by Brooklyn Bridge Park on Aug 23, 2011
Concession sought to be in place by December 2012
Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) today released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an operator to construct, operate, and maintain a seasonal indoor recreation structure on Pier 5. The structure will provide active recreation at the Park during the off-season and promote the use of Brooklyn Bridge Park during the winter months. The seasonal recreation structure will be approximately 200’ by 300’, containing one soccer field, situated in an east-west configuration. The structure will be open from December through March.
“The Concession Structure on Pier 5 will enrich the park by encouraging year-long active recreation use at this world-class location,” said Regina Myer, president of Brooklyn Bridge Park. “Through this RFP process, BBP hopes to give visitors a great new reason to visit and enjoy the park year-round through access to an indoor recreational facility.”
BBP is seeking proposals from operators with a track record of first class level of service and appearance and with an understanding of and responsiveness to the park’s mission, as well as a willingness to work with programming partners, such as sports leagues and community groups. BBP will grant the operator a permit with a five year term to design, construct, operate, and maintain the structure beginning December 2012. BBP shall have the option, to renew the Permit upon its expiration for three additional one-season terms. Responses to the RFP must are due by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27, 2011.
The responses to the RFP will be evaluated on the basis of their financial and operational capability, the quality of programs and operations, their engineering proposal, their business offer, and the operator’s track record of successfully operating similar outdoor recreation concessions. BBP will spend up to $750,000 on construction costs, and will retain ownership of all capital improvements.
Brooklyn Bridge Park is currently constructing the landscape at Pier 5. This 5-acre pier is scheduled to be complete in summer 2012, and will include three outdoor, artificial sports turf fields. In addition to the fields, Pier 5 will have a waterfront esplanade along its perimeter, as well as a “picnic peninsula” that will include banquet-length picnic tables, barbecues, a concession, and children’s play equipment. The pier is accessible from a pedestrian path at Joralemon Street, as well as the Park’s main greenway, and the concession structure will be prominently located and directly visible to visitors as they approach the Park from Pier 6 or from Joralemon Street.
Since the opening of Piers 1 and 6 in 2010, Brooklyn Bridge Park has fast become a popular destination. With unparalleled views of downtown Manhattan, the harbor, and the Brooklyn Bridge, the park is already drawing 60,000 visitors per seasonal weekend. The Park’s 35 different programs, all of which are free and open to the public, include weekly exercises classes on the promenades, spring Celebrate Brooklyn dance parties, performances of Shakespeare, recreational boating, historical tours, and weekly movie nights (drawing average crowds of 6,000 people).
The full Request for Proposals can be found on the park website: bbpprod2020.wpengine.com
