Landscape Record - Urban Renewal and Regeneration

1. A monument sign, located at the northwest corner of the
park, uses details found in the historic building architecture
nearby and is positioned as a vertical barrier between the
street and a large plaza space.
2. A Great egret (Ardea alba) finds protection and food along
the banks of lake.
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Landscape Architects: AECOM
Location: St Petersburg, Florida
Mirror Lake Park
On May 23, 2014, the City of St. Petersburg Florida celebrated the re-
opening of one of their downtown signature parks. The day was warm and
full of sun, a calm breeze was making its way across Mirror Lake as the
City Mayor and other elected officials began to tell stories of their own
experiences with the park. As the dedication ceremony was coming to an
end, it was clear that this park meant something different to each person
that experienced it. This area was dedicated as a park over 100 years ago
and continues to evolve into a place that relates to the social, economic and
ecological forces of today.
This park, like many parks located within urban areas, has the potential to
serve as the community gathering space, a place for recreation, relaxation
and a place that tells a story of the area. Urban parks also have the power
to position the adjacent areas for positive economic growth. This park
is uniquely positioned to have a positive impact on the local community
while providing ecological benefits for the local wildlife. Many bird species
reside here throughout the year and provide a wild setting to this urban area.
Visitors of the park are often seen taking pictures and getting close to birds
and water fowl. Turtles and various species of fish can also be found here.
The downtown parks and waterfront parks were being established as the
city began to grow. As the City of St Petersburg was developing into a
viable town in the late 1800’s, the City’s drinking water was sourced from
Reservoir Lake, now known as Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake was the city’s
first municipal water supply until 1908. In 1898 the lake was guarded after
attempted poisoning by the Spanish (it supplied water to the port of Tampa
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URBAN RENEWAL AND REGENERATION
Landscape Record Vol. 3/2016.06Landscape Record Vol. 3/2016.06

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PLAN
1. New park sign
2. Relocation of aboveground utilities
3. Downtown views
4. Decking over existing storm pipe
5. Existing tree
6. Proposed tree
7. 6’ wide walk
8. Native aquatic plants
9.10’ wide walk / shared path
10. Historic building views
11. Screen cars from views across the lake
12. Generator & fuel tank
13. Limb up tree for views to lake
14. Plaza / paddle boat launch area
15. Low ground cover
The park master plan identifies areas around the lake for community gathering, great views to downtown and opportunities to get close to the water's edge.
1. Many large trees have been preserved
around the lake. These trees frame views
from a nearby bench looking across the
lake to the historic buildings.
2. The contiguous multi-use trail around
the lake allows residents and visitors to
utilize this park for exercise.
3. The Mirror Lake Lyceum, a
Mediterranean revival style building was
originally constructed in 1926.
Project Name:
Mirror Lake Park
Completion Date:
2014
Client:
Steve Ochsner, City of St Petersburg, Florida
Size:
5.6ha
Photography:
Michael Brown – AECOM
troops and ships). It became a
city park in 1912 and has been the
geographical center for many of the
public and recreational facilities in
downtown.
St Petersburg has a vision to be a
place of opportunity where the sun
shines on all who come to live,
work and play in the community.
The city has long been a place of a
lifestyle for the retirees and tourists
and still retains much of the resort-
town flavor its founders loved.
Much of the year is showered with
sunshine and is a haven for outdoor
water-oriented activities and an
easy-going lifestyle.
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Mirror Lake
Downtown waterfront parks
Tampa Bay
A diagram illustrating the park's close proximity to Central Avenue, the city's main retail street. Many historic buildings are
also near the park.
A figure-ground diagram shows the connections from Mirror Lake to downtown and the city's waterfront parks.
The City of St. Petersburg, Florida
selected AECOM to develop Design
and Construction Documents
for a pedestrian sidewalk/trail
around Mirror Lake. Prior to the
development of the Construction
Documents, AECOM conducted a
public workshop to gather public
input for both the Mirror Lake
Park improvements and the areas
adjacent to Mirror Lake. This
workshop facilitated the preparation
of the conceptual master plan
for the Mirror Lake area. These
park improvements will make a
lasting positive impression on this
community.
