Cascadilla Boathouse RFP

The City of Ithaca is seeking a qualified consultant to evaluate the physical, logistical, and operational feasibility of adaptively reusing the Cascadilla Boathouse as a restaurant or event space.

Built in 1896, the Cascadilla Boathouse (the "Boathouse") is a historic and visually iconic lakefront resource in Stewart Park that has been largely underutilized for the past several decades. The City of Ithaca seeks to fully activate the building in a manner that recreationally, socially, and economically benefits the community and City. To that end, the City is requesting proposals for the completion of an adaptive reuse feasibility study for the building. Through a competitive process, the City will select a qualified consultant that will evaluate the physical, logistical, and operational feasibility of establishing a restaurant and/or event space within the building.

The successful respondent(s) (the "Consultant") will be responsible for preparing an adaptive reuse feasibility report for the proposed restaurant and/or event space use that addresses the components outlined below.

• Existing Reports and Documentation: The Consultant shall review and provide a summary of relevant and applicable information found in previous reports and studies completed for the Boathouse, Stewart Park, and related facilities. Existing studies and reports include, but are not limited to, a historic structure report (2000), a building conditions assessment (2016), and the City of Ithaca Parks Master Plan (2018).
• Conditions Assessment: The Consultant will provide a brief assessment of current conditions to inform the development of the other components of the report.
• Programming Study: The Consultant will assess the space needs for an assembly, restaurant, and/or event space use. The assessment will address, but is not limited to, the installation of a commercial kitchen, and the creation of a restaurant and/or event space and public restrooms.
• Infrastructure Assessment: The Consultant will assess the condition and capacity of the building's existing infrastructure, including water, sewer, electric and gas service, and provide recommendations for improvements to serve the proposed program.
• Preservation Priority Plan: [...] the Consultant will prepare a preservation priority plan to ensure the building's character defining features are preserved and all work complies with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
• Parking Assessment and Transportation Demand Management Plan: The Consultant will assess the existing parking capacity and the projected need for parking for the proposed program. The Consultant will prepare a transportation demand management plan for the traffic generated by the proposed use.
• Code Study: The Consultant will assess applicable New York State and local Building Codes for the proposed program.

The City may consider additional, alternative, or refined components to the report elements listed on a case-by-case.

**Electronic proposals** will be accepted until December 4th, 2026, at 5:00PM. Proposals shall be submitted by **email** to Bryan McCracken, Historic Preservation and Neighborhood Planner, City of Ithaca Department of Planning and Development.

An email reply will be sent confirming the City's receipt of the proposal. Please contact Planning staff at bmccracken@cityofithaca.org if you do not receive a confirmation email within two business days.

**Cover Letter (Required)** [...] the City seeks a consultant that can complete this project within six (6) months following the project kickoff meeting.

Cost proposals must include a not-to-exceed amount for the proposed services.

A selection committee composed of City staff will evaluate each proposal based on the thoroughness, applicability, and workability of the submitted materials.

The resulting agreement will be subject to the *City of Ithaca Terms and Conditions*, which are attached as Appendix A.

The Contract award, if any, will be made by Friday, December 11, 2026. Project Kickoff Meeting: Monday, January 11, 2027.

The successful Respondent will be required to procure and maintain, at its own expense, the minimum limits of insurance as described herein or as required by law, whichever is greater.