The City of Framingham is extending an open, informal invitation to landowners in the City of Framingham interested in making their land or existing building(s) available for siting a future Community Center. The City is seeking information that could potentially lead to a future Request for Proposals or partnership solicitation for this proposed new facility.

RFI’s are due on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, by 10:00 A.M. Please submit your RFI through Vendor Registry. https://vrapp.vendorregistry.com/Vendor/Register/Index/city-of-framingham-ma-vendor-registration

Questions concerning this RFI are to be submitted in writing on the vendor registry https://vrapp.vendorregistry.com/Vendor/Register/Index/city-of-framingham-ma-vendor-registration

The City of Framingham is extending an open, informal invitation to landowners in the City of Framingham interested in making their land or existing building(s) available for siting a future Community Center. The City is seeking information that could potentially lead to a future Request for Proposals or partnership solicitation for this proposed new facility.

The City of Framingham is well-positioned geographically to be a prime destination for major athletic tournaments and events in Massachusetts. The proposed community center would not only meet community needs, but would also provide new opportunities for the City to host regional or state-wide events or athletic competitions. In order to develop such a community center, the City wishes to identify a location that meets specific requirements. Information for landowners outlining these needs can be found in this RFI.

Land Size:

The minimum threshold for this RFI is 3-to-7 acres of property. If landowners are offering more than one property, they should specify each property’s acreage separately.

Parking Availability:

The required parking spaces shall be at a minimum no less than (1) parking space per 1,000 sf of floor area in buildings or 1 per 3 occupants the facility can accommodate. The parking shall be located on the same lot as the building or use requiring said spaces when at all possible. Exceptions to this requirement are as follows:

1. The required off-street parking location shall not be located more than the following distances, measured along the sidewalk or a walkway available for public use, from the primary entrance of the premises to the nearest entrance of the parking lot:
   1. Customer facilities: Three hundred fifty feet (350').
   2. Employee parking: Five hundred feet (500')

Community Aquatics Center:

The property housing the proposed community center should provide space for an aquatics center. Competitive swimming has continued to grow in Framingham and Metrowest. This year, the City had to relocate the swimming program for the high school athletics team to the Town of Wayland pool because the current pool at Keefe Tech in Framingham was closed due to structural concerns. There are a large number of youth and master’s teams that swim year-round in Metrowest, and there is a need for a major aquatics center that could be shared by a number of abutting communities.

The City would prefer to purchase property to design, construct and operate an Olympic/competition-size swimming pool with spectator seating, wireless pace clocks, a state-of-the-art filtration system, and a multi-generational, as well as multi-use and disability-accessible aquatic facility. Facility recommendations would also include diving well and separate locker rooms.

Community Field House:

The property housing the proposed community center should also provide space for a multi-purpose field house. There is a tremendous desire and need to have a field house in the City, which has proven useful and popular in other communities. The City also has a shortage of hard-court surfaces for basketball, volleyball, and pickle ball, which a field house will provide.

The City would prefer to purchase property to design, construct and operate a Recreation Field House. The City is looking to establish a facility with a minimum size of 100,000 sq. ft., with a synthetic turf field, track, multi-use courts, and bleacher seating sufficient in size to support the following activities:

1. lacrosse (men’s and women’s)
2. soccer (men’s and women’s)
3. field hockey
4. Indoor track and field

Additionally, a large field house could serve as a place to hold graduations or other large-scale community events or celebrations.

Background & Socioeconomic Data:

The City of Framingham has declared that all residents deserve an equitable opportunity to succeed – regardless of their race, color, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, income, or where they live. While the City of Framingham is a great place to live, learn, work, worship, and play, persistent disparities predictable by race, neighborhood of residence, and other socio-economic disparities still exist in outcomes related to employment, housing, health, and more. For the establishment of this proposed community center, the City wishes to focus on areas located in a moderate- and/or low-income neighborhood (see CDBG map & EJC map). Striving for environmental equity via increased access to new recreation facilities and community-centered space where needed most is a critical goal of the City of Framingham.

• Framingham at a Glance:
  1. Framingham’s population of approximately 72,000 inhabitants makes it the undisputed center of the MetroWest region. The City’s population grew by 3.6 % from 2010 to 2016, which is roughly equal to the Massachusetts growth rate over the same time period. Framingham has nearly double the population of MetroWest’s next-largest municipality, Marlborough.
  2. Framingham boasts a large population of 25- to 44-year-olds compared to the rest of the MetroWest region. A diverse, lower-cost housing stock that includes substantial multifamily and rental properties will help make the City an attractive option for businesses and their employees, individuals, and families.
  3. Residents from racially minoritized groups make up a larger share of Framingham’s population than in any other MetroWest municipality. Framingham’s largest minority group continues to be those of Hispanic/Latino descent, who comprised nearly 15% of the City’s population in 2016, up from 13% in 2010. As of 2016, 8% of Framingham residents are of Asian descent.
  4. Median Household Incomes grew very little from 2010 to 2016. Framingham’s median household income of $70,706 in 2016 was the lowest in MetroWest, reflecting the city’s unique diversity in terms of education, race, immigrant status, and employment. In 2016, 37% of Framingham households earned over $100,000 per year, which is a greater share than found overall in Massachusetts as a whole.
  5. The City of Framingham ranks 4th highest in MetroWest for incidents of obesity, 3rd highest for 15+ days of poor mental health in the past month, and 7th highest for pediatric asthma (MetroWest Health Foundation Knowledge Center Health Data).

The above data speak clearly to the countless benefits the citizens of Framingham will access from the thoughtful and strategic placement of a community center offering recreation, athletics, community education, and space for large-scale community gatherings.