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HomeMy WebLinkAbout17419 ORD - 12/29/19824. 1� t—,....., �---- _ F T, ;4 � a • • \C r • 77-1-17.4 1�1G►R'�1r� $A'YIN1 ARSA R£S r.VeNIST? , FoR FU'URt- leykRimA E.xPA l31,c0N1 7'44- W.1.1 h.M I LAND NIA., AMP SNA DEV'ELOPM6r3T G a'1W.W'T'R.AL BL1'S`ME5CAsTFZICT RELATE P 1 h"IPR�-'►VE'M E1�T5 FU13L1C Si-1OL.EL.1PUE. RELATED 1 MPg.OVEM' 1,n-� MA€ I1 A RELATED IMPR+C IE,M1,47� Co .?t» 6.1--tR.161 L R L -T ED IMPROVE -MEW -6 • PURPOSE AND INTENT • In recent years Americans have been discovering the delightful city envi- ronments of Europe and other world locations. In America itself, there is a growing roster of good examples of urban centers. where places to five, work and play have been built in surroundings of beauty and delight. Cities like San Francisco and San Antonio have gained international recognition for the way they have capitalized on the amenities of their location to create places of great charm for visitors and residents alike. The worldwide image of these cities as beautiful places to live and cork as well as visit has increased their attractiveness for ail types of economic development. The City of Corpus Christi has an excellent opportunity to create a similar image for itself with proper treatment of its Bayfront. Unlike most water- front cities, Corpus Christi is able to capitalize on its Bayfront without first tearing down long established. development. The basic waterfront envi- ronment of the city is generally in excellent condition. Some of its sections however, are under-utilized and therefore open to the kind of new development able to accommodate many more people living, working, and visiting in the urban waterfront zone. All of the urban waterfront zone should he accessible to all individuals, with emphasis on accessibility fur handi- capped individuals. In response to this opportunity, the Bayfront Plan takes a direction beyond merely "fixing up" those portions of rhe waterfront which could be made to look prettier. It is aimed at suggesting strategies for major development which will fit with steps already undertaken to permit the City of Corpus Christi to beneficially utilize its most unique asset -- its magnificent waterfront --while at the same time preserving and enhancing: existing features and protecting Port -related operations. This. document draws upon numerous planning and engineering studies dealing with the Bayfront for information on opportunities, constraints and specific recommendations. In this regard, it is a sunenary document which carefully selects those proposals nhich work best together along with existing improve- ments, to most beneficially utilize the bayfront.. This plan is intended for use as a constant reference, allowing development of the Bayfront to be scheduled on a project by project basis involving a wide range of public and private organizations; while maintaining the continuity of compliance with the overall Bayfront Plan. It is meant as a clear statement that money spent on recommended projects is an investment in an ongoing effort to roach definable goals in the Bayfront arca. The full implementation of this plan will require the use of a variety of financing techniques, which may include utilizing private sector capital and expertise to achieve public goals, as well as the use of public sources of funding such as General Obligation Bonds, Tax Increment Financing, Industrial Revenue Bonds,. and Multi -Family Tax Exempt Financing. No matter what means of financing are employed, the Bayfront Plan will help insure that those involved in the design and implementation of projects will not lose sight of the overall public goals for the development of the Bayirunt area. The plan should be reviewed an a continuing basis and mod- ification to the plan should he made to reflect changing community interests and needs in the future. The organization -of the document first gives an overview of the opportunities and constraints that are characteristic of the four major sub -units of the Bayfront area: 1) the Central Business District, 2) Shoreline Boulevard and Ocean Drive, 3) tate marina area, and 4) Corpus Christi Bench. This section is followed by the };mals trbich derive from the opportunities and constraints, and recommended policies and strategies to achieve these goals: The graphic on the reverse side of this document is intended. to illustrate in a conceptual manner the basic clement-. of the plan and how they relate to one another. