Riverfront Plaza design unveiled, winner chosen for former Landing site
The Jacksonville Professional Services Evaluation Committee (PSEC) has selected Perkins&Will as the winner of the design competition for Riverfront Plaza, the former home of The Jacksonville Landing.
In June, Perkins&Will was one of three groups who presented their plans to the PSEC. Their plan narrowly outscored the proposals by Agency Landscape+Planning and Olin Limited.
The winning proposal includes a 151-feet high art sculpture of a gleaming “Jax” written in stainless steel tubes.
It also calls for a children’s play area, a sky garden terrace, a large central lawn, a beer garden, and walking and biking ramps to the Main Street Bridge. The current ramps to the bridge are being removed.
There will also be space set aside on both ends of the parcel off Independent Drive for a hotel and park pavilion building. It will leave an open corridor at Laura Street so the view of the St. Johns River isn’t blocked.
Downtown Investment Authority CEO Lori Boyer sits on the committee and along with Jacksonville Parks Director Darryl Smith, scored the three presentations made to the PSEC in June.
Boyer said all the proposals had intriguing ideas but it was the art structure that put Perkins&Will over the top. “I kept asking myself ‘Could you take this piece of art and plop it down in some other city in Florida or elsewhere and have it work?”
She said the other proposals were nice but neither would be considered uniquely “Jacksonville.”
The sculpture has gotten a great deal of attention in the community. Boyer said public comment before the vote was running about five to one regarding the Perkins&Will design. There appears to be some strong feelings on the sculpture and it’s curving tube that spells out “Jax” with a heart in the middle. While opinions vary, Boyer said that is one of it’s attributes since it gets people talking about downtown Jacksonville and could become a place for people to visit.
“The fact that people are talking about it is exactly what we’re looking for,” she said.
“Love it or hate it, the public art piece has received a tremendous amount of public comment. Which I think really indicates it’s iconic nature.”
Boyer said if you have something like it downtown, it’ll draw people to the downtown area and be what The Landing once was when it was first opened and was anchored by major retail stores.
In his scoring, Joseph had ranked Agency Landscape+Planning slightly ahead of Perkins&Will but still has no problem with the final outcome.
“This is an exciting project that will change the Downtown experience for years to come,” he said.
“Parks connect people to each other, and Riverfront Plaza will connect the community to the St. John’s River in a meaningful, heartfelt way.”
For their part, Perkins&Will say they are delighted to be the winning design. Landscape Architect Design Principal Chrsitopher Counts said the transformative potential of the project cannot be overstated.
“This new world-class park will be reflective of the culture, diversity, and vitality of the City of Jacksonville,” he said in a written statement provided by DIA. “It will become part of the public consciousness of the City and a source of civic pride for the citizens of Jacksonville.”
There will now be a specific plan worked out between the city and Perkins&Will. Boyer said most of what’s being proposed will likely stay intact but some elements of the other proposals may also be added to the final design.
The estimated total cost presented in June by the designers was $12 million for the park and between $11.5 to $18 million for the art sculpture depending on the materials used.
The total price tag of $23.5 to $30 million was the highest estimate presented by the three final candidates.
Boyer said they hope to have completed negotiations on the contract and sent it to the Mayor’s office by the end of September.
Construction could begin as early as next summer.
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