The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island -- Survey III
(October-December 2007)
The 64-Acre Town Square Center:
The Core of the New Jekyll Island State Park?
On September 24th, the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) selected Linger Longer Communities (LLC) as its private partner in the revitalization of JI State Park. Details on LLC’s winning proposal can be found at its website - www.rediscoverjekyll.com.
As LLC's proposal now reads, the first phase of the park's redevelopment would consist of the creation of a 64-acre town square center running along the central part of Jekyll's oceanfront. The town square center would feature 437 condos and time-share units, three hotels totaling 725 rooms, 102,000 square feet of retail space, and a new convention center 75,800 square feet in size. A map and a diorama of the proposed center, along with a list of its main features, can be found on our web site - www.savejekyllisland.org.
The JIA and LLC have said they are open to public input on the proposed town square center. The survey below is designed to give members of the public a convenient way to establish their views on the main components of LLC’s proposal. Jekyll’s friends have one last chance here to affect the shape of the park’s future. Rest assured that your survey responses and the comments you may provide will reach those who sit in positions of power and will help us in our effort to preserve Jekyll Island as the people’s park.
Thank you for taking the time to speak out on behalf of Jekyll Island State Park.
David and Mindy Egan
Co-Directors, Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island
Name(s)
Full Address
E-Mail Address
(do not list your e-mail address if you’ve given it to us previously)
1. Do you believe that a town square center of the type and size being proposed is consistent with the fundamental character and founding intent of Jekyll Island State Park, which calls for its facilities to be accessible to and affordable for average income folks?
2. Do you favor including the proposed 277 condominiums (average price of $510,000) within the TSC?
3. Do you favor including the proposed 160 time-share units (one-time price of $16,500 for a week) within the TSC?
4. Does the balance of high-end (400 rooms with a year round average of $183 per day), mid-range (250 rooms averaging $138 per day), and an off-beach economy (125 rooms at $105 per day) lodgings seem fair to you?
5. Do you consider the TSC’s accommodations to be affordable for average income citizens, given the average cost of its condos, time-shares, and hotel rooms?
6. Do you favor the elimination of the four oceanfront public parking lots that fall within the confines of the TSC to make space for condos and hotels?
7. Do you accept the need for the park’s miniature golf course and adjoining children’s playground to be eliminated to make space for the proposed new convention center?
8. Do you favor rerouting Beachview Drive to the west of the proposed TSC, meaning to the park's interior?
9. Do you accept the proposal that the state of Georgia should cover $84.5 million of infrastructure costs associated with the building of the TSC?
10. Would you support a proposal calling for the proposed town square center to be a condominium-free environment?
11. Do you believe that the estimated population increase of several thousand people per day within the site of the TSC would negatively affect Jekyll's beach environment and ecology, including nesting areas of the endangered loggerhead sea turtle?
12. Be counted as a supporter (non-financial) of the IPJI?
