On April 5, 2024, the following letter was sent to Mayor Donna Deegan with copies to the DIA CEO and Director of the Parks Department. It was later slightly edited and published as an OP ED in the Florida Times Union on May 12, 2024.
To: Mayor Donna Deegan
A Roadmap to “Do it Right, Do It Now, Do It All”
An Alternative Approach for Jacksonville’s Central Riverfront Park: Riverfront Plaza
Our Common Vision: Successful and Welcoming
We share Mayor Donna Deegan’s determination to complete the construction of “Riverfront Plaza” park as soon as possible, and to “do it right.” As she has said publicly, “we all want the same thing:” “our downtown to be successful,” and “our riverfront to be welcoming.”
Riverfront Parks Now, a coalition of 14 nonprofit organizations representing approximately 5,000 local citizens, respectfully offers this practical approach for “Riverfront Plaza” park that will activate the entire +-7.5 acres by 2026. We do not need to wait; this new approach is achievable, can be done expeditiously, and will reflect what the community wants, which is to enjoy the park and enjoy it soon.
The Situation at Hand
Despite a successful 2021 design competition, there is currently a plan to only construct the western half of this park. The stated intention is to construct the park in two phases, but there is not a final plan for the eastern half or any timeline for completion.
DIA executed a $2.3 million contract with Perkins & Will to complete construction drawings for the entire park. The original design featured a cafe, beer garden, children’s playground, great lawn, playable water features, an iconic sculpture and a midsized development situated to consume the least amount of space possible.
Over an 18-month period, DIA and the Parks Department made significant changes to the Perkins & Will park design. The changes included changing the locations of the playground and the development pad, integrating the café building with the playground, and designing the park around the newly proposed American Lions 44-story tower, not a midsized development. The changes, which were done outside the public view and did not go through the DIA Board, were incorporated into the final construction drawings.
The Primary Holdup
These design changes, together with current construction drawings and timelines, tied the park’s eastern side to the American Lions tower infrastructure, a building that will no longer be built. Consequently, a new development process for the northeastern corner has been proposed, which will by definition take many years to explore, design, review, approve, fund, and construct, assuming it does not also stall which would further increase the timeline.
The Path Forward – Do it Right. Do it Now. Do it All.
If we change current development assumptions (i.e. to issue a new RFP to engage another private developer for office, hotel, or residential use), we can build and open a more desirable, community supported park at one time, avoiding closures because of unknown future construction, and we can do so expeditiously.
The entire park can open at once, allowing our citizens to enjoy an iconic park with access to the majestic St. Johns River in the heart of downtown Jacksonville and provide an immediate needed boost to nearby commercial buildings.
Our practical, reasonable, and specific recommendations are offered with this opportunity and goal in mind and grounded in data showing that great public spaces can have much higher returns on investment than traditional development.
RECOMMENDATION: Get it right the first time, a permanent, long-term solution
- Eliminate the medium to large scale use for the private development pad in the NE corner (there are plenty of other nearby places for residential, office, hotel).
- Instead, consider small-scale retail along Independent Drive and/or complementary park amenities.
- Invite Perkins & Will to tweak the design of the park’s eastern half given the alternative desired uses.
- Engage the community on the revised plans.
- Build the entire park at once.
Benefits
- Creates a full park for all to enjoy.
- Does not require the city to depend on a developer’s timeline.
- Eliminates the need to engage in future construction.
- Allows the public to help determine what tweaks might make the park more appealing to visitors and residents.
POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE: A more flexible, shorter-term solution
- Pause indefinitely development of the 1.25 acre American Lions (northeastern) development pad, with the understanding that a decision to build a permanent private development may occur in future years.
- Design a temporary/semi-permanent social space in the NE corner consisting of amenities, features, and activities as suggested by DIA consultant, StreetSense.
- Invite community members to participate in identifying the activities to incorporate. StreetSense examples included a roller rink, cultural/art spaces, retail kiosks, a dog park, lawn games, movable tables & chairs, a small performance area, etc.
- Build the eastern half at the same time as the western portion of the park – to include temporary amenities and/or permanent features such as beer garden, water feature and landscaping – so that the entire 7.5 acres is open for all to enjoy at one time.
Benefits:
- Allows us to experience temporary park features without large investment.
- Preserves development option for the future.
- Opens the entire park at one time in a timely fashion.
Additional considerations to ensure a world class riverfront in the heart of downtown:
- Expand the Riverwalk. Ensure that new portions of the riverwalk, including those at “Riverfront Plaza” park, are expanded to 50’ from the river to allow for multiple paths with double rows of trees for shade, beauty, and comfort.
- Plan for park operations. Create a park operations plan to include programming, maintenance, security and food and beverage management/leasing. This plan must be specific to this park and this park’s features and activation goals to ensure that the park is properly designed to accommodate the types of activities contemplated.
- Adhere to the principles of the Riverfront Activation Plan from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund:
- Welcoming and Accessible to All
- Diversity of Audience & Experience
- Flexible & Community Driven
- Fun & Functional
- Promoting Well-being and Care
Submitted by the Riverfront Parks Now Steering Committee:
Natalie Rosenberg, chair; Susan Caven, Bill Hoff, Barbara Ketchum, Michael Kirwan, Jimmy Orth, Ted Pappas, Nancy Powell
copies to:
cc: D. Smith, M. Ross, D. Joseph, L. Boyer, Jim Citrano, Jimmy Peluso, L. Edgecombe