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🛠️ Phase I of the Old Town Landing pier and dock project goes to bid with a second contractor meeting set for July 15.
💧 City officials estimate Phase II costs at $1.9 million and plan temporary parking after dock construction.
🌳 Green space, trails, and educational features are in the works for a new Turkey Creek expansion near John Sims Parkway.
The Niceville community redevelopment agency voted to accept bids from various contractors for the construction of the pier and dock project at the old town Landing on Boggy Bayou.
The agency also announced that they would begin cost estimating the beginning of the upland portion of the community redevelopment area – which would eventually include community amenities, shopping and walkable areas.
Finally, the CRA announced they would move forward on a capital improvement near Turkey Creek, which used to house a storage facility.
Although they initially had only one contractor attend their mandatory meeting to bid on the project, Deputy City Administrator Kristen Shell informed the agency, which is also the city council, that they planned to hold a second meeting to qualify additional potential contractors to bid on the project.
The meeting will be held on July 15, and potential contractors are invited to attend via teleconference.
“They should be getting started late summer, early fall,” Shell said.
She explained that she believed they could have bids in time for their next community redevelopment agency meeting the first week of August.
Several CRA members, including Doug Tolbert and Doug Stauffer voiced concerns about the second meeting. They worried that they would open themselves up to a lawsuit by allowing a second meeting to qualify contractors when somebody had already showed up for the first meeting. Outgoing Deputy City Manager Shell assured them that the second meeting would not pose any legal issues.
She estimated that the contractors would complete the construction within 280 days from the start of the project.
Niceville has a cost estimate for the old town landing Phase 2
At the beginning of the cost estimate for phase 2 of the old town Landing, Numbers like 3/4 of $1 million were thrown around. However, Deputy City Manager Shell now states that the estimate is closer to $1.9 million, including the contingency.
“What happened to the $700,000 estimate?” CRA member and city councilwoman Cathy Alley asked Shell.
“I’m all for being real, ” Shell said with a laugh.
The project would include a shade cover, heavy landscaping, bathroom facilities, a splash pad concept for children, as well as a stage area.
After the dock in the pier are constructed but before the build out of the rest of the old town landing concept much of the land will be used for parking.
“we could provide some temporary parking in these locations until the upland development concept is finalized. I think there’s going to have to be some kind of temporary solution because once this thing is built, people are going to want to get on it. It is going to be beautiful,” Shell added.
Niceville received a Community Trust grant to purchase properties near Turkey Creek several years ago. With the money, they purchased a lot that previously housed a storage facility, as well as a house.
Now the city has plans to build a large green space as well as launches for kayaks and canoes on the new properties.
In exchange for the money, the State requires two things of Niceville: additional stormwater infrastructure and signage that explains the natural flora and fauna of the area, to be included in the site plans.
To accommodate these requirements, shall propose integrating the learning portion into a playground that was planned for.” So, it could be a learning experience for any children or visiting school groups who wanted to visit Turkey Creek and use the play area, and then use those displays to learn more about the history of Turkey Creek, its animals, plants, and fish, Shell said.
She explained that the facility that would succeed the storage unit on the land to the east of the Turkey Creek complex, west of a hotel on John Sims, would host Green space, walkable trails, and include an amphitheater for performances.
However, due to the regulations put forth by the State, the project would not be able to connect the required stormwater facility to the Florida Department of Transportation’s stormwater facility next to it.
Shell explained that the plan is still malleable at this point in time explaining to the CRA members that the amphitheater come for example, would not have to end up in the place that they have it on their drawings at this time.
The CRA members voted unanimously to move forward with the plan.
Pro Communi Bono
