HHCP Architecture design team presents project planning and programming concepts for the revitalization of Jekyll Island beach village and entry corridor projects.

recap of work effort

The HHCP Architecture Design Team started work in April with a fact gathering kick off meeting with Jones Hooks, Jekyll Island Authority Executive Director, and Jim Broadwell, Jekyll Island Authority Project Manager. This was followed by a two day on-Island workshop with Jekyll Island Authority ( JIA) staff and Linger Longer Jekyll, LLC (LLJ) representatives. The purpose of this meeting was to establish the project goals and vision, review design concepts developed prior to the workshop, and to establish direction for future design work. Numerous ideas suggested in the workshop, as well as in follow-up discussions with JIA & LLJ, were subsequently developed and refi ned and have resulted in the conceptual plans for the Beach Village, Beach Park, and Convention Center, shown herein. A user input work session for the Village Signature Park/Boardwalk was held on May 27, 2009. With input from this session and from JIA staff and management, planning was completed in July with presentations to the JIA Board and the public on July 13th and 14th.

budget

The current Project Budget is $44.6 million dollars. JIA is carrying an additional $5 million dollar contingency. This includes all construction, equipment, furnishings and professional fees for all components of the project. Project components include: 1) Beach Village/Beach Park related entry and internal roads, parking, utilities, drainage and amenities; 2) New Convention
Center; 3) Refurbishing of the historic Morgan Building; 4) Providing temporary structures for convention use during 2010 & 2011. Budget estimates show that the current plan direction is within budget.

entry road

The majestic canopy of Jekyll Island’s live oaks will enhance the Beach Village entry experience at Ben Fortson Parkway. The two major roads of Jekyll Island, the Causeway and Beachview Drive, are both two lane roads and provide adequate traffic capacity for the existing and proposed development. The four lanes of Ben Fortson Parkway are presently oversized. The new design will convert the existing eastbound lanes into a two lane entry road. The existing westbound lanes will be used as part of an overfl ow parking lot. All improvements will take advantage of the existing live oaks to enhance the intimate character of the Jekyll Island entry experience.

beach park
Jekyll Island will be providing a newly expanded Beach Park experience. This park will include a walkway along the base of the existing dune tying
the park into the Village Green and retail buildings as well as the hotel development to the south. The Convention Center’s existing parking will be
redesigned to provide parking for the new Convention Center and Beach Park. The new design will have expanded family and group pavilions
with flexible activity lawns to accommodate a wide range of activities. A new beach deck will provide users an elevated view of the beach and
lawn activities. The large shade pavilion will provide restrooms and a comfortable place to enjoy the views and enhance the civic identity. Two new
dune crossovers will be constructed. All beach crossovers will have bicycle parking and showers. Native tree and shrub plantings will enhance the
beachside feel and provide durable, low maintenance vegetation to protect the dunes, provide wildlife habitat and educate visitors on the sensitivity
of barrier islands.

Tags: hhcp architecture, jekyll island beach village, jekyll island development, jekyll island revitalization, north beach park on jekyll island
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Tags: jekyll island development, jekyll island revitalization, linger longer communities, master plan amendment
Posted in From the Desk of Jones Hooks, In the News | No Comments »

By ANNA FERGUSON
Reprinted from the The Brunswick News

The Jekyll Island Authority made a giant step toward revitalization of the state-owed island Tuesday when the board approved a new ground lease with 150 Beachview Holdings to redevelop the former Georgia Coast Inn hotel site.

The development of the 5.8-acre beachside site, which had been sitting vacant for several years, adds a great push toward the planned revitalization of Jekyll, said Jones Hooks, authority executive director.

Approved by the authority board at a special conference call meeting, the hotel is projected to bring in more than $7 million for the island over a 15-year period and is “a good, big step for us,” Hooks said.

With unanimous approval of the lease comes a heavy forward momentum to the island. Along with the Georgia Coast Inn site, several other projects are schedule to get under way soon to move further on the authority’s revitalization goals, Hooks said.

Totalling some $350 million in revitalization efforts over the next few years, the projects include five new hotels, Linger Longer Communities’ planned Jekyll Island Beach Village and expansion and remodeling of the current convention center.

The new Inn and Cottage at Georgia Coast, as the Georgia Coast Inn site is expected to be called, will compliment these neighboring projects and help move toward the overall goal of restoring Jekyll Island its glory days, Hooks said.

Gary Mongeon, vice president of the Bleakly Advisory Group and a financial adviser for the island’s redevelopment mission, said the site will help the island build momentum in the progress of the revitalization efforts.

Each acre of the 5.8-acre site is projected to bring in about $1.2 million, which Mongeon said is the highest return rate of any Jekyll project.

