consultants, contractors, engineers, etc., shall obtain a separate business license.

PART II – SCOPE OF SERVICES

INTRODUCTION

The City of Paducah desires to prepare, implement and oversee the development of a Renaissance Area Master Plan. This scope of services is required to be completed by a competent, experienced consulting firm. Experience working with National Historic Districts and with Preserve America grants is highly desirable. The firm should also be design oriented.

Pursuant to the grant agreement between the National Park Service and the City of Paducah, the consultant(s) must have the requisite experience and training in historic preservation, with experience working with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards in particular. The National Park Service will require concurrence with the City's Consultant selection before an official contract may be awarded.

The City of Paducah shall require any interested firm to visit the City before submitting their RFP.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The successful Proposer will develop procedures to provide for and encourage public participation in the planning process. Such procedures shall include the following:

A. Provisions to assure that real property owners are put on notice, through advertisement in the Paducah Sun or other method adopted by the City of Paducah, of official actions that will affect the use of their property;

B. Provisions to assure that there are opportunities to encourage a cross-section of the public to provide comments;

C. Provisions to assure that a minimum of four (4) public meetings are held, including project initiation meetings with stakeholders; and

D. Provisions to assure the consideration of and response to public comment.
GENERAL FORMAT AND CONTENTS

The adopted Renaissance Area Master Plan shall consist of, but not be exclusive to, those items listed below this paragraph. Other documentation may be considered as support documents. All or part of the RAMP's support documents (data, analysis and existing condition maps) may be adopted as part of the RAMP at the option of the City of Paducah. All background data, studies, surveys, analyses and inventory maps shall be available for public inspection while the RAMP is being considered for adoption, while it is in effect and thereafter. The adopted RAMP shall consist of:

· An introduction, goals, objectives, policies and recommendations to link, direct and attract cultural and natural heritage tourists to each of the three areas (Lowertown, Downtown and the Riverfront) that make up the Renaissance Area. The tourists shall navigate each area via visually unified streetscapes for both pedestrian and vehicular modes of transportation. The RAMP should also address and identify new avenues of pedestrian and vehicular ingress and egress to and from Paducah's downtown, Lowertown and the Ohio Riverfront between the areas. The pedestrian and vehicular tourist routes should be looped through the Renaissance Area. The locations of bicycle racks shall be indicated in the RAMP.

The streetscapes shall be designed in accordance with the Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines for Historic Commercial Districts. The Kentucky Heritage Council has adopted these guidelines for guidance regarding the Main Street Program. The guidelines can be downloaded at the following web address: http://www.heritage.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4B154501-2D32-4843-A58F-97505DF….

Unimpeded and safe walkability is an important mode of transportation to move cultural and natural heritage tourists from one sub-area to another. Compliance with ADA requirements shall also be evaluated and recommendations made, if applicable. A tourist's safety shall be taken into account when the locations of the tourist routes are determined. This safety shall be any lighting issues, sidewalk maintenance issues, street crossing and directional issues and others that the City of Paducah or the Consultant believes are pertinent.

All signage, benches, trees, flowers or lighting shall be uniform in Lowertown, Downtown and the Riverfront as not to confuse a tourist and keep them on the tourism route. The uniformity in these appurtenances shall serve to visually unify streetscapes and further enhance the brand of the Renaissance Area. Perceptibly, the sculptures on the pedestrian walking route, which will be discussed further in this document, will be different. The RAMP shall identify all areas of physical improvements and landscaping. The Consultant shall provide renderings/cross sections to the City of Paducah of what all physical improvements will look like. The signage renderings shall show what each sign will communicate to the cultural and natural heritage tourists. The locations of signage shall be shown on the RAMP. The Consultant shall also select an existing, available type of light pole and provide renderings or pictures of these light poles. The Consultant shall also provide renderings of what the proposed streetscapes will look like.

The tourism linkage routes must be well-lighted. A recommendation will be needed as where to place any lighting and the type of lighting. Any recommended lighting must be of a design or type that shines light downward to fully illuminate the existing sidewalk, street or trail and be consistent in all the sub-areas. The illumination of the buildings and sculptures along the walking route shall prevail when tourists stop to enjoy the galleries, sculptures, downtown buildings or floodwall murals at night. However, a pedestrian shall have adequate lighting at all times to see the area around them. The Consultant shall determine and make a recommendation where additional lighting may be needed. Conversely, if too much light is being omitted and is overbearing places of interest along the tourism route, a recommendation may be made to remove or diminish some lighting. (It should be noted that the Downtown Business District and Lowertown Arts District have existing lighting infrastructure in place)

· Each sub-area should have it's own analysis, policies, recommendations, alternatives and implementation strategy as they relate to the entire RAMP. However, a unified brand shall be developed for the entire Renaissance Area. Cultural and natural heritage tourists should be able to identify the brand with the Renaissance Area in Paducah, Kentucky.

