The City of Somerville took another step on Monday toward bringing Davis Square its first hotel when the municipality released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to any interested developers.
"The issuance of the RFQ is an important step towards the development of a much-needed hotel in Davis," Mayor Joseph Curtatone said in a press release. "Davis Square is home to a thriving business district and the creation of a hotel with a public parking garage will be key to the economic growth and continued success of this area. The RFQ and subsequent processes will also allow us to identify a developer who will engage in a public process with all of the stakeholders in Davis Square."
The nine-page request features a demographic snapshot of Somerville, a neighborhood description of Davis Square and background information on three potential hotel locations.
For Tufts' Director of Comm-unity Relations Barbara Rubel, the RFQ release is an indication that a Davis Square hotel may soon become a reality.
"This is beginning to seem more immediate," she said.
In a 2006 study conducted by the Pinnacle Advisory Group, a hospitality-consulting firm, Davis Square was identified as the top potential location for a hotel in Somerville.
With an RFQ as the next step, "you're essentially saying [to developers], ‘We have good data to suggest that this is an idea that would benefit the community and would produce a viable business opportunity,'" Somerville's Communications Director Tom Champion told the Daily. "Tell us how you would approach it."
In addition to being able to express interest, developers will have the chance to meet with city officials, ask them questions, provide their own background information and explain their qualifications.
There will be a mandatory site tour on Oct. 1. All questions must be submitted by Oct. 6, which will be answered by Oct. 17, according to the request.
Developers can pick from three available locations: the Buena Vista Garage at 56A Holland Street; a Day Street/Herbert Street parking lot; or a Grove Street parking lot adjacent to Rite Aid and Community Path.
The city used a third-party appraiser to set prices for each property at $1,700,000, $916,000 and $835,000, res-pectively.
"The RFP will require that the purchase price for each property on which a development is proposed be equal or greater than the City's appraised value for such property," the RFQ states.
The developers must also show how they would develop the area, preserving and enhancing the "nature of the neighborhood" as well as planning details such as parking, Champion said.
"All proposals must replace the current parking, provide for hotel-related parking required by zoning ordinances and create as much additional parking as possible," the press release said.
Developers have until Oct. 31 to send in their responses. From these, the Davis Square Hotel Technical Advisory Committee will make recommendations to Curtatone. He will then select three developers to submit Requests for Proposals, more specific requests than the relatively open-ended RFQ.
The committee will be made up of staff from the mayor's office, the Purchasing Department, the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, two community representatives and one alderman at-large.
While there is no timeline as to when the committee will make its selection, Champion estimates that it will come by the end of this year.
Once the hotel is constructed, Tufts will likely be a large attraction for customers.
The university brings in many visitors for moving-in and moving-out periods, Parents' Weekend, homecoming and commencement, reunions, alumni events and other occasions.
The hotel could also serve Tufts as a resource for business, depending on its facilities, Rubel said.
If it had a conference room or restaurant, the university could use it on other levels.
"For Tufts, having a hotel in Davis Square would be a great benefit," she said. "We're very supportive and looking forward to seeing how this project continues."
