JANESVILLE — Janesville’s GM/JATCO Redevelopment Advisory Board will review on Wednesday and is expected to advance for further consideration three firms that could help guide redevelopment of the former GM/JATCO site.
The three firms being recommended for interviews in January are AECOM of Middleton, Stantec of Cottage Grove and RINKA of Milwaukee.
According to information released by the city, AECOM received the highest overall weighted score.
Wednesday’s meeting will be held at Hyatt Smith Hall on the UW-Whitewater at Rock County Campus, 2909 Kellogg Ave.
The city issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in November, seeking firms qualified to do master planning and redevelopment strategy work at the long-vacant industrial property. It drew submissions from 10 planning and redevelopment teams with experience in brownfield redevelopment, industrial site reuse, environmental remediation, and community engagement.
Following the deadline for submission earlier this month, staff from the Janesville city manager’s office, public works and planning, and the city’s environmental consultant, Ayres Associates reviewed and scored each submission using weighted criteria outlined in the RFQ.
Reviewers later met to discuss the proposals, compare strengths, and identify the top-performing teams.
City staff said three evaluation categories were especially important in distinguishing the top firms.
The most heavily weighted category was relevant project experience and brownfield expertise, with emphasis on firms that have successfully moved complex industrial sites from planning into implementation. The reviewers also looked for experience navigating environmental challenges similar to those present at the GM/JATCO site, including soil and groundwater contamination.
Team qualifications and key personnel were also a major focus, particularly the availability of senior staff with experience leading large-scale brownfield master plans from start to finish.
“In addition, the city placed a strong emphasis on public engagement strategies, seeking firms with proven approaches to community outreach, transparency and trust-building around historically sensitive redevelopment projects,” a release said.
If approved by the board, the three firms will be invited to participate in structured interviews the week of Jan. 17.
City staff are recommending the board approve moving AECOM, Stantec, and RINKA forward in the process.
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