Rainbow Centre Adaptive Reuse and Tenancy

The City of Niagara Falls (the “City”), in coordination with USA Niagara Development Corporation (“USA Niagara”), is seeking qualified firms (“Proposers”) to submit proposals which will provide for the adaptive reuse and tenancy of any or all the remaining square footage of the Rainbow Centre, formerly the Rainbow Centre Mall. (herein after the “Centre”). The Centre is located in downtown Niagara Falls, NY in close proximity to Niagara Falls State Park, designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and on the National Register of Historic Places and the Rainbow Bridge which provides a direct access to Canada.

Despite a high volume of visitors during the peak tourism season, Niagara Falls experiences a lack of “off season” visitation demand generators, which has an adverse effect on commercial activity and employment particularly within the hospitality sector.  The City of Niagara Falls is seeking solutions to increase year-round commerce and job opportunities. 

In 2019, USA Niagara, in coordination with the City, contracted with an architecture/engineering (A/E) team led by Marvel Architects to undertake a more intensive examination of the ULI Conceptual Plan.   The A/E team has advanced these concepts through schematic and design development. This conceptual plan is included in the RFP package.

Proposers are strongly encouraged to review these concepts to understand the primary approaches that have evolved over the last decade for potential reuse of the balance of the Rainbow Centre.  However, Proposers are fully free to explore and propose alternative physical designs/refinements that could equally achieve the broader overall development objectives for this property. 

Interested Proposers are encouraged to download submission package documents from the Purchasing Division's  website: https://niagarafallsusa.org/government/departments/purchasing/nf_bids.php or visit the Planning

Department's ftp site at:  https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/zg5sgsx5xy6sgcdpm3g4x/ALdJ_Yoic0121N_kS51pag0?rlkey=1mdyfl90r6x5bmhyaeatk8lmw&st=nzr4vara&dl=0.

Upon request from the interested Proposer, the City will officially distribute printed submission package documents from the Division of Purchasing. Printed copies of the proposal packages are subject to fees.

The approximate request for proposal (RFP) schedule (subject to change as required by the City) is as follows:

RFP issued:                                                                                     September 3, 2024

Site Visits (RSVP Required)                                                       September 25, 2024 at 12 p.m.

     To attend the Site visit RSVP to the contact provided in the RFP

Written Clarification Questions Deadline:                              October 9, 2024, at 4 p.m.

City’s Response to Written Clarification Questions:            October 21, 2024

Proposal Due Date:                                                                     January 10, 2025, at 2 p.m.

City Council Meeting for Possible Award:                              December 18, 2024