An 11-year effort by the Palm Beach Centennial Commission to add stairs to the historic Mizner Memorial Fountain was rewarded with a vote of approval last month from the Palm Beach City Council.
At its March 8 regular meeting, the board agreed to move forward with plans for the addition of stairs and the inclusion of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access on the south side of the Memorial Park fountain.
Council members voting to approve the project — Julie Araskog and Ted Cooney dissented in a 3-2 decision — said the steps are necessary to improve the aesthetic appearance of Memorial Fountain Park on the north side of the fountain and connecting it to Town Square Park on the south side.
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Step access for visitors with disabilities was also a key factor in their decision to move the project forward.
“Right now, today, there’s probably 18 to 20 percent disabled people who can’t get up there and have their picture taken, or stand in front of that fountain,” said Bobbie Lindsay, a member of the advice. “These people are being denied access to the fountain, and we are in the 21st century. We now have ways of allowing people with disabilities to go to a park like this and experience it in the same way as the rest of us. It became a very important thing for me.”
Previous efforts to add stairs to the historic structure, which was designed by famed architect Addison Mizner in 1929, were scuttled when the Florida Division of Historic Resources objected to the project, fearing it would harm the architectural integrity of the fountain.
Those concerns have been echoed over the years by council members, residents and others who say adding the steps – which are designed by classic architect Richard Sammons – would damage Mizner’s historic structure.
“I agree that historic preservation should be flexible, and I have encouraged many changes over time in historic structures,” said Jane Day, former preservation consultant for the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission.
“This, however, is a work of art. It is not necessary to have this addition. Adding steps to the south of the fountain changes the orientation of the main fountain from a focal point to a hallway, a space from here to there, from park to park. I think the Mizner Fountain is worth more than that.
The state, however, cited the importance of connectivity to the adjacent park in dropping its opposition to the project last April, clearing the way for Centennial Commission Chairman Bill Bone to return to council with new plans for the stairs.
In May 2021, Bone applied for permission to proceed with the project, but council members agreed to defer their decision until city staff can seek ADA guidelines. .
Bone returned to the board last month with updated plans for the project, which include a standard self-contained aerial platform that meets ADA requirements; increased green space over previous designs; a vanity wall that hides the elevator; and double staircase designed with classic proportions.
Bone told the council that the fountain renovation will improve the entire area by unifying the two parks without detracting from Mizner’s original design.
“The vast majority of people think we need to do something that will last for the next 100 years,” he said. “Those of us who want the stairs, we really love Mizner. We pay homage to him. We want this fountain to be enjoyed by all sides. That’s why we’re promoting the stairs.”
The Centennial Commission selected the Memorial Fountain restoration as its legacy project in 2011, and Bone led the commission’s efforts to raise over $1 million in donations to help pay for it.
The restoration of the fountain and the renovation of the park on the south side were the starting point for the $5.7 million renovation of the town square which began in February 2015 and was completed the following year. .
The city council shelved the idea of adding stairs to the south side of the fountain in 2016, but brought it back two years later.
Council members agreed to go ahead with the project in November 2018, but plans were put on hold until the Florida Division of Historic Resources dropped its opposition.
“While it is preferable to keep the original historic fabric and design of Mizner intact, further discussions with stakeholders have highlighted the importance of connectivity with the adjacent park, as well as the safety of users of the park,” said Dr. Timothy Parsons, director. of the Division of Historic Resources, wrote in an April 2021 letter to the city.
With the council agreeing to go ahead with the project, it now goes to the Monuments Preservation Commission, which is expected to discuss the project at its April or May meeting and possibly issue a certificate of suitability for the one here,” Bone said.
The Palm Beach Garden Club will also weigh in on the plans, while the state must review and approve the updated design, including ADA accommodations.
If the council approves the certificate of adequacy, the project will go to tender, Bone said.
Construction is expected to begin next summer with an expected completion date of spring 2024, possibly around the city’s 113th birthday in April of that year.
Bone said he expects little disruption to residents and business owners once the work is underway.
“No roads will be closed,” he said. “This part of the park will be cordoned off during the construction of the stairs. It is really very modest.”
The Centennial Commission will pay for the project, Bone said.
Jodie Wagner is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network of Florida. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
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