As of September 1, 2023, the city has decided to close the RFP for now as a result of a devasting fire at the site causing much of it to be demolished. They want to regroup before issuing a new solicitation. This Request for Proposals is for development proposals for a 10-acre site at the Southeast corner of Horry Street and Maple Avenue in Conway. On the site currently are two former school buildings, one approximately 34,500 square feet and the other approximately 10,000 square feet. Both buildings currently stand condemned by the City's building official. Building materials on the site include asbestos. The buildings that once housed Whittemore Elementary School stand at the southeast corner of the intersection of Horry Street and Maple Avenue in Conway, South Carolina. The school was built circa 1953 as an equalization school. It was one of many built across the Southern United States in an attempt to meet the "separate but equal" standard of racial segregation. The purpose of the "equalization" effort was to avoid striking down that standard in the then-pending Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit. Additional classroom space was added circa 1961. The building operated as a school until 1977 and as offices for Horry County Schools until it received catastrophic roof damage from Hurricane Matthew on October 8, 2016. The building was decommissioned by the district and given to the City of Conway soon after. In 2017, the Conway City Council appropriated Community Development Block Grant funds for the repair and rehab of the buildings. From the beginning of the project, there was interest from members of the community to house some type of youth enrichment center at the site. In 2018 and 2019, the City faced multiple roadblocks to initiating work on the project. In 2020, the City defederalized the project and began exploring different opportunities for clearing the blight that currently exists, developing the property, and assuring that the wishes of the community are fulfilled at the site. Individuals, corporations, or other entities seeking clarification on any part of this RFP shall submit questions to jrogers@cityofconway.com no later than December 10, 2024. The City shall provide answers at its earliest availability. If the City elects to accept a proposal, it expects to enter into a contract no later than February 28, 2025, but may do so at any time prior to that date. The City requires that any selected proposer act with haste to complete their development project. Ex-parte contact with City staff or members of City Council is discouraged and does not bind the City The method of contractor selection has not been determined at this time.
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