The Town of Middletown is seeking site planning and design services for the development of
improvements to the Dunlap-Wheeler Park. Located in the Town’s Atlantic Beach District on the
Newport city line, the park is at the gateway to Middletown for those visiting our beaches and
other attractions. Several years ago the Town completed the Atlantic Beach District Master Plan
(available here: https://middletownri.com/224/Atlantic-Beach-District-Master-Plan), which
includes recommendations and conceptual plans for enhancing the park. Landscape
improvements, events space, playground, and a direct pedestrian connection to Newport’s
Easton’s Beach (aka First Beach) were included in that plan. The selected firm will work with
town staff, the Open Space & Fields Committee, and the Tree Commission to design a recreation
facility to meet the town’s current and future needs.
The subject property consists of four parcels of land totaling approximately one acre (Tax
Assessor’s plat 116NW, Lots 42, 43, 44 and a portion of an additional shoreline parcel). The land
currently is a park, but with few amenities. The goal is to create an active and inviting
community space that will serve as an attractive gateway to Middletown. This design project will
accomplish the following goals:
1. Site and landscape design that provides ADA compliant access, parking, and other
amenities as identified during the planning process.
2. Provide opportunities for public input during the site planning process.
3. Provide estimates of probable development and maintenance costs.
4. Develop a proposed project implementation program.
5. Provide engineering and design expertise in preparing the final development plans and
construction bid documents.