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT .0 The Central Business District is in a position to hen.efit greatly from Bayfront development, especially Marina improvemeote:, if it can be strongly connected with the new and. existing activities. This connection will be strongest if it develops an interdependent relationship with the )`farina area, supplying moti- vation for Marina users to frequent the downtown. arca. In order to establish this connection, two constroLtts ccest be r.. eily-d. .._� the separating barrier effect of Shoreline Boulevard must be overcome and, second, the downtown area itself must establish its own positive image and identity, dif- ferent from but strongly related to the bayfront area. This will mean. continued renovation snd rejuvenation of downtown businesses, parks, and streets in a manner which helps establish a strong relationship with Bayfront activity. THE PUBLIC SHORELINE The Bayfront area south of the ship chauuel showcases over three miles of virtually continuous public shoreline that is a symbol of the pride Corpus Christi has in its waterfront heritage. The public shoreline is appropriately anchored by the Bayfront Arts and Science Park which, with its museums, auditorium and convention complex, is the City's cultural center and the catalyst for future shoreline tourist development. Other components of the public shoreline include Magee Beach, Cole Park, the Bayfront open space parks and Shoreline Boulevard with its median parks and landscaping. Shoreline Boulevard, along with its adjoining pedestrian seawall, is the main route of access connecting many of the major Bayfront amenities and developments.. All of this points to the potential that Shoreline Boulevard has as a unifying element in the development of Bayfront. In order to attain this potential, the barrier effect caused by the physical separation of the downtown and tourist areas from the. waterfront by Shoreline Boulevard with its six Janes of traffic and 1£0 -foot plus right-of-way must be overcome. Movement of people from one side of the boulevard to the other at key crossing points must be given unmis- takable emphasis, tying the Central Business District and Bayfront together physically as well as visually. In order to attain its ultimate potential a:: a unifying element, the grand boulevard concept should be expanded throughout the Bayfront, including the major entrance point at 1.11. 37 and the Corpus Christi Beach area. This, along with special treatment of the boulevard's points of terminus, would go a long way toward clearly defining the Bayfront zone and its edges. MARINA The importance of the Marina is recotnized in virtually all planning studies commissioned for the area. since the construction of the land masses. Its con- tinued growth, vitality, and appeal is a key element in the future of Corpus Christi as s city which openly celebrates its relationship with the water. And yet, the immense potential the Marina offers in terms of recreational opportunity, image and economic vitality is only beginning to be realized. Until recently, little had changed in the Marina in the past quarter of a century except for a gradual decline inthe quality of the bulkhead and dredee area. Nut only. ,gust a program for continuous maintenance be adopted, but the Marina must grow and intensify' in use if it is to serve as a. catalyst to other public and private investment in the Bayfront. Intensification of use and physical growth of the Marina can -occur only if the problems which. have historically blocked such development can be overcome. The major obstacle to intensified and. varied use has been the fear of increased automobile congestion on the land masses. This fear is based on the long accepted assumption that the T and L heads and their respective uses must be self-sufficient in parking. The cost of this assumption is monumental. The land masses total approximately 18 acres of what has been described as the most expensive, in. terms of land value, surface parking lots on the Gulf Coast. higher still is the cost of the opportunity lost by maintaining these superb water surrounded environments for parkiag rather than for a multitude of attractive public and commercial uses for the enjoyment of visitors and residents of Corpus Christi. It is paramount to rite successful accaraodation of conventioneers and time linking and revitaliza- tion of the. downtown that a general intensification of use, including a major public or semi-public facility occurs on the land masses in. the short term. The utilization of future and existing downtown parking facilities with convenient transportation and pedestrian access across Shoreline Boulevard to the Marina would greatly relieve any congestion problems and would encourage a mutually beneficial interrelationship between downtown and the Marina area. The major obstacle to the physical expansion of the Marina is the means of financing construction and maintenance of new facilities. While at least part of the cost. of a maintenance program can be offset by encouraging revenue generating activities, it is clear that some kind of joint public/private participation and funding will be necessary for any significant expansion projects. Recently, there have been encouraging signs that the private sector recognizes. the feasibility and desira- bility of locating public and semi-public facilities on existing and new land masses. If this interest can be extended to include private sector involvement in the construction of new land masses and Marina dredging, while maintaining the right of public. access, then the Marina can begin to attain its full potential as the hub of Bayfront activity and the catalyst to further economic development in the Bayfront and the. City as a whole. CORPUS CHRISTI BEACH With its III mile sandy beach just across the ship channel from the Convention Center and