Bradford Access Project
BLF&R is part of an all-local development team solving a long time problem in Provincetown — the disconnection between the historic Pilgrim Monument and the bustling life of downtown Provincetown, doing so with old world flair- the use of a funicular.
The funicular, an inclined elevator or cable car on rails will bring visitors from the Bas Relief Park to the landscaped lawn of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, or PMPM.
The development team that will make this project a reality includes: BLF&R, Coastal Engineering Company Inc. of Orleans, landscape architects Hawk Design Inc. of Sandwich as well as Jay Cashman Inc. of Quincy. An interesting fact is that the monument was in fact built in 1910 by the ancestors of the company’s founder, Jay Cashman.
There are two main objectives behind the project. The first is improving accessibility of the museum, and the second is to make a meaningful connection between the community and the monument grounds.
The design for the funicular entrance pavilion will include an electronic ticket booth that will give visitors access to a covered waiting area equipped with a medium-sized skylight. An iron fence will be staggered around the pavilion with benches, greenery and informational plaques displayed for people who are waiting to ride the funicular. Granite will be used to create the sloped entrance, and it will be framed in metalwork with a patina to match the roof of Town Hall and the Bas Relief. It will also comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Construction is expected to be completed by the summer of 2019, a full year before the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ landing here. The funicular will be located just east of the Bas Relief on Bradford Street, near the town’s center.