Naples City Council members agree to hire consultant to direct downtown development

Heart of Naples, D Downtown, the Community Redevelopment Agency, two consultants’ reports — all vehicles in the past decade and a half to improve the core of Naples. But Naples City Council isn’t satisfied.
On Monday, the mayor and council members agreed unanimously to hire a consultant to develop a “vision” for the downtown area, rather than design it themselves along with city staff.
They also established the boundaries for the areas that would be taken into consideration by the consultant: the Community Redevelopment Agency, Third Street, Crayton Cove, D Downtown, and Tin City, as well as the U.S. 41 corridor from Fifth Avenue South to Seventh Avenue South.
Several council members expressed dismay over the current state of Fifth Avenue South.
“My personal feeling is that something needs to be done to direct the development of Fifth Avenue because it could have evolved better than what’s turned out now,” Councilman Bill Willkomm said.
“We have so many different organizations on Fifth Avenue (South) alone, so many hands pulling that street in different directions, that it has lost its vision,” Councilwoman Dee Sulick echoed.
In 1994, and again in 2004, the City Council brought in the Miami-based husband and wife team of architects and urban planners Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk to make recommendations for improvements to Fifth Avenue South.
The consultants met with shop owners and stakeholders; they suggested improvements from landscaping to the mix of storefronts at the east and west ends; they were the impetus behind the first multistory parking garage on Fifth Avenue South.
There was also mention at the meeting of increased rent driving longtime tenants out.
“If anything, our mix has deteriorated, We’ve lost our grocery store. We’ve lost our pharmacy. I think we’ve gone the wrong way,” said Councilman John Sorey, who unsuccessfully pushed to include Venetian Village into the new visioning scope.
“When I read Duany’s report, I lamented what it was and what it could have been and where it is right now. Not necessarily the quality of the restaurants, but that there’s such a proliferation,” Vice Mayor Penny Taylor said.
“But remember, the buck stops with us. We’re the ones that approved these variances of 500 feet for liquor licenses, and we do it again and again because the quality establishments want to establish themselves.”
Despite initial hesitation from Taylor and Sulick, and Councilwoman Teresa Heitmann, the three ultimately contributed to the unanimous vote in favor of hiring an external consultant to develop the new vision.
Mayor Bill Barnett asked City Manager Bill Moss to present options for consultants to the City Council.
Duany’s name was thrown into the ring as a possibility, however no decisions have been made.
Jim Goehler, director of the Downtown Naples Association, attended the City Council meeting and said he endorses the decision. Goehler is also the chief operating officer and chief financial officer of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.
“The important thing is, everyone wants to keep the uniqueness of Naples (in that area),” Goehler said. “And I don’t think we’re far off.”
Source: Naplesnews.com

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