Elementor #2335

When Navy Federal Credit Union aimed to enhance the outdoor amenities of their suburban campus, the Jerry Pate Design team recognized that the endeavor posed welcome challenges. Addressing issues related to maintenance, stormwater management, and spatial limitations, the team grappled with pivotal questions: How could they effectively maintain an expanded campus landscape? Was it possible to create an amenity out of the code-required stormwater ponds for employee enjoyment, seamlessly blending with the environment? Could they enhance the aesthetics and safety of parking lot walkways without sacrificing valuable parking spaces? Naturally, JPD overcame these challenges to provide aesthetically pleasing, functional and maintainable campus exterior spaces.

The Dutch word "woonerf" roughly translates to "street for living," and this concept has gained traction here in the United States. Our communities are seeing the value in streetscapes that support enjoyment, rather than simply facilitating movement from point A to point B. While streetscapes are often viewed as purely utilitarian, they actually happen to be the largest areas of public space in our cities. Why should they be mere conduits for cars when they could also prove a central exterior environment for the local community to enjoy. This was the thinking behind the Southtowne project, in which the Jerry Pate Design team revitalized the streetscape nestled between a mixed-use office building and the YMCA in downtown Pensacola.