Riverfront Revitalization Iniative

Project History

Since its inception The City of Palatka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has sought the revitalization and beautification of Downtown Palatka. The CRA and the City of Palatka are currently pursuing the redevelopment of the Palatka Riverfront. In the summer of 2009 Michael Redd & Associates, a North Palm Beach Landscape Architecture firm, was selected to come up with a Master Plan for the City of Palatka's riverfront. Over the course of the next year through a series of public charrettes and multiple plan revisions a Master Plan was developed. Michael Redd & Associates' plan took into consideration the adjacent redevelopment efforts. The video and Master Plan show an illustrative rendering of what the development and the riverfront could look like. A condensed version of the vision for the Riverfront consists of:

• "Cypress Dome" as an interpretive environmental element
• "Soft" launch for kayaks and canoes
• Additional boat launches
• Event lawn
• Floating docks
• Improved vehicular circulation
• Interactive splash pad
• Park landscape and lighting enhancements
• Parking improvements
• Restroom / shower facilities for boaters
• Uniform sea wall and pedestrian walks
• Streetscape improvements

Phase I (Northern Riverfront) of the riverfront park redevelopment project was completed in the Spring of 2012. Phase II (Southern Riverfront) improvements are expected to be complete by December 2014. The completion date for Phase III (Central Riverfront) improvements is September 2015.

In addition to the public infrastructure improvements, the proposed Hampton Inn will be operational by December 2015 and the proposed St. Johns River Center is expected to open in April of 2015.