Developers who want to partner with the town in the redevelopment of the old National Grid property in North Warren have a month to submit their proposals.

The town sent out an RFP in late October asking prospective developers to submit their plans for the waterfront property, which the town has agreed to purchase from National Grid for $450,000. Proposals are due Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The waterfront parcel covers 1.38 acres, includes a small brick utility building, the foundation of another and hundreds of feet of Warren River frontage. In announcing the purchase earlier this fall, Warren Town Manager Kate Michaud said the property has the potential to be a spectacular gateway for the town when developed wisely as a joint public/private partnership:

“Our goal is to make this a destination and meeting location for both residents and visitors to Warren,” she said.

The RFP states that the town's goal is to enter into a long-term lease with a developer who shares town officials' vision for the site. The property should contribute "to the vibrancy of the recently improved Water Street corridor, while also serving as (a) significant gateway into the town which will also serve as a catalyst for reinvestment in the Main Street corridor."

Under the RFP:

* Officials are looking for a project that "will build upon and complement the increasing vitality of the surrounding area."

* Want a project that "combines natural amenities, public space and economic expansion. The town is interested in partnering with a developer who shares the town's vision that this site can contribute to a mix of activities by creating a unique place, providing commercial opportunities to draw visitors and residents."

* No residential development will be allowed. Permitted uses include office space, art/cultural exhibitions, rehearsal studios, theater/dance/musical instruction; retail sales as an accessory to manufacturing use; professional business office buildings; restaurants; grocery stores or a bakery; or similar retail business and manufacturing.

* The winning developer will be asked to fund all physical improvements on the site. The town will assist in securing grant funds necessary for the redevelopment of the site.

Town officials have long eyed the site and over the past year, with assistance from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s office, initiated conversations with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) regarding funding to assist in planning for the reuse of the property. This past summer EDA Regional Representative Alan Brigham and representatives from the offices of Senator Whitehouse, Senator Jack Reed and Congressman David Cicilline met at the site with town officials to discuss the site's future and potential for EDA assistance.

Apart from its location at the town's entryway, the property is within an Opportunity Zone. Warren was one of 15 municipalities in Rhode Island to have a census tract designated as an Opportunity Zone by the United States Treasury Department in 2018. The new federal program provides tax incentives for private investors to direct capital gains into equity investments in qualified projects within designated Opportunity Zones. Town officials said that both the EDA assistance and Opportunity Zone designation are a catalyst for attracting private investment and development on the site.