The future site of the Clearwater ‘Mercado’ area, March 2024. (Photo: ClearwaterDaily.com)
Clearwater city council members unanimous approved a $223,833 contract to provide a custom-built shade structure that will be installed over the “Mercado” associated with the Cleveland Street streetscape rejuvenation plan.
The plan calls for the covered section to be located at the “gathering place” at the intersection of Cleveland Street and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard. The Mercado is a concept that officials believe will help rehabilitate the neighborhood by creating an open-air space for farmers’ markets, civic events, concerts and movie nights.
Though one critic who spoke out against the purchase termed the shade structure a “million dollar umbrella,” council members insisted providing shade will not only improve the aesthetics of the area, but attract more people to events since it will be more comfortable to hold them during the daytime.
“People love the new Coachman Park but the number one complaint is that there isn’t enough shade,” said Deputy Mayor Mark Bunker. “For this place, we’re making sure there’s shade before we have events and bring in food trucks. We’re also giving it a look that catches people’s eyes.”
Renderings of the Clearwater ‘Mercado’ area, March 2024. (Photo: Clearwater City)
Renderings of the Clearwater ‘Mercado’ area, March 2024. (Photo: Clearwater City)
In February, the council allotted $930,929 to Biltmore Construction to complete the Mercado project, part of a $1.7 million overall improvement project that in the area that will include bike lanes, new sidewalks, freshly-paved roads and traffic calming. The Mercado itself will be constructed on a triangular-shaped property that is currently vacant. Initially, Biltmore was slated to supply the shade structure, however after figures came in over budget, the city negotiated directly with a manufacturer for its purchase, USA Shade, and Biltmore agreed to install it.
The shade structure had been a request from those in the neighborhood as well as the business community, officials said.
“The name of the game is community stakeholder engagement, and we’re going to be doing that aggressively,” said Jesus Niño, director of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
The Mercado area will be flanked by “seat wells,” similar to those at the beachfront, and the area will be improved with a combination of fresh grass and turf.
“It’s really starting to look nice there, and this will finish it off,” said Councilman David Allbritton, acknowledging that the project has increased in price from its time as a fledgling idea before the pandemic era and the period of inflation that followed. “It will be nice to be able to have some of those events there and I look forward to seeing it finished. Covid was in the middle of this. I remember approving the shade structures – they were a little different – then we went through Covid and the pricing got out of hand.”
The entire Mercado project is expected to be completed in September 2024.
“It looks like you’re expecting it to be completed in September sometime, so it might overlap nicely with National Hispanic Month,” said Councilwoman Kathleen Beckman, who is planning a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the facility’s opening day.
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