Advertisement

Another Clearwater waterfront development plan awaits next step

 
Now that consultants have delivered the $400,000 waterfront revitalization plan, the city must prioritize what elements to tackle first and how.
Now that consultants have delivered the $400,000 waterfront revitalization plan, the city must prioritize what elements to tackle first and how.
Published Feb. 8, 2017

CLEARWATER — The New York consultants have come and gone, the redevelopment plan has been delivered and now the city's elected officials are tasked with figuring out how to turn a $55 million vision for the downtown waterfront into reality.

The makeover as presented could take 10 years, and portions of development on the bluff will require voter approval.

The consultants' role is complete, but the plan taxpayers paid nearly $400,000 for could still evolve as City Council members pick it apart in the coming weeks. Although the council voted unanimously last week to accept the plan and release the consultants, some have concerns about the delivered product and how to start implementation.

"I feel a little robbed," said council member Doreen Caudell.

Caudell criticized a central piece of the plan's design — turning the space near the downtown marina that currently holds events like the Saturday farmers market into an estuary with a marsh, lagoon and basins to capture stormwater runoff.

HR&A Advisors partner Cary Hirschstein said the public told consultants during several town hall workshops they wanted more connection with the waterfront and natural passive areas.

"The trend we're seeing in parks and open spaces across the country is not putting all your eggs in a basket about a specific facility or specific activity,'' Hirschstein told the council. "We're seeing parks move towards a flexible landscape where you can bring in different program elements because it means the investment you make is an investment that can last for generations."

But Caudell said a marsh would be a waste of waterfront property, which could instead be used for a car show, farmers market or restaurant.

Council member Hoyt Hamilton noted the consultants could only suggest uses permitted by the charter, and a waterfront restaurant on certain locations near the bluff would have to be approved by voters in a referendum.

Besides the estuary, the plan also calls for the large parking lot west of the Harborview Center to be converted into a 4-acre lawn called the Green to host activities like yoga, soccer games and concerts bordered by a new multi-use path for walking, running and biking.

Consultants suggest that the City Hall building, on a valuable waterfront parcel, should also be redeveloped into condominiums with ground floor retail or a museum.

The 146-page plan proposes that the band shell currently in Coachman Park be relocated to the Green to accommodate 18,000 people, an increase of 38 percent. Coachman Park would be converted into a more natural area with a garden and "state of the art playground" with kayak launch points and picnic areas.

To connect the retail district to the waterfront, consultants suggest demolishing the city-owned Harborview Center at the corner of Cleveland Street and Osceola Avenue and turning the space into an active town square bordered by outdoor dining and retail.

Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter

We’ll deliver the latest news and information you need to know every morning.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Mayor George Cretekos said the city has the ability to alter any portion of the plan, but officials should begin planning for funding sources and priority projects to not lose momentum.

"What we don't want to have happen here is to have paralysis by analysis," Cretekos said. "Everybody is not going to be happy with all of the decisions, but if we sit and spend years discussing or trying to make everybody happy, we will be more than six mayors trying to get this project done."

But beyond the design adjustments, the larger question remains: Where will the city get tens of millions of dollars?

City Manager Bill Horne said elected officials could allocate general funds, use $6.4 million of the city's untapped BP settlement money, designate future Penny for Pinellas sales tax revenue, and apply for grants.

The consultants proposed breaking implementation down into two phases — focusing first on projects north of Cleveland Street like the construction of the Bluff Walk, rehabilitation of the existing Coachman Park into the gardens, construction of the Green performance lawn, activation of the Main Library into more public uses and creation of the town square where the Harborview Center stands.

The first phase could take up to five years and $35 million. The second phase, occurring over five more years and costing up to $20 million, would focus on the development of the estuary and redeveloping the waterfront City Hall site into residential or cultural uses.

Public feedback on the plan has been mostly positive, but residents cautioned elected officials to not let this be another revitalization promise that comes and goes while downtown continues to struggle.

"I've seen a ton of consultants, I've seen money spent, and the time has almost passed," said resident Sarah Brown Caudell, 71, who is no relation to the council member. "I don't know how much longer God is going to let me live, but you all get started on something."

Contact Tracey McManus at tmcmanus@tampabay.com or (727) 445-4151. Follow @TroMcManus.