After an almost yearlong delay, work is set to begin on a major renovation project for Phipps Ocean Park on the South End.
We’re glad to see that day on the immediate horizon.
The South End park, which was gifted to the town by the Phipps family 77 years ago, has been mediocre for a few years, so we welcome the project that will make it a beautiful and functional space in keeping with the town’s character.
The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, under the leadership of former CEO Amanda Skier, saw the need to improve the park and pushed ahead with the plan, raising millions to help underwrite the cost.The 18-acre park, which the Phipps family donated in 1948, has not undergone a significant redesign since it opened, foundation officials have said. The foundation has a special interest in the site: Since 1990, it has offered pioneer-education programs for schoolchildren at the restored Little Red Schoolhouse, an 1886 building in the park. The schoolhouse will be relocated to a new site in the park as part of the renovation. The construction schedule means the park will be closed from May 1 through Oct. 1, 2026, for the $31 million project, the foundation said, and public parking and beach access will be unavailable during construction. But tennis fans need not worry: The Phipps Ocean Park Tennis Center and adjacent parking facilities will open this coming Nov. 1.
The start of construction on the Phipps restoration was delayed from last summer after the foundation and its partners agreed to re-bid the project’s contract with the goal of obtaining more competitive responses from a broader group of subcontractors. In February, council members signed off on a revised contract to Burkhardt Construction valued at $31 million. It includes $29.7 million for the Phipps Ocean Park redevelopment, $392,000 for tennis court renovations, $674,000 for lifeguard station renovations, and $67,000 for electrical panel replacement.
The majority of the project’s funding will come from the Preservation Foundation. The town will pay for the tennis center renovations, improvements to the lifeguard station and replacement of the electrical panel. The town also will contribute $2 million toward the park renovation. Planned improvements include restoring the park’s ecosystems by planting native species intended to create and support a resilient coastal system. The plans also include a new Coastal Restoration Center, an outdoor classroom, and a schoolyard garden and playground.
The project will restore the park’s natural beauty while adding new amenities for play, education and community gatherings, foundation Chair Betsy Shiverick said.
“We’re proud to help bring the Phipps family’s vision to life,” Shiverick said in a statement. “This project celebrates Palm Beach’s natural heritage and creates exciting opportunities for outdoor learning and leisure.”
Kudos to the Preservation Foundation for once again stepping in to help beautify and preserve what should be yet another point of pride for the town. Other projects in which it has played a key role include the beautification of Bradley Park and the preservation of Town Hall.
It is heartening to see that people and organizations in town — who are blessed with remarkable resources — are willing to take the lead on projects they value and not wait on Town Hall for everything. Preserving all the elements that make Palm Beach special requires teamwork, and this is just the latest example of that.
The park’s closure during construction will certainly inconvenience residents and visitors who use it. But good things take time, and we can’t wait to see the new look for Phipps Ocean Park.
