Chicago's current fleet and facilities building.

The City of Chicago released a request for proposals (RFP) for a new facility for 225 employees from the Department of Fleet and Facility Management (2FM). The Chicago Infrastructure Trust (CIT), in coordination with 2FM, released the RFP today. The city plans to fund the development of the new facility with proceeds from the sale of the current department headquarters.

The new facility will be located on vacant property in the Englewood neighborhood that was formerly the location of Kennedy King College. The replacement facility at this location will be a 200,000-square-foot building to be used for the repair and maintenance of city equipment. The facility will also include administrative offices for 2FM, a carpenter shop, a sheet metal shop, a blacksmith shop, and a paint shop.

The move is expected to spur economic development in the area and improve department operations; the current facility is underutilized and expensive to operate given its size and construction type.

The RFP also includes a replacement satellite shop on the city’s north side and a replacement fuel site on Goose Island.

The CIT is managing the process to select a development team that will design, build, and finance the replacement facilities. 

Responses to the RFP are due by July 5. Contingent on approval by City Council, the CIT and the city anticipate beginning construction of the replacement facilities in early 2018 and reaching substantial completion in late 2018. The RFP can be viewed at the CIT’s website.