University of South Florida?EUR??,,????'???s Ribbon of Green

Prime Landscape Architecture Consultant,
Phil Graham & Company, P.A.

This southern section of the Tampa Rivewalk across from the University of South Florida Park plaza overlooks a wetland prominently populated with sabal palmettos. The Army Corps of Engineers was involved in the permitting of the wetlands along the banks of the Hillsborough River. White vinyl-coated safety railings help keep people from venturing into the wetlands ecology. Thirteen granite monuments represent each of the degree programs (colleges) of the University of South Florida. The design of the mullions in the monuments?EUR??,,????'??? portals is tied to the architectural detailing of the Platt Street Bridge. Beach sunflowers (Helianthus debilis) add color out front, and metal halide pole lighting (?EUR??,,????'??Miramar,?EUR??,,????'??? Beacon) illuminates the walk.

Editor?EUR??,,????'???s note: The completion of the Tampa Riverwalk Master Plan was a milestone in the ongoing efforts to revitalize the downtown Hillsborough River waterfront via a multipurpose walkway from the Channelside area to the North Boulevard Bridge. The master plan was prepared by EDAW, but also involved HDR, Moffatt & Nichol, Ralph Appelbaum Associates and Echezabal & Associates. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio (served 2003 to 2011) organized Friends of the Riverwalk, which oversaw the Riverwalk development. Friends of the Riverwalk was chaired by Dan Mahurin, CEO of SunTrust Bank. Promenades and riverwalk elements already existed along the Hillsborough River, however there was no coherent riverwalk design, nor a continuous 2.4-mile promenade along the river.

The serpentine granite walk abuts a colored concrete labyrinth. A shade structure was design to cover this area, but was not installed in phase one.

This revitalization effort began back in the 1980s with the completion of the Riverwalk elements of the Tampa Convention Center. In 1989, Tampa adopted Riverwalk design standards and additional Riverwalk segments were completed.

This feature regards the development of the very southern end of the Riverwalk, three blocks south to north from the Platt Street Bridge to Washington Street, comprising USF Park, a park area under the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway and MacDill Park.?EUR??,,????'??+Ed.

The plaza is a venue for USF, community events and daily lunchers. ?EUR??,,????'??Petoskey?EUR??,,????'???-backed benches with wood inserts supply the seating.

The Southern Segment
Areas in the southern segment of the Hillsborough River frontage had open spaces in disrepair and deterioration. There were crumbling hardscapes by the river, including a collapsed seawall that left large broken concrete surfaces half submersed in the river. This spot was reminiscent of images you might see following a significant earthquake. The shoreline was also strewn with trash. Areas under or near overpasses were homes for the homeless and hangouts for transients. Let?EUR??,,????'???s just say the site was not conducive to park and waterfront activities.

The rundown area under the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway that was ?EUR??,,????'??home to the homeless?EUR??,,????'?? was redefined by opening views, linking Ashley Street to the Riverwalk, adding safety lighting and other park amenities. Columns with native Florida ?EUR??,,????'??leather?EUR??,,????'??? ferns (Acrostichum danaeifolium) were relocated from Curtis Hixon Park.

Phil Graham & Company, P.A., landscape architects/planners of Tampa, Phil Graham, FASLA, AICP, principal, was engaged by the city to resurrect this segment of the river frontage into two major parks connected by an esplanade, or Riverwalk. The design also needed to work within the context of the existing buildings and future building sites. The concept developed by the landscape architects reflected on the importance of two institutions that made significant contributions to the development of Tampa, the University of South Florida (USF) and MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB).

The southern segment of the Riverwalk adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center was designated as an entry to the Riverwalk that would celebrate the positive impact the University of South Florida (USF) has had on Tampa. Toward that goal, a design charrette was held at the USF Urban Design School with 15 student team participants bringing their perspectives and ideas to the park design.

The northern segment of this ?EUR??,,????'??Ribbon of Green?EUR??,,????'?? was designed to honor the remarkable contribution MacDill AFB has made to the growth of the city. The base was established in 1939 (dedicated April 16, 1941) and named in honor of Colonel Leslie MacDill (1889?EUR??,,????'???1938), a commander of an aerial gunnery school in St Jean de Monte, France during World War I.

His life ended in a crash of his North American BC-1 at Anacostia, D.C. The Air Force conducted research into the history of MacDill AFB to relate to the designers the base?EUR??,,????'???s significant events and milestones. It was up to the designers to incorporate some of those highlights into the park designs.

