RFP: A pain for developers, but it's the only way to build a project - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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In most metropolitan markets, developers do not take the risk of constructin an office building unless they have an anchof tenantunder contract. More oftej than not, an anchor tenantg initiates the request for proposa and dictates what a buildinhlooks like. "It is the most efficienf way to elicit thebest deal," said Jim Barryh III, president of Colliers Barry, a Milwaukeee real estate brokerage and development company. Seve Milwaukee and Chicago developers earlier this year submittefd proposals for a new downtown officr at the request ofQuarles & the second-largest law firm in Milwaukee.
Quarles revieweds the RFPs for a new home indowntown Milwaukee, but optexd to stay at the 411 E. Wisconsih Ave. building that has been the firm's home sincde 1986. "Many large firms use the RFPs as leverage in thei rlease negotiations," Barry said. Ann managing partner of Quarles & Brady'se Milwaukee office, insists the law firm was sincerre in looking for a new home but could not refuse the offetr to stay put from the new ownership group of the 411 East Wisconsin Quarles & Brady's leas e renewal paved the way for , Sant Ana, Calif.
, to purchas the 654,000-square-foot building for more than $90 A spokesman for Triplew Net Properties would not disclose any lease details relatedx to Quarles & Brady's The building sale is expected to closse by the end of "We invested a lot of time and money evaluating the proposals and arriving at a Murphy said. Quarles & Bradty hired two real estate consultants to work with developersx on the proposals and formed an internakl committee of partners who also devoted time tothe process.
, was one of seve developers submitting plans toQuarles & The company is working with Milwaukee lawyer Robertr Levine to develop a 17-story, 300,000-square-foott high-rise that would replace storefronts from 301 E. Wisconsin Ave. to 327 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee. "Competing in the Quarled process was not a wastse of time because we are stilpl recruiting tenants for our projecg and use thesame documents," said Josh Mintzer, a Jankop partner. Mintzer is confidenty another tenant will emerge that understandzs how the efficiencies of a new building will translateinto cost-savings for a tenant.
"It is frustrating when you don't win, but when you do land a projectt it makes up for thoseeopportunities lost," Mintzer said. The most difficulyt request for proposal competitions are withgovernmenyt agencies, said Robert Bronstein, president of The , "RFPs issued by public sector organizationas tend to be incredibly broas and developers have a hard time discerning what will move the agenct to select their project," Bronstein said. The Sciom Group was one of two finalistw in an RFP contest to win the righgt to develop the Kenilworth Building for the Universithyof Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
The RFP process was conducter by the University of Wisconsin Systek board of regents in September 2003 and then overturnerd by the state Building Commission fivemonths later. The commission threwa out proposals from Scionand , Chicago, alleging that the competitiob was not handled properly. The Wisconsin Departmen of Administration eventuallyselectedd Milwaukee's in June 2004 to redeveloo the Kenilworth Building, 1925 E.
Kenilworth Place, by convertingh it into student housing, retail and office