'Working Waterfront' Plan In Jeopardy

Fairhope, Alabama 

 

 

Waterfront area.

Latest waterfront design.

 

TOO COSTLY?

Mayor Sullivan said late last week the fate of the controversial waterfront/greenspace revitalization plan funded by a $6.2 million BP RESTORE ACT grant is uncertain after only one contractor submitted a bid last week, and that was way over what was expected. (Another city source said the lone bid was almost $8 million.)

There were no responses at all when the project was advertised previously; the multi-faceted complexity of the project is to blame, according to public works director Johnson.

Sullivan said the city council will have to decide what to do next: reduce the scope/value engineer to cut costs, ask the BP Recovery council for more money, make up the difference ourselves, or cancel the project entirely and return the $6.2 million to the federal Treasury are some alternatives.

If the money is returned, the city would have to absorb the $500K already spend on engineering.

Another alternative, the city could ask the RESTORE council for an extension, to give more time to figure out how to proceed since the grant money was to be spent by the end of next year, according to the mayor.

In its latest form, the project was to rebuild/replace aging seawalls, enhance parking, add a restroom under bluff and walking trails as well a new stairs and disabled access from the bluff above (among other components).

ALABAMA RECOVERY COUNCIL TO MEET NEXT WEEK

Coincidentally, the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council is set to meet November 1st, 10AM at Five Rivers Park on the causeway for a scheduled public input meeting on other matters.

Sullivan, who as mayor is a member of the AGCRC, said she did not know yet if would be appropriate to bring up the city's new working waterfront issues on such short notice.

Other members are mayors of Mobile, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Bayou la Batre,  Dauphin Island -- and chairmen of the Baldwin and Mobile County Commissions.