downtown, its complete service facilities, and its abundance of redeveloping land to add to the adjoining lodging and commercial development, Corpus Christi beach has the potential to become a truly unique and distinctive urban beach, unmatched along the Gulf Coast. The main obstacle standing in the way of this potential is the physical and visual isolation of Corpus Christi Beach caused ironically by the relatively narrow ship channel. The Harbor Bridge itself is not enough to connect the Beach with. the rest of the City. It is critical to the future development of Corpus Christi Beach that it be strongly related to the rest of the bayfront. This can be accomplished by improving physical and visual access to the full length of the Beach, by providing more convenient transportation links between the BPach and the other major Bayfront attractions, by prothoting activities which encourage visitors to frequent both sides of the channel, and by expanding unifying elements of the Bayfront to Corpus Christi Beach. As with the other subunits of the Bayfront, continual maintenance must play a major rule in the development of the Beach for it to attain its full potential.. This must include measures to prevent the gradual erosion of the Beach itself. e I. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT w„. Coal A.: To encoucage and assist high-density development iu the Central Businase 1istricr consisting; of a miature of professional offices, motels, hotels, housing and specialty slops and restaurants. Specific policies and strategies include: 1) Encourage and assist rehabilitation efforts in appropriate locations, especially Lower Broadway and Water Streets. 2) Housing and business uses should be encouraged in a variety of types and higher density. 3) North of the business core, extending from I.H. 37 Lo the Bayfront Science Park, a small neighborhood of high density residence and commerce is proposed. Goal 5: Monitor and improve where necessary both pedestrian and vehicular movement in. the Central Business District, including promotion of parking facilities. Specific policies and strategies include: 1) Create a strong visual and pedestrian connection irons the. bay to the bluff along Peoples Street. 2) Improve existing streets, as warranted, and develop a solution to the complicated movements between uptotial and downtown for pedestrian and motorists alike. 3) Utilize a shuttle system connecting downtot.•n parking facilities to existing and proposed Bayfront attractions. 4) Give clear emphasis to pedestrian crossings at key points of connection between downtown and the Bayfront. 5) Encourage development of downtown uses which provide goods and services for bayfront users. - 6) Emphasize the Chaparral Street connection to the Bayfront Arts and Science Park with special landscape treatment. coordinated with overall landscaping plans in the Park itself. II. PUBLIC SHORELINE Goal A: Improve the overall appearance and access to Shoreline Boulevard and Ocean Drive as a major front -door to the City. Coal B: Specific policies and strategies include: 1.) Pedestrian plaza/crossing at Peoples Street and other key crossing points along Shoreline boulevard. 2) Landscape planting and sculpture along Shoreline Boulevard. 3) Design and placement of a standardized system of lighting, benches, bollards, trash receptacles, signing, including the system into the Bayfront Arts and Science Park. 4) Symbolic gateway arrival points along I.H. 37 and Twigg Street between Mesquite and Shoreline Boulevard, and Agues and Laredo Streets corridor areas along Kinney Street and Cooper's Alley from North Lower Broadway to Shoreline. 5) Expansion of transportation systems along Shoreline Boulevard with a continuing review of the viability of vehicular and. pe- destrian movement along and across Shoreline Boulevard with emphasis - " p s g iven to pedestrian access to the bayfront and the re- duction of pedestrian and vehicular conflict_ 6) Protect and enhance the scenic value of Ocean Drive to its fullest. 7) Provide exclusive jogging and bike paths its Cole Park; 8) Maintain encs enhance the Bayfront open. space parks along the full length of Ocean Drive including the area in the. vicinity of Ward Island. 9) Continued maiutcnence and runuurishment of Magee Beach as the major tourist beach south of the ship channel. 10) Develop and maintain seawall with intermediate resting platforms to allow people to talk out. Lighting on seawall is desirable to increase nighttime activity. 11.) Maintain the one -mile minimum distance from the shoreline for any drilling operations.. 12) Permit street vendors along the seawall subject to stringent guidelines foe such activity. To promote Shoreline Boulevard as the principal location of hotel/ motel complexes, while attempting to maintain visual corridors for property located to the west of Shoreline. Spec fic policies and strategies include: 1) Encourage the development of the west side of Shoreline. Boulevard as a hotel, motel, tourist complex, maintaining views to the bay through the use of visual corridors. 2) Continued development cf. the Bayfront Arts and Science Park as the cultural center of the city and appropriate focal point for Shoreline Boulevard. 