PROVIDENCE – The state is looking for ideas for future uses of the landmark Shepard Building.
Unlike a Request for Proposals, which results in a contractual agreement, the Request For Information issued Wednesday is nonbinding and is often used to gather input from experts, according to a statement from the Department of Administration
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“We are committed to finding the best use for this property, whether that be residential, retail, research, commercial, a combination of those options or a public-private partnership” said Department of Administration Director James E. Thorsen.
The state has owned the six-story, 254,828-square-foot building at 259 Westminster St. since 1994. The downtown landmark and former department store currently houses the University of Rhode Island Providence Campus, URI-run child development center and the R.I. Department of Education administrative offices.
Interested parties can submit ideas that include continued state ownership or sale of the building. If the state decides to sell the Shepard Building, Rhode Island law requires a public auction, which the city has the right of first refusal before the property can be sold to a third party, according to the release.
Current Shepard Building tenants that have been assured that the timeline to vacate the property would not disrupt school-year operations in the event of a transaction.
The RFI can be viewed here.
