Beach Pavilion at Seaside

**Mermaid** · 09-13-2005, 11:03 PM

Does anyone know about the Natchez Street pavilion at Seaside? It's the one closest to Watercolor, the one that has the wooden steps that remind me of a hull of a Viking ship. Was it washed away? I was looking through my Seaside book and saw a picture of it. It's an incredible piece of architecture.

**Smiling JOe** · 09-13-2005, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Mermaid

Does anyone know about the Natchez Street pavilion at Seaside? It's the one closest to Watercolor, the one that has the wooden steps that remind me of a hull of a Viking ship. Was it washed away? I was looking through my Seaside book and saw a picture of it. It's an incredible piece of architecture.

The Natchez Pav walkover steps were washed away with Ivan 04. I cannot remember for sure, but I think the steps were replaced. Then TS Arlene washed them back out to see. They have not been replaced since then. The pavilion still stands, but the walkover is missing starting about 4-5 meters south of the pavilion. If you look back through my photo album, you will see some photos taken from that Pavilion about 10 days ago. They are, ... wait...

darn I made a good guess, 10 days ago exactly.
Not of Natchez, from Natchez.

There you go.

**Mermaid** · 09-13-2005, 11:44 PM

Thanks, JOe. I actually hadn't thought of that pavilion in a while because we usually don't walk the entire length of beach at Seaside--we climb up at the market. I was reminded of it when I looked through my book today. Pity about it. It was so beautifully done and so unique. I hope that eventually that will make a duplicate of it!

**Seasider** · 09-14-2005, 12:13 AM

The steps were washed away by Ivan and not recovered. They were completely rebuilt using Juniper wood as originally constructed by the Jersey Devils. TS Arlene damaged the steps and the bottom couple of sections were washed down the beach. Dennis came in and finished the job, completely destroying all new sections. Nothing was recovered. We expect that they will be rebuilt eventually, but no sooner than the end of turtle and hurricane season. Unfortunately, those steps do not do well in any kind of storm surge.

**kurt** · 09-14-2005, 06:31 AM

**kurt** · 09-14-2005, 06:32 AM

**kurt** · 09-14-2005, 06:32 AM

**kurt** · 09-14-2005, 06:33 AM

Arlene

**kurt** · 09-14-2005, 06:34 AM

Arlene

**Coast is Clear** · 09-14-2005, 07:48 AM

Unfortunately, there have been some rumblings at Seaside that all the walkovers will never be rebuilt. During the offseason there will probably be one access on the east of town and one on the west that will be rebuilt using removable aluminum stairs. The Natchez walkway that was rebuilt after Ivan and lasted for less than a year I think cost $80 thousand. It has just gotten too expensive to maintain them based on original design.

**Smiling JOe** · 09-14-2005, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by kurt

Arlene

All of that sand is now on the islands of SoWal.

**Mermaid** · 09-14-2005, 09:11 AM

Thanks for the photos, Kurt.

I'm sorry the steps are gone.

You're probably right on the money, Coast is Clear, about them not being rebuilt. I read that the original (and probably the later duplicate) was built as a piece of furniture, so I can well believe that it cost in the neighborhood of $80K to construct it. But surely there must be some smart architects out there who could figure out designs that could be dissembled when a storm was approaching, that wouldn't be as boring and plain as metal steps?

**Coast is Clear** · 09-14-2005, 09:23 AM

I also would have thought that stairways built in managable sections could be disasembled when a storm threatens. To me it would be very sad not to have all the accesses functioning. It was a royal pain having to go through the center of town this summer to get to the beach.

Maybe I am just spoiled

**Smiling JOe** · 09-14-2005, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Coast is Clear

I also would have thought that stairways built in managable sections could be disasembled when a storm threatens. To me it would be very sad not to have all the accesses functioning. It was a royal pain having to go through the center of town this summer to get to the beach.

Maybe I am just spoiled

Spoiled Rotten.

**Coast is Clear** · 09-14-2005, 09:33 AM

SJ, you got that right!!

**Landlocked** · 09-14-2005, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Coast is Clear

I also would have thought that stairways built in managable sections could be disasembled when a storm threatens. To me it would be very sad not to have all the accesses functioning. It was a royal pain having to go through the center of town this summer to get to the beach.

Maybe I am just spoiled

1 beach access = alot of tents all in one place. But on the other hand, 1 beach access means uncrowded beaches for the folks who are willing to hike a little ways.

**Mermaid** · 09-14-2005, 09:40 AM

Well, count me in as another spoiled one. I've grown accustomed to a certain Seaside standard, you know...don't want them lowering their quality control just because of a few big storms...

**Coast is Clear** · 09-14-2005, 10:02 AM

The main thing that pis..... uh.... gets me upset is that now all the umbrella man's umbrellas take up the entire center of the beach off the one access! So we had to walk 'all the way' into town and then back out, in our case, to the east to locate some open beach. It looks like half the unbrellas aren't ever used!!

On a few occasions I have just parked in front of the line to enjoy an unencumbered view of the Gulf.

Having multiple accesses would let everyone spread out a bit more. But I don't think we will see anything resolved until after hurricane season, and it sounds like it takes some time to get aluminum stairs built.

**Miss Kitty** · 09-14-2005, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Coast is Clear

The main thing that pis..... uh.... gets me upset is that now all the umbrella man's umbrellas take up the entire center of the beach off the one access! So we had to walk 'all the way' into town and then back out, in our case, to the east to locate some open beach. It looks like half the unbrellas aren't ever used!!

On a few occasions I have just parked in front of the line to enjoy an unencumbered view of the Gulf.

Having multiple accesses would let everyone spread out a bit more. But I don't think we will see anything resolved until after hurricane season, and it sounds like it takes some time to get aluminum stairs built.

Surely people don't park TENTS in front of the chairs, do they? OOOOH WEEEE, I'd be hot if that happened to me!

**Coast is Clear** · 09-14-2005, 11:46 AM

Not a tent, but I have seen plenty of people with chairs and and umbrella. It is not being done vindictively, but I also don't think it is reasonable to expect that empty chairs and umbrellas automatically reserve all the beach in front of them. When all the blue umbrellas are up first thing in the morning it looks like the great wall of china, without a soul sitting in them.

There should be SOME common courtesy to share the beach respectfully.

**Landlocked** · 09-14-2005, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Coast is Clear

Not a tent, but I have seen plenty of people with chairs and and umbrella. It is not being done vindictively, but I also don't think it is reasonable to expect that empty chairs and umbrellas automatically reserve all the beach in front of them. When all the blue umbrellas are up first thing in the morning it looks like the great wall of china, without a soul sitting in them.

There should be SOME common courtesy to share the beach respectfully.

This should be a seperate thread. A good topic that I'm sure alot of people have opinions about.

**kurt** · 09-14-2005, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Landlocked

This should be a seperate thread. A good topic that I'm sure alot of people have opinions about.

It is a big issue in Destin and will become one here.

The associations and the beach service owners feel they are entitled to public beach and will set up in order to exclude others.

**Landlocked** · 09-14-2005, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by kurt

It is a big issue in Destin and will become one here.

The associations and the beach service owners feel they are entitled to public beach and will set up in order to exclude others.

I'm kinda mixed about the whole thing. It would be nice to sit down wherever you want to but I've rented those chairs before and it is SOOO nice to be able to get up and leave them there.

**Coast is Clear** · 09-14-2005, 12:10 PM

I have no problem at all with the chairs/umbrellas etc. It would just be nicer for everyone if they spread them out a bit more or left wide openings between groups for others.