HISTORIC ST. AUGUSTINE PRESERVATION BOARD


MEMORANDUM

July 21, 1982



TO: PLANNING COMMITTEE

FROM: William R. Adams /

SUBJECT: East Wing Restoration; Staff Recommendations


At the March meeting the Board discussed a staff proposal to install a
concrete slab floor in the east wing of Government House and decided to
determine the eventual use of the facility before any renovation is undertaken.
The question was referred to the Planning Committee, which asked for staff
comment and possible uses. These include:

A. Exhibit space or hall: the Board presently has no secure or large area
in which it exhibits historical or archaeological artifacts associated
with the history of St. Augustine. It has in storage considerable archaeo-
logical material that has been uncovered in the two decades of research
conducted under its auspices and those of the St. Augustine Restoration
Foundation, Inc. Some is displayed in the Government House window cases,
but that space is limited.

B. Reception Hall: the only space presently available to the Board for a
reception area is the conference room.

C. Archaeological Storage: Within a very short time, serious efforts shall
have to be made to construct or develop an archaeological storage area,
since the only presently available space for that purpose, the Government
House basement, is filled.

D. Office Space: The area could be adoptively restored to create office space
for either internal use or rental.

The least expensive alternative above would undoubtedly be C, since reno-
vation for storage would not require elaborate architectural treatment.

Alternative D is listed as a possibility, but it is not one that the staff
recommends, because: (a) the office space would presently be surplus to the
agency's needs; and (b) commercial rental in this building is not feasible for
a variety of reasons. Additionally, no parking space is available for tenants.

The staff recommendation is as follows:

1. That the east wing be renovated for a combination of purposes A and B.

2. That the Board authorize an expenditure of $8,000 maximum to begin instal-
lation of a concrete slab floor, which would be adaptable to any plan
eventually adopted for the space. Engineering plans for the floor have
been drafted. The space could then immediately be used for storage.






Memorandum to Planning Committee
July 21, 1982
Page 2



3. That the staff prepare specifications for the renovation of the space in
order that the work can be submitted for architectural buds.

Further consideration will have to be given the alternative of (1) an
adaptive renovation or (2) a restoration to the east wing's 1936 appearance.
It is our opinion that the latter recourse will prove prohibitive, but we will
have to await an architectural opinion to make a definite determination.


WRA/bg