HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth and city staff members toured the vacant Gloria Dei Lutheran Church building on April 8 as part of the city’s ongoing efforts the buy the church building and property for public use.
The church held its “Holy Closure” service on Jan. 18 and the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is handling the sale of the church building and the 3-acre, three-parcel property at 6608 Marina Drive.
Because the church property is zoned Public/ Semi-Public (PSP) and carries a similar future land use designation, city commission approval would be needed to develop the property for residential or commercial use.
According to city code, “The PSP zoning district is intended to implement the public/semi-public land use category set forth in the comprehensive plan. This district is intended to implement the public/semi-public land use category by recognizing identifiable areas of the community that support public, municipal and semi-public centers, community services and facilities including churches and schools, both public and private.”
The packet for the April 8 Holmes Beach City Commission meeting included a one-page report that Commissioner Terry Schaefer submitted regarding the March 27 meeting that he, Director of Development Services Chad Minor and Public Works Director Sage Kamiya had with George Thurlow, the lead attorney for the Florida-Bahamas Synod that holds the title to the property.
“Mr. Thurlow indicated they would not be listing the property unless the city declines to pursue and that they were aware of the current zoning ordinance limiting potential redevelopment,” Schaefer stated in his report. “An appraisal was produced and left with Chad indicating a beginning asking price of $9.9 million. We were surprised by the appraised value and will be seeking our own if negotiations advance. We stated that the city preferred to retain the building due to its unique architecture. They expressed their appreciation for our intention to retain the structure. The meeting was cordial and I believe a good start to further discussions.”
During the meeting, Schaefer said, “I don’t think we have an abundance of time. We need to move on this as rapidly as we can.”
During her mayor’s report, Titsworth said she, Minor, Kamiya, Building Official Neal Schwartz and Building Inspector/Plans Examiner Scott Drees toured the church building earlier that day.
“I was very impressed with the remediation. They did a really good job,” she said. “It’s in beautiful shape and I just pray to God we can come up with the funding to be able to save that building.”
Regarding the $9.9 million appraisal, Titsworth questioned whether the church’s appraiser took into full account the existing zoning restrictions. As a point of comparison, she noted Manatee County recently bought the former Seafood Shack property in Cortez for $13 million and that property is quite large and sits on the waterfront.
“Let’s say somebody offers them $15 million and they’re going to take it,” Commissioner Carol Whitmore speculated. “We’d have to rezone it, yet we have the right of first refusal. Aren’t we in the middle of something we don’t want to be? We have to be careful about that.”
Schaefer said current PSP zoning is not appealing to developers and that may bode well for the city.
In 2016, city commissioners denied a comprehensive plan amendment sought by church officials who wanted to change the future land use designation to R-2 (multi-family residential) for the two undeveloped parcels and rezone those parcels in the same manner. Church officials hoped to sell the rezoned parcels for development by someone else and use the proceeds to fund continued church operations. In 2018, city officials discussed purchasing portions of the church property, but not the church building, but that sale never transpired.
Intended use
Titsworth said the city’s goal is to preserve the architectural landmark and leave the rest of the property in a natural state.
“If you see that, you know you’re in Holmes Beach,” she said of the triangular-shaped church building and its instantly-recognizable roof structure.
Potential uses of the church building could include bringing back The School for Constructive Play preschool that was displaced before the church closed. The preschool currently operates at The Center of Anna Maria Island in Anna Maria. Other potential uses mentioned included providing space for the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and other organizations. Titsworth said the undeveloped parcels could be used to host outdoor markets, festivals, concerts and be used as undeveloped green space.
“We want to open it up to as many folks as possible,” Minor added.
Titsworth said the use would depend on how the purchase is funded, if funding can be secured. She said the Manatee County Commission-controlled tourist development tax revenues are the city’s best bet for outside funding. Last year, the tourist development tax generated approximately $30 million in tax revenues and a significant portion of those revenues were generated by resort and short-term vacation stays on Anna Maria Island. According to state law, tourist development tax revenues can only be used to promote or enhance tourism.
Titsworth said she and Minor prepared a preliminary funding proposal sent to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione seeking his suggestions and support for the funding request that would ultimately require county commission approval.
“The city desires to maintain this significant piece of property and envisions through acquisition the creation of a Holmes Beach multi-use cultural and event center,” the request form says. “The iconic structure has the potential to become an art, education, environmental and cultural event center for the community. In addition, the project scope includes the incorporation of an 8-foot multi-use path that will provide enhanced mobility and connection from the cultural center property to the existing 8-foot path leading to the city of Anna Maria and the existing 6-foot path leading to City Center (in Holmes Beach).”
The funding request seeks an estimated $3.5 million for the property acquisition, $250,000 for building repair and rehabilitation and $289,000 for the multi-use path, totaling $4.03 million.
Titsworth acknowledged that depending on the available funding sources, the city could alternatively use the property for emergency operations, hurricane debris staging and/or the public works department and those uses could result in the church building being demolished.
“We have to keep multiple visions going at the same time. If this (funding) bucket isn’t good, you might have to go to another,” she said.
Regarding the preservation of public space and undeveloped green space, Commissioner Carol Soustek said, “It’s essential that you offer that to your community, especially as the community’s getting more crowded.”
Related coverage:
