Town of Whitestown, Indiana Legacy Core RFQ
Posted
Sep 28, 2026
Nov 20, 2026
Legacy Core Small Area Plan & Development Regulations RFQ I. Purpose The Town seeks a consultant team to partner with the Town to develop a Small Area Plan and Development Regulations for the Legacy Core area of Whitestown. This plan will serve as a comprehensive guide for development to foster economic growth and encourage high-quality development within the Legacy Core. The current land use designations, zoning, and other regulations may be hindering the optimal development pattern. The consultant should work with the community to recommend patterns of development and development regulations that are rooted in the pedestrian scale of the area. The plan and development regulations should set up the Legacy Core for sustained long-term success. The plan should also contain acceptable ways to coordinate public actions with private investment and redevelopment/reuse decisions that help to realize a robust and attractive downtown. II. Background Whitestown, like many Midwestern communities, has its origins tied to the rapid nineteenth century railroad expansion. The initial growth of the town was based on agriculture and the railroad. By the late 20th century, the railroad was abandoned. From the town's inception until just before 2000 Whitestown had only expanded its boundary by just over 50 acres. It is this original area that the Town desires to focus this Small Area Plan around. While the town would like to see reinvestment in the area called Legacy Core there is a desire to redevelop with a focus on the existing development forms and patterns. The study area encompasses approximately 274 acres and includes the original platted town area. The study area boundary is depicted on the attached Legacy Core Map. Existing land uses include single-family residential, commercial, civic, and industrial properties. The area contains several redevelopment and infill opportunities that the Town seeks to better position through updated planning and development regulations. Recommendations should build upon and refine the vision adopted in the Whitestown Comprehensive Plan while providing a more detailed framework for implementation within the Legacy Core. The Town is particularly interested in recommendations related to: • Preservation of existing neighborhood character while accommodating reinvestment and redevelopment • Infill redevelopment opportunities • Appropriate residential densities for redevelopment opportunities • Appropriate residential to commercial transitions for redevelopment opportunities • Adaptive reuse of existing structures • Walkability and pedestrian connectivity • Parking management • Streetscape enhancements • Stormwater management • Regulatory barriers to desired development patterns III. Scope of Services These services: a) Public Engagement a. The consultant shall develop and implement a public engagement strategy that includes but is not limited to stakeholder interviews, public workshops, online engagement opportunities, and presentations to appointed and elected officials. i. At a minimum, the Town anticipates: 1. One series of stakeholder interviews 2. Two public workshops/open houses 3. Online engagement opportunities with each public workshop/open house 4. Presentations to the Plan Commission and Town Council at key milestones b) Small Area Review & Analysis a. Conduct an existing conditions assessment identifying opportunities, constraints, redevelopment sites, regulatory barriers, and market conditions affecting future investment. i. Existing conditions analysis should include land use, zoning, transportation, pedestrian infrastructure, parking, utilities, and redevelopment opportunity sites. c) Develop Small Area Plan a. The plan should include elements similar to area vision, future land use framework, subdistricts character concepts, streetscape concepts, redevelopment strategies, catalytic projects/opportunities, phasing plan, and implementation strategies and timeline. d) Proposed Draft Development Regulations and associated mapping necessary to implement the recommendations of the Small Area Plan. a. Development Regulations might include: i. Euclidean Zoning District(s) ii. Form Based Codes iii. Overlay Zone(s) b. Provide a summary for which development regulation approach is recommended including but not limited to: i. Advantages/disadvantages of each option considered ii. Why the specific regulation approach is recommended iii. Administrative impacts of the recommended approach iv. Enforcement implications of the recommended approach e) Minimum Deliverables Anticipated a. Existing conditions memo b. Public engagement summary c. Draft plan d. Final plan document e. Draft Development Regulations f. Adoption-ready Development Regulations ordinance language g. GIS files of all geospatial data and maps h. Presentation materials f) Final deliverables shall be provided in editable electronic format and PDF format. g) Consultant shall provide support through public hearings and adoption of the Small Area Plan and associated development regulations. h) All work products, reports, mapping, GIS data, ordinance language, graphics, and associated materials prepared under this contract shall become the property of the Town of Whitestown. IV. Qualifications Applicants will be evaluated in conjunction with the anticipated needs of the Town and information provided by the applicants as well as information obtained from references, persons, or other sources identified by the applicant or otherwise known by the Town. Whitestown may select multiple firms for the referenced work, followed by negotiations for service fees, including hourly rates, time and materials basis for the services provided, and/or not-to-exceed amount for the projects. Ten (10) percent of the total contract amount will be withheld pending satisfactory completion of services. The selected firm will be expected to enter into Whitestown's form Contract for Services, a copy of which is available upon request. Must include Consultant Team Information: • Organizational chart • Project manager identification • Key personnel resumes • Subconsultants • Role descriptions The Town is particularly interested in teams demonstrating expertise in: • Developing implementation-oriented small area plans • Traditional neighborhood development • Form-based codes • Zoning regulations for historic downtowns • Downtown revitalization • Community engagement • Redevelopment and infill strategies Factors that may be considered by the Town include, but are not limited to: • Completeness of submission • Related project experience • Experience and qualifications of personnel slated to work on the project • Innovation and creativity based on firm's example projects • Capacity to complete the project on time and within budget • Public engagement strategy • References from example projects • Overall costs • Any other factors in the Town's sole discretion V. Submission Instructions (summary - full submission instructions provided in the RFQ) The entire RFQ submittal package shall not exceed ten (10) 8 ½" x 11" pages. Up to four (4) project examples may be included as an appendix and will not count toward the page limit. Requested submission organization includes: Letter of Interest; Firm Overview; Project Understanding; Project Approach; Preliminary project schedule highlighting key project milestones and anticipated public engagement activities; Team Qualifications; Relevant Experience; Hourly rate schedule and typical reimbursable expenses; References; Work Samples. Submissions and other documentation arising out of this request may be public records subject to disclosure under Indiana law. Proprietary portions must be separately sealed and clearly marked. VI. Anticipated Review Process and Timeline (excerpt) RFQ Issued: September 28, 2026 RFQ Questions Due: October 23, 2026 Responses to RFQ Questions will be posted: November 6, 2026 Statement of Qualifications Due: November 20, 2026 Town Completes Review of SOQs: December 4, 2026 Interviews (if desired by the Town): Week of Dec. 14th Consultant Selection: January 8, 2027 Contract Approval: February 10, 2027 Kickoff Meeting: Estimated March 11, 2027 Project Completion: December 8, 2027 Additional resources referenced: Legacy Core Map; Whitestown Comprehensive Plan; Whitestown Unified Development Ordinance (UDO); Whitestown Thoroughfare Plan; MapWhitestown (Town's GIS Site).