OCEANSIDE — The City Council unanimously approved the development plan and coastal permit for south amphitheater plaza and Tyson Street Park beach restrooms renovations on Dec. 21, as a final step before work begins.
Funding is secured for Tyson Street beach restrooms improvements.
The south amphitheater plaza restrooms, which are in dire need of renovations, are still unfunded.
Tyson Street renovations will replace the current restroom building with 14 single stall restrooms, similar to new restrooms added along The Strand last year. The building will have a modern design and pitched open-air roof above the stalls.
The new restrooms will look nicer, and lower city maintenance costs.
The price tag of the Tyson Street project is $1 million. It will be paid for through park development funds.
Once final construction documents and permits are secured, the city will put out a call for bids on the project in the summer of 2017. Groundbreaking is anticipated in fall 2017.
There is no estimated date for the plaza restrooms build to break ground, due to lack of identified funding.
Renovations include demolition of auxiliary buildings, conversion of the historic restroom building into public safety offices, and construction of a new restroom building.
The exterior of the historic restroom building will be preserved. Original barrel roof tiles will be used, and glass will be added to building archways.
A new modern style building will be built perpendicular to the bluff to house 14 single stall restrooms, eight outdoor sinks, public safety offices and storage. The modern design is intended to contrast, and not compete, with the adjacent historic structure.
The new plaza layout doubles the available space. The plaza area will be improved with landscaping and seating that is designed to accommodate vender booths and large event foot traffic. Memorial benches, which are part of the current plaza, will be relocated.
“Palms will be spaced for 10-(foot)-by-10-(foot) tents, people can move through the plaza efficiently, or rent out individual spaces,” Nathan Mertz, city capital improvement projects engineer, said.
The stairway from Mission Avenue to the plaza will be replaced with a new ADA compliant stairway that includes an overlook area on Pacific Street and three landing platforms.
A new sewer lift station will be built, which will end the current unpleasant odor.
The adjacent parking lot will be restriped, and vehicles will no longer be permitted to enter the plaza.
The cost of plaza improvements is $6 million, and includes the $1.5 million sewer lift station.
Grants will be pursued to pay for the project.
The city is also considering refinancing its Civic Center bonds. Discussions on whether to refinance bonds will take place in spring 2017, at the same time as annual budget meetings. At that time the council will decide which capital improvement projects to fund.
Meetings on beach restroom improvements began in 2006. Last year restrooms were replaced or improved at Wisconsin Street, Surfrider Way, Breakwater Way and on the pier.
The south amphitheater plaza project will be shovel-ready by summer 2017.
