Refer the item to Finance and Citywide Projects Committee.

BACKGROUND

At the December 13, 2017 City Commission meeting the Commission approved a resolution to retain Dover, Kohl & Partners (DKP), the urban design team behind the North Beach Master Plan, to create a conceptual design and development plan for the "West Lots." These City-owned properties consist of eight blocks of vacant land on the west side of Collins Avenue across the street from North Beach Oceanside Park. As part of this agreement, DKP was asked to analyze and asses the restoration, placement, and future use of the Log Cabin which was originally located on one of the vacant "West Lots."

A feasibility study was conducted by Douglas Wood Associates in 2017, which determined that approximately fifty percent (50%) of the existing structure could be salvaged and a replacement structure could be constructed using salvaged and new materials for between $750,000 and $1 million dependent upon the level of restoration and preservation.

The City Commission approved a resolution at the January 17, 2018 Commission meeting directing City Staff to create a crowdfunding campaign, pursue state and national grants, and allocate funding through capital improvement requests via the budget process in order to finance the restoration of the log cabin. 

Grant funding agencies require that a project scope and budget be included in all applications to be considered competitive for award. The Administration will need to include key components of the project, including cost estimates, location and use of the Log Cabin in its grant applications.  The Administration intends to apply for several upcoming grants, including the State of Florida Historic Preservation Grant Program which has a deadline of June 1, 2018.  A full list of possible grants to support the renovation and restoration is attached as Exhibit B.

Additionally, the Administration has reviewed the various crowdfunding platforms available for this type of project and has recommended In Your Own Back Yard as the organization most suitable to meet the City’s needs.  The Administration is working with Legal and In Your Own Back Yard staff on the terms of an agreement to provide a crowdfunding platform to the City for the option that is selected for the Log Cabin structure.  The Administration will present its recommendation regarding the crowdfunding platform and campaign to the Commission in the form of a Resolution at a future meeting

In order to seek capital improvement funding through the annual capital budget development process and/or GO Bond funding for the restoration of the Log Cabin the administration needs to determine the location and future use of the structure so that a project budget can be created and adopted. 

DKP studied various site locations for the possible home of the Log Cabin and determined that the best location was within the North Beach Oceanside Park. DKP considered multiple locations in the Town Center district and the West Lots for placing the Log Cabin. They determined that the park provides a beautiful natural setting that also has a strong need for a multi-purpose structure.  Additionally, locating the log cabin in the park will preserve the legacy of the log cabin in North Beach, in very close proximity to the original location. 

The firm has outlined three different uses for the Log Cabin which are outlined below. A more detailed description along with site specific photos are provided in the attached document (Exhibit A). 

• Option 1: The structure could be repurposed to accommodate a cafe, equipment rental or education center. The restored Log Cabin would become a landmark structure along the park trail. 
• Option 2: The Log Cabin could act as a community hub providing drinks and snacks along with seating and information regarding park activities, events, and services. 
• Option 3:  The Log Cabin could act as a meeting space for groups, clubs and to host events. 

Among the three options, Dover, Kohl & Partners has recommended Option 2 as the best solution, as it is a central location and provides versatility for serving as an information hub and concession stand. This location also is physically the closest to the Log Cabin's original location, across from Collins Avenue. 

DKP has also assessed various levels of treatment for the Log Cabin: preservation, preservation & restoration, restoration, and reconstruction. Full descriptions and cost estimates for each are attached to this memo. A brief description follows:

• Preservation – focuses on the reassembling and repair of existing historic materials and retention of a property’s form. The structure would also host new uses
• Preservation and Restoration – major elements such as the stone chimney and façade timbers are preserved in addition to new elements added.
• Restoration – depicts a property of a particular period of time in its history by only uses some of the existing materials but mainly new materials
• Reconstruction – Recreates vanished or non-surviving portions of a property for interpretive purposes.

During the community charrettes that occurred during the week of April 30, 2018, the community was able to review the proposed recommendations and select their preferred option. The community showed preference to Option 2 which would allow the Log Cabin to serve as possible cafe, welcome and information center for the public. Additionally, community feedback felt that this site could also be home to an education center for the turtles. 

The exact location of where the Log Cabin would be placed in North Shore Oceanside Park is under consideration by the park design firm, Calvin Giordano Associates. The location of the Log Cabin must be aligned with the current green pathways put forward in the design plan. Following direction from the Commission, representatives from Calvin Giordano Associates and Dover Kohl will analyze the proposed pathways and determine the best location for the Log Cabin that maximizes its usage and visibility to the public.