Master planning efforts for more than 22 acres of undeveloped or under-developed land on the northern end of downtown Wilmington could shape the city for decades to come, according to Linda Painter, the city’s director of planning and development.

City officials are currently reviewing responses to three separate requests for qualifications (RFQs) issued last month. The RFQs called for consultants to provide urban design, market feasibility and economic analysis, and placemaking and public realm services for the 22-acre northern downtown site, along with a 1.6-acre tract at 305-319 Chestnut St., which formerly housed a city office building.

Monday was the deadline for RFQ submissions, and the city received 17 responses to the urban design RFQ, 14 for placemaking and public realm RFQ and eight for market feasibility and economic analysis RFQ, according to Amy Willis, the city’s communications manager.

Responses will be evaluated on qualifications and experience, demonstration of prior successes with similar services and projects, overall quality and detail of the submittal, capacity and availability and exceptional strength in certain areas of the scope of work, according to the RFQs.

Painter said the city is taking a thoughtful approach to planning for the area’s future rather than relying on zoning to control development on the site. She pointed to other city investments in the area, including the development of Riverfront Park and Live Oak Bank Pavilion, the city’s purchase of Skyline Center and the Wilmington Convention Center.

“You already have all of these things that the city has invested in to transform this area over the last 30 years,” she said, “and so these are now the final puzzle pieces, but they're also some of the most important to get right.”

According to the RFQs, the objective of the master planning effort is to “create a thriving, vibrant gateway district that prioritizes transformative placemaking and public amenities to attract both investment and visitors, and helps to achieve the vision for Greater Downtown as it grows and adapts to changing conditions.”

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said city leaders decided last fall to take a step back and evaluate potential needs for the properties the city owns on the north end of downtown. 

Last summer, the city solicited bids for a 3.3-acre property alongside Skyline Center at 1001 and 1021 N. Front St. That coincided with internal discussions about how to address logistical issues at the adjacent Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Saffo said. A feasibility study is underway to look at potential improvements to operations, facilities, access and other aspects of Live Oak Bank Pavilion.

City Manager Becky Hawke said when she started in her role last summer, she began by having initial conversations with staff and council members. She found that while some staff members felt that the Wilmington City Council had directed them to sell off the city’s surplus properties, including the North Front Street tracts, as quickly as possible, other council members were less eager to sell the land.

The city received nine bids for the property from development firms last year, proposing a range of multi-family, market-rate apartments or mixed-use developments with multi-family housing and ground-floor commercial space. Bids for the property ranged from $3.5 million to $7.25 million, according to information obtained through a public records request. Hawke noted that the bids were lower than the property's appraised value of $10.6 million.

Hawke said she worked with the city’s finance department to develop a way to pay off the city’s variable debt from its $68 million purchase of Skyline Center in 2023 without requiring proceeds from the sale of the tracts. Without the financial pressure, the city council voted 6-1 to hold off on selling the site, Saffo said.

The property is just one of several city-owned tracts included in the master planning effort. Painter said the consultants selected through the RFQ process will help the city identify opportunities for placemaking and public amenities in the area, understand market demand and the city investments that could incentivize future development, along with how to accomplish those goals through urban design.

“When this is done, we want a roadmap for the city that says here are the actions you need to take to move this forward,” Painter said.

“We hope that the end product lays out a clear, cohesive vision for how best to develop out a number of critical remaining parcels in the northern part of downtown,” Hawke added, “that will allow us to then go out and find the right partnerships and opportunities to see that vision come to fruition and make sure that it complements all of downtown and does not compete.”

The consultants will also be tasked with examining how the master planning effort can incorporate the goals outlined in the city’s recently adopted Greater Downtown Plan, Painter said. 

As for Saffo, he said the northern end of downtown is a potential location for a downtown grocery store, more housing and some type of public amenity.

“I think that we need something that's very important from a public realm perspective, whether it be a magnificent fountain or it be a food court,” Saffo said. “It could be a significant streetscape that enhances walkability, stuff of that nature.”

Saffo said he expects projects on the northern end of downtown could be developed through a public-private partnership to give the city some control over the development and its aesthetics.

“We only have one shot at this thing. Once it’s sold off to the private sector, once it’s gone, it’s gone forever, and we won’t have that say anymore,” Saffo said. “Whatever we’re going to do, we’ve got to do it now because once it starts to be developed, it’ll be on its way.”

Painter said the current RFQ process is the first major initiative in implementing the Greater Downtown Plan, but it won’t be the last. She expects the city to develop plans for other commercial districts around downtown.

The RFQs also identify other pieces of property as potential additions to the planning efforts, including several city-owned tracts, along with the Central Business District and other commercial districts, such as Castle Street and the Brooklyn Arts, Cargo, Soda Pop and South Front districts.

Painter said the master plan is expected to be developed and adopted by the city council in the next 9 to 12 months. 

“Ultimately, it's a plan that will be approved by council, but there will be lots of community input,” Hawke said, “to try to make sure that we have a clear vision for how we want to see the north end of downtown develop out.”