The intermediate pieces of the park, those sites occupied by other land uses but linked by the Riverwalk, were repurposed and upgraded. In particular, the area under the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway was designed to discourage loitering and overnight use by using design elements to reinforce the use and appearance of a park. Note: Lee Roy Selmon (Oct. 20, 1954 ?EUR??,,????'??? Sept. 4, 2011) was a defensive star for University of Oklahoma football, and Hall of Fame NFL defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Design Issues

• The developable site areas were disconnected. Existing buildings and facilities broke up any contiguous design thread. They could only be tied together with the Riverwalk. The resolution was the artful placement of landscape and hardscape materials to lead the user through and around the unlinked elements.
  
• The sites to be redeveloped had fallen into disrepair and were unsightly ?EUR??,,????'??? the community was encouraged by the redevelopment on these sites.
  
• The collapsed seawall on the south end prevailed to the north of the Lee Roy Selmon overpass. This provided an opportunity to create a wetland edge and an environmental educational moment along the Hillsborough River. Native and adaptive species were used throughout the park to demonstrate a sustainable landscape.
  
• The foundation and first floor slab of a previous structure remained in the south park with adjacent weeded sand extending north to the Krause Pump Station (still in operation). The foundation was completely removed and the pump station incorporated into the design.
  
• The existing northern park site consisted of a weeded open space and a worn surface parking area. This area was turned into the MacDill Air Force Base Park.
  
• The entire site was devoted to the early Tampa marine industries.
  
• A transit stop had to be incorporated in the northern park with a pull-off lane, as Ashley Drive was so narrow at that point.
  
• The existing six-story building abutted the bulkhead at the river impacted the ability to continue the Riverwalk behind it. This was remedied with a cantilevered walk at that point.
  
• The southern connection to the existing Riverwalk had to be placed over the water and under the Platt Street Bridge.
  

The buildings and facilities along the Hillsborough River used to lack a contiguous design thread before the Riverwalk was built. HID-illuminated aluminum bollards (42-inch ?EUR??,,????'??Palm Beach?EUR??,,????'??? by Beacon) show the way. These bollards had to be retrofitted with highly vandal-resistant tops, as the previous bollard tops were being taken off and thrown into the river!

The Design Concept (from south to north):

• A heavy landscape buffer was designed to screen blank sections of bridge looking south and to help mitigate traffic noise and provide shaded canopy area.
  
• The major portal to USF Park is located at the Channelside Drive and Platt Street Bridge intersection, with most pedestrian traffic accessing the park from this location.
  
• The USF Park portal is a large plaza and flared walk. Bollards keep pedestrians safe from traffic. A perforated metal gateway displays ?EUR??,,????'??The University of South Florida?EUR??,,????'?? and its logo. The entry uses the same brick and school colors as that on the USF campuses and is dedicated to the School of Architecture. Wavy score lines in the pavement mimic river currents. The plaza extends through the natural wetland with granite monuments naming the 13 colleges of the University of South Florida.
  
• The serpentine walk reflects that life is not always a straight line. The path abuts a colored concrete space with a labyrinth design.
  
• The rundown area under the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway was redefined by opening views, linking Ashley Street to the Riverwalk and adding park amenities.
  
• The northern park site of the Riverwalk?EUR??,,????'???s southern segment was dedicated to MacDill Air Force Base?EUR??,,????'???s development of Tampa. The park has a bugler?EUR??,,????'???s and flag plaza, and a large grass area field and public events. A concrete walk with a snaking colored concrete design depics the Hillsborough River and connects the plaza with the Riverwalk.

The Riverwalk?EUR??,,????'???s wavy edge softens its rectilinear form. Surrounding the open space at the inward edge of the walk are granite monuments etched with metal images of historic milestones in the development of MacDill Air Force Base. Quercus virginiana shade trees surround the park.

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Design Team

• City of Tampa
  
• James Jackson, City Architect
  
• Brad Suder, Project Coordinator, Tampa Parks and Recreationr
  
• Prime Consultant
  Phil Graham & Company, P.A. ?EUR??,,????'??? Landscape Architects/Planners
  Phil Graham, FASLA, AICP, Principal
  
• SubConsultants
  Scheda Ecological
  Rubin Clarson Engineering Consultant ?EUR??,,????'??? Marine
  Hamilton Engineering - Civil
  HSA Engineers ?EUR??,,????'??? Geotechnical
  
• General Contractor
  Jim Roe, project manager
  R. M. Williams Contractors
  Landscape, Irrigation & Hardscape Contractor
  ValleyCrest Landscape Development, Tampa