01/30 - Reconsider one design in new Jekyll plan

The Brunswick News
Letters

I am pleased with the authority's choice of Linger Longer Communities as the JIA's private partner for Jekyll Island revitalization. LLC smoothly integrates a 45-plus acre convention, vacation, educational, and service complex with "Historic Jekyll Island." The design also confines most increase in visitor motor traffic within the new complex. The plan seems ecologically sound and aesthetically pleasing. Apparently LLC considered the 2005 Cooper Gary Guidelines in their planning, again, seamlessly tying in with "Historic Jekyll Island."

With this in mind, I was surprised to see pictures of Trammell Crow's "Florida Beachfront Design" hotel with an 82-foot elevation as a replacement for the Buccaneer Hotel. These pictures are on an onsite Trammell Crow billboard and on the JekyllCitizens.org Web site. In my opinion, this structure does not fit Jekyll Island, and is not consistent design-wise with the LLC complex.

I hope the JIA board will encourage Trammell Crow to change their plans to meet the extant and future aesthetic vision of Jekyll Island consistent with the LLC design spirit.

James M. Coulter

Jekyll Island