Another step toward reinvesting in and revitalizing downtown Washington occurred Dec. 10 when the City Council unanimously accepted a grant to help pay a new dock master’s stations and public restrooms at the west end of Stewart Parkway.
The council also allocated $300,000 toward the project.
The $200,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, a $50,000 grant from the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and $50,000 from the city will help pay for the project.
As for the $300,000 allocated for the project, most of it — $245,000 — will go toward construction, $40,000 toward planning and design and $15,000 for contingency.
A design concept for public restrooms and a dock master’s facility at the west end of the waterfront promenade was developed for the purpose of seeking grants to pay for the building that would house the restrooms and dock master’s facility. The design of that building attempts to replicate the former Pamlico Point Lighthouse.
The public bathrooms, as well as showers for boaters and laundry facilities for boaters, would be on the ground floor of the structure. The dock master’s station would be on the second floor of the structure, according to a presentation made to the council in June.
At that same meeting, the council awarded a $320,058.90 contract to Tri-State Utilities to perform drainage rehabilitation at Warren Field Airport.
The city has $349,475 in grant funds and a 10-percent “match” that can be used for construction, construction administration and resident project representative series, according to the city’s airport engineers, Talbert & Bright.
The work includes repairs to storm drains under the primary runway (5-23) and taxiways B and C. A short section of storm-drain pipe near the airport’s tie-down area also will be repaired. Grates on some catch basins will be replaced.
The drainage work is among other project under way or planned for the airport, which is owned by the city.