Passenger Ferry Redeveloper/Operator for Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor
Posted: 02/13/2025 - 03:55 PM Due By: 04/11/2025 - 04:00 PMRequest for Proposals
Passenger Ferry Redeveloper/Operator
For the
PENINSULA AT BAYONNE HARBOR
BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY
Originally issued December 18, 2024
and Amended on February 10, 2025
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- INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION
In the 1930’s, private commercial interests constructed a peninsula into New York Harbor that created additional maritime in the City of Bayonne (the “City”). The property was subsequently taken over, expanded, developed, and operated as the Military Ocean Terminal – Bayonne (“MOTBY”) by the U.S. Navy during World War II and the U.S. Army in 1967. Ships carried goods from the terminal for every major U.S. military operation from World War II to the Persian Gulf and Haiti missions in the 1990s. But with the subsequent decreasing need for the deployment of U.S. forces, the federal government decided to close MOTBY down in 1995 and transferred the property to the City in the early 2000’s.
In 2002, MOTBY was officially renamed the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor (the “Peninsula”) and plans were unveiled to redevelop 430 acres of the former ocean terminal into a mixed-use complex. The project began in 2002, environmental cleanup was completed, buildings were demolished, and construction began.
Since 2002, more than 2,000 residential units have been built with over 7,000 to be built. In addition, 350,000 square feet of retail space and more than 1.2M square feet of commercial warehouses have been constructed. Further, the Cape Liberty Cruise Port has been in operation for over a decade and its success has warranted consideration of an expansion that would double its capacity.
The project’s location and mass transit links augur well for its success. Squarely sitting in New Jersey’s “Gold Coast,” only three miles from Newark and seven miles from Manhattan, the site offers unparalleled views of New York City and gives City’s 70,000+ residents their first access to the Hudson River waterfront in nearly a century. The Hudson-Bergen light rail system stops at two locations on the project’s west side, giving City residents easy access to Jersey City, Hoboken, and Manhattan.
- REDEVELOPMENT PROCESS
The New Jersey Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq., as amended and supplemented (the “Redevelopment Law”) provides a process for municipalities to participate in the redevelopment and improvement of areas in need of redevelopment. In accordance with the criteria set forth in the Redevelopment Law, the City identified and designated the Peninsula as an “area in need of redevelopment” and adopted a redevelopment plan for the Peninsula entitled the “Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor Redevelopment Plan” dated December 15, 2004, as amended, and supplemented, and as the same may be further amended and supplemented from time to time (the “Redevelopment Plan”). The Redevelopment Law authorizes municipalities to enter into agreements with “redevelopers” to implement the Redevelopment Plan. The Redevelopment Plan provides, in part, for the development of mixed-use improvements that include recreational, residential, commercial, industrial and passenger ship terminal developments. In furtherance thereof the City is issuing this request for proposals (the “RFP”) seeking a “redeveloper” to develop and operate a passenger ferry terminal and provide certain passenger ferry services as described herein. The successful Redeveloper/Operator shall execute a redevelopment agreement and associated agreements as negotiated by the parties (the “Redevelopment Agreement”)
- PURPOSE
The City is seeking a qualified service provider (a “Redeveloper/Operator”) to develop a premier passenger, ferry terminal (the “Terminal”) and associated commuter passenger service (the “Ferry Services”) between Bayonne and Manhattan as an alternative and supplement to existing transportation options. The Ferry Services shall be reliable, tickets shall be competitively priced, and plans for maintaining the Ferry Services long term shall be present.
The City will consider Ferry Services proposals that include third-party package delivery services (the “Package Services”), which may include delivery of small packages to other urban destinations in New York and New Jersey.
In addition to the above Ferry Services and Package Services, the City seeks to have the Terminal, City Improvements and Redeveloper/Operator Improvements made available to operators (the “Tour Services Operator”) of passenger tour services (the “Tour Services”), which may include waterborne tours, dinner cruises, and long-haul routes from Bayonne to destinations (e.g., Sandy Hook, Block Island, Yankee Stadium, etc.). The successful Redeveloper/Operator will be required to enter into a separate agreement to coordinate access to the Terminal for such Tour Services Operator at no charge to such Tour Service Operators and may submit a partner to provide such Tour Services.
- BERTH & PARKING
The City will soon be the owner of approximately 1.6 acres of open area shown as Parcel A (the “Upland Area”) located within the Peninsula (see Exhibit A). Additionally, the City will be the Owner of approximately 2 acres of waterside area (the “Berth Area”) comprised of approximately 300 linear feet of berth by approximately 300 feet of associated riparian area (see Exhibit A). The City is also owner of a one acre parcel located approximately 1,200 feet west of the Terminal, where development of structured parking (the “Parking Facility”) is envisioned in the future (see Exhibit A).
The City is permitted to operate a ferry landing and to operate a parking facility and sell concessions at the Premises directly related to the ferry operations. Additionally, the City may store ferry vessels directly associated with the ferry operation midday and overnight, so long as it adheres to approved facility operational and security plans. Ferry vessels directly connected to the ferry landing operation may be stored overnight.
