NEWS
Team B: First Forty Feet
The team led by First Forty Feet envisions waterfront redevelopment beginning in the vicinity of Farmin Park, with Main and Oak streets serving as curbless “festival streets” shaded by a canopy of trees and leading pedestrians and bicyclists — the latter benefiting from a protected bikeway — east toward Sand Creek. There, the entrance to the waterway would be through a plaza flanked by mixeduse redevelopment at the current Zero Point and A&P’s locations on First Avenue — south of the Panida Theater — and marked by sculptural gate-like elements extending into the watercourse on constructed berms.
The berms are intended to serve as “wetland flux zones,” connected in places by stepping stones. During the winter, when water levels drop, Team B envisions snowsports activities such as cross-country skiing in and around Sand Creek over trails and pathways. Overall, the First Forty Feet team approaches waterfront redevelopment with First Avenue and Main Street as a “hinge” connecting Farmin Park to Sand Creek. At City Beach, the concept includes expanded parking as well as a regional playground, relocated sand volleyball court, new boat launch and enlarged boat access on the
Team C: GGLO
The third team in the competition embraces a concept it calls “The Blue Necklace,” defined as “a uniting thread that ties together the many jewels of Sandpoint,” from the Granary District to City Beach. The design includes building out Farmin Park to include an “event corridor” on Oak Street leading to Main Street and into an “arts and culture district” on Second Avenue near new mixed-use development and a public parking structure at the current Sandpoint city parking lot.
A new intersection at First Avenue and Bridge Street would enable angled street parking to the south and a First Avenue “gateway” with sculptural elements and signage pointing the way to downtown and City Beach. Team C’s vision emphasizes mixed-use development along the west bank of Sand Creek, though fronted with vegetative plantings to restore the riparian habitat while refurbishing Farmin’s Landing and establishing a terrace at Cedar Street featuring public space and plantings, along with the
south side of the beach; a hardscape/event space and stage area alongside an amphitheater in the center of the park; a location for the Carousel of Smiles; and — notably — a large circular boardwalk encompassing the
swimming area on the east side of the beach with a promenade for fair and market activities, concessions and a protected swimming/ sunbathing lagoon.
potential location for a small restaurant. The most dramatic element of Team C’s vision for Sand Creek includes a reconstructed bridge with large vertical elements evoking a suspension structure, over which vehicles would travel while a second route beneath the roadway would be reserved for pedestrians. The Carousel of Smiles would be located adjacent to the existing parking area on the east side of Sand Creek. At City Beach, the GGLO-led team
expands parking, moorage and launches for both motorized and non-motorized watercraft, and also proposes a nature playscape on the northern portion of the park with a nearby “ice ribbon/roller sports course.” The center of the park would be given over to a “great lawn” with an event pavilion to the west; tennis and pickleball courts to the south; sand volleyball courts to the east; and a native pollinator meadow, community forest, picnic pavilions and a native landscape plantings on the point to the southeast.
August 10, 2023 / R / 5