Rebuilt seawalls, parks and sidewalks were all on the roster in Holmes Beach for 2019-20.
While many Anna Maria Island activities and businesses were paused due to COVID-19 concerns, the city’s capital improvements projects were going strong, with several ahead of schedule for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.
The city’s development services director, Eran Wasserman, shared a report April 28 on the progress of city projects in the 2019-20 budget during a teleconferenced city commission meeting.
Ongoing and completed capital improvement projects for 2019-20 include:
- Extension of the sidewalks on the north side of 56th Street on Gulf Drive at the S-curve connecting pedestrians to a new mid-block crosswalk between Guava and Carissa in the 8500 block of Gulf Drive with completion date set for the end of May;
- Other sidewalk improvements planned by the end of September along the east side of Holmes Boulevard at 56th Street and Fifth Avenue, from 36th to 37th streets;
- Completed crosswalks at Gulf Drive and White Avenue, 55th Street mid-block and 72nd Street;
- Completion of the portion of the dog park for large pets, although partially closed the week of April 27 to allow hydro-seeded grass to establish. The small dog park also was closed for hydro-seeding, but set to reopen this month;
- A request for proposals was being drafted the week of April 27 for repairs to the bridge on Key Royale Drive;
- Sidewalks, resurfacing, striping and symbols for the “city center,” the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives to the 5600 block of Marina Drive, where seawalls were being repaired are being designed for presentation to the city commission at a May or June meeting;
- Construction on stormwater improvements in the city center area was planned to start in May;
- Design plans and a contract for stormwater “Phase D,” which includes drainage between Marina and Palm drives from 80th to 84th streets, are be presented to the commission this month, with two months of construction to commence in June;
- Seawall and cap replacement in the 5400 and 6700 blocks of Marina Drive was underway with completion expected in late May or early June;
- New city shuffleboard courts were to be completed this month, with bocce courts to follow;
- A backstop, dedication sign and bleachers were installed at the baseball field, with batter benches and bases on order the week of April 27 and an outfield fence was to be installed in May;
- Bike lane symbols and striping; city field grading, landscaping, sod and irrigation; the city skate park and a new toddler playground were completed.