Bienville Square Named a Top 10 Great Public Space for 2012

Oct 3rd, 2012

The American Planning Association (APA) today announced the designation of Bienville Square as one of 10 Great Public Spaces for 2012 under the organization’s Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planning and planners play in adding value to communities including fostering economic growth and jobs.

APA singled out Bienville Square, the historic heart of downtown Mobile, for a design – featuring radial walkways, a central fountain, and canopy of Live Oak trees –that allows it to serve as a refuge for people and local wildlife, stunning view of the downtown skyline, and commitment among residents to both preserve this cherished icon and build upon its legacy.

“Bienville Square stands as a testament to Mobile’s resilience, its character, its historic beauty, and as a welcoming public venue that lights the path to our city’s hospitality,” said Mayor Sam Jones. “Sitting in the heart of our downtown, Bienville Square has weathered the revitalization of downtown and the transformation of the city’s skyline. It also serves as a reminder of some of the city’s greatest amenities, notably in the canopy of oak trees, the azaleas and a breathtaking look back into the city’s past.”

Through Great Places in America, APA recognizes streets, neighborhoods and public spaces whose unique and authentic characteristics have evolved from thoughtful and deliberate planning by residents, community leaders and planners. The 2012 Great Places, which offer more choices for where and how people work and live, have many of the features Americans say are important to their “ideal community” including close, locally owned businesses; transit; neighborhood parks; and sidewalks.

Since APA began Great Places in America in 2007, 60 neighborhoods, 60 streets and 50 public spaces have been designated in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“Many consider Bienville Square the face of downtown Mobile given the square’s central location and interesting design, the skyline views it affords, and the rich architectural details of the surrounding historic buildings,” said APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. “These qualities and features developed over time, through careful planning and an ongoing commitment to protect the Square’s uniqueness,” he added.

A variety of architectural styles blossomed around Bienville Square after an 1839 fire destroyed much of Old Mobile. An Italianate firehouse along with Victorian, Classical-Revival, Neoclassical and Art-Deco buildings flank the park, which affords outstanding views of the downtown skyline.

Replete with Live Oaks and other plantings, the park serves as habitat for local wildlife and a gathering place for residents. Its bandstand, donated by Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 1941, is a central fixture of such annual events as the Bayfest Music Festival, the Gulf Coast Ethnic and Heritage Jazz Festival, and Mardi Gras. The square’s central fountain, circa1890, honors George Ketchum, a physician and the president of Bienville Water Works, who is noted for bringing safe drinking water to the city. St. Andrew’s Cross, erected in 1906, pays tribute to Jean Baptiste le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, Mobile’s founder and Governor of French Louisiana.

The city has upgraded the park numerous times since its 1850 investment in walkways and landscaping. One of the most notable followed Hurricane Frederic in 1979, which reinvigorated the square and stemmed years of neglect and disuse.

Now seen as a jewel in downtown Mobile, Bienville Square is the centerpiece of a plan calling for rejuvenation of pedestrian-level shops, new directional signage and a tourist kiosk. This summer the city gave the park a facelift including repairing the central fountain, repainting the bandstand and park benches, landscaping, and updated restrooms that feature state-of-the-art cooling and heating systems.

The improvements also included installation of four security cameras, which will be linked to the police department’s special events precinct. Brighter white lighting replaced the yellowish halo of existing lights. Enhancing security – something 69 percent of Americans would like planners to be involved in – is part of Mobile’s plan to jumpstart retail growth in the architecturally diverse commercial area adjacent to the park.

The nine other APA 2012 Great Public Spaces are: Cesar Chavez Park and Plaza, Sacramento, CA; Washington Park, Denver, CO; Chicago Botanic Garden, IL; Chicago Union Station, Chicago, IL; Jackson Square, New Orleans, LA; Village Green, Bar Harbor, ME; Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, OR; Buffalo Bayou, Houston, TX; and Ritter Park, Huntington, WV.

For more information about these public spaces, as well as APA’s top 10 Great Streets and top 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2012 and previous years, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces.