Harford County government is seeking "expressions of interest" from prospective developers or purchasers to redevelop a 2.5-acre property in downtown Bel Air.The property, which is bordered by South Main Street, Churchville Road (Route 22) and Hickory Avenue and adjoins the school headquarters, is no longer part of the government's plans, spokesperson Cindy Mumby said, and they hope to see it redeveloped by the private sector in a manner compatible with the surrounding area."Exactly what the end result will be – sale, lease, some kind of partnership – hasn't been pre-determined," Mumby said. "We've opened this up to listen to ideas."Known for decades as the "tire lot" or "tire warehouse property" from its days when a business named Carey's Tire Warehouse occupied part of the site, the tract was assembled by series of government purchases over the years. It also included a small strip shopping center and a filling station.There had been plans, initiated more than 20 years ago, to build a county government office building on the site, but they stalled a various times because of funding issues and the economy. Part of the tract did become the home of the school headquarters, which was built under a lease-purchase deal with a private developer."This is an exciting opportunity to create jobs and expand the tax base while attracting citizens to live in and enjoy downtown Bel Air," County Executive Barry Glassman said in a statement. "We are looking for a high quality, mixed-use concept that is in keeping with the community character and our goals for economic development."The complete Request for Expressions of Interest is posted on Harford County government's procurement bid board. Submissions are due by 3 p.m. on Jan. 19.Mumby called the property "one of the last major development opportunities in the vibrant downtown area of Bel Air.""We're looking for a project that creates jobs and expands the tax base," she said, pointing out the property is not now generating any tax revenue.In addition to posting the notice on the online bid board, the county sent out a news release Wednesday, "as an extra step to publicize this in the interest of transparency" and "to encourage as many qualified proposals as possible," Mumby said.The area shown in blue is owned by Harford County in downtown Bel Air could be redeveloped in a partnership or sold.She said they are open-minded, but the proposal should be "something to enhance the quality of life in downtown Bel Air, where there are a lot of exciting things happening, and Harford County overall."Among the guidelines, she said, are that the use for the property enhances and maintains the character of the community.The county has been working with the Town of Bel Air and any proposals will have to be consistent with the town's comprehensive plan, Mumby said.An outright sale of the site is one possibility, Mumby said. She didn't know if any recent appraisals have been done, but she also made it clear "we're not giving it away."Mumby said the Glassman administration has no plans to use the property for an office or other government building."That concept is not moving forward in this administration," she said, pointing out they have been consolidating offices and finding ways to use the space they have more efficiently.The property is currently used primarily for parking for county employees who work in the main administrative center in the next block or at other downtown locations. The former shopping center building, which fronts on Hickory, is used for document storage.Mumby said any redevelopment plan will have to include adequate parking for the proposed uses in accordance with Town of Bel Air regulations.If parking for county employees can no longer be accommodated, she said, the county is committed to finding alternative locations. She also said employees were made aware before the request for proposals went out that the parking situation could one day change."We want to move this property forward and make it a productive space in Harford's heart," Mumby said.