Introduction

The City of Menasha, WI is requesting proposals from qualified consultants to assist the City in creating an overall Downtown Menasha Vision Plan. The Vision Plan will be a document used to guide the revitalization and future growth of Downtown Menasha as it relates primarily to future land-use grounded in market reality. It is anticipated that the planning process will begin in late spring/early summer of 2017 and be complete by fall but no later than December 31, 2017. The conclusion will be presentation of the final vision plan to the Menasha City Council.

Menasha, WI Context

Menasha is a city of 17,573 located approximately 40 miles north of Fond du Lac and 30 miles south of Green Bay. Menasha is centrally located in the Fox Cities and sharing borders with the City of Neenah, City of Appleton, Village of Fox Crossing and Village/Town of Harrison. The Fox River flows immediately adjacent to the downtown area with the west and southeast borders defined by Little Lake Butte des Morts and Lake Winnebago, respectively.

Menasha incorporated in 1874 and envisioned itself as the "Industrial City of the North" with primary focus on the paper industry and use of water power. Commercial development in the central business district as well as industrial growth continued throughout the early 20^th century. Strong competition from neighboring communities within the Fox Valley and the overall region hampered the vitality of Menasha as a commercial center. The downtown fell into decline though the industrial heart of the city remained vibrant. Menasha's downtown has seen a drastic shift in uses at end of the 20^th and beginning of the 21^st century with a modest resurgence of investment in commercial, service and residential uses. However, over the last decade its industrial component has seen a drastic decline providing multiple large opportunity sites within the downtown, particularly along the waterfronts.

Vision Plan Project Area

The planning area for the Downtown Menasha Vision Plan consists of approximately 200 acres of land and 3.5 miles of waterfront encompassing Menasha's central business district, industrial core, and near downtown lower-density residential areas. The project area is depicted on the map below and is roughly bound by Broad Street on the north, Racine Street on the east, Ahnaip Street/Nicolet Boulevard on the south (bordering the City of Neenah) and Railroad Street/Lawson Street on the west.

Menasha's downtown is home to midsized corporate offices, historic commercial main street, large manufacturing facilities, a partially completed riverwalk, a municipal-owned marina, and a variety of housing choices. With the closure of several major industrial uses, over 30 acres of redevelopment opportunity sites exist in the project area ranging in size from 2.5 to 7 acres, primarily located along the waterfront.

Scope of Work

The Downtown Menasha Vision Plan must clearly articulate an exciting but realistic vision for the greater downtown area. The plan must be a product that will guide land use and zoning decisions as well as direct the community on marketing/recruitment efforts and investment strategies. The proposed scope of work is intended to be a general outline of the type of work expected to be included in the planning process however it is not intended to be an all-inclusive description of the planning or outreach activities. We are relying on your professional expertise to propose and guide the planning process for the development of the best product possible. In general, the scope of work should include the following activities:

Existing Conditions Analysis. Develop an inventory and assessment of present conditions, strengths and weaknesses, and special issues facing the downtown. It is expected that the consultant will work closely with staff and other entities to identify conditions and concerns. A tour of the study area with city staff and other stakeholders is a component of the existing conditions analysis. In addition, the consultant should review and become familiar with related planning documents.

Stakeholder and Community Engagement. Work with staff to create a public engagement plan utilizing traditional and non-traditional outreach methods to encourage participation and build consensus in the planning process. Examples include but are not limited to a community survey, online forums such as MindMixer, charrettes, focus groups, and/or other innovative approaches. In addition to the general citizenry, the consultants is expected to engage stakeholders separately including city leaders, downtown residents, business/property owners, developers, and others deemed important to be involved in the planning process.

Market Feasibility. Conduct market research to identify current trends and existing market conditions as they relate to land uses; evaluate opportunities and constraints for future commercial and residential growth in the planning area; and identify potential opportunities for Menasha's vacant and underutilized buildings and sites.

Land Use Plan and Implementation Strategy. Prepare a Downtown Vision Plan that incorporates the above listed analysis and ideas generated by public outreach efforts and professional expertise. The plan should be able to act as a guide for future land use and development decisions as well as assist the city with strategic investment in the planning area. Specifically, the plan should:

• Clearly articulate an exciting yet realistic land use picture for the planning area
• Project downtown's 5-10 year future land use potential (by sector/type) that the downtown market could support
• Identify underserved and emerging markets as prospects for development
• Include a summary of the market potential for recommended uses in relation to local and regional competition
• Identify key opportunity sites with recommendations on highest and best use
• Outline and recommend steps for the implementation of the vision plan

Project budget and Timeline

The City has allocated a budget of $30,000 for this project and anticipates a 6-9 month timeline to complete the planning process resulting in the Downtown Vision Plan. Final presentations to the City Plan Commission and Common Council may occur outside of this timeframe. Both the project timeline and budget are subject to change based on the availability of funds or other unforeseen events or activities.

Selection Criteria

• Experience and availability of key personnel
• Past performance on similar projects
• Demonstrated understanding of the project
• Familiarity of the Fox Valley region
• Experience and creativity in conducting public outreach
• Proposed project approach, including proposed schedule and budget
• Quality and completeness of proposal

Submittal Format

Proposals should demonstrate a clear understanding of the project and provide a summary of the team's qualifications, examples of similar projects, and proposed deliverables. Proposals must include the following items:

• Cover Letter
• Project understanding
• Scope of work/proposed deliverables
• Project team
• Examples of similar wok products
• Itemized budget
• Proposed timeline

Five (5) hard copies and one digital copy of the proposal should be submitted to:

City of Menasha
Attn: David Buck, AICP
140 Main Street
Menasha, WI 54952-3190

Submission and Key Dates

The following is the proposed schedule and key dates for finalizing consultant selection. All dates are subject to change. Please direct questions to David Buck at 920-967-3651 or dbuck@ci.menasha.wi.us.

• Proposals due: March 24, 2017
• Selection committee review: March 27-31, 2017
• Potential Consultant interviews: April 3-7, 2017
• Selection committee approval of selected consultant: April 13, 2017
• Contract negotiations: April 17-21, 2017
• Contract finalization: April 25, 2017
• Contract reviewed and approved by Common Council: May 1, 2017