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The city is nearly ready to gather private-sector plans for what's viewed as a rare opportunity for affordable housing in downtown Austin.
Austin's Economic Development Department has drafted a request for proposals to redevelop the former HealthSouth property at 1215 Red River St, according to a Nov. 5 memo by department Director Veronica Briseño.
Briseño said the solicitation, which also covers the adjacent parking garage at 606 E. 12th St, would be released later this month with responses by Jan. 16, 2020.
"The redevelopment is anticipated to be a catalyst mixed-use project for northeast downtown," according to the memo.
The city bought the property for $6.5 million in 2017 and has been eager to transform it and other underutilized and vacant city-owned properties to address community issues like residential affordability and access to creative spaces.
A study of city-owned sites last year by the Urban Land Institute's Austin chapter found that HealthSouth had the highest opportunity for affordable housing development because of its location and ability to capitalize on low-income housing tax credits.
Austin City Council directed staff last October to start a solicitation process for mixed-income housing plans — with an emphasis on multi-bedroom units affordable to those making 60% or less of the median family income.
HealthSouth had even been floated by Council members as an option for a short-term shelter for the homelessness.
But Margaret Shaw, an economic development official who is the project manager for the property, said in an interview those temporary shelter plans are not expected to be part of the RFP being released in mid- to late-November.
The memo said it could cost proposers $50,000 to prepare an "innovative and comprehensive submission" due to the site's complexity and the RFP timeline.
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