The Jekyll Island Authority today announced its selection for Planning, Architectural and Engineering Services for the Jekyll Island Convention Center, Beachfront Park and Entry Corridor Revitalization areas. The selection is a conclusion of Request for Qualified Contractor #253 and was approved by the Jekyll Island Authority Board on Monday.

The Jekyll Island Authority is pleased to select HHCP Architecture, Inc. as the winning firm. HHCP will contract and report to the Jekyll Island Authority and together with HHCP’s project team work with the JIA along with revitalization partner Linger Longer Communities to fulfill the vision for the new beach village.

“We had 33 responses to the RFQC, so the review team had a great amount of work to complete in a short amount of time,” stated Jones Hooks, Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “There were many great firms, but HHCP really impressed us, bringing a higher level of excitement and a deeper understanding of the importance and potential the beach village project has.”

HHCP Architecture, Inc. will be the primary partner and handle architecture, programming, budget & scheduling and LEED qualification. Among HHCP’s project team, site consultants will be Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co. of Brunswick, GA who will handle civil engineering and surveying. Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin of Atlanta will handle transportation planning, site planning, landscape architecture, environmental and graphics & wayfinding. Building consultants will be structural engineers Stanley D. Lindsey and Associates of Atlanta, mechanical engineers TLC Engineering for Architecture from Orlando and interior designer TJNG Partners also of Orlando. HHCP Architecture, Inc. is licensed and registered in Georgia with its main headquarters in Maitland, Florida.

“The new Jekyll Island Convention Center and Beach Village has the potential to create a strong sense of place and give visitors an enjoyable, rich and unique experience that will make them want to visit again,” stated Alan Helman, senior partner with HHCP Architecture, Inc. “We are obviously pleased with the selection and are confident in our team’s ability to meet the goals and exceed expectations.”

Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock/Architects, Inc. (HHCP) was founded in 1975 and has grown to become one of the southeast’s most experienced and respected architectural firms. With a staff of 67 professionals and support staff, HHCP has project experience all over the world, most in the hospitality industry. Much of the domestic experience is in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico and includes the Orange County Convention Center and University of Central Florida’s College of Hospitality in Orlando. HHCP’s work on the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort was recognized as the 2007 Project of the Year by Associated Builders and Contractors.

The Jekyll Island Beach Village project is one of several redevelopment projects which will bring about the revitalization of Jekyll Island. Along with a new convention center and beachfront park, partner Linger Longer Communities will construct two adjacent hotels, a retail shopping village with public plaza and a new vacation ownership lodging project. The entry corridor to Jekyll Island will be re-worked to unify the site and place the beach village adjacent and overlooking the beach and ocean. The total project is expected to cost $165+ million.

Even during revitalization, Jekyll Island offers guests a wonderful beach escape with hotels, rental cottages and campground all operating. All restaurants, tennis facilities, bike paths, Summer Waves Water Park, Historic Landmark District and golf courses are open for business; and miles of uncrowded beach are unaffected by revitalization project work. For more information about Jekyll island revitalization, visit www.jekyllisland.com. For more information on HHCP Architecture, Inc., please visit www.hhcp.com.

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Thursday, February 26, 2:00-4:00 PM - The public is invited to join Alex Sweeny and an archaeological research team from Brockington and Associates as they excavate the remains from a native American shell midden near the Jekyll Island gas station on Ben Fortson Parkway.  The public will learn more about the current archaeological research efforts on Jekyll Island and delve into the puzzles of the past. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the site, inspect artifacts uncovered during the course of the dig, ask questions, and learn about Georgia’s prehistory.

Details about the site:
The midden site was first discovered during an archaeological survey conducted in the mid-1990s. It was resurveyed in 2008. The archaeologists are now returning for a second more intensive phase of research to examine the site in greater depth.

