HOLMES BEACH – Members of the city’s Parks and Beautification Committee are working on a proposal which, if approved by city commissioners, could create an acre of green space at the city’s commercial center.
A recent business casualty in the area, the permanent closure of the city’s Wells Fargo branch, has given parks committee members the idea of turning the old bank property into a city park. Unfortunately for the city, the project could carry a hefty price tag.
After briefly discussing the possibility of acquiring the vacant property during their March meeting, member Alec Graham said that he’d done some research into obtaining the property and turning it into a city park. He estimates the cost of demolition for the current building to be about $500,000. He suggested city leaders could use part or all of the estimated $1.8 million expected from federal COVID-19 relief funds to purchase the property. After sending his suggestions to Mayor Judy Titsworth, Graham said he hadn’t yet received a reply.
City Commissioner Carol Soustek, the commission’s liaison to the parks committee, said that she understands that the land, located at a prime intersection on the Island, is very valuable and doesn’t believe that it will be for sale long. She added that while the city’s leaders are looking at making land acquisitions, most of those are for greenspace and preservation of wetlands that can be primarily left in as-is condition without the need for construction or demolition. In contrast, Soustek said the Wells Fargo property would be “a massive undertaking” for the city.
“It’s not undoable,” she said, “but it’s a dream you have to work on.”
The Wells Fargo bank property, 5327 Gulf Drive, is for sale through JLL, a realty company, for $2.4 million. The 1.66-acre site is situated on two parcels with a two-story bank building and 71 parking spaces, some of which are rented to the adjacent marina and Waterline resort. The property is zoned C3 for high-density commercial use.
Parks members meet on Wednesday, May 5 at 10 a.m. Holmes Beach City Hall for their final meeting before their customary summer break.
