I got a hold of a new proposal to build an office building to house the city’s workforce. It’s being discussed just as the city is about to consider a different proposal to redevelop the City Hall complex.
The brainchild of developer Steve Considine, it involves building an office tower on land next to the Civic Center site with the city leasing space in the building over 40 years.
Lobbyist Richard Ledford, who represents Considine, he said the proposal is a work in progress and not really ready for public debate. He’s been talking to politicians around City Hall about the idea.
“We’ll be talking more about it with some folks in the community to see where we’ve got it right and wrong,” Ledford said.
This proposal isn’t part of the formal bidding process that led to Portland-based developer Gerding Edlen’s plan to redevelop the Civic Center complex.
Next week, the Centre City Development Corp. board is slated to vote on whether to recommend that the city start exclusive negotiations with Gerding Edlen. The City Council is expected to vote on the issue this summer.