Prior to the redesign of the park,
this area felt unsafe for local
residents and visitors. A narrow
sidewalk surrounded only a portion
of the lake and did not make a full
loop. The absence of a contiguous
path around the lake created
problems for people using this area
for exercise as they would need to
turn around at some point and not
have access to the east side of the
lake. Park furniture and signage
was outdated and not being used by
the general public. The overgrowth
of trees and shrubs made visual and
physical access to the water difficult
and lighting was not sufficient and
left people feeling unsafe to be out
at night. The historic buildings that
surround the lake create an identity
that is special to this area of the
city. This special identity was often
lost by the park’s tired character.
The adjacent community spaces
and recreational facilities did not
have a park space to spill into
during special events. Weddings
would often be seen taking place
at the Lyceum Building but the
wedding party did not have a
place in the park for pre-functions
and gathering. The Shuffleboard
Club’s Friday night events would
also be confined to their property’s
boundaries and not have the ability
to use the park for special functions.
The brick street and granite curbs
surrounding the park gave cues to
the history of the area.
1. A secondary sidewalk brings park visitors closer to the water's edge. Birds and aquatic wildlife can be seen from these locations.
2. The wide sidewalk splits into two narrower walks and allows park users to choose a different experience around the lake while preserving a large live oak tree.
3. Small sign markers are located around the lake at key pedestrian crossings to help identify the park.
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An aerial oblique diagram illustrates the strong connection to downtown and the
waterfront park system from Mirror Lake.
1. The park's main path is designed to accommodate many different users. This multi-use
path creates a destination for the whole community to enjoy.
2. Individuals with unique abilities can be seen using the path around the lake.
Encouraging the whole community to use this park is important to the city's mission to be a
livable city for all residents and visitors.
3. Native grasses and trees are used to provide a buffer between the path and the lake
while creating habitat for local wildlife.
4. Park users enjoy the outdoors while walking around the lake.
Today, the park feels open, safe and welcoming to visitors and community
residents. The most valuable addition to the park is the 10’ wide contiguous
path that encircles the lake, welcoming park users to navigate around the
entire lake. The city had made an agreement with a landowner on the east
side of the lake to allow for a path to be constructed on their property that
would continue the loop around the lake. This agreement was instrumental
in the development of the park master plan and ultimately satisfied many
of the community’s goals and desires of the future of their park. The views
have been opened up by thinning or removing vegetation. Native trees,
shrubs, grasses and aquatic plants have been planted throughout the park
to provide shelter for migratory birds and decrease the amount of irrigation
and fertilizers needed for plant survival. Lawn areas have been established
as open green space for passive recreation and park visitors can enjoy city
views from all sides of the lake, making this a dynamic area to walk around
while taking in the views. At night, the park is illuminated with new lighting
that provides the community with a safe environment in downtown to use.
New park furniture and signage has been incorporated to provide a fresh
new look to the park while respecting the historic nature of the surrounding
area.
A large plaza has been built at the northwest corner of the park overlooking
the lake. This plaza is across the street from the Lyceum Building and
has been used for weddings, community events and social gatherings.
The plaza is paved with three different shades of clay brick, a low seat
wall, monument signage and lighting. A smaller plaza has been built near
the Shuffleboard Club at the northeast corner of the park and provides
a gateway from downtown with its brick paving, seat wall and vertical
monument park signage. The brick paving pattern for these plaza areas
was developed by borrowing cues from nearby architectural details.
Pedestrian crossings were also added to ensure safe crossings to the park
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1. A park user enjoys the outdoors while walking
around the lake during lunch time
2. A park user enjoys the views to downtown
while passing through a grove of trees.
3. A monument sign located at a small plaza
space marks the northeast entrance to the park.
4. A Great egret (Ardea alba) walks near the
lake edge.
5. A large plaza is used for community
gatherings and outdoor functions from the
Lyceum Building. The paving design draws from
the architectural details of the nearby historic
buildings.
from adjacent buildings and streets. The brick streets and granite curbs
have been preserved and serve as a reminder of the history of this area.
This park also has physical connections to a successful retail street, Central
Avenue. People using the park have only a couple blocks to walk to be in
the middle of a bustling retail destination. The connections to downtown
and the downtown waterfront parks are also important as the city continues
to develop and grow.
