Windermere gathers more Town Hall input

After much discussion at the December Windermere Town Council meeting, town leaders voted unanimously to collect more public input before moving forward with any changes to Town Hall.

The information collection is to include the town hosting two public workshops — one in person and one on Zoom — followed by a Town Council workshop and a planned presentation to the Historic Preservation Board on the rehabilitation to Town Hall. 

The town hosted the first public information workshop virtually Monday, Jan. 22, and the second in person Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Town Hall.

Residents continue to voice concerns, thoughts and opinions relating to topics such as the building’s historical designation, safety, the gazebo and the grant. 

PUBLIC INPUT CONTINUES 

One of the biggest worries of residents when it comes to the Town Hall renovation project is the building maintaining its historic designation. 

Town Manager Robert Smith, Public Works Director Tonya Elliott-Moore, Town Planner Brad Cornelius and Town Consultant John Fitzgibbon had a call with Alayna Gould, historic preservationist with the Florida Department of State, Jan. 24.

Because the project is not utilizing federal and state funding, Cornelius said the State Historic Preservation Office only can serve in an advisory capacity and provide technical assistance and support. 

Regarding the proposed plans, Gould voiced concerns with the bathrooms, the size of the gazebo, the roof being consistent with the character of the town and the Hardie board material.

 “She didn’t feel that the bathrooms would be compliant with the historic requirements as they were proposed being bumped out, but she gave us some alternatives,” Cornelius said. “We could remove the bump out and put them in the multipurpose room, which would be fully compliant, or we could remove the bump out but expand the existing bathrooms into the storage area adjacent to them. … She also told us she spoke with some others in the office … and their only concern they had (with the gazebo) was the massing. 

“Her suggestions to take care of that concern were to lower the roof — flatten the roof — to bring it more into scale with the Town Hall as well as reducing the size of the porch,” Cornelius said. “She did say the preferred way to do the roof is keeping with the shingle roof as it is, but she did say we are in Florida … and there is a benefit of going to metal roofs for protection of the buildings and those types of things. So, it can be used. … She felt that the only appropriate use of Hardie board would be on the non-historic portions of Town Hall and that the core of the building should be the original materials and not the Hardie board.”

Resident Theresa Schretzmann-Myers suggested using Victorian architectural shingles for the roofing to maintain the building’s character and said she is opposed to the gazebo in the plans.

Resident Stephen Withers is concerned about safety relating to fire in the building and would like the front steps renovated to meet code requirements.

Resident and former Town Council Member Robert McKinley said Town Hall needs upgrades but wants the grant money to be returned. Several other residents agreed.

Resident Stephen Lewis said he and his family love town events but he worries about the safety of the building. 

“I can tell you that when my kids come up here to play on the basketball courts and they run up on the dilapidated deck and up on the stairways, I get a little bit nervous,” he said. “So, when I look at a million dollar grant that, for all intents and purposes, we have ready to use and ready to be put to work, and we can fix the issues that we see deteriorating around us, we can put up a nice gazebo so that we can facilitate some of these events a little better, and we can have a place that still maintains the structural historical integrity, based on everything we’ve heard this evening, I’m fully in support of continuing down this path with this plan.”

The town next was set to host a Town Council workshop to further discuss the project Monday, Feb. 12, after press time. 

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