Based on the results of last year’s work, Sweeney describes the site as “likely the remains of either a seasonally occupied resource extraction locale or a small village or hamlet.” Prehistoric ceramic sherds located at the site suggest that it may have been occupied beginning about 300 BC, during the Middle to Late Woodland Period , at a time when small seasonal villages were beginning to appear. It may have been occupied until as late as about 1540 AD, the end of the Mississippian Period and just before European arrival to the area.

Sweeney and his crew are working closely with members of the Jekyll Island Museum on the project. The Jekyll Island Museum, a division of the Jekyll Island Authority, works in consultation with the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Natural Resources to oversee the management of all of the archaeological resources on Jekyll Island.

John Hunter, the Director of the Jekyll Island Museum, encourages visitors to attend the public archaeology program. “I would like to see the museum spend more time doing public archaeology in the long term,” he admitted. “It is a great way to share information about the past. You get to be outside, doing something active and hands on, and really learning concrete, everyday things about the people who were here before us. What could be better than that?”

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Beginning this year, the Jekyll Island Authority Event Marketing team is getting extra help via volunteer participation on event planning committees. The committee approach was initiated to encourage more community and inter-departmental involvement at all Jekyll Island events.”Our local business owners, managers, and residents are great resources for ideas and are eager to help,” said Jones Hooks, Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “By establishing these committees, we hope to bring those ideas together and open more lines of communication between the JIA and our community.”

The Event Planning Committees are divided into two categories. Event Support Committees help bolster all events via sponsorship sales, fund-raising, entertainment negotiations, financial management, volunteer recruitment, and environmental oversight. Event Committees work on issues directly related to their specific event. An Event Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from each of the other committees, oversees all events and makes decisions on any new event proposals.

“With more people involved we are able to gather ideas and find better solutions,” said Beth Burnsed, Event Marketing Coordinator for the Jekyll Island Authority. “We want our annual events to be more community-oriented rather than just promote tourism. So far the response has been extremely positive and we appreciate the input and support.”

Interested parties are still invited to participate on an Event Committee. To sign up contact Beth Burnsed, Event Marketing Coordinator for the Jekyll Island Authority at 912-635-4189. For more information on all Jekyll Island events, visit www.jekyllisland.com.

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The Chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority will host the first meeting of the Jekyll Advisory Forum on February 5th, 2009. The new advisory forum was established by Chairman Bob Krueger to provide input and advice on future decisions facing the Jekyll Island Authority Board. The advisory group, comprised of leaders from across the state, will work with the board as it guides Jekyll Island through the revitalization process over the next several years.

“Even though we allow time at each board meeting for public input, this forum will be a more appropriate venue for deeper discussion on certain issues facing the Authority,” said Bob Krueger, Chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority Board. “Jekyll Island is such an important asset to all Georgia, and therefore this forum includes community leaders from across the state.”

Twenty-four invitees have confirmed their attendance at the inaugural meeting. Areas of expertise are widespread participants and include a representative from the Georgia Conservancy, Georgia Land Conservation, Jekyll Island residents, City of Brunswick, Glynn County, chamber of commerce representatives and citizens at-large.

“With revitalization in full swing, the Advisory Forum will be instrumental in keeping the lines of communication open between the Authority and the community,” said Jones Hooks, Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “We are committed to listening, and charting the right course the best serves the citizens of Georgia.”

The Jekyll Advisory Forum will meet regularly throughout the year and will be a valuable resource to the policy-making board. The revitalization of Jekyll Island seeks to reverse the downward trend in visitation that has occurred over the last twenty years as facilities have become outdated. Several hotel redevelopment projects are underway, and the Jekyll Island Authority has plans for a new convention center and “signature” beachfront park. Together with commercial redevelopment, new public amenities will attract more convention and vacation guests to the island. The revenue generated from visitor activity will make it possible for the Jekyll Island Authority to care for the public island, including 65% of the island that must remain undeveloped. As one of only three Georgia barrier islands accessible by automobile, Jekyll Island is a critically important tourism asset for the state. Because of the statewide importance, Jekyll Island Authority Chairman Krueger announced the formation of the forum upon his appointment in September 2008 as a way to receive input and advice.

