(The following is from a city news release. I am not sure what to make of this. It sounds like a good short-term step, an intermediate step, but according to this release, it's all about "The mayor this" and "the mayor that"...but what happened to the different groups that have been working on this? I can wait and see what happens on Memorial Day. The base rental rate of five percent of gross sales sounds better than a fixed per square-foot rent for any business willing to take the risk to move quickly and only get one season.)
LISTEN TO CP Publisher Paul Foer on 1430WNAV at 8:15 every weekday morning or click on the WNAV icon to the right. READ CP Publisher Paul Foer's "The Ninth Ward" every Wednesday in The Capital.www.capitalonline.comMayor Joshua J. Cohen is inviting proposals for short-term occupancy of the Market House. The Mayor's goal is to achieve a bustling, fully occupied Market House by Memorial Day Weekend.
"My immediate focus is on economic development and there is no more important place to begin than the Market House," Mayor Cohen said. "I invite all proven and would-be entrepreneurs to participate in this open audition of ideas. This is the first step in the rebirth of Annapolis' waterfront as a year-round destination for City residents and visitor alike."Read on....
All selected applicants should assume short-term occupancy that willend no later than January 3, 2011. The long-term occupancy andmanagement structure of the Market House remains undecided and will bedetermined by the City Council. It is possible that any applicantsselected for short-term occupancy may receive a long-term leaseextension.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Mayor Cohen has set an April 9 deadline to submit proposals to theCity. Individuals wishing to submit an application or wanting moreinformation should contact Marcelle Lee at 410-263-7944 or at
The Mayor will consider proposals for any portion of the Market House,from a single stall to the entire building (with the exception of theBankAnnapolis space), subject to the requirements of the City Code andthe limitations of the physical space and the air conditioning capacity.Any proposed remodeling of the interior space must be performed atlessee's expense and must be achievable in four weeks' time. The rentalrate will be 5 percent of gross sales plus charges to cover maintenanceand utilities.
The application has three required sections and one optional section.Section 1 (Concept) should provide an overview that includes theapplicant's contact information, general business concept, the productofferings, and a simple sketch of the display area. The City will postSection 1 of each application online after the April 9th submissiondeadline. Section 2 (Viability) should describe the applicant'sexperience in running a business, and why the proposal will succeed inthe Market House. Section 3 (Operations) should cover operationalaspects and include the amount of space requested, a simple sketch ofthe floor plan, requirements for electricity and water, any heatgeneration the operation would produce, and any other operationalrequirements or considerations. Section 4 is optional and may includeany other comments or information relevant to the proposal.
SELECTION PROCESS:
The City Council empowered the Mayor to execute short-term leases withterms ending no later than January 3, 2011. The Mayor will selectproposals based on their strengths in three main areas: First, theoverall concept must support the Market House's role as a vibrant andauthentic anchor for downtown that draws people, serves Annapolis'diverse local community and bolsters the area around it. Second, theproposal must be financially viable and likely to succeed. Third, theoperational requirements must be practical and compatible with thephysical constraints of the structure.
The Mayor expects to make a preliminary decision by mid-April, at whichtime the administration will enter into discussions with prospectivelessee or lessees and aim to finalize all leases by April 30.
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Rhonda Wardlaw
Digital Media & Marketing Coordinator
City of Annapolis
Office: 410-263-7997 Ext. 7829
Cell: 410-562-8970
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