The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday approved the $226,000 cost of designing the transformation of Fire Station 22, the city’s first, into a museum and event space reflective of the building’s history. The building will be the permanent home of the Palm Coast Historical Society and have the feel of a welcome center. The city hopes to defray the cost with grants.
The city’s fire department is vacating the building and moving Fire Station 22 into a $10.9 million building currently under construction and opening in June at Palm Coast Parkway NE and Colbert Lane.
The original intention wasn’t to preserve the original 1977 building but to level it and make room for parking. The Palm Coast Historical Society strongly objected and campaigned to preserve the building, convincing the council.
“I want to first of all, thank this council, and also previous council, for saving this fire station,” Council member Theresa Pontieri said. Previous councils have tended more often to be the target of this council’s excoriations than praise, so Pontieri’s acknowledgment was notable for its magnanimity.
“I fought pretty hard up here and I did not have consensus initially to save it,” she said. “It was going to all be turned into a parking lot. I also want to thank some of the members of the Historical Society that came to that podium and advocated very hard for saving the fire station. I just really commend both councils for seeing the value in our oldest building in the city of Palm Coast and wanting to keep it and give an actual home to our Palm Coast Historical Society, as well as creating a welcome center.”
The city is applying for a state cultural grant and considering a corporate grant from Lowe’s. For all of Pontieri’s enthusiasm, she is cautious about money spent on what could be considered less than essential to the city’s needs. “I don’t look at this as a pet project, but based on some of the needs of the city infrastructure and public safety and things of that nature,” she said, “things like this can tend to drop off if funding gets tight, and we don’t want to see that happen. So let’s really try to work very hard at some grant funding. But otherwise, I think this looks great.”
City engineering staff met with community organizations and representatives from the Palm Coast Fire Department and the Parks and Recreation Department for insights and suggestions on the potential uses for the building, resulting in the proposed sketches submitted to the council on Tuesday.
“Some common ideas emerged,” City Architect Eric Gebo said. “The design was recommended to include meeting rooms, flex spaces, museum and exhibition space, cater and kitchen to support events, office space, storage, accessible connection to an outdoor space, upgrading of the building systems and preservation of historic architectural elements.”
There would be 92 additional parking spaces that would help the often congested parking lot at the Community Center across the street and provide parking for events at the fire station. The building would have a new entry point at its south side and a 200-square-foot lobby that opens into an 1,150-square-foot exhibition space, with expansion toward the exterior at the north end of the building. A multi-purpose workroom would be built on the east side of the building. It could be used for museum displays as well.
“The second floor mezzanine level will be dedicated solely to the creation and display of arts and crafts,” Gebo said. “The 580-square-foot art studio would overlook the exhibition space with a glazed storefront system to the north and the two-story entry lobby at the south.” The glazing would provide diffuse lighting, which protects art work. Architecturally, the idea is to bring back elements lost over time, redefining exterior details, such as what Pontieri called “resurrecting the bell tower,” an element she particularly appreciated.
Council member Dave Sullivan wasn’t always convinced that the building should be preserved. Now he is, as long as the building’s purpose is focused on history. Parks and Recreation Director James Hirt said preliminary plans would have Historical Society volunteers at the building’s museum at all times. He compared it to the Casements in Ormond Beach, the former John D. Rockefeller winter home turned cultural center and museum for the city. The Casements is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Peter Johnson, president of the Palm Coast Historical Society, proposed to the council to rent out spaces at the building to achieve “cost recovery.”
“We’re going to furnish the building, make it look really nice. And then additionally, we can also have docents there,” Johnson said. “I think this is a great opportunity. I know the county is making some moves to work on their ecotourism center. Not that it’s a competition, but it’s kind of looked at this point to provide a service to the community. So thank you to the council.”
The council unanimously approved a $226,000 work order with Forefront Architecture & Engineering, a Clermont-based firm, for the project’s schematic design and construction documentation phases. The money is drawn from the city’s parks impact fee revenue. Construction documentation is expected to take 14 weeks followed by a two-week bidding period for the actual construction phase, though money for that phase has not been appropriated. Forefront will provide oversight for approximately 8 months during the construction phase.
Capt Bill Hanagan says
Wow these people sure do love to spend our money.. am pro arts but $226k just for plans is insane. Wonder if somebody has a cousin in Clermont..
City Tim says
Why? Why do we need a museum? And how much of are taxes are going to be wasted running and maintaining this new museum.
Not a wise financial decision says
That’s a lot of money to spend just on the plans to convert the facility into a museum which would have limited attraction to a niche audience. I can’t see anyone coming to Palm Coast just to see an old restored fire house. Then there will be costs for construction/modifications to the building, staffing, administration, etc. Any expansion to the building to facilitate meeting rooms, etc. would only reduce the number of parking spots available. That whole corridor of Palm Coast is already overly congested with all of the other businesses in the vicinity. With the upcoming attempt to eliminate property taxes, how do they expect to fund this long term?
Skibum says
Well, if they’re going to preserve that fugly looking building after all, I hope they put that design money to good use so whenever the completed project is finished it will not forever be referred to by locals as the Fugly Museum.