THE HISTORY OF NEARBY PUBLIC FACILITIES
St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club
One of the most popular public recreational facilities near Mirror Lake was
the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. The clubhouse was built in 1927 with
additions continuing until 1947. It was the first organized club to exist in
the United States and is a valuable reminder of St. Petersburg’s popularity
as a winter vacation destination.
St. Petersburg High School at Mirror Lake
The ca. 1919 Mission Revival structure exhibits subtle stylistic elements
serving as the precursor to the Mediterranean Revival style. For 46
years it served as a public school and from 1967 to 1985 it served as the
Mirror Lake Adult Education Center. It was designed by William Ittner, a
nationally known architect who also designed the Tomlinson Center and St.
Petersburg Central High School.
St. Petersburg Carnegie Library
The 1915 Carnegie Library is the City’s first permanent public library and
was funded by a grant from Andrew Carnegie’s foundation, which had
major impacts on the development of culture throughout America. The
Henry Whitfield-designed Library is also significant for its Beaux Arts
architecture, a rare style in St. Petersburg.
Municipal Utilities Building (City Hall)
The 1939 City Hall is one of the few buildings in the City constructed
under Roosevelt’s Public Works Administration. The building retains its
architectural integrity on both the interior and exterior. City Hall is the
work of nationally known architect A. Lowther Forrest, prominent local
contractor R.E. Clarson and City Engineer Paul Jorgensen.
Snell Arcade
The 1928 Snell Arcade was designed by Richard Kiehnel for Perry Snell, St.
Petersburg’s preeminent developer during its early years. The arcade is an
excellent example of Mediterranean Revival architecture, a style for which
Kiehnel is attributed with bringing to Florida in his design of El Jardin in
Miami in the 1910s. He also designed the Rolyat Hotel in Gulfport, which
now serves as the campus for Stetson Law School.
Coliseum
Mediterranean Revival style structure is a prominent dance hall and
entertainment facility from 1924. The building was designed by T.H. Eslick
and developed by C.F. Cullen and has attracted big name entertainers
throughout its history.
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This image, taken in 1907, shows the Rail Pier being used for fishing and as a large boat dock facility.
1926 Municipal Pier and Yacht Basin was a popular destination for the community. 1936 aerial image shows downtown and the waterfront land being converted into public park space.
A group of local citizens walk together during a “walking audit” of Lassing Park.
A citizen provides the design team with her hopes and dreams of the future of the
downtown waterfront during the public kickoff event.
Local youth are given the opportunity to describe what activities they would like in their
waterfront parks.
Historic Context
The Downtown Waterfront has long served as the city’s greatest physical
asset. First settled in 1888 by Peter A. Demens at the terminus end of his
Orange Belt Railway, the Downtown Waterfront quickly developed with
industrial land uses including an electric-generating plant, fish processing
plant, lumberyard and numerous warehouses. By 1900, these industrial
activities so disfigured the Downtown Waterfront that a conflict with the
growing tourist trade ignited civic interest in a publicly owned Downtown
Waterfront. In 1902, debate over the future of the Downtown Waterfront
began when the Board of Trade, a predecessor to the Chamber of Commerce,
approved a resolution calling for a public waterfront park between2nd and
5th Ave. N. The resolution was backed by William Straub, editor for the St.
Petersburg Times, who made creation of the waterfront park system a key
goal of his own ambition and professional publication.
In 1905, J. M. Lewis presented a plan to convert nearly the entire Downtown
Waterfront into a park. Lewis’ plan became a major issue in the 1906 city
elections, and the public waterfront supporters eventually won a majority
of the seats on the City Council. The new City Council quickly passed a
resolution to acquire the waterfront and by the end of 1909 the city held title
to most of the waterfront.
As best as can be historically documented from reliable sources, most of
the water lots were filled sometime between 1915 and 1919. The Florida
Legislature passed Specials Acts in 1917 and 1918 granting title to the city
for those submerged lands from Coffee Pot Bayou to approximately Lassing
Park adjacent to the city-owned upland.
The entire present day Downtown Waterfront was created by fill. Between the
years of 1918 and 1923, the city acquired several remaining pieces of land
and commenced significant improvements to establish scenic water vistas and
public recreation opportunities.
