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Plans For Bern's Park Are Taking Root

Rendering from Laurie Potier-Brown

The triangular area at Howard, Hills and DeSoto avenues originally was named Luna Park. In 2003, then-mayor Dick Greco renamed it Bern's Park after Bern Laxer, the owner of Bern's Steak House, who died Aug. 31, 2002. The city earmarked $220,000 for park renovations, including lighting, irrigation, a fountain and median landscaping on DeSoto. The Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association agreed to contribute about $20,000.

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By JAMIE PILARCZYK

jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com

Published: January 28, 2009

HYDE PARK - City leaders have good news for people in this South Tampa neighborhood: Plans for Bern's Park finally are moving toward fruition.

"We're working to bring this project home," said project manager Laurie Potier-Brown with Tampa's parks department. "It's time to move this forward."

The triangular area at Howard, Hills and DeSoto avenues originally was named Luna Park. In 2003, then-mayor Dick Greco renamed it Bern's Park after Bern Laxer, the owner of Bern's Steak House, who died Aug. 31, 2002.

"It took a long time but the success of it for our neighbors and our kids will be tremendous," said Chrisi Laxer, the restaurateur's daughter-in-law.

The city earmarked $220,000 for park renovations, including lighting, irrigation, a fountain and median landscaping on DeSoto. The Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association agreed to contribute about $20,000.

The winning bid for the first phase of renovations was $185,200. Parties involved in the work are working out financing details, but Laxer said it is possible the city will fund construction and the neighborhood association, Laxer family and area businesses will pay for ongoing maintenance.

"It's been a long delay, but I think things are going to start happening soon," said association President Rosemary Henderson, who hosted a meeting on the matter Thursday night.

Lighting and electrical wiring have been installed, and re-landscaping of the DeSoto Avenue median was completed in 2006. The first phase of the project includes building sidewalks, installing a fountain donated by David and Chrisi Laxer and placing 15 benches within the park. Potier-Brown said work should begin in mid-March and be completed by August.

"The fountain itself will be remarkable," said David Rigall, a landscape architect working on the project. "It's lit and will be a nice evening feature as well."

A second phase of work remains conceptual. Generally it includes columns, and a wall and sign similar to that of Kate Jackson Park, which was an inspiration for design elements for Bern's Park. It also has native plant landscaping in the park and in a right-of-way where some pedestrians now cross Howard Avenue illegally.

A bus stop at DeSoto and Howard remains in the plan, but questions arose Thursday about placement of the bus stop's bench because of restricted visibility. Potier-Brown said park advocates need to discuss details with public transportation officials.

Once completed, the park will be a touching memorial to Bern Laxer, Chrisi Laxer said.

"This is something that lifted our spirits," she said. "This keeps him in the forefront of our thoughts."

VOICE YOUR OPINION

Feedback on the project's second phase, which includes landscaping, columns, a wall and a sign, may be submitted by Jan. 30 to Laurie Potier-Brown at laurie.potier-brown@tampagov.net or faxed to (813) 231-1339.

Reporter Jamie Pilarczyk can be reached at (813) 259-7661.

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