PROJECT BRIEF

The former Bayview Correctional Facility at 550 West 20th Street consists of two adjoining buildings, an eight-story building, and a six-story annex, which together comprise approximately 110,000 square feet. The building was built in 1931 as a Seamen’s House YMCA, a place for merchant sailors to stay while their ships were docked in New York harbor.

From 1967 through 1974, the facility was utilized as a residential treatment center operated by the Narcotic Addition Control Commission (NACC). In 1974, operation was transferred to the Department of Correctional Services and the facility was reclassified as a medium security work release facility for women. The roof was used for outdoor recreation and related activities and is equipped with a wrap-around chain-link enclosure. The building was evacuated during Hurricane Sandy and has remained empty since 2012.

The approximately 80,000-square-foot main building retains some architectural detail from its early days, and will be gut-renovated in association with New York’s State Historic Preservation Office to preserve and restore historical elements of the building. The approximately 30,000-square-foot annex will be completely torn down, and replaced with ground-up, new construction of approximately the same square footage.

The site is located in the Manhattan neighborhood of West Chelsea and is within walking distance of residential condominiums, art galleries, the Chelsea Piers Sports Center, the Chelsea Waterside Park, the Chelsea Dog Run Park, the Hudson River Park, the High Line elevated linear park, the NYC headquarters of Google, and the international corporate headquarters of InterActiveCorp.

Once completed, The Women’s Building will serve as a hub of activism and engagement, offering leaders working on behalf of girls and women the space, resources, and support they need to drive critical change. The leadership, talent, and participation of women will be integral to the project at every stage, from planning through design and construction.

The vision for the building will be developed in collaboration with women’s groups in New York, nationwide, and globally. The program may include the following elements: atrium; art gallery; restaurant/café; auditorium/performance space; childcare facilities; adolescent girls’ wellness center; offices and meeting rooms; gardens and event space on the roof.

Application Materials

PROCESS & GUIDELINES

Based on the selection criteria and the information provided by the Statement of Qualification forms, the Selection Committee will evaluate each applicant's relevant experience and qualifications, current workload, past performance, and prior projects. Primary considerations will include:

1. Experience and Ability: prior work on mixed-use, historic renovations, urban infill, and other similar complex projects.
2. Design Ability: design philosophy; sensitivity to site, context, and aesthetic appeal.
3. Affinity with The Women’s Building Mission.
4. Ability to Service the Project: including familiarity with NYC building code, historic preservation requirements, LEED, and other technical requirements. It may also factor the candidate’s proximity to the project and availability for meetings and site visits.

After the Selection Committee discusses the merits of each application, it will rate the applicants on each of the above considerations. The applicant’s individual scores will be averaged, and a composite score will be assigned. The Selection Committee will identify up to 10 shortlisted candidates from the submitted Request for Qualification responses for Phase II of the competition. Each shortlisted candidate who agrees to participate in Phase II will be given approximately six weeks to complete their competition concept submissions. Shortlisted candidates will be provided a $10,000 stipend for their submission.

Shortlist submission requirements will be limited to two (2) 30” X 42” board mounted floor plans, site plan, building sections (two minimum), and interior renderings (three minimum). Candidates should also submit a brief description of their design philosophy for the project and the challenges and opportunities they see, relative to the adaptive reuse of the existing building, in achieving their goals for the project. All submission entries will remain the property of NoVo Foundation.

Each shortlisted candidate will be provided with copies of the TWB program and concept diagrams as proposed to date, a project budget and cost estimate based upon that concept, historic preservation scope requirements, relevant portions of the existing building’s original construction documents, a site survey, and a draft architectural services agreement. The shortlisted candidates will be allowed to access the existing facility, subject to prior arrangement with NoVo Foundation and Empire State Development. Shortlisted candidates are also expected to provide a fee proposal and schedule of hourly rates based upon the conceptual project budget.

Based on the review of the competition entries, one or more of the shortlisted architect(s) or project team(s) may be invited to present to the Selection Committee in person. If selected, each project architect or team will be provided up to $5,000 as a travel stipend.

The selected architect or team will then be invited to engage in contract negotiations as the appointed Design Architect and/or Architect of Record for the project, to provide architectural services including schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration. The preliminary timeline for the project forecasts completion of construction documents in the spring of 2017 and completion of construction in early 2019.

Application Materials

TIMELINE

11/18/15 Competition Announcement and Online Registration Opens

12/9/15 Deadline for Submission of Questions

12/23/15 Q&A Posted to Website

1/6/16 Registration and Phase I Qualifications Submission Deadline

3/2/16 Announcement of Shortlist & Distribution of RFP/Design Competition Brief

3/9/16 to 3/16/16 Site Visit for Shortlist Candidates

4/20/16 Phase II Proposal Submission Deadline

5/30/16 to 6/8/16 Interviews with Finalists

6/30/16 Selected Architect Announced

7/15/16 Online Presentation of Winning Proposal

Application Materials