The value of the Downtown Waterfront was subsequently memorialized by
a special provision in the City Charter requiring voter approval before any
designated park property can be sold, donated, or leased for a term exceeding
those lease terms specifically authorized for the waterfront or park properties.
To protect, enhance and promote St. Petersburg’s Downtown Waterfront
as one of the premiere waterfront destinations and attractions in the world,
voters approved a City Charter Amendment in November 2011 mandating the
creation of a Downtown Waterfront Master Plan.
The Plan is intended to provide the first integrated vision for the city’s entire
Downtown Waterfront and its many uses by establishing a master plan and
policy framework of guiding principles for future decision making. The
guiding principles are represented in the Master Plan as the Five Dimensions
Transforming St Petersburg’s Downtown Waterfront
By Michael J. Brown
of the Waterfront, the Comprehensive Waterfront Needs, and the six District
Concept Plans.
AECOM Selection as Citizen-based Design Experts
AECOM was selected to develop a citizen-based Downtown Waterfront
Master Plan for the City of St Petersburg FL. The existing waterfront is
underutilized and serves only a few different users. The city’s growth
downtown has diversified the area and the waterfront is set up to be the
premier space to respond to this diversification. This growth is creating
pressure for the waterfront to be a facility for all citizens of the community.
The Downtown Waterfront Master Plan is a comprehensive and inclusive
planning project that leveraged the community’s love for their waterfront as
a place for all citizens to enjoy. The plan was developed through extensive
public outreach and community involvement. Community themes were
developed by the project team and confirmed by the public, to provide
the framework for the Master Plan. As such the master plan is guided by
the following overarching community themes, the five dimensions of the
waterfront:
• Stewardship of the Waterfront Environment
• Enhancing the Experience of the Water
• An Active Waterfront Parks System
• Economically Vibrant Downtown Places
• A Connected, Accessible Downtown + Waterfront
The Master Plan is structured to address the community’s short-term baseline
needs, locations for targeted enhancements and identify areas for long-term
transformative change. This framework is applied to the varying place types
along the beautiful seven miles of waterfront.
Public Input
Gathering input from the public and various stakeholder groups was
conducted with a variety of methods including a kickoff event, four walking
audits, five community meetings, four community outreach meetings, an
interactive youth workshop, over 20 stakeholder meetings, a survey, and
various forms of online outreach.
The Public Kickoff Event marked the beginning of the outreach process
for the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan. The general public was invited
to attend the event to become informed about the planning process and to
provide feedback to guide the plan. Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin
addressed the crowd of approximately 300 to kick-start the discussions about
creating a vision for the waterfront. Brochures and other takeaways were
provided so participants could take home information about the Downtown
Waterfront Master Plan to share with family and friends. Throughout the
night, event attendees discussed their hopes and concerns for the Downtown
Waterfront.
During the public input process, all citizens were invited to walk different
areas of the downtown waterfront as an on-site, interactive technique
for identifying concerns of public and private space related to access,
connectivity, safety, use and economic opportunities.
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Walking audits are a useful tool for public input when developing a plan
because they involve the public and work as a sort of hands-on demonstration
of the strengths and weaknesses of an area on-the-ground for the project
team. Walking audit participants walked a predetermined route as a group,
stopping occasionally to evaluate characteristics people wanted to discuss
along the way. Participants completed a survey while they walked to record
their observations in a structured manner.
A Youth Workshop was held at a local Recreation Center to allow the youth of
the community to voice their opinions of what their dream waterfront would
look like and the different activities they would like to see. The AECOM
team briefly described the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan and highlighted
the importance of their input to the planning process. The group was asked
a series of questions about the future of the Downtown Waterfront. The
participants discussed their thoughts about the waterfront including what they
would like to change and things they like to do there. After the discussion,
the groups participated in the park design activity and presented their
table’s ideas to the project team. Pictures of typical activities and amenities
commonly featured on great waterfronts were given to the participants along
with an aerial view of Spa Beach Park. The participants were asked to cut
out the pictures of things they wanted to see in that park and “design” the
park by gluing the pictures to the aerial photo. Some participants chose to
supplement the pictures with drawings in marker. Collage maps prepared
by the participants are shown to the right. The participants presented their
finished ideas to the larger group.
