FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Fredericksburg has amended its request for proposals for two small area plans, correcting the deadline for firms seeking to help guide future development around Mary Washington Hospital and the Battlefield Industrial Park.
The city issued the amendment Aug. 13, changing the proposal deadline listed on the solicitation's first page from Feb. 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 4. The September deadline also appears on the city's online bid posting.
Fredericksburg is seeking firms with experience in land-use planning, urban design, transportation and neighborhood planning to prepare plans for Small Areas 4 and 9. The two areas are the next priorities in the city's continuing effort to produce 10 small area plans.
Small Area 4 covers about 510 acres surrounding the Mary Washington Hospital campus and Cowan Boulevard. About one-third of the area consists of the hospital campus and other medical offices.
The area also contains multifamily housing along Cowan Boulevard, attached homes, large-lot single-family properties and senior housing at Madonna House. Hugh Mercer Elementary School and the Fredericksburg Police Department are nearby.
Among the city's requested studies is a market analysis of hospital, medical and office uses. The selected consultant would work with Mary Washington and Medicorp representatives on a long-term vision for the hospital campus and surrounding medical properties.
The work would also examine the planned extension of Gateway Boulevard and Mahone Street, pedestrian crossings on Cowan Boulevard and possible updates to the Cowan Boulevard shared-use path.
Transportation planning would include coordination with FXBGO on the possibility of high-capacity transit along Cowan Boulevard. The consultant would be asked to identify the development levels and other conditions necessary to support effective service.
Other topics include possible school expansion needs, utility corridors for economic-development projects such as data centers, Civil War resources, streams, steep slopes, green spaces and potential tree-planting locations.
Small Area 9 encompasses about 434 acres. More than half of the area is occupied by the Battlefield Industrial Park.
The remainder includes portions of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Braehead Farm and land protected by a conservation easement held by Downtown Greens. The area also contains the Blue Gray Parkway and is bordered by a railroad corridor with spurs entering the industrial park.
The city wants the consultant to assess future demand for industrial and office uses and work with property owners, businesses and other stakeholders on a vision for the industrial park.
The plan would examine the park's drainage patterns, environmental features and vacant vehicle or railroad rights-of-way. It would also evaluate railroad safety, the condition and future use of existing spurs, potential connections to industrial properties in Spotsylvania County and the need for walking, bicycling and other transportation facilities.
The consultant would review improvements at the Blue Gray Parkway intersections with Summit Street and Belman Road. The work would also cover streams, historic resources, utility corridors, tree planting and possible stream-restoration projects.
Both planning processes are expected to include residents, property owners and public officials through community meetings, surveys, social media and staff meetings.
The city anticipates an initial meeting to identify community concerns, a second meeting to present the consultant's analysis and preliminary proposals, and a third meeting to present recommendations. Final plans would go before the Planning Commission and City Council.
The two plans are scheduled to proceed concurrently during 2026 and 2027. Each planning effort is expected to be completed within nine months.
The solicitation calls for the background analysis to be completed within 60 days after work begins. The city would then have 30 days to review it, followed by 120 days for preparation of a draft plan. Additional review and presentation periods would follow.
An optional virtual pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 20. Firms are encouraged to submit questions before the meeting, although the final deadline for written questions is 4 p.m. Aug. 21. Proposals must be submitted electronically to the city's procurement officials by 4 p.m. Sept. 4.
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