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Ryker Carter, president and CEO of Carter Group Land and developer of Big Horse joins Beth Burnsed from the Jekyll Island Authority and Jenna McNeal of Sunny 103 in presenting a $2000 check as proceeds from the “Holiday Hope” promotion to Regina Martin, Executive Director of the Golden Isles Children’s Advocacy Center. Pictured from l-r: Michael Mower, Jenna McNeal, Beth Burnsed, Ryker Carter, Regina Martin, Nora Morris and Jonathan Havens.

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Following the adjournment of their January 14 monthly board meeting, the Jekyll Island Authority Board took a hard hat tour of the new Hampton Inn & Suites hotel.  Set to open late summer 2009, the hotel will included 138 hotel rooms, a restaurant, and meeting space. It will be the first new hotel to open on Jekyll Island since 1974.

The new hotel is being constructed on the basic footprint of the former Holiday Inn, preserving the oak tree canopy that is unique to the site. When open, the hotel will feature boardwalks through maritime forest and over protected sand dunes. The adjacent beach is the widest and most pristine on Jekyll Island, with wonderful views of Cumberland Island and the Atlantic Ocean.

The new Hampton inn & Suites is one component being built on the site of the former Holiday Inn. The developer is Jekyll Ocean Oaks LLC, and includes partners that also own and operate the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel. The Jekyll Ocean Oaks project is one of five hotel redevelopment projects on Jekyll Island currently underway. Along with the seven hotels currently operating, the new hotel and convention center projects will bring about a revitalization of Jekyll Island making it a premier vacation and convention destination.

For more information about Jekyll Island revitalization visit www.jekyllisland.com/news.

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By Joe Wilkinson

During the gilded age of the late 1880s and until World War II, Jekyll Island was a place where Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Astors, Morgans and Pulitzers would escape the cold New York winters.

More than a century later, however, many of Jekyll Island’s facilities are in disrepair —- so much that even some Boy Scouts trying to earn merit badges don’t find much appeal to this precious coastal asset. Numerous civic and professional groups have scratched Jekyll off their list for annual conventions.

The sad fact is Jekyll has suffered a 23 percent drop in tourism since 1989. It is in desperate need of revitalization, and now is the perfect time to undertake a major redevelopment while protecting the fragile environment as the foremost goal.

Earlier this month, the Jekyll Island Authority finalized a 25-year contract with Linger Longer Communities to revitalize the island. On Monday, the authority made a final amendment to its long-term master plan so redevelopment can proceed in January. For the sake of Jekyll and the people of Georgia, it is time to now move forward and to stop changing the rules and moving the goal line. With this plan for the state to partner with the private sector to carefully redevelop Jekyll, all parties have won.

As someone who has a second home in Glynn County, the future of this island is as important to me as it is to the residents of Jekyll and others who fear the word development. I, too, am an environmentalist. Yet I knew it was important to strike a balance between making Jekyll attractive to the public and not harming the ecosystem including loggerhead turtles and a variety of birds. I believe the state has struck that balance with this developer.

I applaud the Jekyll Island Authority for responding to public concerns and working with the developer to scale back original plans for the 10-mile-long island. It agreed to reduce the size of the 22-acre Beach Village, the largest proposed project.

Concessions include:

> A proposed 141,000-square-foot convention center has been changed to a renovation of the existing convention center at 76,000 square feet.

> A proposal for 725 new hotel rooms has been scaled back to 350 rooms. The original concept was to include three hotels; now there will be two.

> A plan for a 59,000-square-foot retail shopping center has been reduced to 30,000 square feet.

The state will also earn $20 million in the first 15 years of the lease —- money that can be used for beach renourishment or to make repairs to the historic village where the wealthy visitors lodged so long ago.

