The Sachse Economic Development Corporation is requesting qualifications from development teams to plan and deliver a Texas Downtown–scale mixed-use district on publicly owned land in the 5th Street District.

Purpose and Invitation

The Sachse Economic Development Corporation (“EDC”), in coordination with the City of Sachse (“City”), invites statements of qualifications from experienced master developers to plan, entitle, finance, and deliver development on publicly owned land in the 5th Street District.

This RFQ outlines a process to select a preferred master developer or developers for exclusive negotiation. It does not award a construction contract, convey land, or commit a dollar amount of public participation. After Board direction, staff will negotiate a short exclusive Pre-Development Agreement (+/-90 days) to lock program, phasing, conveyance, public-realm obligations, and a term sheet. A Master Development Agreement follows only if those talks produce terms the authorized bodies will approve.

What this RFQ is selecting

The EDC is selecting a partner with a record of delivering walkable mixed-use projects or small Texas downtowns. A mixed-use portfolio is strongly preferred. 

The response should present a site vision and program that fits Texas Downtown scale, generally two- to three-story buildings, with a realistic mix of uses and a first phase that actually activates the site. The site vision and program can be delivered via a concept plan, rendering(s), vision board, or narrative. 

The respondent must show financial capacity to close without an open EDC check, including documented equity, liquidity, lenders, and partners.

The team must be built for execution and named before award. That team includes a project manager, architect, civil engineer, landscape architect, retail recruitment and leasing lead, and general contractor.

What this RFQ is not

It is not a request for a priced bid. No land price, TIRZ dollar amount, or infrastructure contribution figure is published in this RFQ.

It does not require control of adjacent privately owned parcels. Respondents may discuss adjacent parcels; they are not a control requirement.

It does not prescribe a single site plan. Scenario 1 (Texas Downtown Scale) is the Board’s preferred reference case after the September 23, 2026 update. Respondents may still propose a tighter, larger, or reordered program if they explain why it is more deliverable and still fits Texas Downtown character.

Board direction — September 23, 2026

The preferred program is Scenario 1, Texas Downtown Scale: two- to three-story buildings, a restaurant cluster and public park or common open space in Phase 1, mixed-use buildings in later phases, and parking provided at the surface and in the right-of-way.

The Board identified a market for live/work units and for office tenants. Upper floors may be office, live/work, or two- to three-story urban lofts. High-density multifamily is not the assignment.

The assignment is to find the right partner. The City and the EDC will take the time required. A response that rushes Phase 1 with a weak team or an incomplete capital stack will not be rewarded for speed.

Related work underway

In parallel with this RFQ, the City’s development advisor is completing two remaining activation-scope items from the Fifth Street District engagement. Both will inform exclusive negotiation. As each is accepted by the City, it will be issued as an addendum or as interview material.

The Infrastructure Assessment and CIP Recommendations will work from Public Works and existing engineering data to identify infrastructure gaps and improvements required to support vertical development, and will produce a prioritized CIP recommendation with rough order-of-magnitude costs. Respondents should treat that document as the map of what is already in the ground or programmed versus what remains project-delivered.

The Property Acquisition Strategy will evaluate the current ownership map of the district, identify acquisition priorities and sequencing, assess acquisition scenarios, and outline tools available to the City and EDC. This RFQ offers the publicly owned core. Adjacent private parcels are not a control requirement. The strategy will tell shortlisted teams how the City intends to treat those edges.