The Preserve at Mercabo
VISION: THE PRESERVE AT MERCABO
The GICIA embarked on a fundraising campaign on November 5, 2015, in an effort to raise enough funds to purchase the 30 acre Mercabo property at the entrance to Gasparilla Island. On January 29, 2016, GICIA successfully closed on the purchase having raised $20.6M cash.
Restoration Efforts
Phase I
The GICIA has received bids and will be executing contracts for the demolition of the nine Mercabo buildings in the very near future. Our general contractor will be All Phase Construction, Inc. who will oversee the demolition work to be performed by Forristall Enterprises, Inc. The final scheduling is being determined and will be influenced by the recent discovery of a “tenant at will”, a family of Ospreys nesting on one of the nine buildings. Permits are in process to relocate the nest once the fledglings have abandoned it. It is anticipated that actual demolition will begin in May and be completed in 6-7 weeks. The Osprey nest, although inconvenient, proves that we’re moving in the right direction.
We have been working with Roger Debruler, the Charlotte County marine resource program assistant. Roger is in charge of the artificial reef construction program; and will lead the effort to have recycled blocks of concrete, which must weigh at least one thousand pounds, barged to the two fully permitted reef sites in the Gulf; one ten miles offshore, one eleven miles. The County has funds available for the reef construction. It is also planned to use smaller chunks of concrete for rip rap to reinforce the existing sea walls and provide critical marine habitat in shallow waters, which will support the shore bird nesting initiative on the southern portion of the peninsula. We are pleased that these buildings will have a second life.
Also, in the second life category, almost all of the furniture and fixtures in the existing Mercabo lodging and conference facilities have been given to non-profits in the area.
Local business owner Bobby Miller, Grande Aire Services has very generously removed all the outdated HVAC equipment including unusable kitchen equipment. Essentially, the buildings have been stripped.
Phase II
Bayne Stevenson, Chair of the GICIA Land Conservancy Committee, presented the proposed plan for the restoration of the Preserve at the GICIA annual meeting. The plan was discussed at length with questions and suggestions coming from the audience. The plan was developed by Rick Joyce, our skilled and enthusiastic, certified arborist who has consulted with the GICIA for almost 20 years. Rick was guided by the board’s goals and objectives to create a natural sanctuary for native wildlife and birds. GICIA also has plans to work with marine biology experts to explore methods for contributing to the submerged lands of the “Preserve”, which are within the boundaries of the Gasparilla Sound – Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve. The vision for the landscape design balances our desire to enhance the view shed as one turns onto Boca Grande causeway with our goal of creating critical shore bird nesting areas and wildlife habitat. This proposal includes a planting band approximately 75 feet wide that will be consistent with the landscape design of the Bike Path. The view of the Preserve will complement the landscape features of the protected GIBA peninsula and Islands, the five-mile GICIA owned Bike Path and the Mary Sharp Park, a seven-mile chain of protected property all the way to our Historic Village.
As a protected wildlife sanctuary the Preserve will have limited public access. There will be no public parking facilities. Access to the Preserve will be limited to GICIA sanctioned tours and educational events aimed at promoting ecologically sensitive land use.
“There is great promise for this site ecologically”, said Bayne Stevenson, GICIA President. “We still need continued support from our community to see it reach its full potential. Again, many thanks to all the donors”. The “Preserve” will be added to the over 250 acres of conservancy property owned by GICIA.
