Gerald Ensley: C.K. Steele Plaza moves beyond buses
Tallahassee Democrat –By Gerald Ensley
April 11, 2010
StarMetro is embracing the 21st century. But it won’t forget its roots.
So even as the city’s transportation authority makes plans to eliminate its central bus transfer station — and ultimately redevelop the site commercially — rest assured there will continue to be a C.K. Steele Plaza, honoring Tallahassee’s most famous civil rights leader.
“Whatever we use the site for, it would be called C.K. Steele,” said Ron Garrison, StarMetro executive director. “That’s the kind of history we don’t want to lose.”
Last month, StarMetro got City Commission approval to implement “Nova 2010,” which is the revolutionary overhaul of the city’s bus system. The plan, which goes effect late next year, replaces 26 routes with 12 crosstown routes and creates 43 transfer points around town. The wait for a bus will drop from as much as 50 minutes now to as little as 15 minutes. A software system will be installed to allow riders to go online, plug in their location and destination and be told when and where to catch the next bus to that destination.
And no longer will all passengers have to come downtown to C.K. Steele Plaza and transfer to another bus before moving across town. In the new system, only three routes will pass through C.K. Steele — raising the question of what will happen to the now-25-year-old terminal. The answer is: good things.
Though it will continue to use the terminal for certain bus functions, StarMetro ultimately intends to redevelop the plaza. Within two years, it hopes to start building retail shops along Tennessee Street. Within a decade, it expects to begin a complete redevelopment into office buildings, condos, restaurants or other retail.
StarMetro officials expect the block bounded by Tennessee, Adams, Call and Duval streets to be a centerpiece of downtown redevelopment. Sam Scheib, StarMetro senior planner, envisions Tennessee Street becoming “another Champs-Elysees,” meaning a thoroughfare filled with streetside commerce, mass transit, bicyclists and pedestrians — with a redeveloped C.K. Steele Plaza as a key hub.
“I can’t imagine in 15 years this won’t be done,” Scheib said. “It promotes all the goals the city and citizens want.”
C.K. Steele Plaza is named for the pastor of Bethel Baptist Church who led the city bus boycott in 1956 that integrated city buses. He would go on to be a lieutenant of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., as a vice president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He died in August 1980.
The plaza’s history traces to 1979, when the city decided it needed more room for its transfer point. For decades, the transfer terminal was Park and Monroe Streets, with shelters on either side of Monroe.
The original plan was to build the new terminal behind City Hall, where Kleman Plaza now sits. That was eventually scotched in favor of the current site across from the Greyhound bus terminal.
It took until 1985 to build the plaza and engendered some grumbling among the half-dozen businesses that were forced to relocate. The block along Tennessee had held a corner gas station, a bicycle shop, Waterbed Delight and the Record Bar.
Naming the plaza was easier — though not without controversy. On Feb. 8, 1983, the City Commission voted to name the plaza for Steele — the same night it voted not to rename North Boulevard Street for M.L. King Jr. The commissioners had renamed South Boulevard Street for the slain civil rights leader in 1980, but they met resistance from North Boulevard residents. Renaming supporters felt naming the bus terminal for Steele was an attempt to quiet protests. A year later, the commissioners succeeded in renaming North Boulevard for King.
One of the best things that will come out of redeveloping the terminal will be more emphasis on the Steele legacy. Garrison said StarMetro wants to give more prominent display to the statue of Steele and the stained glass from his church. Currently, the bronze sculpture near the corner of Tennessee and Adams is hidden by trees and is difficult for passing motorists to see. The stained glass windows are part of a dusty wall inside the terminal.
The changes sit well with the Rev. R.B. Holmes, who has led Steele’s former church since 1986.
“We cannot minimize the contribution Dr. Steele made to the quality of life in Florida,” Holmes said. “I think enhancing the surroundings and bringing more traffic (to the plaza) will give a lasting legacy to the spirit and substance of Dr. Steele.”