Romney issued a request for proposals for office space for the human services employees within a half mile of Dudley, dashing the hopes of activists and entrepreneurs who had worked for years to bring the Department of Public Health to the Ferdinand, even passing state legislation to authorize the move.

Despite the setback for the Ferdinand buildings, there is still evidence of upcoming development in the business district.

Last week, tenants in the Children’s Services of Roxbury building on Dudley St. near Dudley Square were informed that they had one week to vacate the building.

The move appears to harbinger new development at the site. Either CVS, Walgreens or both have expressed interest in moving into the mostly vacant building, according to sources familiar with the development.

“One of the tenants they are looking at is Walgreens,” said Joyce Stanley, executive director of Dudley Main Streets. “Children’s Services had so many cuts from the state, [President] Richard Richardson wanted the money from the sale for the organization’s endowment.”

Children’s Services provides homeless services, day care and other services. Reverend Richard Richardson could not be reached for comment before the Banner’s press deadline.

The building was originally intended to be sold to the winning bidders for a garage project that would house the vehicles of the DPH employees. When Romney indicated last year that the DPH project might not go through, Cruz Development, which won the bid, hesitated to buy the Children’s Services Building.

“We told [Children’s Services] we were interested, but we wanted to wait for the state,” said Cruz Development President John Cruz.

Cruz said that his company, which bought the Modern Electroplating Building next door to Children’s Services in anticipation of the DPH move, plans to move ahead with construction at the Modern Electroplating site.

“Whatever the state does with the Ferdinand, we’re going to move forward. We have an alternative person interested.”

The Modern Electroplating project would consist of a four-story office building with ground floor retail with a two-story parking garage in the back.

Meanwhile, Cruz said he still hopes that state agencies can be convinced to move into the Ferdinand. Officials at the Boston Redevelopment Authority, which has pushed for the Ferdinand project, agree.

“We are still working hard as if the Modern Electroplating and Ferdinand are going to happen,” said Jessica Shumaker, a spokeswoman for the BRA. “The mayor is committed to not letting this die. We want someone in the Ferdinand even if the state doesn’t move in.”

The city also aims to use federal New Market Tax Credits and federal Empowerment Zone money to jump-start construction of a three-story office and retail building on Palmer St. near Dudley.