General Benjamin Davis Jr. Park

The design for the General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Park strives to respect the character and legacy of a true legend and hero. As the lead commander for the Tuskegee Airmen during WWII, and first African American General of the Airforce, General Davis was a man of great strength.

General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Park represented the first significant effort on the part of MacDill Air Force Base to transform a valuable but underutilized waterfront location into an accessible, environmentally sustainable waterfront park. The park’s design incorporated natural and recycled materials to create a self-sustaining landscape. Native grasses were planted to re-establish the coastal shoreline and lime rock boulders replaced a dilapidated seawall to stabilize the shoreline. The jogging path traversing the site utilizes recycled rubber as a cushion for running. Rarely does a project combine the benefits of shoreline restoration and sustainable construction in a more beautiful way.

Now complete, the project has become a treasured park within the Air Force. It is well known and loved by senior military officers who visit the site on regular trips to the base. To the local military staff, it is a favored place for family or small group gatherings, fishing, boating, or just getting away for a few moments to rest and enjoy the beautiful view.