Seaside reached out for proposals, and developers came knocking.

Seaside is moving forward.

For the last five years or so, Monterey Downs – the now-failed, proposed mega-development on the former Fort Ord – has been the center of attention for Seaside’s economic development. But the focus will now shift toward the coast, to a vacant 53-acre parcel just east of Highway 1 and north of Lightfighter Drive known as “Main Gate.”

The site is envisioned to be a gateway to CSU Monterey Bay and the Fort Ord National Monument, and in the opinion of Seaside Mayor Ralph Rubio, “It’s one of the best sites in the whole West Coast.”

The city issued a request for proposals to develop the site Sept. 2, with a deadline of Dec. 5 to respond. Four proposals came in, and though none include horses like Monterey Downs did, they all include hotels, retail and housing.

“They’re all very interesting,” City Manager Craig Malin says. “They capture a range of opportunities about mixed-use redevelopment.”

The most unorthodox proposal – and the most interesting – includes a “food incubator” that, according to the proposal, would be a “food science center” that serves as place for startups to build skills and access resources. The incubator would be expected to be anchored by Kitchentown, a company that specializes in such ventures.

Student housing is also a component of some of the proposals, and all of them envision connectivity, via an existing tunnel under Highway 1, to Fort Ord Dunes State Park.

Malin expects the proposals to come before City Council in February for a discussion and study session.