· The RAMP shall include a strategy to promote and market specific places of historical interest. The RAMP shall identify the distance from the City of Paducah that marketing will occur, whether that is a specified distance, regionally, nationally or globally. Television, radio, printed media and other communication means should be examined in the RAMP.

· A strategic plan to recruit district-appropriate businesses and retain existing and new artists in the Lowertown Artist District. The Lowertown area only has one remaining eatery, Etcetera. The City of Paducah would like for the RAMP to address recruiting new restaurants, retail establishments, personal service establishments (i.e. barber shop, beauty shop) and other district-appropriate uses pursuant to Section 126-115 of the Paducah Zoning Ordinance. A step-by-step process shall be admonished on which specific businesses to target, market to and recruit. The recruitment of these businesses shall be provided in it's own heading and the artist retention strategy shall be provided in it's own heading.

· A plan will be required for the future use of the Market House after the current tenants have vacated the building. Built in 1905, the Market House is probably the most historically recognizable building in Paducah. The plan to re-develop the Market House should take into consideration the Market House's rich history and location (McN-P-14). The plan shall also be in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. The City of Paducah would like specific details on the best-evaluated future use of the building, with alternatives. The Market House plan shall also include step-by-step guidance to maintain and preserve the Market House's new use in perpetuity. The new use should generate revenues to at least the point of being sustainable.

· The RAMP shall identify the route of the pedestrian sculpture trail. The sculpture trail shall link each of the three areas within the Renaissance Area. The RAMP shall identify exactly where the trail should go, exactly where the sculptures should be placed, examine Right-of-Way issues, examine lighting issues, examine street-crossing issues for safety and convenience and include landscaping. The sculpture trail should loop the Renaissance Area, to maximize the experience that a cultural and natural heritage tourist has with the City of Paducah. The sculptural trail is envisioned to be the same as the pedestrian walking trail.

· The RAMP shall identify and evaluate the area around the future Paducah Arts School, located at 905 Harrison Street, for future student parking, student lofts and other campus-oriented uses. This section of the RAMP shall identify how the buildings in the vicinity of the Arts School can be adaptively re-used to conform to this type of use, specifically the buildings located at 920 Madison Street. The railroad bed that runs SW from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to Jefferson Street is expected to be abandoned in the near future. A rendering of a cross-section of the railroad bed should be included in the RAMP regarding how it can be used as a pedestrian corridor within the campus setting.

· The RAMP shall include a parking study, which must identify parking opportunities and provide suggestions to enhance parking, specifically such as the building of a parking facility or utilization of other parking lots, especially in the downtown area. Parking will be an integral part of the success of cultural and natural heritage tourists to begin a walking tour. The parking study portion of the RAMP shall provide specificity as to the location of any parking facilities or other parking lot(s) to be constructed. The parking study should take into account seasonal tourist levels, downtown developments, the Riverfront Redevelopment Plan, the River Heritage Museum expansion and other substantial changes within the RAMP area that would have an effect on parking. Any public parking signage needed should be identified in the RAMP and the locations of the signage shown.

· The marketing strategy developed in the RAMP shall have it's own recommendations, policies, analysis and implementation strategy. The marketing strategy shall include elements for step-by-step retail and specialty recruitment, which was stipulated in the Preserve America grant. The strategy will be based on the most recent Economic Research Associates (ERA) study generated for the City of Paducah and the Paducah Renaissance Alliance. The strategy should take into account principally permitted uses in each particular zone that the Renaissance Area is comprised of. The marketing strategy should encourage overall economic development within the entire Renaissance Area.

The marketing strategy should be specific to each sub-area within the Renaissance Area. Lowertown, Paducah's Downtown and the Ohio Riverfront should all have separate sections within the marketing strategy. Each area has strengths that can be utilized and the RAMP will need to determine how to overcome any weaknesses in the specific area. The unified brand the Consultant shall develop should be a part of the marketing strategy. In essence, recommendations will be made for each sub-area, but the brand will be used to recognize the overall Renaissance Area.

Recommendations will be needed on how to engage and garner support from local agencies and attractions, such as the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the museums to target cultural and natural heritage tourists. The City of Paducah desires for these tourists to spend the night here to be able to enhance their overall experience. Recommendations will be needed on how to persuade these tourists to stop and stay overnight instead of going on a "day-trip".

