City Seeking Developer to Turn Bellevue into Green Hotel

Bellevue Hospital’s Psychiatric Building on First Avenue between East 29th and 30th Streets may be redeveloped into a LEED Silver-certified hotel and conference center as early as this fall. Next week, the city will hold a site visit and information session for developers interested in responding to an RFP that was issued on March 31; proposals will be due on June 13. The City will retain ownership over the site, but offer the winning bidder a 49-year ground lease, with two 25-year renewal options. Economic Development Corporation President Seth Pinsky stressed the opportunity that the First Avenue medical corridor offers developers "to capitalize on and support the City’s extraordinary academic, medical research, and healthcare assets." The Department of Homeless Services has used the Psychiatric Building since 1998 as a shelter for homeless men, as well as an intake center for its operations, but is currently moving to a different DHS building.

Dating from 1931 and designed by Charles B. Meyers, the Italian Renaissance-style Psychiatric Building offers 400,000 square feet and is organized in the form of an H, which should make it a good candidate for a hotel. Developers are also required to preserve the architectural integrity of the building’s façade. According to the Observer, Community Board 6 has articulated its preference that the redevelopment keep the site preserved for the medical sector. Accordingly, the City will also consider other proposed uses for the 82,000-square-foot site, provided that they are compatible with the East River Science Park, an adjacent life science and technology research campus that should open by 2009, and "achieve a minimum rating of LEED Silver." Copies of the RFP are available by request here.

• City Seeks Hotel for Former Psych Hospital (Observer)