County officially looking for ideas on coveted downtown block

If you think you’ve got a good idea for 308 Guadalupe St. and $100,000, Travis County wants to hear from you. On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court voted to release a request for proposals to solicit the development community’s creative thoughts about the county-owned downtown site that was targeted to be the home of the new civil courthouse before voters rejected the idea last year. Any respondents to the RFP will have to put down a $100,000 deposit to show they mean business, and that commitment will only increase if they make it to the next round. Strategic Resource Planning Manager Belinda Powell told the court that she expects responses to range from requests to purchase the land outright to more complex deals that could involve ground leases with the county. The RFP also stipulates that any project the county will agree to must be built in adherence with the Workers Defense Project’s Better Builders Program. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 9, refined proposals will be due on Jan. 13 and the Commissioners Court is expected to choose the winning proposal on Feb. 14.