St. Pete Pier Park How much will the maintenance cost -- Cloned

St. Petersburg Fl

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD

Author: In Search of Robin

Last Thursdays Aug 4, 2016, Pier Approach Presentation to City
Council went largely unnoticed by the local media. This was a concept
presentation by W Architecture & Landscape Architecture, LLC forThePier Approach Project

If you would like to see the detail, click the link above for the
formal presentation graphics. The
well-spoken presenter used all of those key catch phrases architects use when
they are presenting “concept” plans which is a technical term for throw stuff
up on the wall and seeing what will stick.

The Goal of the Pier Approach Project:

Develop The Pier Approach, Unify The Pier District, Bring The City To The Water

Granted this is early in the process and the actual Pier Project
team and the Pier Approach Project team are not yet really talking to one
another yet so it would be difficult to even imagine where all of this may end up

Prior to the City Council meeting one of the more controversial
parts of the initial concept, a large restaurant in the Pelican Parking lot,
had been pulled by the planners. Probably a good idea, but don’t count it out
just yet.

The concepts as presented seem to indicate a large park area with
many amenities, dedicated areas and lush landscaping.

Obviously many details are missing at this point and the next
Council update in a couple of months should begin to put the flesh on the
plans.

Notably missing to me was any conversation about what this very
large park will cost to maintain. Nor did there seem to be any consideration at
this point for using cost to maintain as a design criterion.

There are limited revenue generators in the Pier Approach Project
Design and given the goals it is unlikely there will be few if any.

Given the Goals as stated and the importance of the new Pier as a
“destination,” this park will need to be maintained in a near commercial theme
park condition an expensive process.

Careful consideration of operating and maintenance costs for this
park are a necessity.

St. Pete has one of the finest park systems anywhere and an award
winning Parks and Recreation department.

The Kriseman administration cannot dump this new park and the New
Pier on Parks and Recreation without some significant increase in budgeting. I
think we are talking millions not just a few hundred thousand.

There will be significant capital equipment and human resource
needs that should begin to be filled even as the planning and construction
process gets underway.

This budget cycle is not too early to start

Also of interest is how much, if any, staffing this park will
require. There is talk in the concepts about an information center but will
some of the other areas require attendants?

Finally, there is the issue of both day and nighttime security.
The design can significantly add to this cost or reduce it.

These are some of the many issues that City Council must assure
are part of the design planning so the City does not end up with a Park and
Pier they cannot afford to operate.

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Disclosures:

Contributor to: Bob Gualtieri for Pinellas County Sheriff

Contributor to: Carlos Beruff for US Senate