Housing Authority of the City of Longview

LHA invites Architectural Firms to submit their qualifications for the development of the Clarkland Apartments. Construction cost for this project is estimated at $6-7 million. Your response to this RFQ MUST address the specific items described in the attached Exhibits. Please note that Exhibit D describes the evaluation criteria that LHA will use to review your response.

LHA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages minority-owned and women-owned businesses to submit a proposal or be part of the design team as a sub-consultant.

Project Summray: Clarkland Apartments will include 35 units of affordable multi family rental housing. The final number of units built will depend on the result of our market study and the ability of the site to accommodate the desired number of units.. We anticipate that most of the apartments will be two bedroom units. Each apartment will be self-contained and will include washer and dryer hookups and all other appliances. LHA expects to be the property manager. Some of the ground floor accessible units will be fully ADA accessible.

Download: Request for Qualifications
Phase 1 report

Additional Questions and Answers:

• AIA Form B305 (1993) replaced the B431when it was discontinued in 1993. May I assume the new form is acceptable? AIA Form B305 (1993) is an acceptable alternate form to use in your response.
• The land-use designation for the site, it is zoned light industrial with multi-family housing not listed as an acceptable use in that zone. As part of your phasing, will a variance or rezone be necessary? is it in process? or will it be included in the A/E services? The Longview Housing Authority has applied for a rezoning of the property to allow for the proposed development. We anticipate that the Planning Commission will act on our request in November and will engage architectural services shortly thereafter.
• What is the anticipated unit mix for the proposed development? We anticipate that most of the apartments will be two bedroom units.

• The RFQ indicates LHA will develop and operate but is LHA also the owner. If not who is? The owner will be a Limited Partnership or Limited Liability Corporation per LIHTC requirements. However LHA will be responsible for property management. We will also engage service providers.
• Should geotechincal engineering be carried under the A/E contract or will this be contracted through LHA? The engagement of the geotechnical services should be considered beyond the scope of the A/E contract. We would expect that the architect will be involved in the selection of an appropriate geotechnical firm.
• Will there be a service provider component to this project? If so, will the selected architecture team be working with them to determine program and/or other project requirements like safety concerns or private counseling areas? There will be service provider component to the project. Services are NOT a required of the residents and we expect that the architectural team will work with the service provider and LHA to best accommodate project requirements including but not limited to safety concerns and/or private/counseling areas if deemed necessary. Clearly there will be an interest in community spaces.
• Is there a public process component to this project? If so what is the expectation and if not, is this a possibility? Other than the rezoning/plan amendment process there is no required public process associated with the project. However we will include a green charette as a part of the project design process and would anticipate including an open house, probably at an adjacent LHA property, to encourage neighborhood input into the design of the project.
• With a target population of 75% domestic abuse/violence victims, is this intended to be a secure site or is the intention to designing with principals of CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design)? Given that the target population includes 75% domestic abuse/violence victims the site will need to be sure. LHA encourages the development of a design that promotes resident well being and security through appropriate environmental design.
• Will there be an on-site management office located here? We anticipate there will be on site management office with a resident manager living on the premises.
• Which architecture firms have been solicited for this proposal? LHA has solicited proposals from 6 architectural firms for this proposal and we have had interest expressed from one additional firm.
• ‘The cover page and required AIA form do not count towards the maximum submittal length of 25 pages requested.’