Setbacks including a nearly $2 million shortfall and Hurricane Florence have likely contributed to the delayed start, but the construction of the North Waterfront Park should get going soon

WILMINGTON — Construction has yet to begin at the North Waterfront Park and Live Nation amphitheater — a $20 million project that was funded by the City of Wilmington’s Parks Bond — despite initial plans calling for construction to being early 2019.

Last year, Community Services Director Amy Beatty said, ” … that the park’s final design has been broken down into sections to speed up construction, with current plans calling for advertising for construction companies at the end of this year, and construction beginning in early 2019.”

But in November of 2018, the design firm contracted to create the park told city leaders they needed to either cut features or raise more money to fund the park’s lofty price tag. The city was facing a $1.7 million shortfall in funds, despite getting $2 million from Live Nation and $20 million from the parks bond.

When asked about the progress of the park, City Spokeswoman Malissa Talbert said, “They are still working on the bids and the sponsorships, still plan to start construction in the next couple of months as far as I know.”

The Clancy and Theys Construction Company was awarded the title of construction manager at-risk and are currently going through the bidding process to select a company to actually build the park.

“The City is using the Construction Manager at-Risk (CMR) project management delivery method for North Waterfront Park. That means, among other things, that the City hired a construction manager at the beginning of the design process. Clancy and Theys Construction Company is our construction manager. With this method, the construction manager advertises the bid packages to the subcontractors, not the City. They have done so and are in the process of sorting through the bids,” Beatty said.

In March, Beatty said the city was working to cut costs by putting two bid packages together — one for the site work and construction of the stage and the second for a park support building, back-of-house building, and concert venue restrooms.

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