The marketing strategy will need to include recommendations how to specifically target cultural and natural heritage tourists within the Paducah Designated Marketing Area. The specific tourism audience needs to be defined in terms of lifestyles, media usage/consumption, income levels, marital status, etc. Recommendations will need to be provided regarding the attractions and experiences these tourists are seeking in terms of a tourist destination. A strategy will need to be included in the RAMP on how to specifically reach these tourists based on media usage/consumption and lifestyle habits.

The RAMP format shall include:

A. A Table of Contents (if applicable)

B. Numbered pages

C. Headings for each section of the RAMP

D. A list of included tables, maps and figures

E. Titles and sources for all tables, maps and figures

F. A preparation date

G. The name of the preparer

Further information:

A. All maps included in the Renaissance Area Master Plan shall include major natural and man-made geographic features; city, county and state lines, when applicable; Zoning, Historic and other political districts, when applicable; and shall contain a legend indicating a north arrow, map scale and date.

B. All maps included in the RAMP shall be accompanied with supporting tabular data summarizing the maps, when applicable.
C. The Consultant will provide 25 copies of all deliverables. Each deliverable shall include one camera-ready copy that can be reproduced by photocopier and one digital copy in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat "pdf". All text and tabular data shall be on letter-size (8 1/2" X 11") paper. Maps accompanying drafts shall be in color, no greater than 11" X 17", and shall contain patterns that are legible and distinguishable when reproduced in black and white. One color copy of final maps/graphics shall be plotted on a minimum of 32" X 40" sheet for display purposes. Other minimum of 32" X 40" plots may be requested as necessary. All maps and their associated databases must be prepared as applicable in digital format in ArcGIS 9.3 or later on a CD or other storage media acceptable to the City of Paducah. The City shall provide the Consultant with a McCracken County & Paducah Geographic Information Systems (MAP~GIS) parcel base map, database, topography (2' contours) and area locations for inclusion of the required data within the Renaissance Area Master Plan. As needed DGN/DXF files are available. All mapping and databases must be in compliance with the MAP~GIS data standards where applicable. This mapping shall be for the sole use of this project and shall not be reproduced for any other use. All original text, graphics, negatives, computerized files and other draft and final products shall be provided to the City of Paducah and shall become the sole property of the City.

Data and Analysis:

A. All policies, recommendations, implementation strategies, goals, objectives and alternatives within the Renaissance Area Master Plan and its support documents and within plan amendments and their support documents shall be based upon relevant and appropriate data and the analyses applicable to each sub-area or the RAMP as a whole. Tables, charts, graphs, maps, figures and data sources shall be clearly described where such data occur in the above documents. Graphics and other techniques for making support information more useable by the public may be used in this regard.

B. This scope of services should not be construed to require original data collection; however, any original data collection must be based on professionally accepted methodologies.
C. Data are to be taken from professionally accepted existing sources, such as the United States Census, the Kentucky State Data Center, the State University System, The Paducah Planning Commission, McCracken County Planning Commission, McCracken County PVA, District One Highways or existing technical studies. The City also has had several studies and reports generated, including the Riverfront Redevelopment Master Plan (riverfrontpaducah.com) and the ERA study that the Consultant shall utilize to develop the marketing portion of the RAMP. The data used shall be the best available existing data, unless the City of Paducah desires original data or special studies. Where data augmentation, updates, special studies or surveys are deemed necessary by the City, appropriate methodologies shall be clearly described or referenced and shall meet professionally accepted standards for such methodologies.

PUBLICATIONS

Pursuant to the grant agreement between the National Park Service and the City of Paducah, acknowledgement of NPS grant support and a non-discrimination statement must be included in all publications and videos associated with this project.

All publications, including video and audio tapes, must contain the following disclaimer and acknowledgement of NPS support: "This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior."

PART III – SUB-AREAS

INTRODUCTION

All sub-area analyses of Lowertown, Paducah's downtown and the Ohio Riverfront shall relate to each other and shall follow the same general format. Where data are relevant to more than one area, the same data may be used. All sub-area analyses shall also show how each area relates to, and is a part of, the entire Renaissance Area Master Plan. Each sub-area shall be presented in a manner so that the goals, objectives, policies and recommendations of each area may be implemented independently of the other two areas in the event the need arises.

Lowertown Arts District

The purpose of this section shall be to focus on how to move cultural and natural heritage tourists through the Lowertown Arts District, while providing opportunities to view the galleries and appreciate the historical character of the area. This area is located Northwest of downtown and is roughly bounded by Park Avenue, Jefferson Street, North 4th Street and North 9th Street. The zoning of the area is Historic Neighborhood Zone, H-2.

