TEAM Punta Gorda Statement on the Court House
 

 Prepared and presented to Punta Gorda City Council

by Rick Kilmer, Director, TEAM Punta Gorda

8/24/2005

 Mayor Fabian, Council members, City Manager, and Staff, and members of the Greater Punta Gorda community….

 Few, if any, projects associated with the revitalization of Punta Gorda will draw more news coverage, more letters-to-the-editor, more armchair analysis, and more debate then the future of the court house.  As elected officials you are familiar with polling. 

Last April, the Punta Gorda community was polled.  More accurately, citizens who cared enough about giving input on how Punta Gorda should be rebuilt, had the opportunity to do so.  TEAM Punta Gorda held a week-long Charrette, under the leadership of a world class urban planner, Jaime Correa. 

 We were encouraged that Punta Gorda residents turned out in twice the normal participation rate for this type of community workshop.  Our citizens gave their vision on how Punta Gorda should look one year, two years, five years, tens years down the road. 

 The visions were collected, shaped into plans and have now been gifted to you, the leadership of the City and to the County leadership for implementation.   The plan has been named the Citizen’s Master Plan 2005.  It is not TEAM Punta Gorda’s plan, or the City’s plan or the County’s plan.  It is the Citizens’ Plan. 

 The greater Punta Gorda community spoke and their vision is expressed in the Citizens’ Master Plan.  You each have both a printed copy and a digital copy.  The Plan is also on TEAM Punta Gorda’s web site and is linked on the City’s web site.  The entire community has access to its contents.

 The courthouse is depicted in Master Plan 2005 as a focal point of its portion of downtown Punta Gorda.  Its role is to tie mundane but necessary functions such as parking with quasi-civic uses—blending the arts, culture, entertainment, dining, and retail uses together. 

 The park proposed for the city property across from the courthouse on Taylor is compared to Bryant Park in New York City.  The Plan envisions good synergy among civic/cultural buildings, dining, and great public spaces. 

 Master Plan 2005 proposes a possible use of the court house as a branch library, but other potentially valid uses have been advanced.  The use of the building was not the critical issue when the Charrette participants spoke.  The existence of the building was.

 As interpreters of MP2005, TEAM Punta Gorda does not debate the “business” portion of any proposals.  For example, the compromises on the Harbor Inn project, from TEAM Punta Gorda’s position, were all consistent with the physical aspects of the Master Plan 2005.  We were not in the business of preferring condos vs. traditional hotel rooms.  Likewise, the City Market Place will be looked at and reviewed in a similar manner, as will all other proposals. 

 We are not in the business planning business.  But we are concerned with how structures will look, and how businesses and civic spaces can best relate to each other.  We are concerned with preserving as we revitalize, and we want both factors to best serve the quality of life here in Punta Gorda.

 Jaime Correa praises the heart and spirit of the citizens of this community.  He has encouraged that heart by saying,

 “Never assume that it cannot be done. Many other cities have already figured out how to make it work. Think CAN DO and research what legal and intergovernmental arrangements are required.  Don’t accept NO for an answer.”

 I might add, we must research also the relationships between the private and public sectors.  We at TEAM Punta Gorda hope that those in local government will remember that you are not alone.  The people have already proven that they are willing to help in any number of ways.

 Permit me to close with a quote from the Citizen’s Master Plan 2005:

 “The truthful and uncompromised implementation of this plan shall allow you to reconstitute, not only what was taken by Hurricane Charlie in August 2004 but, also the “Institutional Memory” of its citizenry, and the hope for a better and more productive future.”

 The Citizen’s Master Plan 2005 recognizes the continued presence of the Courthouse as a physical part of our memory to be saved.

 Thank you.