Speaking of fulfilling the CRA plan, the city is moving forward with its “Baywalk” project — sort of. Design and engineering services are being contracted, but funding for the actual construction hasn’t been identified yet.
As described in the 2010 plan, the Baywalk is a recreational trail/boardwalk for pedestrians and cyclists that will connect waterfront destinations between the Pensacola Bay Bridge and Welcome Center to the east and Bruce Beach and A Street to the west.
The Baywalk will provide continuous linkages between existing waterfront improvements such as Plaza de Luna, Commendencia Slip and Baylen Slip. Direct waterfront access shall be achieved where possible and existing waterfront improvements shall be considered part of the Baywalk. Where waterfront access is not practical, the Baywalk should follow inland routes that provide a more direct east/west connection. These inland routes may follow streets, passageways and easements and shall be a safe, attractive and unique experience.
The CRA plan recommended a four-phase implementation of the Baywalk (from Palafox westward, and then Bartram Park eastward). That order has been shifted a little bit, as the first design services RFP for the project is for the half-mile stretch between Admiral Mason Park and Bartram Park.
This segment would provide a link closer to the hub of the CRA and tie into the entertainment/restaurant area at Seville Harbor. … Though a pedestrian sidewalk does exist along the waterfront, it is not conducive to a meaningful and quality experience of the area and its natural resources by these visitors or the rest of the community. The existing sidewalk is narrow in width and is placed uncomfortably close to Bayfront Parkway. This thoroughfare accommodates a high volume of commuter and industrial freight truck traffic, often traveling at excessive rates of speed. The Baywalk will provide a desirable gateway to the natural environment.
There were seven respondents to the RFP, of which three were selected as finalists for oral presentations: DAG Architects, Atkins North America, and Tetra Tech. The three members of the selection committee were:
- Frederique Beroset, owner of Dune Doctors
- Allan Peterson, former director of the Pensacola State College Art Department
- Michael Boles, Assistant Professor of Art at Pensacola State College
All three committee members gave first place ranking to DAG Architects, which is concurrently in the process of designing the Legion Field and Woodland Heights community centers. Mayor Hayward has authorized staff to negotiate a contract with DAG for the Baywalk project.
Half of the $60,000 design budget is coming from a state Coastal Partnership Initiative grant, which brings with it certain requirements regarding environmental education and awareness. That’s also why the design is being done before a budget exists for construction, because the grant money must be spent before the end of the year.
10 comments
What a way to run a CRA says:
Apr 4, 2012
Good for DAG
Moving into space with Councilman Spencer has been a win win
What happened to the previoulsy funded CRA promenade that was supposed to be the beginning of such a plan. That promenade quickly was gated and is now claimed as Port Royal’s ..
Another example of promised CRA projects that don’t materialize.
Mark Clabaugh says:
Apr 4, 2012
The CRA is broke for 30 years!!!
This is yet another fantasy rendering
Lydia says:
Apr 6, 2012
Very interesting that DAG keeps getting picked by these selection committees lately. I’m curious, how many city contracts did they win BEFORE Brian Spencer and Mayor Hayward took office?
dot says:
Apr 6, 2012
the image running with this article is a little misleading…this is not the area for which the design is being developed…or even representative of the type of design being developed….
Joe Vinson says:
Apr 6, 2012
Yes and no. This is a rendering of the Baywalk as depicted in the CRA plan, but it’s from the proposed Bruce Beach site — not Bayfront Parkway, which is what’s currently being designed. (I tried to pull a rendering of the Bayfront demonstration site from the PDF plan, page 37, but it was smaller and more heavily compressed, therefore looked lousy.) However, the CRA plan calls for a boardwalk-style development at both sites, and of course the finished product may look nothing like either rendering.
Xochitl says:
Apr 6, 2012
‘
Question:
If it is a KNOWN fact that no money is available to construct any of this, why would any sane entity spend $60,000 on another soon-to-be-shelved study?
Answer:
To dispense money to people who can help you later. In this case, the money isn’t even going to local people. Instead, Pensacola taxpayers are lining the pockets of folks all the way over in Destin. One of the founders of DAG happens to be a very politically connected ex-state senator. There is no doubt that once Spencer’s experimental stay in the city council is over, he and Hayward will both be rewarded for the gifts that they have given to DAG. Hayward and his sidekicks believe that he is a “rising star” in politics, and that being mayor of Pensacola is but a small stepping stone. “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours!”
.
grandot says:
Apr 7, 2012
One of bthe advantages to be gained by having a fantasy project on the shelves is that when funding is made available in the future, the administrations can justify applying for it with these projects as priority development because the design is in hand…shovel ready design is what they sometimes reference. They of course will include “updating design” fees and clauses which will allow adaptation to desired changes of the moment.
Please note that until the push for the Legion Fied park was in place, no design existed for Woodland Heights Park. Had John Jerralds not pushed for a design contract for WH, this entire double design contract would not have occurred, and given the investment in design for Legion Field which had already quickly occurred prior to the competitive bid process, a design on the shelf would have received priority implementation.
Indeed at the URAC mtg Friday, Mr.Tessier was quite clear in pointing out that despite the years of community consensus about development for Belmont Devilliersno plans for development had been executed. Perhaps we should again imagine why the Bruce Beach illustrated vision is being replaced by the Bayfront walkway on the already improved east side, rather than on the west side. Design timelines would bvenefit either project, and I’m sure volunteer architects would rise to the occasion if funding were available as they have for other preferred projects.
BALANCE in design investment, staff development, and resource application is really needed now and at each step of the public path to the NEW PENSACOLA which is so frequently channeled. Please contact your councilperson and insist on parity of development resources.
Xochitl says:
Apr 7, 2012
‘
So you are saying that we should just continue to pay for fantasy designs until someone comes along with the money? Do you know of anyone in private business that practices that model?
And who was given the original $45,000 fee to design Legion Field? Didn’t that design wind up in the trash bin? What private business throws away $45,000 on a whim?
It’s very easy for our city officials to throw away money because it is Other People’s Money, not theirs! John Jerralds is one of the biggest offenders!
.
grandot says:
Apr 10, 2012
NO,NO, NO….you missed my tongue in cheek reflection of the operating pattern. Please note that I don’t believe any design or development work should be paid for without the council concurring with the direction, strategy and timing of any project. My point was that design activities are ordered without a realistic chance of implementation so re-design is also a given expense. We pay twice for most things yet do not even use the expert advice we pay for in the first place.
Xochitl says:
Apr 10, 2012
‘
Ah, yes, and let’s never forget Fantasy Renderings Part Deux whereby the City Council paid Miller Caldwell $825,000 for a very beautiful set of halucinations! I believe there were at least 3 VOLUMES of stunning layouts of various multi-uses for the very single-use baseball stadium.
Wouldn’t that $825,000 have come in handy when the landscaping was being deleted to cover the cost of a million-dollar animated scoreboard? At least Miller Caldwell was local, even though he subbed out most of the renderings out folks from all over the country. With building contractors in the area starving, our city council made sure that a contractor from Birminham was given a handsome fee. And a so-called developer is laughing his head off in his Utah ski chalet! No one can accuse our city council of not being charitable (except of course, to their local constituents!)
.