Photo credit: Wally Gobetz. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED

THE DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS HAS PASSED. APPLICATIONS ARE IN REVIEW, AND SELECTION IS EXPECTED IN MARCH.

NEW - As of 1.23.24

(1) 1/23/24 UPDATED Q&A Document from 12/13/23 pre-proposal conference

(2) Roster of Participants in 12/13/23 pre-proposal conference.


NEW - As of 1.8.24

(1) 1/8/24 RFP Version 4 with typo corrections (issue date, new deadline date)

(2) Deadline Extension to 5 pm, 1/26/24 (see updated schedule below)

(3) 12/22/23 Q&A Document from 12/13/23 pre-proposal conference.

Request for Proposals (RFP) - Reimagine Japantown Framework

Project Background Description of Proposal 

The Reimagine Japantown Committee (RJC), composed of a group of Japantown community leaders, has partnered with the City to articulate a bold but realistic vision for the future of Japantown, while at the same time recognizing the critical role it has played in San Francisco for over 115 years. 

This vision will have a focus on the Japan Center Malls (JCM), and will engage representatives from the Japanese American, City, local business, development, cultural, historical and residential communities to ensure that Japantown thrives and successfully sustains its cultural and historic identity into the next century. This effort will build on the community planning work to date including the 2009 Japantown Better Neighborhoods Plan (BNP), the 2013 Japantown Cultural Heritage and Economic Sustainability Strategy (JCHESS), and the 2023 Japantown Cultural History, Housing, and Economic Sustainability report (CHHESS) (see Appendix A: Past Community Planning Efforts).

Description of Proposal 

The Reimagine Japantown Framework aims to produce a community vision statement for the future of the Japan Center Malls, site-specific goals, and an articulation of public benefits, derived from an analysis of community planning efforts to date, informed by financial feasibility.

The tasks included in this scope are:

  1. Task 1: Vision Statement & Site-Specific Goals

  2. Task 2: Articulation of Public Benefits

  3. Task 3: Baseline Financial Feasibility Study (Pro Forma Analysis)

  4. Task 4: Public Benefits + Financial Feasibility

  5. Task 5: Framework Document

  6. Task 6: Sharing the Framework Document

Key Dates

The anticipated schedule for this RFP is below. Check this page frequently for updates as the schedule is subject to change.

  • RFP is issued by JTF: Monday, November 27, 2023

  • Pre-Proposal Conference: Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM via ZOOM.

  • Deadline for submission of written questions: Friday, December 15, 2023 at 5:00 PM

  • Answers to written questions posted online [Download PDF Here]

  • Proposals due: Friday, January 26, 2024 by 5:00 PM [DEADLINE HAS PASSED]

  • Oral interviews of shortlisted proposers: February 20 - 23, 2024

  • Contract Negotiations: March 4, 2024

  • Contract Starts: March 25, 2024 or later