One of the City of Paducah's greatest successes has been the Artist Relocation Project. Artists from all over the United States and from abroad have opened galleries in Lowertown, which is spread over 20 city blocks. This area features not only artist's galleries, but bed-and-breakfasts, Ecetera Coffee shop and specialty shops. The Artist Relocation Project has received national attention and won awards from the American Planning Assoication, The Governor's Government Award in the Arts, Kentucky Leauge of Cities and the Rudy Brunner award for Urban Excellence, among others.

The Artist Relocation Project has seen approximatley $20 million in private investment. In addition, this area is overseen by the Historical Architectural Review Commission (HARC). The HARC approves any exterior changes made to the structures in this area, to ensure historical integrity. The HARC approves additions and changes in accordance with guidelines set by the Secretary of the Interior.

Due to the historic nature of this area and the great capital improvements that have been invested to bring Artists here to open galleries and other specialty shops, the tourism route should encompass as much of the neighborhood as possible. The Texaco Tourist Center, on the corner of Madison Street and North 7th Street, must be highlighted as a site on the tourism route. Etcetera Coffee House, a vibrant hub of activity in Lowertown, must be highlighted on the plan as well. It is located at 320 North 6th Street. Since the artist's galleries are predominately located close to each other, the tourism routes shall include as many as possible.

This sub-area must relate to the Renaissance Area Master Plan as a whole. A narrative shall be included, defining how this area relates to the overall plan and how it relates to the Riverfront and Downtown.

Downtown Paducah

The sub-area plan for downtown must ensure pedestrian safety above all in this busy area. Special care will need to be taken to ensure the generally slower vehicular speeds and walking habits of tourists will not impede the flow of traffic. Downtown is defined in the City's Preserve America grant as the area bounded by Water Street, 7th street, Clark Street and Monroe Street. This area primarily consists of the following zones: Historical Commercial Zone-H-1, Downtown Business Zone-B-2, Downtown Business Townlift Zone-B-2-T and Civic Center Zone-A-1. The Historical Commercial Zone-H-2 and the General Business Zone-B-3 make up minimal portions of the downtown area.

Over the past 15-20 years the downtown area has been undergoing a revitaliztion due to the successful efforts of many elected officials and interested citizens. The downtown area boasts over 100 businesses and over 3,000 parking spaces. Downtown Paducah contains two districts listed on the National Park Service's Register of Historic Places.

Downtown Paducah offers visitors a variety of shopping and dining expieriences. Boutiques, museums, antique shops and eateries with a local flavor can be found within a few blocks of each other. Downtown also draws tourists and residents of Paducah and McCracken County to the downtown after dinner events in the summer and has successfully drawn visitors to the seasonal ice skating rink, envisioned to be an annual event. The annual barbeque festival draws 40,000 visitors every year.

The Market House, located on the Market House Square between Kentucky Avenue and Broadway, must be highlighted on the tourist routes. The Market House may undergo changes in the next few years as the theater and museum may relocate. However, the City of Paducah does expect that the historical significance of this site shall remain, as described previously in this document. Businesses located near the Market House, including but not limited to, the Maiden Alley Cinema, Kirchoff's Bakery and the River Heritage Museum, should be on the tourism routes as well. Specifically, the River Heritage Museum, located at 117 South Water Street, should be located on the tourism routes because it is Paducah's only surviving commercial antebellum structure. Additionally, funding is being raised to expand the museum to facilitate 100,000 visitors a year.

Both the Paducah City Hall building and McCracken County Courthouse, in conjunction with Dolly McNutt Plaza, should be highlighted on the tourist route. The Paducah City Hall and the Courthouse are both outside the Renaissance Area, but do border it on Washington Street. The Museum of the American Quilters Society, located at 215 Jefferson Street, is an icon of Paducah and should be included on the route due to the 35,000 visitors to the Quilt Show every April. The Paducah Renaissance Alliance, located at 321 Broadway, is the center of downtown development because they manage and maintain the Artist Relocation Project and the Paducah Mainstreet. This location shall be on the route. Finally, the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Performing Arts Center, located at 100 Kentucky Avenue, should be on the route as well.

It may be beneficial to capitalize on the existing lighting in the area to enhance the ambience of downtown, primarily at night. However, the Consultant shall ensure that pedestrians shall be able to see the area around them at all times. Any areas in need of additional lighting shall be identified in the RAMP, as discussed earlier.

This sub-area must relate to the Renaissance Area Master Plan as a whole. A narrative shall be included, defining how this area relates to the overall plan and how it relates to the Riverfront and Lowertown.

