The city of Alexandria could take a step closer to choosing a new operator for the Torpedo Factory Art Center, following last night’s City Council meeting (Tuesday).
City Council voted to advance to public hearing and final vote an agreement for an operator to lease, manage and operate the historic arts facility at 105 N. Union Street. The public hearing and final vote are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24.
The city took over operations of the waterfront arts center in 2016 and since then has introduced a vibrancy plan and jurying process to select artists for leased studio space. Among the recommendations developed by a stakeholder task force and endorsed by City Council was moving to an alternate management structure.
Last year, the city put out an informal request for information to gauge interest from organizations qualified to operate the arts center. If the formal procurement process is approved by City Council, a 60-day request for bids would go out through the end of March, according to Deputy City Manager Emily Baker.
“We want to write this solicitation in a way that allows interested parties to come to us and tell us what their vision is here based on all of the feedback that we’ve included in this,” said Baker.
Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley noted applicants will get details in the procurement documents on stakeholder feedback, the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s history, the art produced and displayed at the arts center, and the weddings and other events hosted there.
“There is real opportunity here for, I think, inspired respondents to come to us with a vision and something that is reflective of our goals here as a community and what the stakeholders have expressed,” Bagley said.
The proposals would be evaluated after the procurement period ends, and an operator recommendation could go to City Council later in the spring, Baker said.
Proposals would be rated on the organization’s qualifications, experience and capacity; staff experience, the operational and management approach, marketing plan, the maintenance, tenant improvements and capital improvement strategy; the stakeholder engagement plan and the financial bid.
The request for proposals calls for a five-year lease period to transition from city operations, but applicants may propose alternate lease term lengths.