“This is a pretty significant financial investment to the authority,” Mongeon said. “Based on the analysis, dollar for dollar spending, this project will have a $13 million to $15 million impact on the Jekyll Island Authority when visitation spending is taken into account.” In a time when the economy has turned south and construction projects have all but halted throughout the region, the agreement is a sign of the health and vitality of the island, both now and into the future, Hooks said. “This project is big news in a bad economy,” Hooks said. “Development activity has all but stopped in the region, but here on Jekyll Island we have five new projects moving forward.”

Constructed in 1961, what was a Ramada Inn has changed names and owners during the decades and was closed in 2003 after being run under the independent name of Georgia Coast Inn. In 2005, the four-story structure fell into disrepair and was demolished.

Being built in the footprints of the former hotel, the new project will feature low-rise construction with traditional beach cottage architecture, designed by the St. Simons Island firm Harrison Design Associates.

Scheduled to open in April 2011, the renovation project will combine the small inn with about 30 beachfront cottages in an attempt to keep the development low in density and confined to a minimal space to reduce the environmental impact. This low density approach was key in obtaining approval for the lease, Hooks said.

“This is so in keeping with the spirit of Jekyll,” Hooks said. “It is a very exciting move for the authority and the island.”

Tags: , Georgia Coast Inn, jekyll island development, jekyll island revitalization, master plan amendment, New South Partners, The Inn & Cottages at Georgia Coast
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New inn & cottage colony to be built on the site of the former Ramada Inn

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Eric Garvey, Senior Director of Marketing
Jekyll Island Authority
(912) 635-4081
egarvey@jekyllisland.com

JEKYLL ISLAND, GA - November 25 – The Jekyll Island Authority today approved a new ground lease with 150 Beachview Holdings LLC, clearing the way for an exciting new redevelopment of the former Ramada Inn/Georgia Coast Inn hotel site. The 5.8 acre beachside site has been vacant for several years, and the new project adds to the progress and momentum of the revitalization of Jekyll Island.

The new project will be a combination of a small Inn and a colony of 27-32 beachside cottages. The low density approach is a key factor in gaining support and approval.

“The Board is pleased that the leaseholder came forward with such an attractive plan for the site,” stated Bob Krueger, Chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority. “We are looking for the right balance of development and protection of natural areas, and this project fits well with the other revitalization projects that have already been announced.”

New South Partners, LLC and Global Asset Alternatives, LLC are partners in 150 Beachview Holdings and have secured the ground lease to the former hotel site after years of legal disputes. In order for the new development to move forward, an extension of the existing lease was required. That was obtained through the Jekyll Island Authority Board action on Tuesday.

“I’m thrilled to get this project moving forward,” stated Rick Patton, principal with New South Partners, LLC. “We are a Georgia company, and we know that Jekyll is a special place and this is a special site. It is deserving of a quality development that fits responsibly into the natural beachside setting.”

The former Ramada Inn was first constructed in 1961 and opened as a Holiday Inn. The property sold in 1963 and became Stuckey’s Carriage Inn, later becoming a Ramada Inn, then independent Georgia Coast Inn until closing in 2003. The hotel was popular with conventioneers and was known for its swimming pool shaped like the State of Georgia. The four-story structure fell into disrepair and was demolished in 2005.

The new project will feature low-rise construction with traditional beach cottage architecture. The local St. Simons office of Harrison Design Associates will handle the cottage designs as well as the Inn’s exterior architecture.

The revitalization of Jekyll Island now boasts five new hotel projects, including the planned Jekyll Island Beach Village, which will create a new gathering place on the island with integrated shopping, dining, plaza, park and a completely renovated and expanded Convention Center. Revitalization is being guided by several important policies that are meant to protect the character of Jekyll Island, as well as protect the natural environment and enhance conservation efforts. The new Inn & Cottages at Georgia Coast will comply with newly adopted design guidelines which provide regulation of architecture and restrict both density and building height. Projects are also monitored by a new visitation forecast model developed by Bleakly Advisory Group.

“This project fits nicely in the current forecast model,” explained Gary Mongeon with Bleakly Advisory Group. “It is lower density compared to other projects, yet provides the highest per acre return to the Jekyll Island Authority.”

The Jekyll Island Authority provides a limited number of commercial ground leases for private hotel development. Ground leases are tied to the appraised value of the land as required by law. The Jekyll Island Authority uses local appraiser Richard Freeman to determine the value range of each leased parcel.

A key component of a ground lease for new development is a rent escalation feature. Rent on a ground lease begins immediately, but escalates over the course of construction through opening and to the point of full operation.

“The rent escalation feature allows the developer to successfully get underway, and allows the Jekyll Island Authority to fully share in the future success,” stated Jones Hooks, Executive Director with the Jekyll Island Authority. “We also place constraints and requirements on the developer, so we can maintain control and not let development become bigger than what the public wants on Jekyll.”

