Do you know anyone with great ideas for restoring a crumbling, century-old firehouse?

The city of Rock Island has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a forlorn, vacant old building — Firehouse No. 5, in Douglas Park at the corner of 9th Street and 18th Avenue.

The former firehouse, built in 1915, is at the southwest corner of Douglas Park, 9th Street and 18th Avenue.

Qualified developers or historic preservation professionals are being sought to rehabilitate the historic firehouse, built in 1915, and return it to productive use, according to a city release Wednesday.

The firehouse was in service as a fire station until the 1970s, when it was later used as a storage facility. The city originally sought bids for demolition of the structure, but the process was tabled by City Council members during its meeting Feb. 13, 2023.

A view of a former kitchen area in the firehouse, last used as a fire station in the 1970s.

Applicants have to demonstrate financial capacity to complete the rehabilitation. The successful bidder will enter into a development agreement with Rock Island to undertake rehabilitation without any financial assistance from the city.

Upon successful completion of the project, the city would convey the property to the developer for $1. A walk-through of the property is required prior to submission of an RFP, the city said.

The city used the building for storage for many years, and targeted it for demolition.

In more recent years, there has been periodic interest in its rehabilitation. However, the high cost of doing so (estimated at least $500,000) has made progress difficult, the city RFP says.

The deadline for all proposals is March 31 at 11 a.m. in person or by mail to the Community and Economic Development Department, 1528 3rd Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201.