3) Full development of the designated historical district in the Bnyftottt Arts and Science Park incorporating, the multi-rulrural center and plaza. Goal A: Goal B: To encourage and assist in the creation of additional land masses in the Marina, primarily for commercial and public activities. Specific policies and strategies include: 1) Induce a new land mass north of the Peoples Street T -head. 2) Encourage a public use at the south end of the south basin. 3) Reserve the north basin area for ultimate use for additional land masses and public boat slips. Expand activity in the Marina including additional slips and commercial activity. Specific policies and strategies -include: I) Small boat sailing l.ecated in south basin. 2) Water taxi services should be implemented. 3) Development of a public/private activity center in the Marina, which includes tour boats, party boats, restaurants, water- front shops, a maritime museum and aquarium. 4) City adoption of more efficient standards and arrangement of boat slip construction. Approximately 400 to 450 new slips could be accommodated on the two T -Heads and the L -Head without requiring new construction ether than the finger piers and slips themselves. 5) Development of aft aquarium on the Peoples Street T -Head. 6) There need to be intermediate events at several points aimed at .providing a continuity of life style and physical interaction between people and places. (Restaurants, shops over water; land- scaping with a variety of plants, and Lights, benches, and shaded areas.) 7) Extend lighting and walkway on the breakwater from McGee -Beach to the marina. fairway opening. 8) Establish a continual uwrinLunaarce program fur bulkheads and Marina dredging. IV. CORPUS CHRISTI BEACH Goal A: To encourage and assist in the development of Corpus Christi Beach primarily for hotel/mote] development and. high density housing. along with attendant public facilities. Specific policies and strategies include: 1) Encourage development of tourist -oriented complex at south end of Corpus Christi Beach where the remnants of the old commercial - tourist development remain today. 2) Encourage medium to high density residential uses for bulk of remaining property, utilizing small block pattern of streets. Enable properties which are not situated on the Bayfront visual access to the unique bayside/beach environment through the use of visual corridors. 3) Support deveiopneut or marinas at Rincon Point and between tha Ship Channel and the north breakwater. 4) Development of existing peeks, and the development of tourist facilities to include sites for motel or hotel operations, restaurants, cruise boats, fishing piers, etc. 5) Provide a sand retention facility with lighted fishing pier at north end of Corpus Christi. Beach. IV. CORPUS CHRISTI BEACH Coal B: To improve public access, physically and visually, to the full length of the beach. and to provide berter circulation patterns in the beach area, including stronger transportation links access the ship channel. Specific policies and strategies include: 1) Develop public -owned area along ship channel opening as public park. ? K 2) Develop adequate public access ta,jlarking areas ina mini- mum of seven specific sites along','•'Corpus Christi Beach adjacent to and on the sand beach. These access sites would be de- signed in general as foiloas: large parking areas together with full. testrooms and/or facilities at the south end, middle, and north end of the beach. In the area between the south end and middle and the muddle and north end, at least two additional access sites/parking ureas be built up to and on the sand beach in a design configuration perpendicular to the water. 3) Provide mini -parks at sante access points along the Beach with public shower facilities to emphasize the public ownership of the entire length of the Beach. 4) Develop a continuuus pedestrianwalk/jogging area with light landscaping along the fu1L length of the beach to tie the various facilities together, provide ease of movement along the beach and to clearly define rhe public beach from private property. 5) Establish a water taxi service and/or other pedestrian trans- po-tation across the channel to connect the Beach facilities with the rest of the Baytront and downtown area. 6) Expand the grand boulevard concept to Corpus Christi. Beach by developing the old railroad right-of-way as a green boulevard to provide strung visual unity and efficient circulation in the area. 7) Connection of bayfront beach to Nueeus Bay - acquire Bayfront parcel across the northern. end of the peninsula and under the viaduct 10 link the public zone from Corpus Christi Bay to Nueces Bay and the possible marina site west of highway. 181. 8) Development of Corpus Christi Beach Park on north end of terminus of Cornus Christi Beach recreation area. 9) Provide a shallow draft boat launching facility on Corpus Christi Beach in conjunction with one of the parking/access points along the Beach. 10) In order to assist maintenance of the Beach strictly enforce the ban of glass containers and niece coordinated trash recencacles at all access points and along walkway/jogging path along the Beach.