Enhancements coming for Windermere Town Hall

The town of Windermere hosted the first virtual public information workshop regarding Town Hall enhancements Monday, July 31.

Public Works Director Tonya Elliott-Moore introduced the presentation by explaining the renovations to Town Hall are needed and necessary to ensure the protection of the establishment now and in the future. 

CONCEPTUAL PLAN

The Town Council consented previously to engage Tom Price, a historical architect who has renovated and revitalized historical facilities in downtown Orlando, for the project. 

Elliott-Moore said Price was tasked with looking at Town Hall and developing a draft plan based on three categories: Safety, accessibility and functionality; historical aesthetic improvements; and additional enhancements. 

Town Consultant John Fitzgibbon discussed the specifics of the changes under the three categories and walked residents through the proposed floor plans. 

Fitzgibbon said the conceptual plans have been reviewed by the Historic Preservation Board to gather feedback. He said the board loved the plans. 

In terms of safety, accessibility and functionality, Fitzgibbon said staff looked at where foundation enhancements were needed, especially for the porch columns. 

Staff looked also at handicapped accessibility relative to the proximity of the parking, improving stage access and adding a handicapped lift, looking at new exits at the west stage area and the back of the kitchen area at the east side, looking at guardrails at the main entry landing, removing the steps at the northeast corner of Town Hall, and providing access from the multipurpose room to the porch.

As far as historical aesthetic improvements, Fitzgibbon said the town is looking at improved roof enhancements; renovating the porch columns, stairs and rails with Hardie board; replacing the rotted wood; and adding a new metal roof for the entire facility.

Fitzgibbon said the town is exploring a full hip roof design to eliminate the current flat roof. 

“The hip roofs and the metal…are probably more indicative of the time period,” he said. “According to Tom (Price), getting rid of those architectural articulations on the top of the roof; one, from a long-term maintenance perspective, but also in a time-sensitive perspective relative to what the building would have looked like back in its day.”

To address additional enhancements, the town gathered feedback from residents, the HPB and past users of Town Hall.

The items include adding a new multipurpose room, conducting a restroom expansion, adding more family restrooms, creating exterior access to the Town Hall restrooms and looking at new kitchen equipment. 

“Tom (Price) did a great job on just giving us a plan of what we currently have as existing, which gave us the footprint and the floorplan to work towards understanding the best use, functionality and modifications that would be required to the existing facility,” Fitzgibbon said.

HISTORIC RATING 

Council Member Molly Rose inquired how the town was to complete the project without losing the building’s historic rating.

“By popping out the side of the building for restrooms or changing the roof materials, I thought they’re pretty strict on what you can do and still keep your historic rating,” she said. “I know that when we put the porch on, it could not really be attached to the original building in order to maintain that historic rating. … I don’t believe that our local historic committee has that ability to keep it. … I personally don’t care about historic ratings, but I know our historic board does.”

Although he loves the new design of the building and thinks it’s beautiful, Council Member Tom Stroup said he also has concerns about the historical designation.

“We’re losing them (historical designations) little by little in town over the years,” he said. “I do want to preserve them. … I don’t think anybody currently on the historic board has the license to make that decision. I think we need to get somebody in here who can tell us emphatically whether doing this will cause us to lose our historical designation because I think it is worth protecting.”

Elliott-Moore clarified the town will check with the United States Department of Interior to ensure nothing the project is doing will force the building to lose its historic designation but reminded attendees the project is in the very early stages of development. 

The town will host the second virtual public information workshop on the Town Hall enhancements Aug. 16.