Jonathan Parks Architect's more traditional design resembles the Citrus Square development.
The architect of the Palm Avenue parking garage unveiled two new possible designs at a public workshop Jan. 28 — one is more traditional, the other more contemporary.
The city commissioned an original design last spring that was used to solicit bids from contractors.
After Suffolk Construction was awarded the project, city commissioners asked Suffolk’s architecture firm partner, Jonathan Parks Architect, to come up with two alternative designs.
Both of the new designs differ from the first in that they have vertical windows. The traditional design has more color and the retail storefronts on the first floor have different appearances. It looks similar to the Citrus Square development on Orange Avenue, which Jonathan Parks Architect also designed.
The contemporary version of the garage is one solid color and the storefronts are all of one design.
Many of the residents who viewed the different options didn’t like any of them and asked the designer to go back to the drawing board.
The city will hold a final public workshop at 5 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 4 at City Hall. Jonathan Parks Architect will refine the designs and maybe even come up with a fourth option based on citizen input.
Construction is scheduled to begin April 1 and be complete in December.
Contact Robin Roy at rroy@yourobserver.com.
Currently 3 Responses
- 1.
- Thank goodness everyone is holding all sorts of benefits for Haiti. They truly do need the help they are being given. However, we have quite a few homeless and needy in the United States such as in Appalachia. Where are the benefits for our own?
The rules are bent or broken to bring in Haitian orphans, yet our own languish in this country's orphanages, waiting for the endless and often absurd red tape to be cut through. Why can't we make it easier for American orphans to be adopted?
I've noticed that the United States jumps through hoops to help anyone in the world who is in trouble, but if we have need for outside assistance, we are told "Do it yourselves!" And although our government AND our people give more than any other country, we are accused of being mean-spirited and miserly.
Frankly, I'm so fed up with it, I'm ready to close our coffers to anyone in need outside the USA!
- 2.
- What is it with politicians these days? They are elected to represent the public, but as soon as they get in office they decide to do whatever is best for themselves - egos and power. They think they know better than the public "what is good for them". I wish they would take their hands out of my pocket and find productive work for themselves.
Speaking of the homeless, I live downtown across from the park. I think these college kids that come here Friday evenings to give out free food should do it in their parents' neighborhood. Attract the homeless to Lakewood Ranch or one of the other gated communities where these privileged kids live. See how they like it when they wake up to see strangers sleeping on their porch Saturday morning.
- 3.
- So now we'll have a sheltered place for the homeless to occupy. It's dumb to build a garage without retail space and/or residential units attached to it. It will be a boondoggle as are all city dictated and operated projects. While we're at it, let's have yet another bus running 12 to 16 hours a day from Anna Maria through Longboat Key into Sarasota having a hand full of passengers per trip at $0.75 per person. Now that's a real breakeven!!! For all of the hundreds of thousands spent offering a huge money losing service, we could buy a car for all of the regulars including gas and maintenance and save a fortune. For irregular users, we can provide them with free taxi service.
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