State releases new RFP for Shooters property at India Point

PROVIDENCE – The state is seeking redevelopment proposals for the former Shooters nightclub property, hoping to create a food-inspired destination on the Providence waterfront.
A request for proposal, issued on Aug. 13, seeks ideas to redevelop the 1.7-acre site as a commercial development, with access for the public and an emphasis on food, including as a farmers market, restaurant or local food venue.
It is located at 25 India St., a short walk from India Point Park.
A preliminary conference held Friday, designed to answer questions about the process, attracted about six people, according to Lisa Primiano, chief of planning and development for the R.I. Department of Environmental Management.
The state has set a deadline of Oct. 16 for submissions. The process is another attempt by the state to develop the property.
In 2012, a similar RFP attracted one serious proposal, for a concert and performing arts venue. Two years later, the department broke off talks with the community group after state officials said it had trouble raising financing for the project.
The property has been vacant since 2000, when the nightclub, then known as Bootleggers, shut down. In 2010, state voters approved a referendum to acquire the site.
The state is seeking a long-term lease with a tenant who will improve the property and pay taxes. According to the description, the department wants a proposal that will complement the local food economy, with ancillary uses that could expand public use and access to the waterfront.
“We seek a re-use of this site that will bring vibrancy, public access and an economic improvement to the area,” the statement reads.
To see the RFP for the site, click HERE.

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