Title
Percival Landing Revisioning Process Briefing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a briefing on the current condition of Percival Landing and provide feedback on the proposed revisioning process.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing on the current condition of Percival Landing and provide feedback on the proposed revisioning process.
Staff Contact:
Paul Simmons, Parks, Arts and Recreation Director, 360.753.8462
Presenter(s):
Paul Simmons, Parks, Arts and Recreation Director
Background and Analysis:
Today’s Percival Landing boardwalk is named after a dock that was built by Sam Percival in 1860 and served as Olympia’s landing place for Puget Sound’s colorful and flourishing steamboat trade. The boardwalk was originally built in three phases from 1978 through 1988 and is almost a mile in length. It is a wooden boardwalk that was constructed on wood pilings, some of which are from the early 1900’s.
The boardwalk is one of the most distinctive features of our state capital, and links many of the City’s major landmarks: Farmers Market, West Bay waterfront, 4th Avenue Bridge, Heritage Fountain, Heritage Park, and the Capitol Campus. The boardwalk is our communities promenade and serves as a stage for social interaction, historical interpretation, environmental education artistic expression and community celebration. Percival Landing hosts two of Olympias largest waterfront celebrations Olympia’s Harbor Days and Wooden Boat Festivals. It is where locals bring guests and direct visitors to dine at the water’s edge and stroll the neighboring shops. Breathtaking views and immediate access to the downtown business core make the boardwalk a draw for tourists by boat as well as by land, offering an experience not so readily found in other communities.
The structure has exhibited the effects of more than 30 years of exposure to the harsh marine environment and requires constant attention. The City has repaired numerous pilings, post caps and other structural components, and wooden decking. Ongoing decay will require replacement of many more of the piles, structural components, and decking over the next several years. The floats, which were installed in 1978, are beyond their expected life span.
In 2004, the City of Olympia completed engineering studies to evaluate the structural condition of the wooden pilings, supporting beams and deck. As a result of that study, emergency actions were taken to insure the safety of users. Concern about potential structural failure resulted in the City’s three prong approach to Percival Landing which is:
• Conduct annual assessments of the condition of the landing. We hire a structural engineering company to provide a walk-through assessment every year and every 5 years an in depth structural assessment.
• Implement repairs on the landing to keep it open and safe to the public. This includes work done by City maintenance crews as well as larger contractor completed work.
• Plan and implement for total replacement of the landing.
In 2007, the City completed a conceptual design for the entire landing. As part of that design process, the City reached out to the community for input and held numerous public meetings. Those meetings resulted in over 1,000 comments that were used to help guide the conceptual design. The conceptual design culminated with 30% design for the entire landing.
Replacement started with Section A, which is the oldest part of the landing and where the City owned the upland property which could be used for mitigation areas. The City designed Section A of the landing in 2009 and, in 2011, completed replacement of only a portion of Section A, due to funding limitations. The construction cost of that work was $9M and replaced 700 lineal feet of urban shoreline and adjacent park. In 2015, the City replaced F Float and the associated pump out system with a grant from Washington State Parks. In 2019, the City replaced the bulkhead along Water St and 4th Ave that is the foundation for the remaining portion of Section A.
Beyond the degradation and high replacement costs of Percival Landing, another looming challenge lies ahead. As noted in the 2019 Olympia Sea Level Rise Response Plan, Olympia-specific projections of sea level rise for the year 2100 range from 36-68 inches. The plan identified four primary Focus Areas for Vulnerability, one of which incorporates the entire boundary of Percival Landing. In reading the full assessment, one quickly concludes that the 30% design concept that was completed in 2007 for Percival Landing is in need of significant modifications in order to incorporate the recommendations of the Sea Level Rise Response Plan.
Recognizing that it will require a significant investment to rebuild the remaining sections of Percival Landing in a way that protects our downtown, it would be prudent to take this opportunity to evaluate potential opportunities beyond the 2007 vision. Below is a list of areas we plan to consider beyond the challenge of sea level rise -
• Seek ecological opportunities - It is likely that the long-term plan will include a new shoreline with modified elevations for the surrounding infrastructure. As the shoreline evolves overtime, what is the potential of creating new opportunities to restore habitat and improve water quality in a way that targets species we want to thrive.
• Connect people to water - Currently, Percival Landing provides an amazing edge experience on the sound, yet due in large part to the large tidal fluctuations, is frequently high above the sound. How could a revised design of Percival Landing create opportunities for people to touch the water?
• Achieve multiple goals through one effort - A modification to the design of Percival Landing presents the ability to mitigate the risk of sea level rise and enhance our downtown waterfront, all while replacing a critical piece of infrastructure that is well beyond it’s useful life and is costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to maintain.
• An opportunity to achieve more through public-private partnerships - Percival Landing is the host to a vibrant business and restaurant community. Sea level rise also presents significant risks and uncertainty to those businesses overtime. Can we achieve more by collaborating and seeking solutions together?
• Build upon on the foundation of public art at Percival Landing - Currently there strong foundation of art throughout Percival Landing, featuring five pieces of permanent public art, and an annual rotating art collection that has a capacity of up new 25 pieces each year. This contributes to the function of Percival Landing as a community waterfront arts promenade. An enhanced design could infuse art deeper into the infrastructure and expand on the strong foundation of art that exists today.
As we look to next steps and the future, staff would propose hiring a consultant to facilitate a community-driven process to update and revise our vision for the cherished Percival Landing. This opportunity-based approach will build on the work of the past, utilize the findings of the Sea Level Response Plan to protect our downtown from rising seas, and look to expand on our rich history and artistic culture.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Percival Landing is a destination for community members and visitors alike and there is interest in its condition and role in our community.
Options:
1. Receive the briefing and provide feedback.
2. Receive the briefing and provide an alternative approach to update the vision for Percival Landing.
3. Receive the briefing at another time.
Financial Impact:
$275,000 has been budgeted to complete this revisioning work.
Attachments:
None