Kathy Reichard-Ellavsky says
Many Thanks to this City Council for appropriating funds for design as well as the previous City Council for voting to save historic Fire Station #22. Preserving the only remaining public structure from the ITT era for public use will help to inspire community pride and appreciation for the contributions of those who came before us. Looking forward to future events, exhibits and programming. Thanks for helping to Keep History Alive!
Dennis C Rathsam says
They can fill it with all the memories of some shitty mayors, who cost the city millions… Or may be the retirees who though they were buying in a senior friendly community. Maybe they’ll have a real explanation for all the things the city did …then had to do it again, or how a City Hall got built, after the tax payers said no! They could add a special display of the Splash Pad from hell. Along the walls there should be the mayors photos, with accomplishments, then in a smaller photo, the city councilmen to blame for the over crowding, pandering & a traffic nightmare, with out of control traffic lights to clog things up more. Another useless albatross to heat cool & insure…
Mona says
I can argue the cost, but the truth is, that Americans in general don’t like history. Every historic building can be easily replaced by convenient parking lot. And whoever can afford it, goes vacationing in Europe to see and learn some history.
Kathy Reichard-Ellavsky says
How disappointing to think that some Americans care so little about their own history. If Europeans had adopted that attitude there would be nothing to visit abroad either. This facility will be able to house permanent and rotating exhibits, lectures, and events, not just for visitors but for residents as well. The purpose is to enhance and enrich our quality of life. Many people appreciate that opportunity and will “live local” to support arts and culture right here, not just overseas. Hopefully you will come to appreciate the uniqueness of what’s available in your own backyard as well as what we can discover elsewhere. This project will provide additional parking for the Community Center and be a hub for others activities.
Villein says
It’s ok to let things go. A parking lot makes sense. Pontierri seems to have lost the plot. Maybe just turn it into an Airbnb? People could play firefighter. Leave some old fire trucks and gear in there. I know this is a dumb idea but I feel it is less dumb than spending almost a quarter million dollars on designing whatever it is supposed to be…
Judy M says
What a waste of money the City does not have to waste. You blow $226,000 on designing with absolutely zero plan for how to pay for construction. The historical society did a fund raiser that has only raised $2,400 in 8 months, 1000 of which came from the mayor. That tells you something there. Please Palm Coast council do not waste money on this project unless you know how the construction, staffing and annual maintanence costs will be paid and there are not more pressing issues to be addressed with our money. The historical society is of little to no interest to the community outside of the few people who volunteer to keep this firehouse dream alive. They don’t even have enough people to keep the current location opened more then 4 hours a week.
celia says
This time city is applying for historical grants to pay for the preservation of our first Fire Station 22! The only historical building left in Palm Coast with has a very significant unique history that has to be protected for generations to come and learn our origins. I kindly ask all our proud Palm Coasters to support this initiative and contribute to the funding of our Palm Coast Museum and Welcome Center Fire Station 22 by donating to its fund thank you: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-city-of-palm-coast-museum?attribution_id=sl:205f349d-2415-4233-a680-4c0de9ed3ecd&lang=en_US&ts=1753905608&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp13_c&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
Judy M says
Isn’t there going to be like a huge welcome center for the tourism office in the eco discovery center? Does Palm Coast need two?
Kathy Reichard-Ellavsky says
The Eco-Discovery Center on Rte. 100 will serve a different purpose than Fire Station #22. While there may be a Welcome Center element to the Station there will also be historical and artistic displays, special events, etc. The two facilities will complement, not duplicate, what’s offered. The fact that each are located adjacent to our extensive system of trails also makes the facilities a destination for bike riders. There are so many exciting opportunities for Flagler County and Palm Coast to promote the outdoors in combination with arts, culture and nature. There’s more to explore than just the beach. Folks just need to be able to learn about it. These places will help make that happen.
Just say'n says
Holy dumb ideas Batman,surely there would be another way to spend that kind of money.No I’m sorry Robin there just doesn’t seem to be any intelligent life on the council. STAY TUNED…..
More waste says
Do these clowns get up every morning thinking about how they can throw away more tax payer dollars?
Ed P says
Why not sell the property? Put it on the tax role.
Maybe lease the property, keep the land asset, and generate income.
Monetize it, don’t increase the tax payer’s expense with a remodel or rebuild.
Will grants pay for daily operating costs or pay property taxes?
Pogo says
These comments are quite something; the resemblance to Mr. Gray’s portrait on the wall of a formerly prosperous saloon are even slightly poignant
https://www.google.com/search?q=dorian+gray
rwboggess says
I hate to say this but there doesn’t seem to be enough interest in this community for the arts and history. I mean look at the art center that was supposed to be built In Town Center to the east of the movie theater. I haven’t seen any change in that property. So, yes, maybe someone needs to re-think this and use the money for something else. I’m sure there are plenty of needs in this community that the money could be used more effectively.
LT C says
I spent many of my years with PCFD in that building. I am so happy to hear it will not be torn down and forgotten! This building is the last reminder of where The City of Palm Coast and the Palm Coast Fire Department started and how far the City has progressed over the years! Great job!
HayRide says
Just who do you think would visit this, or even ever return for a second visit? NOBODY!