In an effort to reach the widest possible audience for this outreach effort,
the project team developed a website that contains background information,
related plans and reports, maps, schedule and other up-to-date project-related
information. Additionally, the city’s Facebook and Twitter feeds were used for
announcements and brief highlights of activities in real time for the project.
The centerpiece of the project’s digital communication efforts is
StPeteInnovision.com. This website acts like a “Digital Town Hall” where
community members can sign up, discuss specific topics and questions,
upload pictures, and provide their own ideas as well as comment and discuss
the ideas submitted. If a user sees an idea or comment they agree with, they
are invited to award a point to that post. Rewards are offered for various
levels of participation. As the planning process continues, this forum will
continue to allow the public to provide feedback as the project evolves.
An Interest and Opinion Survey was conducted on the St. Petersburg
Downtown Waterfront in the Fall of 2014 to help establish priorities for
the waterfront. The survey was designed to obtain statistically valid results
from households throughout the City of St. Petersburg. The survey was
administered by mail, web and phone by ETC/Leisure Vision, a leading
community-based market research firm.
A five-page survey was mailed to a random sample of 2,500 households
throughout the City of St. Petersburg. Approximately three days after the
surveys were mailed each household that received a survey also received
an automated voice message encouraging them to complete the survey. In
addition, about two weeks after the surveys were mailed the survey team
place in large gatherings, in small groups, in walks through neighborhoods,
and online through the St. Pete InnoVision website and other social media
outlets. The conversations often included observations, general concerns,
values, and specific ideas for change.
The suggestions and ideas generated from these meetings can be classified
into the Five Dimensions of the waterfront:
1. Stewardship of the Waterfront Environment
2. Enhancing the Experience of the Water
3. An Active Waterfront Parks System
4. Economically Vibrant Downtown Places
5. A Connected, Accessible Downtown and Waterfront
began contacting households by
phone. Those who had indicated
they had not returned the survey
were given the option of completing
it by phone.
The goal was to obtain a total of at
least 500 completed surveys. The
survey team met that goal with a
total of 694 surveys completed. A
total of 492 surveys were completed
from residents located on the
waterfront and 202 surveys were
completed from residents located
outside of the waterfront. The
results of the random sample of 694
households have a 95% level of
confidence with a precision rate of at
least +/-3.7%.
The Waterfront Planning Begins
During the several months public
input process, the project team
listened to hundreds of residents,
business owners, community leaders,
and many others interested in the
future of St. Petersburg’s Downtown
Waterfront. These conversations took
Each of these topics has specific issues associated with it that will drive the
planning process. To better understand the component issues, they can be
divided into three levels of enhancement, described below.
Transformative Change - Transformative Changes are long-term, large-
scale changes to the waterfront that have greater importance to the city and
region. These changes may include improvements like increasing the size
or quality of natural habitat, creating additional breakwaters to improve the
functionality of the marinas, increasing multi-modal access to the waterfront
and developing additional regional attractions on underutilized land.
Targeted Enhancements - Targeted Enhancements are changes that can be
implemented in a phased approach with additional funding partners to provide
additional opportunities for activities at the waterfront. These changes may
include improvements like increasing water circulation through the marina
basins, providing more transient boat docks, building additional restrooms,
concessions and water activities, and accommodating water transportation
options.
Baseline Needs - Baseline Needs are changes that can be implemented in the
short-term at a relatively low cost. These changes may include implementing
low-impact development guidelines to protect water quality, provide
better facilities for human-powered watercraft storage and access, provide
additional shade with Florida-friendly tree species, provide seating, trashcans,
wayfinding and other amenities to make a better waterfront park experience
and improving the quality and quantity of biking infrastructure.
A Resilient Waterfront
As a vision plan and framework for future growth, the Downtown Waterfront
Master Plan focuses on enhancing the vibrancy of the core area within an
A scientifically valid public survey provides the design team with important planning information.
The North Shore Park and Beach areas have been identified as a place for targeted enhancements.
A sketch of the Pier looking back to downtown. A living breakwater, shown in the
foreground, helps mitigate storm surge while creating wildlife habitat.
A sketch of the Pier looking back to downtown. A living breakwater, shown in the
foreground, helps mitigate storm surge while creating wildlife habitat.
