Latest news with #RequestforQualifications
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Knoxville seeks developers to transform McClung Warehouse site
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A decade after the last McClung Warehouse buildings in Knoxville burned down, developers are being sought to transform the property. The McClung warehouse site burned down in 2007 and 2014; now, Knoxville's Community Development Corporation is seeking developers to redevelop the site. Feedback received from a public meeting in 2023 said the property should be connected and walkable, have mixed-income housing and have open space for the public. In a two-step process, developers submit interest in the purchase, then, if picked, they will submit a redevelopment plan. The timeline within the Request for Qualifications lists the submission deadline as 11 a.m. on June 13, with the master developer to enter into a binding agreement in December. The full RFQ can be found here. Jackson_Avenue_Development_Request_for_Qualifications_C25008Download The five- to seven-story red brick warehouses along W. Jackson Ave, the oldest of which dated back to 1893, were an important part of the early economy of Knoxville due to their proximity to the railroad tracks. Three of the buildings burned down in 2007. The City acquired the properties in 2013 with the intent of rehabilitating the existing buildings. However, the remaining two buildings were lost in a second blaze in 2014. Part of the site was converted into a public parking lot. Nearly $9 million was invested in 2019 and 2020 to replace and preserve parts of the historic Jackson Avenue Ramps at Gay Street. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amtrak seeking partner to build 240-mile Texas high-speed rail project
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Amtrak is soliciting a partner to help bring high-speed rail to the Lone Star State. Amtrak procurement documents published this week revealed the national passenger railroad company is releasing a request for qualifications (RFQ) to prospective firms for the Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Project. That project marks a 240-mile endeavor poised to linking the two metropolitan areas within 90 minutes. The trains are expected to travel up to 205 miles per hour, and an intermediate stop in Brazos Valley is planned as part of the project proposal, according to Amtrak RFQ details. 'Amtrak is working to confirm the viability of the concept of a dedicated high-speed rail route between Dallas and Houston,' a spokesperson told KXAN. 'As part of these efforts, we are seeking to identify the interest of potential partners through responses to this Request for Qualifications process.' The selected delivery partner will assist in managing the program, design work, construction, quality management and procurements, among other responsibilities noted in the RFQ. Notice-for-the Texas-High-Speed-Rail-HSR-Project-Delivery-Partner-Upcoming-ProjectsDownload High-speed rail is a transportation area that has captured a growing number of Texas officials' interest in recent years. State Rep. John Bucy III, D-Austin, filed House Bill 483 back in November that, if passed, would allocate state funding to support the development of high-speed rail linking Dallas, Austin and San Antonio along the Interstate 35 corridor. Bucy told KXAN in November ample mobility choices in Central Texas will help bolster the region and state's economy while also minimizing congestion and gridlock. State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, filed an accompanying bill in the Texas Senate on Nov. 21. Texans and those visiting our great state deserve robust options for travel and commuting. The IH-35 corridor is a major hub for work and recreation, and it only makes sense that high speed rail is an option for this corridor. You could live and work in Dallas, go to a meeting in Austin, have dinner in San Antonio, and be home in time to put your kids to bed. All of that without having to sit in heavy traffic or go through airport security. It's time for Texas to lead once more on infrastructure, including on transit. Making Texas as good as its promise must include extensive and modern transit systems. State Rep. John Bucy III (D-Austin) Earlier in the fall, Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai announced the creation of the Texas Passenger Rail Advisory Committee, with the goal of advocating for expanded rail funding in the 2025 Texas legislative session. Both Brown and Sakai championed the alternative transit mode as a means of bridging the San Antonio and Austin metro areas, minimizing congestion and traffic-related pollution and promoting economic opportunities within the transit corridor. That isn't to say there hasn't been some pushback from state leaders. Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, filed HB 1402 on Nov. 19, which, if passed, would prohibit allocating funds 'to pay for the alteration of a roadway related to the construction of a high-speed rail project operated by a public or private entity.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin Infrastructure Academy tees up spring launch as billions in transit projects progress
Editor's Note: The above video is from June 2024 when funding was secured for Austin Infrastructure Academy. AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Infrastructure Academy will host its inaugural expo event later this spring to build up a local pipeline of infrastructure workers to support billions of dollars' worth of mobility projects underway. PAST COVERAGE: Austin mayor announces new infrastructure academy to build construction workforce Mayor Kirk Watson said the academy will host its launch event on March 26 at 10 a.m. at Workforce Solutions Capital Area, with networking efforts available to introduce Austinites to potential careers and career readiness opportunities. Watson confirmed the news at an event alongside Austin Transit Partnership Wednesday morning, with the organization seeking local workers to help develop the city's first light rail line under Project Connect. That 9.8-mile, 15-station network is one component of roughly $25 billion in mobility infrastructure projects currently underway or in development, Watson said. City, county and transit officials alongside regional partners established the Austin Infrastructure Academy as an anticipated 10,000 workers annually will be required to build out those mobility projects. The academy comes at a substantial time in the city's history, Watson said, deeming it a 'pivotal' moment. 'Right now, we're making the most significant investments in infrastructure in modern history in Austin, Texas,' he said. As both Austin's economy and its population size continue to bolster, Watson added it's critical that local job opportunities are made available to keep Austin affordable while helping employ local talent. It also comes as the mobility and infrastructure industry is burgeoning, with city estimates anticipating the sector will grow more than 80% by 2040. Austin Transit Partnership's event Wednesday also connected small and large firms interested in contractual work on the light rail system. Brad Cummings, senior vice president of procurement and contract management at ATP, said hundreds of businesses in Austin and more than 2,000 in Texas are eligible to provide the goods and services needed to build the first phase of light rail. Cummings added ATP anticipates issuing its Request for Qualifications (RFQ) solicitation process for final design and construction work in June, with the hope that employing local talent will help create a sense of ownership over the project and its redevelopment opportunities for Austin. 'It is a momentous project,' said Greg Canally, executive director of ATP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
