HOLMES BEACH – Island businessman Jake Spooner now has the city-issued demolition permit needed to demolish the former Wells Fargo bank building at 5327 Gulf Drive, near the Gulf Drive/Marina Drive intersection.
Demolition permit D26-000006 was recently issued to Oden Hardy Construction and Spooner’s Island Bazaar Gulf Dr limited liability corporation. According to the Holmes Beach Building Department Administrator Kimberly Charron, the additional project-related building permit applications for the main structure and an accessory structure submitted on April 6 were still being reviewed as of Friday, April 10.
When speaking to the Sun on April 10, Spooner said the demolition work will begin after the building permits for the primary building and the accessory structure are approved by the city and presented to his bank.
In December 2024, the Holmes Beach City Commission approved the site plan application submitted by Spooner and his development team. At that time, Spooner originally hoped to salvage some of the old bank building’s primary structure. Earlier this year, his engineer advised him that constructing an entirely new building would be a better option.
“We’ll have a brand-new, flood-proofed building instead of having a portion of a building that’s 60-70 years old,” Spooner told The Sun in late January.
Regarding the need to demolish the existing building and replace it with a new one, Holmes Beach Development Services Director Chad Minor said in January that if the modified construction plans remained consistent and compliant with the original, commission-approved site plan, no additional city commission approval would be needed.
Referred to in the 2024 site plan application as “Holmes Beach Island Bazaar & Mini Golf,” Spooner’s mixed-use development will include his miniature golf course, his video game arcade and his Island Bazaar retail operations. The remaining ground-level interior space will be leased to the Fudge Factory candy and ice cream store. The second story space to be leased to Ben Sato for his new sports-themed Mingo’s restaurant will offer both enclosed and open-air seating.