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urban context to further improve function and aesthetics while promoting
economic vitality through private investment. The success of the plan is
through thoughtful implementation from engaged stakeholders and leadership,
and with continued input from the community, focused on integrating the
natural, built and social environments within each improvement project. This
integration provides the platform to leverage natural systems enhancing the
waterfront user experience while offering protection against natural hazards
resulting from a changing environment.
This whole system integrated planning approach is critical to increasing the
resiliency of the St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront and allowing the
vision to be realized. Utilizing a flexible, adaptable and well-informed set
of guiding principles comprised of relevant and implementable mitigation
strategies provides the City with the confidence necessary to grow in the face
of future uncertainty.
The Downtown Waterfront Master Plan offers an opportunity to move the
City towards resiliency and to protect natural and man-made assets through
integration of adaptive planning strategies and to begin cultivating a paradigm
shift related to living with the natural environment. The plan also provides a
platform to elevate the resiliency discussion and inform the community of its
importance for the future of the City.
The Downtown Waterfront project area is approximately seven miles in length
and is comprised of many different parcels, ownership, uses and community
values. The master plan has identified a series of special distinct areas along
the length of the Downtown Waterfront. These areas have been identified as
Character Districts. This plan provides recommendations that fit within the
context of each distinct district. Respecting these different areas will result in
a more diverse, interesting and sustainable Downtown Waterfront.
Park Improvements
One of the consistent values identified in the community meetings was
the ability to spend the day in the park. St. Petersburg should provide
improvements and enhancements to the park to create a more comfortable
place for recreation. A park visitor should have varying levels of activities
to choose from and feel safe and comfortable during daytime and evening
hours. Shade, seating, lighting, and drinking fountains should be included
in baseline treatments to meet the needs of the community. An activity node
has been identified at the existing restroom facility and should include small
concessions for food sales and rentals of small craft and sporting equipment.
Picnic shelters should also be located at appropriate activity nodes to provide
visitors with a shaded environment to enjoy.
hotel. The Al Lang Stadium block, from 2nd Ave. S to 4th Ave. SE, should
also be redeveloped with sports-associated program, and ancillary retail
and commercial uses. This concept has many site design issues that will
require creative solutions to realize the goal of a vibrant, walkable mixed-
use area. Any revenue created by this type of development can be put back
into improvements of other public spaces along the waterfront identified in
this Master Plan. Advancing this concept from idea to reality may be subject
to certain deed restrictions and may require referendum approval; as such,
a proactive community engagement process must be undertaken to ensure
transparency.
Improving Pedestrian and Bicycle Connectivity
To connect Lassing Park to the Bayboro & Salt Creek District, a multi-
purpose trail should be constructed along the waterfront from the northern
border of Lassing Park along the shore between the Army Reserve station
and the Coast Guard station to the Bayboro & Salt Creek District. This will
require negotiation with the defense agencies which operate facilities here
and may involve land swaps or special design considerations for security
purposes. Regardless of the specific structure of the agreements which
allow for the creation of the trail, such a connection would allow continuous
waterfront access to Lassing Park from the north.
Stormwater Enhancements
Careful consideration should be made while evaluating stormwater outfalls
and park space. A small percentage of underutilized green spaces should
be dedicated to environmental enhancements within the parks. Locating
stormwater basins adjacent to the source will reduce pipe length and costs and
also reduce the footprint of the basin. A treatment train approach of smaller
basins should be considered to not disturb large areas of park land.
Reconfiguring the Sports, Culture and Entertainment
Zone
Redevelopment opportunities should be pursued adjacent to the Mahaffey
Theater and Dali Museum. The existing surface parking lots should be re-
examined as opportunities for redevelopment potential. The area located west
of the Dali and south of the existing parking garage should be reserved for
Dali expansion of roughly 65,000sf of space. The existing parking garage
could accommodate parking for the Mahaffey, the expanded Dali, other
cultural and civic uses and ancillary retail. Areas north of the parking garage
and south of 4th Ave. SE could be redeveloped with uses that complement the
Mahaffey and Dali, such as additional cultural and civic uses and ancillary
retail at the street level. Civic uses do not include a conference center or
A sketch plan identifies new buildings, shown in red, as redevelopment opportunities.
An activity node has been identified near the Bay at the North Shore Park and Beach area. Park areas converted into shallow planted basins to collect and treat stormwater before
entering the Bay.
