NEW YORK CITY-In what’s termed potentially the largest adaptive reuse project of historic buildings in the nation, the Trust for Governors Island has issued a request for proposals to redevelop more than one million square feet of space at Governors Island off Lower Manhattan.

The RFP calls for the adaptive reuse of more than 40 historic buildings owned by the trust located in the Governors Island Historic District that spans some 92 acres. Responses are due back by March 14, 2013 with a recommended site visit for firms interested in submitting an RFP to be held on Dec. 19.

The Trust for Governors Island was created in 2010 and manages approximately 150 acres of the island that was sold by the federal government in 2003 to New York City and New York State. A total of 22 acres is designated as the Governors Island National Monument, which is managed by the National Park Service. Prior to the sale, Governors Island was a military post and later used as a major command headquarters for the US Army from 1794 until 1966. For 30 years thereafter, it served as the Atlantic Area Command of the US Coast Guard. It now serves mostly as a seasonal tourist destination.