Ohio Riverfront

The purpose of this section shall be how to best move cultural and natural heritage tourists from Lowertown and Downtown to the Riverfront. The City of Paducah is inevitably linked to the river, as that is the reason Paducah exists in this location. However, the Riverfront has not been fully capitalized upon to enhance tourism and magnify cultural ties. The Paducah Riverfront is zoned Conservancy Zone-C-1.

The Ohio Riverfront will soon be undergoing a major $50 million redevelopment. The redevelopment plan was approved on April 10, 2007. Senator Mitch McConnell secured $9.9 million in a federal grant to begin the project, which will include a new boat launch, an excursion dock for transient boaters, a marina, a river overlook or observation deck, connections to new greenway trails and a performance stage with ample seating. The Renaissance Area Master Plan must take these new developments into account when the tourism route is located. The successful Consultant should review the approved Riverfront Master Plan to ensure that the proposed tourism route will still be in existence when the Riverfront Plan is completed or can be modified to a new area. (riverfrontpaducah.com)

The Ohio Riverfront also includes the murals on the floodwall. These should be taken into consideration when locating the tourism routes. The murals illustrate a pictorial history of Paducah. The Riverfront itself has picturesque views up and down the river and across the river to Illinois. These views will enhance Paducah's natural heritage and tie it with the cultural heritage.

Currently, there is no infrastructure in place to promote cultural or natural heritage tourism though this area. The City of Paducah's vision will not only increase vehicular or pedestrian tourism, but also give tourists that are traveling on the rivers a place to stop and explore. The City's goal is for tourists that stop at the Riverfront via cruise vessels and recreational crafts to also experience Downtown and Lowertown as well.

This sub-area must relate to the Renaissance Area Master Plan as a whole. A narrative shall be included, defining how this area relates to the overall plan and how it relates to Downtown and Lowertown.

PART IV – INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING PROPOSAL

RULES FOR PROPOSALS

The proposal must name all persons or entities interested in the proposal as principals. The proposal must include a declaration that it is made without collusion with any other person or entity submitting a proposal pursuant to this RFP.

PROPOSAL FORMAT

A. Letter of Transmittal. This letter will summarize in a brief and concise manner, the Proposer's understanding of the Scope of Work. The letter must name all persons authorized to make representations for the Proposer, such as subconsultants, and include the titles, addresses and telephone numbers of such persons. All officials authorized to negotiate for the Proposer must sign the Letter of Transmittal.

B. Organizational Profile and Qualifications. This section of the proposal must describe the Proposer, including the size and range of its activities. The proposal must identify the primary individuals responsible for supervising the work, including all sub-contractors, and shall provide the City of Paducah with the resumes of these primary individuals. The proposal must include recent and pertinent references, contact names, telephone numbers and addresses.

C. Scope of Work. This section of the proposal should explain the Scope of Work as understood by the Proposer and detail the approach, activities, phases, draft and final work products and delivery dates.

D. Additional Data or Information. Any additional information, which the Proposer considers pertinent, should be included in a separate section of the proposal.

E. References. Especially of similar projects for comparable communities.

PART V – EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL

EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA

The City of Paducah shall be the sole judge of its own best interests, the proposal and the resulting negotiated agreement. The City reserves the right to investigate the reputation, integrity, skill, business experience and quality of performance under similar operations of each Proposer before making an award. Awards, if any, will be based on both an objective and subjective comparison of proposal and proposers. The City's evaluation criteria will include, but shall not be limited to, consideration of the following:

A. Verification of availability of qualified personnel

B. Past performance records

C. Ability to meet set standards

D. Qualifications of the Proposer

E. Expertise of human resources

F. Technical soundness of proposal

G. Proposed time frames and schedules

H. Familiarity with, or the ability to quickly become familiar with, local conditions
I. References

Selection:

A. Following the opening of the proposals, a screening committee composed of, but not limited to, a City Commissioner, Planning Director of the City of Paducah and City Planners shall review the proposals.

B. The screening committee may request interviews with a qualified Proposer and will develop a short list of candidates.

C. If presentations are requested, the Proposer will be given an opportunity to explain and elaborate on their proposal. These meetings will be for the purpose of elaboration of submitted information and no new proposals or material changes to original proposals will be accepted.

D. If the City of Paducah is unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the Proposer considered to be the most qualified at a price the City determines to be fair, competitive and reasonable, negotiations with the firm shall be formally terminated.

E. Following the selection of a Consultant by the City and the National Park Service, a Steering Committee will monitor progress and review all work products for the duration of the RAMP development process.