A pedestrian bridge provides an important linkage from downtown to the working waterfront
area of the city.
Urban runoff flows directly into the Bay.
Service streets have been transformed into public plazas
and shared space around the various sports, culture and
entertainment venues. Certain streets have been identified as important linkages to downtown. Linkages are
converted into complete streets that encourage multi-modal transportation uses.
DESIGN EXCHANGE
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Michael J. Brown, PLA
Landscape Architect
Michael J. Brown is a landscape architect with AECOM. He has experience with various
types of landscape architecture projects including park design, streetscapes, civic
building landscapes, healthcare facilities, campus environments, urban design, mixed-
use and urban infill development. Michael’s design and construction experience is
featured in various locations in Central Florida and Seattle, WA. Many of these projects
are examples of Michael’s interest and ability to design outdoor spaces that are both
socially and environmentally sensitive. Mr. Brown has special interest in sustainable
infrastructure and often finds way to incorporate green design into projects in a cost-
effective manner.
Connections between Lassing Park and downtown are restricted
geographically by Salt Creek and Bayboro Harbor. To improve connectivity
for the non-motorist, a shared-use trail should be constructed along 3rd St.
S to improve the north-south connections to the Lassing Park area. This will
provide a safer and more comfortable journey and encourage the use of non-
motorized transportation within the Downtown Waterfront.
Expand Pedestrian/Public Edges
Similar to the Pier Approach, this area of the city also has a car-dominated
edge. Shifting cars away from the edge and giving this space to pedestrians
will create a more friendly and inviting environment. This plan does not
state that all parking should be removed but rather shifted away from the
edge. The USFSP Peninsula has other areas to park cars and these areas need
to be considered as part of this plan to make a more walkable, livable and
hospitable environment for people.
In Summary
The St. Petersburg Downtown Waterfront Master Planning process was
focused on facilitating a community conversation about the future of St.
Petersburg’s world-class waterfront. This plan was created with the input of
thousands of interested citizens, and is dedicated to bring their shared vision
to life. The products of this plan will lead to a future with greater opportunity
for people of all walks of life to enjoy their waterfront and for the waterfront
to contribute to the vitality of their community. The Baseline Needs,
Targeted Enhancements, and Transformational Change provide an approach
to prioritize public projects. As the plan is implemented, new challenges
may arise whose potential solutions can be examined through the approach
described by this plan.
The plan calls for changes to the public, institutional, and private land along
the waterfront. Property ownership involves many players to bring together
some of the concepts in this plan. As individual properties are redeveloped
or public facilities are updated, the opportunity to address baseline needs
should be explored. This could be as simple as restriping bike lanes when
an underground utility is opened for maintenance or it could be a long-term
strategy to systematically address a need identified in this plan across the
waterfront.
The challenges at the waterfront are significant, but there are many areas
where people, institutions and the city have already come together to create
great places at the Downtown Waterfront. Past successes indicate the
importance of the public, private and institutional sectors working together
towards a common vision. This planning process has created a framework
that will allow the city to take a facilitating role to implement the shared
vision for the waterfront. Private developers should be sensitive to the
role they play in creating a successful waterfront because they realize that
development compatible with this plan will bring greater economic success to
themselves and the city as a whole.
To achieve the vision outlined within
this document, city, institutional, and
private sector leaders need to support
this framework plan to achieve
success. St. Petersburg is fortunate
to have such a magnificent natural
resource with its shoreline along
Tampa Bay. And the success of the
city has undoubtedly been influenced
by the wise decisions made in the
past by the city’s founders. Today,
the legacy of insightful leadership
from the public and private sectors
continue to nurture the Downtown
Waterfront into the future. It will
be a public resource that serves the
people of the City of St. Petersburg
and visitors from around the world
for generations to come.
An existing waterfront edge dedicated to the automobile.
The Pier District is transformed into a pedestrian oriented festival space along the water’s
edge and extending out to the Pier.
The city’s working waterfront is transformed into a destination district that showcases the city’s maritime history. Clear connection to
downtown makes this an attractive area for development.
All images courtesy of AECOM
The Pier District is transformed into a pedestrian oriented festival space along the water's
edge and extending out to the Pier.
DESIGN EXCHANGE
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