Brentwood looking for developers for old borough building site

Brentwood leaders are seeking developers who can turn the site of the borough’s 100-year-old municipal building into a mixed-use development, with retail storefronts on the main floor and market-rate apartments above.

A request for qualifications from developers was issued on Feb. 24. In the first week of advertisement, four developers have requested the documents, borough manager George Zboyovsky said.

A voluntary pre-submittal meeting will be held March 25, with an outline of qualifications due on April 8.

“Now that we’re probably four to five months out from moving into our new building, it’s time to start the process to see who is interested in developing the (former borough building) site,” Zboyovsky said.

After years of studies and discussions, Brentwood leaders broke ground in May of 2019 on a new municipal building at the site of the former Snee Dairy building at 3735 Brownsville Road.

Borough leaders have said a new municipal building is needed as the old one, at 3624 Brownsville Road, is in major need of repairs and is no longer energy efficient.

“Hopefully we’ll be moving in July or August,” Zboyovsky said.

With that, borough leaders want to see the site of the old borough building transformed into new development that puts the property back on the tax rolls. Council members want to sell the property to a developer to allow for this to happen.

The process to find a developer is “a very detailed, vetted process,” Zboyovsky said.

The first step is the requests for qualifications.

The borough is seeking a developer with 10 years or more of experience that has a track record of developing sites like this, Zboyovsky said.

“We want them to say, ‘Hey, we’re the best and this is why,’” he said.

Developers also need to show that they have the ability to follow through and complete the project. A detailed schedule will be requested throughout the process.

Developers who respond to the request for qualifications will get a large packet, outlining all of the past feasibility and geotechnical studies of the site.

Borough leaders would like to see a development that “ties into the central business district” and maintains the character of the area, Zboyovsky said. It should be pedestrian-friendly.

Their goal is for the site to be turned into a mixed-use building, where the first floor is retail — preferably a restaurant, the manager said. The second floor could be office spaces, while upper floors should be market-rate apartments.

“The borough’s willing to work with them on variances and work with them on any type of tax incentive, if necessary,” Zboyovsky said.

Borough leaders will review all of the qualifications submitted and narrow the field down to four to five. Those developers will be invited to respond to a request for proposals, which must include drawings, a detailed schedule and how they plan to draw people in.

Council members will select the best plan for the site, Zboyovsky said.

Borough leaders then will negotiate with the final developer to line up all of the terms, including cost.

“It’s a great location with everything that’s going on on Route 51 with the new hospital,” Zboyovsky said. “This is going to be an ideal location.”

The site is on a bus line and right near numerous borough amenities, including the new pool that will open in roughly the next year.