CALL FOR HIGHLY CREATIVE URBAN DESIGN FIRMS – Glendale’s Arts & Entertainment District Needs You!

The City of Glendale is seeking proposals from highly creative urban design and/or landscape architecture design firms to provide placemaking and innovative streetscape design services to reinvigorate two blocks of Maryland Avenue between Harvard and Wilson Avenues into a pedestrian-friendly Arts & Entertainment District within the Downtown Glendale. Proposals must be submitted in accordance with all requirements of this Request for Proposals (RFP). The submission deadline is 5 pm Tuesday, June 19, 2018.

The Downtown Specific Plan (DSP), a visioning document which guides future development of Glendale’s downtown district, designates the Arts & Entertainment (A&E) District, which generally extends on Maryland Avenue between Harvard Avenue to the south and Wilson Avenue to the north. Maryland Avenue is anchored at either end by prominent civic and cultural venues – the historic Alex Theatre to the north and the Downtown Central Library at the south. The vision for the A&E District is a concentration or clustering of theaters, nightclubs, art galleries, music or comedy clubs, and other similar venues for live entertainment in addition to spin-off restaurants and bars. 

Over the past 18 months, the City Council closed a portion of Maryland Avenue to vehicular traffic in an effort to further create a sense of place on this intimate street. In order to elevate the character and qualities of Maryland Avenue and the public alley and passageways between Brand Boulevard and Maryland, the City is seeking a qualified firm to assist in developing an enticing, dynamic and visually invigorating network of pedestrian-friendly spaces and passages within the Arts & Entertainment District. The desired firm will present a plan that will attract visitors and support a variety of art and entertainment-related options, including dining, gathering, strolling, pop-up art and music events, street fairs, galleries and sidewalk cafes and other possibilities, while maintaining adequate parking structure access and traffic flow.

We invite you to apply, and be a part of this new chapter in Glendale’s history. You can also learn more by visiting www.glendaleca.gov. We look forward to hearing from you.

Any questions regarding this Request for Proposal shall be directed to Jennifer McLain Hiramoto by email at jhiramoto@glendaleca.gov, or by phone at (818) 548-2005.

RFP: Placemaking, Urban Design and Technical Services in the Arts & Entertainment District

Exhibit 4 – Maryland Ave. & Alley

Submission Deadline: June 19, 2018

The City’s anticipated schedule for the selection of the most qualified Consultant, is as follows:

1. Issuance of Request for Proposals May 8, 2018
2. Pre-Proposal Site Tour (Optional) May 29, 2018
3. Deadline for submitting RFP June 19, 2018
4. City Staff review of RFP’s June 25, 2018
5. City Staff selection of Consultants July 10, 2018