The Jekyll Island Authority requires all development be sensitive to the natural environment, even if it is replacing an existing structure in approximately the same building footprint. The new Inn & Cottages project will stay away from the dunes line and beyond the shoreline jurisdiction line as defined by Georgia’s Shoreline Protection Act. All new projects must also comply with a new beach lighting ordinance, created with public and expert input to protect the beach from light pollution. Artificial light has been shown to disrupt the nesting and hatching behavior of the loggerhead sea turtle.

“This project is big news in a bad economy,” stated Hooks. “Development activity has all but stopped in the region, but here on Jekyll Island we have five projects moving forward.”

Jekyll Island currently has seven hotels open and operating, including the signature Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Other hotels along the beach include the boutique Beachview Club Hotel, the Days Inn & Suites, Oceanside Inn & Suites, Quality Inn, Oceanfront Clarion Resort and the Villas By The Sea. Privately owned cottages are also available for vacation rental, more information is available at jekyllisland.com. Information regarding all Jekyll Island revitalization projects and policies can be found at jekyllisland.com/news.

Tags: , Georgia Coast Inn, jekyll island development, jekyll island revitalization, master plan amendment, New South Partners, real estate glynn county, real estate jekyll island, The Inn & Cottages at Georgia Coast
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The Jekyll Island Authority Board reviewed revised plans from Greensboro-based Linger Longer Communities for a beach village (download the presentation) that will be a part of the island’s overall revitalization effort. More…

The 2008 Master Plan Amendment can be downloaded here.

For information on all of Jekyll Island’s revitalization projects, read the Revitalization Fact Sheet

Tags: jekyll island development, jekyll island revitalization, linger longer communities, master plan amendment
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Jekyll Island, Ga. (September 15, 2008) - As revitalization of Jekyll Island progresses, an independent visitation analysis was presented to the Jekyll Island Authority board by consultant Ken Bleakly at its regular meeting on Monday. The purpose of the study is to provide the Jekyll Island Authority with a better understanding of the cumulative effects of future revitalization on the island’s infrastructure and environmental resources. In addition, the study offers a forecasting tool that gives clear estimates of how revitalization projects will benefit visitation and revenues.

The Bleakly Advisory Group project team, which includes engineering firm Thomas & Hutton and land planner Cooper Carry, utilized a number of factors to determine historic visitation of Jekyll Island, including wastewater treatment volume, traffic counts, parking fee revenue, golf rounds, and hotel room nights. The study shows a slow but steady decline in visitation to the island since the early 1990s.

“Ken Bleakly and his team have presented us with a thorough and objective modeling analysis that will guide us as we move forward with revitalization,” said Jones Hooks, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “It is obvious that fewer Georgians are visiting Jekyll Island, but the good news is that we can bring them back through a strategic revitalization plan that doesn’t require major infrastructure changes.”

The study also provides a number of forecasts based on varying redevelopment density scenarios as defined by Cooper Carry and carried forward from the Jekyll Island Master Plan. The initial projection shows that financial sustainability can be achieved under a low-to-medium density scenario.

Other key findings from the study:

• Visitation peaked at an estimated 2.1 million visitors in 1989-1990 and totaled approximately 1.49 million visitors in fiscal year 2008.
• Jekyll Island can be financially sustained by reaching approximately 2.65 million annual visitors. According to the study, achieving this level of visitation will:
• Support operating costs and correct deferred maintenance;
• Pay for needed long-range capital improvements and enhanced visitor amenities;
• Increase visitation by approximately 21 percent (by 2023) over historical peak visitation during 1989-90;

• Homeownership on Jekyll Island is primarily characterized as an investment property or second home, with 67 percent of owners from 35 states other than Georgia and Canada. Home rental accounts for 9 percent of lodging revenue for the island.
• Future development only affects 6 percent of the island, and all development is within the 35 percent of the island that is developable as outlined by state law.

In addition to the visitation analysis, the Jekyll Island Authority board has initiated several other policy measures to protect the island’s habitats, resources and character as revitalization continues. An ordinance passed this summer defined appropriate beachfront lighting practices to protect the island’s endangered sea turtle habitat from light pollution. The Authority expects to adopt new design guidelines articulating standards for all building and landscaping in order to maintain Jekyll Island’s unique character. The design guidelines include height restrictions that limit building height to what currently exists in the Jekyll Island Historic District. New conservation guidelines to protect Jekyll Island’s natural resources are currently under final legal review and should be adopted soon. A rebranding effort is also underway that will reflect a revitalized Jekyll island and encourage more Georgians to visit.

“People love Jekyll Island because it is a sanctuary and a retreat with the right balance of nature and amenities,” said Eric Garvey, the Authority’s senior director of marketing. “Revitalization will enhance that, and therefore we want to focus our message on this key feature. Our goal is simple: to bring more Georgians to Jekyll.”

A public presentation of the visitation analysis will be held Monday, September 29 at 2 p.m. at the Jekyll Island Convention Center.

Tags: georgia coast, jekyll island, jekyll island development, jekyll island revitalization, Jekyll Island visitation
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