by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
A group of local military reservists are informally exploring the possibility of dual-purpose, deployable infrastructures — huge barges that can serve as a source for water and food supplies, medicine, electricity, communications, security and other vital support functions — along the banks of the St. Johns River.
During a crisis, these floating mini-cities could navigate to the site of a catastrophe (for example, the aftermath of a hurricane) to provide emergency services. When not being used for damage control, the facility could stage recreational activities such as concerts to generate revenue.
“A concentration of infrastructure assets allow a huge number of people to be supported,” said Mark Rinaman, a major in the National Guard and head of the Brooklyn Center for Art & Design. “Since the 1940s, we relied heavily on the Eisenhower Interstate System, which was designed to deliver mail and evacuate people.”
In the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack, roads may be impassable or clogged with traffic. Utilizing waterways is much cheaper than flying massive amounts of supplies in and safer than sending commodities by rail.
Initial feasibility studies raised several issues, including capitalization, training, maintenance and readiness. The problem is that if those individuals responsible for protecting a population rely upon floating infrastructure as a back-up plan, what guarantees do they have that it will be affordable, well-kept and operational if the worst case scenario occurs? Rinaman says if the structure is being used throughout the year for other income-producing purposes, the following will happen: it will partially pay for itself; it will have people skilled in working the equipment; the structure will be taken care of; and local troops will be ready to use it.
“With a minimum amount of reorientation, it can support as many as you want,” said Rinaman. “To quote architect Aldo Rosi, ‘It is a temporary modification of the landscape to support a more intense land use.’ There’s not much difference [in infrastructure needs] between 20,000 people hanging out at rock concert for a day or so and the same number milling around who had their houses destroyed.”
An aviation platform, mobile library or temporary parking lot are other suggested uses. According to Rinaman, ship models have been built by students from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University as part of the study. They focused on converting the ship’s upper deck and portions below deck to a working theater, which is one conceptual use. Features that add functionality on some of the models include fold-out decks, movable partitions, chambered hulls that can be partially sunk at varying depths to create risers and decks that can be recessed on top of each other to travel flat.
Rinaman says a certain amount of waterfront property would need to remain open for special events, deterring private development.
“Bringing in 3,000 square feet of exhibition or meeting space justifies open space on the [edge of the] water,” he said. “There’s a lot of potential to develop the river. This is a more responsible, efficient and cheaper way than building permanent facilities. The economic development component is easy to see, especially in light of the Super Bowl and the huge resource of the Intracoastal. We only have a few big games a year. Right now we have acres and acres of parking space that stand vacant for long periods of time”
The idea of floating infrastructure has been in use throughout history. Cleopatra mounted Greek temples on barges to float up and down the Nile River as a show of power. Paddlewheel boats, which served as mobile hospitals, were employed during the Civil War. In 1989, a giant, floating entertainment complex was used in Venice.
“If this becomes an economic development path for Jacksonville, it will require a tremendous amount of support and will create a lot of jobs,” said Rinaman. “It is also a way to brand the city in an intensely interesting way.”