EAGLE LAKE, Fla. – There’s a big community push to save a century-old former school building in Eagle Lake.
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What we know:
Earlier this week, the city granted a 60-day grace period, so if residents come up with the grants or funds, there’s a chance the city won’t tear it down.
Stephanie Floyd and her husband, David, are trying to preserve the old Eagle Lake Elementary School on East Eagle Avenue which dates back to 1926.
“It represents generations. Those in the past and those to come,” Stephanie said. “I’ve been here for 55 years, and there are so many people who’ve walked the halls of this schoolhouse. There have been events and opportunities, and people have experienced unity in this community.”
“It is the only historical structure left in Eagle Lake,” David said.
The other side:
Eagle Lake Mayor and Seat 4 Commissioner Corey Coler says the city has experienced a lot of growth, so they wanted to expand the services they could offer to the community.
The city wants to build a new city hall complex because trying to repair and modernize the old school could cost up to $6 million.
“It’s not that we have a disdain for the building, and we have other plans for the space,” Coler said. “We’re trying to make the right decision so we don’t have additional expenditures throughout the overall project. When we start moving around, that results in additional construction costs. To change plans that go into all those pieces of it starts racking up pretty rapidly.”
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On Monday, Eagle Lake City Council passed a motion to award the bid to a local construction company for demolition and to grant a 60-day grace period, so those trying to save the building can find ways to raise the appropriate funds.
The Floyds said they’re working on forming a historical society for this cause. Since Monday, they’ve received a ton of information from the county and state about grant avenues and contractors who can restore historical buildings.
What they’re saying:
“We can hopefully get one and give us an honest assessment we can use and the city council can use when making better decisions,” David said.
The Floyds accept if the school is beyond repair. However, they want to say they gave it their best effort.
“It’s just a small effort on our part to do what we can for this area,” Stephanie said.
What we don’t know:
City planners have not published the architectural blueprints or the exact spatial layout for the proposed city hall complex.
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