Mandan will extend an invitation to four master developers to participate in a process that will hopefully lead to the redevelopment of city-owned parcels acquired through the diesel remediation effort.

At Tuesday's city commission meeting, business development director Ellen Huber explained that four responses had been received to the city's request for qualifications regarding redevelopment of two downtown sites.

Dakota Commercial and Development Co. of Grand Forks; Mandan's Hopfauf Custom Builders; Mountain Plains Equity Group Inc. of Billings, Mont.; and Fargo's Roers' Development Inc. let Mandan know they are interested in participating in the redevelopment along with providing their qualifications and some instances the properties they are interested in.

The parcels in question are found on the 200 block of West Main Street and the 100 block of East Main Street.

Originally, the respondents were going to be asked to submit detailed plans in 60 days. But the city commission approved a modified plan in which a five-member committee will interview the developers on April 1. It's possible that the committee could make a recommendation for the city commission to act upon as early as the same day.

The interview committee will consist of Mayor Ken LaMont, Commissioner Tim Helbling and one representative from the Mandan Growth Fund Committee, Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce and Bismarck-Mandan Development Association.

The developers showed experience in commercial and mixed development such as residential and business offices, Huber said.

She also said that these developers will provide the opportunity to develop vertically, constructing two- and three-story buildings with commercial on the street level and with residential and offices on the upper levels.

"These developers have the types of relations with restaurants, the retail sector, commercial products and services this community desires," Huber said.

Evaluation criteria to be used by the interview committee will include:

1) Development of the concept. How a proposed development will fill gaps in the community's needs; how it will create critical mass to support these businesses through multistory constructions, which will include market rate rentals or condominiums or professional office space; and the extent and qualify of parking.

2) Public benefits provided by the project - job creation, sales tax, commercial property tax, access to products and services, creation of public amenities or green space.

3) Qualifications and experience.

4) Financial capabilities and financial impact. This will include the company's financial stability and capacity to arrange private financing; how much the proposed investment will be; and terms of acquiring the city-owned property.

5) Development timeline.

6) Other considerations such as the need to acquire additional property and work with the remediation equipment that is in place.

The commission, short-handed with the absence of Mayor Ken LaMont and commissioner Dan Ulmer, approved going ahead with the recommendation of creating the committee and interviewing the developers on April 1.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)