Developer Chosen To Redevelop Governor Prence Project

ORLEANS – An award letter was offered last week to three agencies that have jointly submitted a bid to redevelop the Governor Prence Inn property.

Town Manager Kim Newman told the select board June 12 that Preservation of Affordable Housing, Housing Assistance Corporation and Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod had accepted the award to develop the 5.5-acre property on Route 6A.

The award came just days after Pennrose withdrew its proposal to develop the property in a letter to the town on June 7. Pennrose and POAH/HAC/Habitat were the only two developers to bid on the project.

Newman also detailed the extensive process that went into her decision to award the project to POAH, HAC and Habitat, one that she said was marred by a flawed request for proposals that was too ambiguous in its language.

A six-member committee was established earlier this year to review the two proposals. In April, Newman convened a meeting with both developers where both proposals were presented to a panel of town officials who were not part of the initial review process. Newman said last week that she also regularly consulted with two consultants hired to assist the town in reviewing the proposals, as well as Town Counsel Mike Ford and the state’s Inspector General’s office.

But Newman said the RFP as written “created some ambiguity around how the bids could come in.” Specifically, she said there was too much flexibility given to whether or not to include homeownership as part of the proposals.

Newman told the select board that she decided in mid-April that the POAH/HAC/Habitat plan was the one that best aligned with the town’s vision for the Prence property.

“But I felt uncomfortable that I couldn’t really use that RFP criteria as it was created to fairly analyze the two,” she said, calling both submissions “great proposals” from “great community partners.”

But when Pennrose dropped out of the project, it created an avenue for the town to move ahead with the joint proposal.

“I think this is the best possible outcome for a very complicated situation,” she said.

In his letter to the town, Charlie Adams, regional vice president for Pennrose, said that the company could no longer commit to prioritizing the Governor Prence project for funding at the present time, given the other projects it is exploring.

“I’m ecstatic to have come so far in just one week,” Select Board member Kevin Galligan said. “What a change, and it’s a remarkable one, to put this town on a path forward.”

Newman said the next steps will include the town working out a land disposition agreement with POAH, HAC and Habitat and working out a process for financing the project. In the coming months, she said, that both sides will explore what might be needed in the way of funding for the project, which could be sought through a town meeting article in October.

The flawed RFP process will result in both staffing and procedural changes surrounding how RFPs are prepared for future projects, Newman told the board. Part of the problem is the overinvolvement of volunteers in drafting RFPs, she said.

“That will stop immediately,” she told the select board. “That is not something the town will continue to do at all.”

Instead, she said RFPs will be put together and reviewed by committee, and will be overseen by staff and/or consultants with the necessary expertise to put them together.

In July, the town will welcome Elizabeth Jenkins into the new role of assistant director of planning and community development. Jenkins is currently the director planning and development for the town of Barnstable.

In her new role, Jenkins will take point on housing and zoning issues for the town, Newman said.

“We are incredibly excited and lucky to bring her on our staff,” she said.

John Sargent, who chaired the Governor Prence planning committee, thanked Newman for getting the project back on track. He also urged that the town keep the ball moving toward the property’s future development.

“Time is of the essence,” he said. “We’ve been slow, but it’s here. So let’s go.”

But while the Prence RFP process was overlong, Newman said the town can expect a more efficient process going forward.

“I appreciate the patience with this,” she said. “It has taken too long. It shouldn’t have taken this long, and it won’t take this long again in the future.”

Email Ryan Bray at ryan@capecodchronicle.com