Proj Overview

PROJECT OVERVIEW

With an average of 360 days of sunshine per year, Clearwater Beach, Fla., is a popular destination for tourists. So it’s no surprise that parking is in demand. The addition of the North Beach Parking Plaza near the center of Clearwater Beach Island, just a short distance from the Gulf of Mexico, was a welcome addition.

Read more about this project in the Summer 2022 issue of Ascent.

PRECAST SOLUTION

Precast concrete was chosen to withstand the coastal environment as well as provide surge protection for the street-level retail. Due to the tight site, the installation had to proceed with near surgical precision. At the same time, the precast concrete had to serve as a fire separation wall, because the structure is right against the retail plaza.

 

Project Team

Designer

Fisher and Associates Architects

Contractor

Kokolakis Contracting

Owner

Retail Asset Management and PV-Pelican Walk LLC

Precast Concrete Producer

Dura-Stress

Key Project Attributes

  • To meet the requirements of the city’s stringent Beach by Design guidelines, three feature panels serve as the base for colorful wave art during the day and the screen for LED lighting at night.
  • Patrons of the parking structure are segregated into three zones. The lower levels are occupied by retail employees, while the middle floors are for beachgoers. The top one-third is valet parking for nearby hotels.
  • The stand-alone structure includes more than 700 spaces and serves beachgoers, restaurant diners, employees, and overnight visitors alike. To take advantage of the high-traffic area, 12,000 square feet of retail space is located at street level.

Project/Precast Scope

  • Precast concrete was chosen to withstand the coastal environment as well as provide surge protection for the street-level retail.
  • Precast concrete served as a fire separation wall, because the structure is right against the retail plaza.
  • Accent features were inlaid into the precast concrete panels, and colorful fabric awnings and solid cantilevered canopies were added above the ground level retail.