Cost to repair city's state-owned properties: $22 million -- COST IS TRIPLE PRIOR ESTIMATES

Cost to repair city's state-owned properties: $22 million

UF assessment more than triples previous estimate

KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustinerecord.com
Publication Date: 07/31/07


An University of Florida report released Monday says it will need $22 million in state funds to repair St. Augustine's 34-state owned properties, a massive leap from a previous $7 million estimate.

In May, the Florida Senate and House of Representatives unanimously approved that the university take control of the properties.

But the bills did not include funding.

Rep. William Proctor, R-St. Augustine, who shepherded the bills, is "cautiously" optimistic that despite a tight budget year for the state the project will receive money.

"These are state properties and they're in pretty bad shape, and the state has to take responsibility," Proctor said.

In 1997, the state preservation board was dissolved, and cities, including St. Augustine, were left to manage the state properties on their own. Without state funding, St. Augustine had $500,000 each year to maintain the buildings, which consequently fell into disrepair.

A historic preservation task force, put together by Proctor, estimated the building repairs would total $7 million.

However, a team from UF spent 300 hours in the last month meticulously surveying the properties and found the price tag to be $22 million, said Ed Poppell, UF vice president for business affairs.

Poppell said the university also will ask the state to give $488,000 yearly to pay for operations and maintenance on the buildings. And UF wants $500,000 so a consultant can determine a master plan for the city that would include a detailed vision for its future.

Poppell met Monday with several people in the St. Augustine community, including Mayor Joe Boles, to show the university's assessment report on the properties.

Boles said he's "excited" that UF wants to bring academia and tourism to the city.

"They would bring both to the table," Boles said. "And I was happy to see they asked what they can do to make sure the public is excited and involved in this, too."

Poppell said the university will begin shopping the proposal to legislators in September in hopes they will gain early support for the funding.

Proctor said St. Augustine's 450th anniversary coming up in 2015 could be an incentive to legislators.

"(Restoring the properties) is something we need to get done before that time," he said.

Boles said if the funding doesn't come through, the city will continue to be stewards of the properties.

Proctor is not even considering the possibility the university will be turned down.

"We just have to keep going until we get it done," he said. "We may not get everything we want (this session), but I think we'll get enough to keep moving."


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