In today’s economy, Georgia taxpayers are fortunate to find a private partner to operate and build these new facilities at no cost. In addition, a new Jekyll will bring 700 jobs to Glynn County and $94 million in sales tax and $38 million in motel tax revenue to the state and local coffers. That’s not worth another hour of delay because of continued disputes over procedure or the concept of this project.

In 1947, the state bought Jekyll for a bargain, just $600,000. The purpose was to make it a place for all Georgians to revel in a piece of the Golden Isles. As a member of the board of the Jekyll Island Foundation, I believe no one can say they are a true Georgian unless they have experienced the marshes of the island, Jekyll’s dunes or the sea turtles that nest there. Fortunately for all of us, Jekyll will be a much more appealing place thanks to the work those who will give it another Golden Age —- this time, in the 21st century.

>Joe Wilkinson, a state representative (R) from Sandy Springs, is a part-time resident of St. Simon’s Island and a member of the board of the Jekyll Island Foundation.

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On Tuesday, December 16^th, the Jekyll Island Authority presented a comprehensive update regarding the revitalization of Jekyll Island to members of the Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee. The meeting was held at the State Capitol in Atlanta, and lasted approximately 2 hours. The full presentation document is available online at www.jekyllisland.com/news.

Members of the Legislative Oversight Committee in attendance were Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons), Rep. Terry Barnard (R-Glennville), Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry) and Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville). Jekyll Island Authority Chairman Bob Krueger delivered a complete update on revitalization that includes five projects and represents over $390 million of private investment to rebuild Jekyll’s aging hotels and convention center. Chairman Krueger gave a detailed description of the recently adopted amendment to the Jekyll Island Master Plan that will allow work on the new Beach Village project to move forward.

Oversight Committee members were pleased with the progress and satisfied with the terms of the recent redevelopment agreements, including the new Revitalization Partnering Agreement with Georgia-based Linger Longer Communities. All new ground leases are tied to the fair market value of the land and include inflation-based increases. Land values range from $600,000 to $900,000 per acre. New leases also include requirements for continued capital investment.

Members raised concern over existing Jekyll Island residential leases that are not tied to land value, and expressed their desire for a remedy. Residential leases were created over fifty years ago and have a fixed ground lease rate. Residential units on Jekyll Island occupy 204 acres, more than four times the amount of land currently under commercial redevelopment. Residential lease revenue to the Jekyll Island Authority from these older leases averages $350 per lease or $1,025 per acre, equivalent to less than 1% of a fair market value-based lease.

Concern over residential leases continued with a discussion and question of how leases on the protected south end will be handled. The southern portion of the island was given special protection in 2006 under HB214. Oversight Committee Chairman Keen asked legislative counsel to determine if residential leases could even be extended in this area of the island.

Jekyll Island Authority Vice-Chairman Steve Croy reinforced the importance of moving forward with Jekyll Island revitalization given the struggling economy and the continued decline in island visitation. Committee members were impressed with the number of Georgia-based conventions that currently meet outside the state but have expressed intention to return to Jekyll Island once new hotels are built.

Rep. Drenner echoed the compliments of committee members with the progress of revitalization, but did express a desire for more information regarding environmental protection. Chairman Krueger shared the elements of Jekyll Island Design Guidelines that encourage LEED-certification for new development, and recent conservation initiatives including the new Wildlife Viewing Platform located on the Jekyll Island Causeway overlooking the Marshes of Glynn.

Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick), not a member of the Oversight Committee but whose district includes Jekyll Island, was extended committee courtesy to make remarks. Sen. Chapman applauded efforts to improve Jekyll Island, but referenced a letter distributed to committee members that outlines criticism over revitalization projects. His criticism and call for a halt to revitalization stood in contrast to the support of the committee. Chairman Keen acknowledged receipt of the letter, and asked the Jekyll Island Authority to prepare a complete written response.

A complete video archive of the meeting is available online at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/house/Committees/GLN/boardcastIndex.htm

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The Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division (CRD) and Jekyll Island Authority have announced that renovation of the Jekyll Island public boating access site is complete.  Improvements include a larger, resurfaced boat ramp, a larger boating service dock, and more parking area. This $400,000 renovation was one of four projects made possible by a $1.5 million CRD budget enhancement approved by the Georgia legislature in 2007.

The new ramp is 50-ft wide allowing three boaters to launch or load simultaneously.  It is 130 feet long and extends well below the low tide line making it possible for boaters to safely launch and recover their vessels at all stages of the tide. The service dock now provides 200 feet of perimeter providing space for several boats. Two acres of crushed-limestone-surface parking area was added to the site. The lot also includes handicapped parking and space of anglers fishing in the nearby lake, Ski Rixen Pond.

The boat ramp launches into Jekyll Creek, a popular area for fisherman seeking triple tail, redfish and trout. The ramp is also a favored launch site for kayakers looking to explore the vast salt marsh, creeks, and rivers adjacent to Jekyll Island.  These improvements and expansions will allow more fishermen and kayakers to enjoy Jekyll Island’s intrarcoastal waterways.

In addition to the boat ramp, Ski Rixen Pond is rich fishing location for anglers seeking redfish, speckled trout, and Atlantic croaker. For those visitors wishing to explore the area without fishing, Tidelands Nature Center is a wildlife educational facility and canoe/paddleboat rental location sponsored by the University of Georgia. Tidelands is located on the shore of Ski Rixen Pond and also offers guided kayak tours through the intracoastal waterways. These tours are individual lessons in kayaking and up-close encounters with the eco-systems that border Jekyll Island.

The above picture was taken at the December 15 ribbon cutting. Pictured are members of the Jekyll Island Authority Board; staff of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division; and Jekyll Island Authority Staff. Cutting the ribbon (left to right, holding scissors) are Shawn Jordan, DNR Boating Access Coordinator; Spud Woodward, DNR Asst. Director of Marine Fisheries; and Bob Krueger, Chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority Board.

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The Jekyll Island Authority is proud to announce the grand opening of the Jekyll Island Recycling Park.  The park not only provides a clean, convenient location for guests and residents to deposit their recyclables, it has also been designed to be eco-friendly.

A key feature of the Recycling Park is the environmental care that went into the design. The Recycling Park was landscaped by the Jekyll Island Authority staff, led by Cliff Gawron, Landscape Supervisor. All plants are native species that will require little supplemental irrigation once they are fully established, aiding in water conservation.  They include sweet grass, cord grass, Florida anise, American Beauty Berry, Saw Palmetto and Southern Shield Ferns. Several mature oaks also grace the site, and every effort was taken to minimize disturbances to these trees during the renovation.

In addition to the native plantings, recycled materials were used for the area’s ground coverings. Refurbished asphalt was used to provide a loose paving surface, and recycled plastic lumber was used to edge the plant borders.  Steel edging near the entrance was salvaged from prior renovations of the Jekyll Island Historic District, and mulch in the landscaped area is grindings from storm damage debris that was collected after tropical storm Fay. These environmentally friendly means of improvement can serve as a model for residents and businesses wishing to re-design their yards and gardens in a green manor.

Coastal Disposal & Recycling will handle the processing of items collected at the site and currently accepts cardboard, aluminum, plastic, and newspaper. In addition, oyster shell is collected at the site by the University of Georgia’s Marine Extension Services and used to rebuild oyster reefs.  Yard waste and construction debris is not accepted at the site; however, the Jekyll Island Authority runs a weekly route to provide curb-side pick-up of yard waste from Jekyll Island residences.

The above picture was taken at the December 15 ribbon cutting. Pictured are members of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association, Jekyll Island Authority Board, and Keep Brunswick Golden Isles Beautiful and Jekyll Island Authority Staff. Cutting the ribbon are Cliff Gawron, JIA Landscape Supervisor and Bob Krueger, Chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority Board.

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