The City has secured approvals from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and US Army Corps of Engineers for a Terminal and Berth Area (see Exhibit B). proposers may elect
to utilize these approvals, modify them, or disregard them entirely.
- REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: OBJECTIVES
A) Development and Construction of Ferry Terminal by City and Redeveloper/Operator
1. The development of the Upland Area and Berth Area and will be undertaken by the City and the Redeveloper/Operator.
2. The City will construct basic upland improvements (the “City Improvements”), including a 102-space parking lot, drop-off facilities, utility service (water & sewer), lighting, landscaping, and a waterfront walkway that connects the Terminal with adjoining residential development to the west. Exhibit C illustrates the City Improvements. The Redeveloper/Operator shall be responsible for operating and maintaining the City Improvements once completed.
3. The Redeveloper/Operator shall design, permit, construct, operate and maintain all other improvements (the “Redeveloper/Operator Improvements”) necessary to operate the Terminal, including but not limited to passenger shelter, ticketing facilities, electrical service, parking revenue controls, gangway, ferry loading barge/vessel, and mooring pilings. The ferry loading barge/vessel shall be configured to accept both passenger and excursion vessels. The Terminal and associated services shall ensure ADA compliant facilities and vessels with handicap access, bathroom(s), seating, and stroller/baggage accommodations. Optional goals shall include off peak commuter service, high speed vessels, Wi-Fi, climate control, and on-board and/or upland concession for coffee, beverages, snacks, and newspapers. The Redeveloper/Operator will be expected to maintain plans for the construction/maintenance of the ferry’s landing and Terminal and for maintenance, fueling and berthing of vessels on-site or off-site.
B) Ferry Services
1. The Redeveloper/Operator shall provide weekday Ferry Services between the Peninsula, and Manhattan.
2. The Redeveloper/Operator and/or third parties operating from the Terminal will operate vessels certified by the U.S. Coast Guard and operated by licensed crew to meet existing State and Federal regulations.
3. The Ferry Services shall be reliable; tickets shall be competitively priced and plans for maintaining the service for a minimum of five years and as otherwise set forth in the Redevelopment Agreement.
4. The Redeveloper/Operator shall have a terminal management system including ticketing, parking (including parking revenue control), embarking/disembarking, and wayfinding.
5. The Redeveloper/Operator shall develop and manage supporting activities to ensure the Ferry Services include amenities and are convenient and reliable. This may include concessions or other perks, either in the terminal, on board the ferry, or both.
C) Package Services and Ancillary Services
The Redeveloper/Operator shall have the option of providing Package Services and developing and/or operating Ancillary Services such as the Parking Facility or a concession facility.
D) Tourism Services
The City seeks to provide its residents and visitors with Tourism Services and will work with the Redeveloper/Operator to incorporate entities that provide such services into the operations of the Terminal, City Improvements and Redeveloper/Operator Improvements at no charge to such Tourism Services Operator.
- PROCUREMENT PROCESS & SCHEDULE
A) General Information/Submission Process
The City has structured a procurement process that seeks to obtain the desired results described above, while establishing a competitive process to assure that each person and/or firm is provided an equal opportunity to submit a proposal in response to the RFP (the “Proposal”). Based upon the totality of the information contained in the Proposal, including information about the reputation and experience of each proposer, the City will (in its sole judgment) determine which proposer best meets the City’s goals and commence negotiations of a Redevelopment Agreement and related agreements. The steps involved in the process and the anticipated completion dates are set forth in Section 6B hereof titled “Procurement Schedule.” The City reserves the right, among other things, to amend, modify, or alter the Procurement Schedule upon notice to all potential proposers who have provided contact information to the City upon receipt of this RFP. All communications concerning this RFP, or the RFP process shall be directed to the City’s Designated Contact Person, Joseph P. Baumann Jr., by email.
Joseph P. Baumann Jr.
McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC
75 Livingston Avenue
Roseland, New Jersey 07068
Email: jbaumann@msbnj.com
Proposals (digital copy) shall be submitted to the City’s Law Director, Joseph Skillender at jskillender@baynj.org and to the Designated Contact Person, via email.
In addition, five (5) hard copies of the proposals shall be hand delivered to
Joseph Skillender
Director of the Department of Planning,
Zoning, and Economic Development
630 Avenue C
Bayonne, New Jersey 07002
Responses and their envelopes should be clearly marked with the name and address of the proposer and the project title: “PENINSULA AT BAYONNE HARBOR FERRY SERVICE”
After issuance of this RFP, the City (through the issuance of addenda to all firms that have received a copy of the RFP) may modify, supplement, or amend the provisions of this RFP and respond to inquiries received from prospective proposers or as otherwise deemed necessary or appropriate by (and in the sole judgement of) the City.
Passenger Ferry Operator - Exhibit B