Tie goes to the home team.
That was the ruling Thursday that secured Wakefield Beasley & Associates with top billing as the group that will redesign the Jacksonville Landing.
A call for proposals was issued in January by the Downtown Investment Authority in January, which sought a company that specialized in waterfront and public access.
Fourteen responses were trimmed to three, with Wakefield Beasley ultimately tying with Atlanta-based Cooper Carry Inc. for the top score. Although Wakefield Beasley also is based in Atlanta, it has an office in Ponte Vedra Beach. And according to city code, a local presence breaks the tie.
The city’s Professional Services Evaluation Committee held to that.
After the vote, DIA CEO Aundra Wallace said he’s been closely following some of Wakefield Beasley’s projects in Atlanta — SunTrust Park and Avalon are two in the company’s portfolio — and he believes they “have the chops” to succeed on the Landing.
Wallace and DIA board member Doris Goldstein were the two who scored the proposals, with Goldstein saying after Thursday’s decision that both firms have the experience to help with a “complete reimagining” of the venue.
“We’re starting from scratch here,” she said.
Wakefield Beasley is partnering with Pittsburgh-based Urban Design Associates, who has extensive work in waterfront projects.
Wallace now enters negotiations with Wakefield Beasley on a contract budgeted for up to $100,000. Once finalized, he said he hoped to see the design phase completed in 120 days.
They’ll work with Landing co-owner Toney Sleiman’s selected development team headed by Tom Senkbeil, principal of his Atlanta-based Senkbeil Associates, on the project.
Senkbeil said Thursday afternoon he has worked with Wakefield Beasley in the past and again looked forward to working with the group.
“They are a good firm,” he said.
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